Page 75 of No Rings Attached
“Why don’t we grab that table by the window.” When Celia pointed at Drew’s usual table, my stomach dipped. Thankfully Matt crossed his arms and said, “That one’s VIP only.”
God bless surly diner owners.
“Thank you,”I mouthed to him.
He gave me that chin nod grumpy guys seemed to have perfected over the years.
Celia rolled her eyes. “I guess we can sit at this one then.” She sat down at the one behind Drew’s.
I didn’t bother reading the menu since I knew what I wanted, and left it sitting on the table while Mom and Celia picked theirs up. That was my mistake.
Celia wrinkled her nose at the laminated page like it had personally offended her. “Do they not have avocado toast? Or anything gluten free or fat free? What even is a ‘lumberjack special’? It sounds like a heart attack on a plate.”
I prayed they’d stop talking.
Celia recoiled from the plastic pages like it might stain her fingers. “They serve pancakes bigger than your head? Is that supposed to be a selling point?”
Mom sniffed.
Celia gestured towards the drink section and frowned. “Do they not do lattes here? Just drip coffee?”
Mom peered over her glasses. “Sweetheart, it’s adiner. We’re probably lucky to get that. It’s probably theirspecialty.”
Celia sighed dramatically. “Fine. But can I at least get oat milk?”
Mom leaned closer, lowering her voice, “I suppose they do their best out here in the sticks. It’s just … so heavy. Hash browns? Biscuits? People actually eat like this?”
Nora filled our water glasses and cheerfully asked if we wanted to hear the specials.
“Yes, please,” I said, quickly. Anything to get my mom and sister to be quiet. Diners nearby were throwing them looks of disbelief and I had a horrible thought I’d end up in the gossip section of their newspaper by morning.
She rattled them off—cinnamon-apple pancakes, a ham and cheddar omelet, pumpkin bread french toast.
Celia made a strangled sound. “Carbs, carbs, and more carbs. I’d bloat up like a balloon.” She glanced at Mom, who nodded in agreement, solemnly, as though we’d just heard a eulogy.
“This whole town must be obsessed with carbs. Do they think diabetes is a hobby?” Mom asked.
Celia flipped her hair. “I can’t even look at the word ‘gravy’ without gaining two pounds. Do you even have kale?”
Nora’s smile went tight. “The onlygreenswe serve is the parsley garnish.”
“Goodness.” Mom flipped her menu closed with a snap and pushed it towards Nora like it had a disease. “We’ll have egg whites and dry whole-grain toast. No butter. And please make sure the plate’s warm.” Then she peered over her reading glasses at Nora. “You do know what egg whites are, don’t you?”
Celia leaned in, voice syrup-sweet. “Oh, and could you cut the toast diagonally, not straight across? Presentation is everything.”
I nearly slid under the table.Presentation.In a diner. Ugh.
Nora’s smile didn’t falter, but her eyebrows twitched just enough to let me know she’d heard every ounce of condescension.
“Perfect choice, ladies.” She said with a forced smile, scribbling down their order.
Blech. I hoped Nora knew I was nothing like them.
By the time our coffees arrived, Celia had her phone out and Notes app open like a general marshaling troops. “You’ll need to tell Drew you can’t work at all for the next two weeks. I’m going to needallof your help, Ellie.”
I took a breath to steady myself. I could do this. I could hold firm, and I could set boundaries. “I’m not taking two weeks off,” I said, pulse spiking.
“Great. Now that that’s settled … What?” Celia and Mother stared at me like I’d announced I was moving to Mars.
