Page 51 of Moonlight & Matrimony
“Sounds good to me. I’ve been craving a BLT.”I’ve been craving something else entirely.
“Meet me at the truck in fifteen?”
“Make it twenty and you’ve got a deal.”
The diner is unusually quiet for a Friday afternoon, our usual booth bathed in sunlight as Rylin chatters away, talking Miles' ear off about anything and everything, completely unfiltered. The scent of fresh apple pie permeates the air as Rosie slides the dish into the massive display case on the counter, stopping briefly to wave hello.
“Uncle Miles, did you know some cats have extra toes?”
“Is that so?” he asks.
“Uh huh! It looks like a thumb!” she exclaims, wiggling her own thumb back and forth as if to emphasize her point. Ivy and I look on as yet another person is wrapped around Rylin’s little finger.
“And Gigi said that one time a cat went to space! Do you think Chance could go to the moon? I like the moon.”
Miles chuckles, reaching across the table to boop her on the nose. “I don’t know about that, Ry. Wouldn’t you miss him if he went to the moon?”
Rylin’s shoulders deflate for a minute as she considers the question. Perking back up, she says, “Maybe I could go, too!”
“You wanna be an astronaut, Bug?” I ask, curiosity compelling me to join the conversation.
“Hmmm,” she says, tapping her little finger on her chin in contemplation. “Nope.”
Laughter erupts around the table just as Lisa delivers our meals. Rylin’s face lights up when she surveys the plate of fries that’s placed in front of her, effectively stopping the conversation dead in its tracks as she shovels a handful into her mouth.
“Slow down, love,” Ivy urges. “You’ll choke.”
“S’good,” Rylin mumbles around a mouthful. Shaking her head, Ivy smiles, and a quiet peace settles over the table, only the dull sound of clanking dishes and the faint murmur of conversation across the diner filling the silence.
Ivy moans around a bite of her BLT and I have to stifle a groan, my cock instantly hardening behind my jeans. I’ll never make it out of this booth unscathed if she keeps making sounds like that. Miles smirks at me behind his glass. “I’ll have what she’s having,” he says, winking at my wife.
“Watch it, Barlow,” I warn. But Ivy doesn’t need me to defend her as she scratches the bridge of her nose with her middle finger to discreetly flip him off.
“I’m wounded,” he teases, dramatically clutching at his chest.
Stacking our now empty plates, I notice an unmistakable shock of red in my periphery. Austin’s car is parked on Main Street, but the man himself is nowhere to be seen. Miles follows my line of sight and freezes. Our gazes lock, and with a subtle nod, an understanding passes between us. I lean over to whisper in Ivy’s ear, taking care not to let my concern show on my face. “Stay with Miles, ok? I need to talk to Rosie for a second.” Her body grows rigid as she turns her head to look me in the eye, worry etched across her features.
“Everything's fine, sweetheart. Just need you to stay put.” She agrees and I slide out of the booth, scanning my surroundings for any sign of the fucker. When I don’t see anything amiss, I stride across the diner with purpose. I find Rosie at the end of the long counter, talking to her husband Archie with two forks and a slice of pecan pie between them.
“Sorry to interrupt,” I say.
“Nonsense, what can I do for ya, Luca?” Rosie asks.
“Do you happen to have cameras? Specifically ones outside on Main Street.”
She eyes me curiously before responding. “I sure do. Why do you ask? Someone causing trouble?”
“My money’s on that no-good ex husband, am I right?” Archie’s attention snags on something behind me, and I look back to find Austin standing on the sidewalk across the street, tapping away on his cell.
“You’d be correct, sir. Is there any way you can get me the footage for today?”
“My son monitors it on his computer. I can give him a call for ya,” Rosie says.
“I’d really appreciate it, Ro.”
She pats me on the shoulder, giving me a subtle smile. “No problem at all, honey.”
“Heads up,” Archie says, tipping his head in the direction of the door just as the bell chimes, signaling a new arrival. I don’t even have to look to know who just walked in as the hairs at the back of my neck prickle.
