Page 2 of Take A Number
“So far!”
“He’s not even worthy of being compared to the actual Dean from the show who was a wimpy asshat at the best of times.”
Norah’s eyes widen, and her hands lift. “Stop right there.”
“What?” Kate replies, her brows furrowing in confusion.
Norah points at her chest. “I’m Team Dean.”
“Norah, no!” Kate gasps, her eyes wide with horror.
“I’ve always been Team Dean!”
“What kind of idiot is Team Dean?”Kate exclaims with disgust, and when Norah looks like she’s about to lunge across the counter to choke Kate out, Kate quickly holds up her hands and backtracks. “Sorry, my emotions got the best of me for a moment, and we aren’t close enough to be calling each other idiots…no one’s an idiot here…except for DEAN!” she growls, ramping up all over again. “I mean, after season one, he’s a home-wrecking idiot with no life goals.”
“He was Rory’s first love!” Norah splays her hands across the counter and leans closer to Kate.
Kate shrugs and crosses her arms while smugly replying, “We all make mistakes when we’re young.”
Norah exhales like a bull getting ready to charge. “And let me guess…you’re Team Jess.”
“Um…duh, Norah. I’m a romance novelist. Books are my life. Of course I want the book nerd to end up with another book nerd. That is basically porn in my world.”
A slow smile spreads across my face as I sit back and watch my best friend go back and forth with Norah over a television show. I can’t stop the dirtiness of my imagination as it forms a fantasy of Kate and Norah having a pillow fight over who should be in love with who. Before my mind goes too far, a shrill voice breaks into my pillow dreams.
“Jess is a drifter who doesn’t know what he wants…at least Dean took some risks for Rory.”
Kate shakes her head in disgust. “I can’t believe you never told me you were Team Home-wrecker Dean.”
“I can’t believe you never told me you were Team Zero Ambition Jess. You were one of my favorite customers.” Norah blinks back her shock like someone’s just told her Santa Claus doesn’t exist.
“Feeling’s mutual, Norah. I mean…Jesus. I’d be Team Tristan before I’d be Team Dean. I’d be TeamKirkbefore Team Dean.”
“Now you’re just being ridiculous,” Norah growls, and the two go silent as they stare each other down for a long, pregnant pause.
Kate’s the first one to crack. “Can I still take a number for a fresh croinut? What’s the flavor of the day?”
“It’s birthday explosion, and I don’t own the machine,” Norah snaps back, which breaks the tension as she stutters, “Well, actually I do own the machine because I own the bakery…I just…was saying that for dramatic effect.”
Kate breathes a sigh of relief and reaches down to pull a number out of the red ticket machine on the counter. “Oh, thank God because I love birthday explosion, and I’ve been thinking about a croinut all morning. Tire Depot’s Danishes don’t hold a candle to your baked goods.”
“Aw, you’re too sweet,” Norah replies, looking touched. “I know how much you love those Danishes.”
“Mostly just because they’re free, and I’m cheap,” Kate says with an awkward laugh. “Seriously, if your bakery was complimentary, I’d do all my writing here.”
Norah nods her head awkwardly. “Well, then I’d have no bakery because I’d have no money.”
“Right!” Kate barks out a laugh. “Maybe you should start doing oil changes here.”
“That would kinda get in the way of my bakery.”
“Obviously!”
The two grin at each other for a second, and then Kate says, “I’m gonna go grab a booth. Later, Norah. See you at the next Gilmore meeting.”
“Nice seeing you again, Kate.”
Kate turns to leave, and Norah busies herself back at the glass display case, rearranging the donuts that don’t require patrons to take a number.
