Page 8 of The Good Luck Cafe
Moira:Thanks again for covering while I stepped out.
Moira’s shift ended later that evening without another call. She removed her headset and walked into her kitchen to prepare a dinner for one. After the day she’d had, she didn’t bother cooking. Instead, she would settle for a bowl of Cap’n Crunch cereal. It was quick and easy, and she was starving.
She pulled the box out of the cabinet and then went to retrieve a bowl, startling when someone knocked on her door. Who would be visiting her now? Her mom always went straight home to her father after leaving the bakeshop, and her friends all had boyfriends, fiancés, or husbands to go home to these days.
Moira stared at her front door for a moment, reviewing the list of possible visitors, none of whom seemed likely. When her unknown visitor knocked again, she sighed. She wasn’t in the mood for social hour. She’d prefer a glass of wine and a hot bath. Even so, she walked over and peered through the peephole.
Moira’s heart sputtered and stopped along with all the breath in her body. When she’d shaken Gil’s hand earlier in the day, she’d felt something unexpected. Her heart had fluttered. Skipped. Quickened. He had always had a crush on her, but not vice versa. She’d never felt anything for Gil Ryan—until today.
He knocked again. Moira pressed a hand to her overreacting heart. She considered pretending she wasn’t home, but her car was in the driveway. She closed her eyes and blew out a breath. This was silly. Whatever she’d felt earlier was a fluke. It was just Gil. She’d known him forever. The least she could do was answer the door—and politely ask him to leave.
Chapter Three
Gil didn’t have to be an expert on body language to read Moira.
She wasn’t smiling, but the good news was she wasn’t frowning either. She just stared back at him expectantly, her arms folded over her chest, her hazel eyes darting around anywhere except to look directly at him.
If his heart weren’t in his throat right now, he might say something witty and make her laugh. Instead, he forced a nervous smile and offered a small wave. “Me again. I, uh, just wanted to say thank you again for earlier today.”
“You didn’t have to come all the way down here. I just gave Doug an ice pack and a glass of juice, that’s all.” She nibbled at her bottom lip, drawing his attention there. There was something uniquely beautiful about Moira. A combination of interesting facial features—heart-shaped lips, a constellation of freckles over her nose and high cheekbones—that made it difficult for him to look away. “I was on shift for the dispatch, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention this to anyone. I’m not supposed to leave my post.” Moira shook her head. “But no one was responding to Doug’s call, and I was concerned.”
“I won’t say anything, but…”
Moira narrowed her eyes, concern wrinkling her forehead. “But what?”
“Well, Doug is fairly active on social media. He’s already made several posts about how you saved his life.” He chuckled to himself, but Moira wasn’t laughing. On the contrary, she suddenly looked pale.
“He can’t tell anyone. I could lose my job if Sheriff Ronnie found out.”
“Don’t worry. I have an in with the sheriff’s department.” Gil winked, trying and failing to calm her down.
“I don’t need the town’s mayor to put in a good word for me. I don’t need you to come to my rescue like a knight in shining armor again either.”
Again?
“I was just being nice.”
“I know Sheriff Ronnie, too, you know. And I wouldn’t have gone to your house if there were deputies available to respond.”
“I know that. We need a new parking area on Hannigan Street. Or even Good Luck Avenue.”
“I don’t know where you’d put one. It’s always been a problem,” she said.
“It’s a safety issue. I wouldn’t be a good mayor if I didn’t try to resolve it.”
Moira almost smiled as she looked at him. The reason Gil hadn’t gone on many second dates in his adult life was that there were never any sparks on his first dates. Every time he ran into Moira though, despite the fact that she clearly hated him, there were fireworks. At least where he was concerned.
If not for Moira, he would probably believe the whole spark thing was a myth and that findingthe onecame down to going on several dates with someone who shared common interests. Who knows? Maybe he would have settled down by now, like most of his friends.
Gil cleared his throat and blinked, watching Moira tuck a dark lock of hair behind her ear where several tiny earrings were stacked. “How’s your dad these days?” he asked, hoping to defuse her tension. Granted, he was jumping from one stressful topic to another. A couple of years ago, Moira’s father had a cancer scare, and for a time, it hadn’t looked good. Now he was in remission.
“Dad is doing well—really well. He’s loving retirement.”
“I bet.” Gil smiled back at her.
“To be honest, I think Mom is a little jealous even though she loves her work. Dad is sleeping in while she’s still heading out early for the breakfast crowd.”
“I’m sure it’s an adjustment for both of them.”
