Page 19 of Hooked on Lane

“I honestly never thought I'd see this place again. I can still get around… but I'm slower.”

I wafted my hand at her and grabbed her bag from the back seat. She took off toward the front door, and I got there just in time to open it for her. “In you go.”

Carina's face split into a wide grin when she saw my mom. “Leanne!” After a brief hug, Carina gushed about how long it had been since they last saw each other; they had known each other since elementary school. Carina handed me the room key so I could get her bag into her room while they caught up. Thankfully, it was on the first floor, close to the lobby, so she wouldn't have too much difficulty getting around. When I returned, they were still talking, lost in conversation.

Mom released a yawn. “I’ll stop gabbing now. Son, let me change out of my jammies and we can go grab a bite to eat.”

“Okay.”

I watched her silhouette disappear and looked around the lobby for Jennifer. She must be out exploring. She didn’t seem like the type to hang around in her room. This town was amazing during the holidays, and I truly hoped she would enjoy herself.Her parents put so much pressure on her, and she wanted to make them proud, but if they didn't see what an amazing woman she was, they were idiots. If they couldn't appreciate her for who she was, then maybe she didn't need their approval after all.

Chapter Twenty

Jennifer

Ireclined on the bed, immersed in Amy Stephens' novel, when my phone vibrated against the nightstand. Startled out of my trance, I saw that two hours had passed since I began reading. With a sigh, I picked up the phone and unlocked it.

Lane: Mom and I are going to the diner for dinner. Wanna come? No pressure.

I laid on my stomach, feet crossed at the ankles. There were apparently only two places to eat an actual meal in this town.

Me: My stomach says yes, but my brain wants to finish this book I grabbed at the café today.

The meet-cute was always the part I needed to read before committing to buying a book. Amy was a professional at nailing the best of them. I picked up the book and read another couple pages before my phone vibrated again. No matter what, I needed to finish this by tomorrow midmorning so I could pick up another one from the café.

Lane: So you checked it out? Amazing, right? It reminds me of Coffee Chaos in a way. A small part of the city in this small town.

I smiled and bit my lip. The café might be my favorite spot because of the coffee and books. Being a small town, I thought it would be a tiny selection, but it was quite extensive.

Me: The coffee was delish!!!!! Guess I know where I’ll be going every morning. The guy that works there was kinda off-putting, though.

Lane: If he was wearing flannel, then it must be Cole. He and his brother own the place. He’s a good guy, just got a lot on his plate. Cut him some slack.

Once again, it slipped my mind that this was his hometown. He knew everyone. Heck, he and Cole probably played together when they were still in diapers.

Lane: If you want to join us, we will leave in five.

I put the phone down on my bed, grabbing my brush to get out any tangles, and then threw my hair up in a ponytail. There was no sense in changing since he already saw me in this. I threw on my winter coat, slipped my room key into my back pocket, and headed to the lobby.

As I rounded the corner, Lane and his mother were waiting.

“Mom, this is my friend Jennifer.” His mom gave me a once-over.

“Nice to meet you. Glad you could join us.”

We walked slowly down Main Street while his mother recounted stories about how the Hideout Diner used to be the place to be after every football game. Lane heaved the weathered door open and ushered us inside. The small booth seats were tucked in by the smudged windows, which looked out onto Main Street.

“I’m loving the checkered floors. So on par with a small town diner, right?” I picked up the menu and once I saw breakfast, my decision was made.

A young woman approached our table. “What can I get for you guys tonight?”

We all ordered the breakfast sampler, and then the conversation began. Leanne seemed very interested in me, and Lane looked scared.

“So, tell me about yourself, young lady. My son said you are the best assistant he's ever had…”

“I’m the only assistant he's ever had… but I'll take it as a compliment, anyway. There’s not much to tell. I live in the city, work my tail off, and love to read.”

Gosh, my life sounded so boring. No wonder I was still single. Leanne probably thought the same thing.

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