Page 38 of Jam and Jingle Bells
I giggled just as Becca approached our booth. “Hello, ladies. What can I get for you this fine Friday?” she asked, her pad still in her apron pocket.
“Hey, Becca,” Mom greeted her. “What’s the special today?”
“Turkey club with a cup of cheesy wild rice soup or a salad.”
“Sounds great.” Mom handed her a menu. “I’ll have the soup with it.”
I handed Becca my menu and nodded. “I’ll do the club but with a salad and a Sprite.”
“You got it, girls,” she promised and scurried away.
I was about to launch into my speech when mom leaned forward on the table. “As long as we’re waiting, I had some ideas about our wedding. Do you want to hear them?”
I smiled to cover the tremor in my voice. “Absolutely, sounds great,” I agreed, and she launched into ideas for the when and where of their wedding.
I listened, tuned in, but thinking about the discussion we would inevitably have today. I could be patient, but it would happen.
I leaned back against the booth and sighed, my food mostly gone and my Sprite almost empty. “I’m stuffed.” I sighed and rubbed my belly. The turkey club had been overflowing with turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo and stacked high on home-baked wheat bread.
“It was flipping amazing, as always,” Mom agreed, putting her napkin down. “Mason is no slouch in the kitchen.”
“Mel’s a lucky girl,” I agreed, laughing.
“She’s no slouch either.” She pointed at me likegotchaand I grinned.
“I can’t wait to see what she comes up with for a wedding cake next week. Whatever it is, you know it’s going to be to die for.”
“Speaking of the wedding, are you bringing a date?” she asked nonchalantly, getting money out of her purse and laying it on the bill.
“Mom, really?” I asked, still laughing.
She held up her hands. “I’ve heard some rumors.”
“It is Bells Pass, so that doesn’t surprise me. If you have a question, why don’t you just ask?”
She nodded and tipped her head to the left. “Okay, fine, I’ll ask. The rumor is you’re dating Ellis David, the yoga guy.”
“And for once the rumor mill is somewhat accurate,” I answered in kind.
She leaned forward again immediately, her breath coming out in a huff. “And you didn’t bother to tell your mother?”
I held my hands out to my sides. “I was actually going to tell you about it today, not that there’s much to tell. We’ve gone out on a few dates, that’s all. I enjoy spending time with him. He’s always polite.”
“Not what I heard,” she muttered, handing Becca the bill. “Keep the change,” she said sweetly, to cover her earlier muttering.
“Mom, if you have something to say, say it.”
“What the rumor mill really said was you were making out in full view of the street the other night.”
I snickered and shook my head. “Tacos do that to a girl,” I answered, leaving it at that.
She rolled her eyes and I laughed full out. “Mom, relax. It was just an innocent kiss. It wasn’t like we were swallowing each other’s tonsils or anything.”We totally were. “You know how the gossip gets carried away in this town.”
“I hope it was just the gossip mill getting carried away. You’d tell me if it was more, right?”
I crossed my heart like Ivy does and had to work hard not to snort at myself. “I would, I promise. Listen, Mom, there was something I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Sure honey, anything,” she said taking my hand like she was worried about my mental health.
