Page 76 of The Reno
“Hey, Lydia.”
“Hey, Casey.” Lydia smiled.
“The usual?” Casey asked breathlessly.
“Yes, please, and a—” Lydia gestured to me.
“A caramel latte, please,” I asked, smiling at the woman who looked like she was going to combust in front of our eyes.
“I’ll bring it over.”
“Thanks, Casey,” Lydia said, moving us out of the line and through the cafe to find somewhere to sit near the window. Outside, two ladies in swimming caps were doing laps, more steam rising from the heated pool with each movement of their arms.
Lydia smirked. “Dad told me you moved in with Liam. I said hire him, Kat”—Lydia snorted a laugh—“not shack up with him.”
I gasped. “I didn’t shack up with him!”
“That’s how Dad made it sound. How didthathappen?” She arched a blonde eyebrow. “You didn’t seem all that friendly at the club.”
“Liam said I had to move out. I didn’t want to, but I had no choice.” I decided to leave out that I camped in the garden and had to be saved by Liam himself. I could do without that strike to my ego. “Liam came by the house and offered me a place in his annexe.”
Lydia barked a laugh. “Bet you loved that.”
I gave a sarcastic laugh. “Yeah.”
Lydia’s smile dropped. “You know we’re here to help, Kat. Me, Mum, Dad. I mean, half of the club, too. You just need to ask.”
I squirmed. I’d never been good at accepting help. Mum had always drilled it into me that no one was going to help me. I had to help myself.
Apply yourself, Katherine.
Dad hadn’t been much better either. He’d travelled the UK on his own, renovating a house, selling it and moving on. He died alone in a strange hospital on his own, without me, or his brother.
I inhaled a shaky breath. “I’ll get better at asking for help.”
“Good egg,” Lydia said, squeezing my hand, “because Mum is driving me mad. She’s champing at the bit to help. Don’t be surprised if you come by one day and she’s painting your front room magnolia.”
I knew Lydia was joking, but I internally flinched at the mention of the colour magnolia. Like any millennial, that colour was etched into my brain.
I frowned. “She never mentioned anything.”
Lydia shrugged. “After Dad brought those plans to the club and upset you, Mum said we were banned from meddling.”
“Caramel latte and black coffee,” Casey said, holding two cups and saucers.
I glanced at the till and saw that a different person was manning it. Casey had definitely asked someone to swap with her so she could bring these over.
“Perfect, thank you,” Lydia said, moving her phone out of the way. Casey placed the cups down and aimed one more smile at Lydia before leaving.
“Lyd,” I said, lowering my voice.
Her blue eyes lifted to mine, eyebrows raised. “What?”
“Are we gonna talk about how that woman has the biggest crush on you, maybe ever?” I raised an eyebrow.
Lydia’s cup clattered down onto the saucer, her eyes dartingacross the room to find Casey.
She frowned. “No. She doesn’t.”
