Page 36 of When We Break

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An hour later, after Skyla changed clothes and gave me a toothbrush to use, the three of us walk into Kay’s Diner and are shown to a booth by the windows.

Kay’s is newer to town and is a typical 1950s-style diner with old rock-and-roll decor, black-and-white-checked floors, and red vinyl seats. There’s even a jukebox that’s always pumping out music. Today, it seems to be an old Prince song.

It’s fun, and breakfast here is delicious.

“Have you had the crepes here?” Skyla asks me as she dances in her seat.

“No, ma’am. Are they a must try?”

“If you enjoy crepes, you’ll like these,” she says, and when the server comes around to take our order, I go for the crepes.

Skyla orders bacon and eggs.

“No crepes for you?” I ask with a raised eyebrow.

“I admit, I have a plan.” She grins and leans forward as if she’s going to tell me a secret. “You ordered them, so I can have a bite of yours and eat something else as well. Best of both worlds.”

“And if I don’t want to share?”

She bats those eyelashes at me and bites her lower lip—and yes, I’d give this woman anything she wanted. Crepes. A car. A kidney.

She wants it, she gets it.

“Yeah, okay, I’ll share my crepes.”

“That was simple.” She twists her legs up under her and sips the coffee that the server just dropped off for us. “I’ll share my bacon with you.”

“I’ll let you.”

“Do you have chickens on your farm?”

“About a dozen or so, yeah.”

“And do they produce eggs for you?”

“Plenty. If you ever want some, let me know.”

“I absolutely want some. Farm-fresh eggs are the best.”

“When are you free to come out? You can choose your own eggs and anything else you want.”

“I can shop right on the farm?” Her eyes light up at the idea, and I feel like I just won an award or something. “I’ll take you up on that. Let’s see, I have classes this afternoon, and I’m sure you have plenty of work to catch up on since I’ve monopolized the better part of the past twenty-four hours.”

Worth it.

“What about tomorrow?” she asks. “Is that too soon?”

“It’s not too soon. Will Riley be okay around the animals?”

Skyla nods and sits back as our food is delivered. “Yes, he’s well trained and will listen to any command I give him. He’ll be curious, but he won’t attack any of the animals. If you’d rather I leave him at home, though, I will.”

I frown over at her. “But you always take him with you.”

“It’s true that I do always have him with me, but …” She shrugs and reaches over to take a bite of my crepe, and it makes me grin. Fuck yes, I’ll share my breakfast with her. “I think I’m safe with you out at the farm.”

“You’re safe with me anywhere, Irish.” When she holds her bacon up and offers me a bite, I take it and wink at her. “But Riley isn’t a problem, so if you want him on the ranch, he’s welcome.”

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