Page 33 of Wishes at Water's Edge
“Oh, don’t worry, I can talk enough for him and me,” Lewis said. “I’ve got all kinds of L.A. stories to tell the two of you.Things that will curl your hair. Not that your hair isn’t already becomingly wavy, Alexis.”
She smiled, remembering the days when she’d styled her hair every day. Now it was wavy simply because she’d gotten her braid wet by accident while taking a shower.
At that moment, Julia approached their table. It was clear that she was on waitressing duty that day instead of simply working on the pub’s finances. She was wearing a black apron and she held a small notebook and pencil in her hand.
“Hey!” She smiled at Alexis and her husband. “Good to see you guys in the pub. We’ve missed you.” She turned to Lewis brightly. “Hi, I’m Julia.”
“Lewis.” He held out his hand for a handshake. “I’m visiting from L.A.”
“I heard.”
“Wow, news travels fast around here.”
“It does when you work with family and friends.” Julia grinned. “Glad you’re here. Have you gotten a chance to look at the menu?”
“Ah, not yet. Give me a second here.” Lewis looked down at the pub’s menu, and his eyes lifted in interest when he saw how many delicious options there were.
“What about you two?” Julia asked. “You just want your usuals? Something with peanut butter for Alexis?” Her grin was impish.
“Wow, that’s pretty impressive service,” Lewis said. “Will you remember what I like to eat if I come here again, Julia?”
She laughed. “Probably not, I’m afraid. Grayson usually gets the Reuben with waffle fries and our family’s secret sauce on the side, and Alexis usually gets crepes with peanut butter and sausages.”
“She remembers us so well because she’s my sister,” Alexis explained with a smile.
“Oh, of course!” Lewis gestured between the sisters. “I can see the resemblance now, absolutely. You’ve got a good-looking sister, Alexis.”
Noticing that Lewis was making flirtatious eyes at Julia, Grayson cleared his throat. “It’s nice to see you, Julia. I know you’ve been so busy planning your wedding. How’s that going?”
“Pretty good. It’s a lot, but Cooper’s helping me with it.” Julia smiled. “And it’s all fun work.”
“A wedding, huh?” Lewis leaned back in his seat. “I bet a wedding around here must be the social event of the year.”
For a second, there was a bit of a strange pause. Julia, Alexis, and Grayson blinked at Lewis, and it took him a moment to realize that his remark had been less than polite.
“I’m sorry you have to waitress right now, Julia,” Alexis said, swooping in to change the subject. “I should be able to get back to waitressing soon enough. Hopefully.” She made a goofy face at Cash.
“Don’t worry about it.” Julia smiled. “I enjoy it—it usually helps clear my head. And the tips are nice, that’s for sure.”
“I usually waitress here,” Alexis explained to Lewis. “Normally, Julia only does the marketing and the finances for The Lighthouse Grill. But she’s been waitressing recently since they need the extra help while I’m on maternity leave.”
“Huh.” Lewis looked interested. “Couldn’t they just hire someone new for a month or something?”
“Oh, I don’t think anyone would want to work for just a little bit like that, unless they’re a teenager and then they need to be in school most of the time,” Julia explained. “Besides, good help is hard to find in a small town like this. Everyone who works here at The Lighthouse Grill needs to really be on their toes.”
“Hmm, busy place, huh?” Lewis smiled politely and returned his gaze to the menu in front of him.
“You read my mind, Julia,” Alexis said. “Crepes with peanut butter with a side of sausages sounds perfect. And can you add banana and strawberry slices too?”
“You got it.” Julia made a quick note on her notepad. “How about you, Grayson? Did I read your mind too?”
He laughed. “Actually, today I think I’m going to have that garlic mushroom cheeseburger. But you were right about the waffle fries.”
“Garlic mushroom cheeseburger with extra cheese, waffle fries with a side of secret sauce,” Julia said cheerfully, jotting it down—apparently still able to read Grayson’s mind when it came to cheese. “What about you, Lewis? Have you made up your mind yet?”
“Ah, so many options.” Lewis pushed his menu away with a sigh that was a touch on the dramatic side. “But I have made up my mind. I’m going to have the BLT with a side of mashed potatoes, please.”
“Would you like our secret sauce on the BLT?” Julia asked. “Most people say that’s the best version of a BLT they’ve ever had.”
