Page 70 of The Good Luck Cafe
Moira stood and walked over to what she referred to as her junk drawer. She grabbed the deck and held it up. “If we’re going to play, we should have stakes involved.”
Gil’s eyes narrowed over his mug of tea. “How about, if I win, you go on another date with me this week?” he suggested.
Moira sat back down in front of him. “And if I win?”
Gil lifted a shoulder. “If you win, you still go on another date with me.”
She tilted her head to one side. “Are you asking me out again, Mayor?”
He looked at her steadily. Calmly. “I am.”
Moira cut the deck and started dealing the cards, making Gil wait for his answer. Then she fanned her cards in front of her face and looked at him. “Let the best person win.”
***
On Monday morning, Moira pushed through the bakery’s front doors and breathed in the nostalgic aroma of her childhood. Darla smiled and waved from behind the counter where she’d always been during Moira’s lifetime. The idea that this place might cease to exist was hard to swallow.
Moira stepped up to the counter. “Hi, Mom. Can I get my usual?”
“Of course.” Darla turned to start preparing it, talking over her shoulder. “Dispatch today?”
“Yep. Nine to five. What about you?”
“I’m here until six.” Darla slid a cup of coffee in front of Moira. “Then I’m meeting your dad for a walk along the lake. He’s gotten romantic in his golden years. He likes to watch the sunset.” She dipped to get a croissant out of the glass case for Moira’s breakfast.
“I didn’t know Dad was mushy.” Moira thought of Gil. Sharing a sunset with him was the most romantic moment of her adult life. Then again, so was a night of playing Uno at her kitchen counter. Moira didn’t have a lot of dating experiences to go off though.
Darla slid the croissant across the counter. Then she rang Moira up. Moira had stopped accepting freebies here a long time ago. She was an adult, and this was her mom’s business.
“Are you doing okay?” her mom asked as Moira slid her debit card into the reader.
“I’m not planning a protest outside your business, if that’s what you’re asking.” Moira smiled softly. “I’m okay. You?”
Darla looked tired. Her rosy cheeks weren’t quite as pink as usual. “I’m good. And the campaign?”
Moira picked up her coffee and croissant. “It’s going well.”
“I’m glad. Your heart will always steer you in the right direction.”
Right now, Moira’s heart was steering her toward Gil. Moira turned toward the bell on the bakery door and waved at Tess as she headed inside.
“I’ll bring her coffee and bagel out,” Darla said.
“Thanks, Mom.” Moira gestured for Tess to meet her at a table near the wall. “Mom is bringing your coffee and bagel out.”
Tess pulled out a chair and sat down. “Perfect. I don’t know what I’ll do when this place is no longer here.” She looked at Moira. “Unless of course you get that changed. Being mayor will give you some pull, I imagine.”
Moira brought her cup of coffee to her mouth. “We’ll see.” She sipped quietly for a few minutes, looking around the bakery again. The walls were covered with old photographs of Darla and a bunch of musicians that Moira had only ever known through these pictures. Darla’s first dream had been to be a singer. Then she’d gotten pregnant with Moira, and her dream had shifted to owning this place.
“Here you go.” Darla set a coffee and cream cheese bagel in front of Tess. “Enjoy. I’ll just put it on your tab.”
Tess reached for her drink. “Thanks, Darla.”
They waited to continue talking until Darla returned to the counter.
“I like the wardrobe, by the way. This new version of Moira Green is impressive.” Tess picked up her bagel and took a bite.
“What do you mean?”
