Page 87 of Dashing for Love

No. Something’s wrong. Get over here.

Willa…

Don’t make me call Mom

Fine. I’ll be there but I won’t like it

Works for me

Figures that my own sister won’t let me take a day off. It was easy to convince JJ to leave me alone the past few days, but Willa? No such luck.

I pull on jeans and a T-shirt and brush my teeth, but she’s got another thing coming if she thinks I’m going to brush myhair and put on makeup. There’s only so much I can be expected to do with a broken heart.

Because yes, Matty fucking broke my heart. That asshole wormed his way in, perfectly content to have me as his little secret. But when the news got out and he had to face reality?

Poof. Done.

I swipe at the tears and start my Jeep, then see the cowboy duck on the dashboard.

…And the tears come in earnest now. I slump in the seat, powerless to fight them. I’ve been crying for over forty-eight hours now, so what’s another few minutes?

Finally, I pull myself together with a hiccup. He’s not an asshole. He’s just…stupid.

Really, really stupid.

When I get to the diner, Mom’s already there and wiping down the menus. “Goldie!” she gasps, grabbing my arms and leading me to the counter. “Honey, what happened?” She leans in and lowers her voice. “Is it James?”

Willa looks through the serving window from where she stands in the kitchen, chopping onions. “Goldie?” Her brow furrows when she sees me.

I swallow hard and wave them both away. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be okay.”

Willa’s face softens. “Do you need to go home?”

I shake my head, realizing that home is actually the last place I want to be. Every room makes me think of Matty. “No.” I sniff. I stand and grab the silverware and napkins, then start rolling the silverware. I need to lose myself in anything that isn’t thoughts of him, and this is the perfect way to start.

Mom rubs my back but doesn’t push for details, which is honestly a miracle. I must really look like shit.

Tom and Jerry make their shuffling way in as soon as Mom flips the sign to Open and unlocks the door. I pour their coffees.

“The heck happened to you, girlie?” Tom asks. “You look terrible.”

Jerry swats him. “You’re not supposed to comment on how a woman looks, Tom!”

“Since when?”

“Since forever,” Jerry shoots back. “Have some manners.”

“I have manners. Watch this.” Tom turns to me, one of his suspenders slipping off his flannel-checked shoulder. “Goldie, dear, your bedraggled state and lack of smiles indicate that you are in distress. How may we assist? Is there someone to whom we need to defend your honor?”

Willa snorts behind me, and despite my sorrow, the tiniest of smiles makes its way onto my face.

“Good Lord,” Jerry moans, then turns his attention to me. “Ignore him. You’re allowed to look however you want to look. And if that means wearing clothes that even Willa wouldn’t be caught in, and wearing your hair like, well, whatever that is, then you go for it. Girl power!” He raises a shaky hand halfway into the air, which I’m pretty sure is as far as it’ll go.

“I heard that,” Willa says behind me.

“Do you honestly think that was better than me?” Tom asks Jerry. “Get some class.”

“I’ve got class—it’s why Sue agreed to date me instead of you.”

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