Page 30 of The Lover
Oh, wait, that was actually one word.
One word. Fireworks.
Eight
Jake
Tuesday Afternoon
Iparkedmy truck and figured I would get lunch first. Then I would drop by the post office to see if my new wire cutters had arrived. I paid way more than I should have, but the reviews inRancher’s Weeklyhad been pretty compelling.
My lips twisted at the memory of Ellie opening her Christmas gift that one year only to find I had given her wire cutters. I might have done better with a lump of coal, she had looked so crestfallen.
I would have to do something special this year. I had a feeling Ellie would want something girly and romantic now that were doing it.
Lovers. It was odd, but the word made me uncomfortable. I wasn’t even sure why I told her that. Lovers implied… I don’t know. Something illicit. Despite how all of this had started, we weren’t illicit now.
I opened the door to Frank’s, wondering if I was in the mood for a burger or some chili, when a girl walked by with honey-brown hair in a ponytail hanging down her back, carrying a coffee pot.
Bernie must have found someone to replace her. Thank God. I took another look because from the back she looked a lot like Ellie. Then she turned around and I saw it was in fact Ellie.
“Hi Jake. Pick any open spot.”
“Ellie, what in the hell are you doing here? And why are you holding a coffee pot?”
“I’m a waitress. Waitresses poor coffee.”
My eyes narrowed and I didn’t have to say anything else. She knew what my expression meant.
“Okay, okay. Hold on. Let me just refresh some coffee and then I’ll explain.”
She breezed away then as if this wasn’t a big deal. This was a fucking big deal!
“Oh no. I told you, once Jake hears about this we’re getting Bernie back.”
I looked over to see Sam and his wife sitting at a booth, looking at me with concern.
His wife patted his hand and said, “Let’s see how it plays out. Ellie obviously has her reasons for being here.”
I turned away from them, not able to believe what I was hearing. Ellie was here when she should be at school. Beyond that, she must have been here long enough that Sam and his wife were already making predictions about my reaction.
AND I DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT IT.
Did everyone catch that?
This was a big fucking deal.
I sat in the first open booth and seethed. Then I realized every eye in the place was on me, so I tried to contain my anger.
Ellie came around the booth sans coffee pot and her lower lip between her teeth, which meant she was nervous, which she should be.
“Outside. Now,” I said.
“Jake…”
“I mean it, Ellie. I’m not having this conversation in the middle of Frank’s.” I got out of the booth and grabbed her hand. I made my way down the narrow hall where the bathrooms were and then opened the office door. I knew the back entrance was through there.
Bernie looked up and was about to open her mouth, then she saw me and understood the situation.
