Page 148 of As They Are
“Boy.”
“Interesting,” I replied.
“Is that a hint?” Mollie asked.
“Nope.”
Mollie groaned.
“I think Cain’s wrong,” Maribelle said. “You’re carrying like I did.”
Mollie’s eyes cut to me, but I kept my face blank.
“I’m leaving for the diner early so you don’t ruin the party.”
“Wren!”
“Bye!”
I loaded the cake into my truck and took off before Mollie chased after me. Tammy offered to host the gender reveal at the diner since it was raining and nearly the entire town wanted to come. Mollie wanted to have it at the farm before Cain begged her not to let that many people into their house.
Forty minutes later, I was pulling up to Center Point. I’d driven like a grandma to make sure that I didn’t accidentally knock over the cake, which not only earned me a honk from a woman I didn’t know, but also made my drive that much longer.
When I walked in, the neon sign was covered with a banner that said “CONGRATS MOLLIE AND CAIN” in both pink and blue letters. There were balloonseverywhere,and Kerry was at a booth blowing up more.
“Whoa, this is . . .”
“Too much?” Tammy asked from beside me. “I tried to tell her, but she told me this was the first gender reveal she’s gotten to host in years, and she was going all out.”
“Nothing can stop Kerry.”
“Now you know how the town works.” Tammy winked. “Let’s go put that in the back before someone tries to sneak a peek.”
“I’m being respectful!” Kerry yelled.
“It’s not only you,” I said with a laugh. “Mollie isn’t playing around today.”
Tammy laughed too. “Follow me. I’ll show you where all the fun happens.”
The back of the diner featured stainless steel counters and a massive coffee pot. Ron was sitting on a chair reading a newspaper. He had longer gray hair and a thick, gray mustache.
“Did ya hire someone else?” he asked.
“Nope. She’s just putting the cake up.”
“You brought a customer back here?”
“Oh, come on. She’s not a customer.”
Ron narrowed his eyes. “Then what is she?”
“A woman who’s good at forgetting what I saw,” I said with a wink.
“Just don’t go lookin’ through my books. All my recipes are there.” He went back to his newspaper.
“Don’t mind him. His secrets have secrets.”
I nodded, trying not to let my eyes linger. He reminded me of my dad, if he were still alive. Dad had been there when no one else was, and though he was quiet and gruff, he’d made sure I ate and taught me everything I knew.
