Page 56 of Lorcan
Lorcan’s gaze shot to mine.
“I’ll have the French toast platter. With a side of bacon.” Because I was going to enjoy myself this morning.
“Uh.” Lorcan frowned. “Can I do the sunrise breakfast? Scrambled eggs and sourdough bread?”
“Sure.” Sarabeth snagged our menus.
“Oh, and peanut butter.” He smiled shyly. “I love peanut butter.”
“For you? Anything. Oh, drinks?”
“Coffee.” We answered at the same time.
“Perfect. I’ll have those here in a jiffy.” She spun and headed back to the front of the diner. Her long blonde hair swished in a ponytail, and she sashayed with a confidence I found inspiring. She was always so damn happy.
Despite her home life. Her circumstances had been confided to me. Probably inappropriately—but that came with living in a small town. I always gave her an extra-big tip.
I met Lorcan’s gaze.
He swallowed. “I used to come here with my ex.”
“Oh.”
“I need new memories, Cody. I need to reclaim things that once brought me joy.”
I squeezed his hand. “That, I can do.”
“Hey, Cody.”
My gaze snapped up to find…my boss. Well, one of my bosses. “Hi, Jai. How’s it going?”
Behind him, his husband Demetrius and their two kids, Keegan and Alaina, trailed.
Jai gestured for everyone to settle into the booth that was newly vacant. The kids slid into one side while Demetrius took the opposite. Jai sat next to him, but perched a little. “I’m not going to bother you—”
“No bother.” Lorcan released my hand. “I need to run to, well, you know—”
He was up and gone before I could say anything.
I exchanged a glance with Jai.
He arched an eyebrow.
I suggested, “New…”
“That’s fair.” He gave me a warm smile. “I want to see you happy, and you’re practically glowing this morning.”
“It’s warm in here.”
“Tell me about it. We were waiting in the SUV for a table to open up. I spotted you getting in before us.”
I glanced around. “I feel guilty.”
Jai waved me off.
Demetrius laughed at something Keegan said. The young man had been the reason we’d all met. He’d attended the summer camp where I’d been the psychologist, and Jai had been the administrator. Jai and Demetrius had connected—well, reconnected—and by the end of the camp, they’d found a way to make a family. Quite an interesting contrast. Jai was Indian, Demetrius was Black, and the kids were both white. They got funny looks, but the group of them were defiant about the family they had.
I admired that.
