Page 61 of Driven Daddy

“If I hadn’t known before, that crush of people would have made the case, now wouldn’t it?”

“How nice for you. Glad my readers have eased your mind.”

“Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot.”

“Pretty sure we didn’t. I just missed the signs when we first met.” She gave me a fake smile and turned her back on me.

I tipped my head back and turned on my heel to go back to Larsen and what was left of my merchandise.

“Crashed and burned again, hey?”

“Shut up,” I snapped.

He snickered and hefted the box with my cardboard cutout, taken apart and tucked inside. “Maybe a plate of loaded fries will turn your mood around.”

“Maybe.”

“Good, let’s drop this off and head to the Rusty Spoon.”

I nodded and grabbed the rest of my stuff. We said our goodbyes to Colette. Ryan had already headed out with her significant other with some mention of Moons Over My Hammy.

The sun was long gone, but there were a few people congregated outside of Ashes and Wine across the street and down near the park. From the flights of glasses I spotted on the tables, I assumed it was a tasting.

I didn’t have wine on my mind. Hell, the only things living in my head at the moment were regret and annoyance.

How had it all gone so fucking sideways?

It was a quiet walk back to my car. Larsen knew when I was in a mood and let me stew. By the time we got to the local diner, I’d shaken off some of my mood.

Polly, one of the regular waitresses, spotted us and waved us in. “Hey, Penn. Long time, no see.” She gave Larsen a once over, which he returned. “Who’s your friend?”

Larsen, ever the flirt, answered for me. “Larsen. And may I know yours?”

I rolled my eyes at the literal swoon. Heavy on the Scottish always did the trick.

“Polly.”

“Pleasure. Can we have a booth?”

“Sure. I mean, of course. Sit wherever you like. And please talk to me for the rest of my shift.”

“I’ll endeavor to be a chatterbox.”

Polly giggled. Polly didn’t giggle—as far as I knew…ever. I pushed Larsen forward down the aisle. “All right, don’t put the girl into a state.”

Larsen grinned over his shoulder. “She looks a little spicy.”

“You would be correct.” I stopped at a booth by the window and slid across. I didn’t need to look at the menu, I was pretty sure it had been the same for forty years or so.

Polly came out of the back holding two glasses of water and a carafe of coffee. “Freshly made about ten minutes ago.” She flipped the cups already on the table and poured out one for both of us. “You guys need a minute?”

“Thanks, love. That’d be great.”

I slouched in the booth and gave Larsen a bland look.

“I’ll be back in a few.” Polly gave me a shrug then moved onto another customer.

Elvis’s “The Wonder of You” hummed out of the ancient juke and the scent of bacon and fresh bread relaxed me. The jukebox also hadn’t been changed in the same time as the menus. I waspretty sure no songs after the sixties were allowed according to the owner, Mitch.

---