Page 40 of Win Some Love Some
“Who says we weren’t speaking with each other?” Nora asked and Madame Za shot her a look.
“Now that you’re together again, everything feels different, doesn’t it?” She asked.
“Feels the same to me,” I said, and side-stepped her.
She grabbed my arm and when I turned, her smile was gone. She shook her head and chills ran down my spine.
“What you want has always been right in front of you,” she whispered as I pulled my arm free.
“Uh, thanks Madame Za,” I said and I pushed us forward.
We reached the diner and I stepped in front of Nora to open the door. Lola, as always, was behind the counter.
“Baby!” Lola called and came around the corner. “I heard you were home. Come, give me a hug.”
“Hi, Aunt Lola,” Nora said as she hugged her aunt.
“Lola, you’re going to squeeze her to death,” I warned.
“It wouldn’t be the worst way to go out,” Nora said, her face in Lola’s hair. “She always smells like the beach.”
“Excuse me, my baby is home from France and I’m going to spoil her,” Lola said. “Also, you need to come out to the house. Jackson and the boys are going to want to catch up too.”
The boys, her cousins Connor and Jon.
“Sure. Absolutely.” There was a tic in Nora’s cheek. It was small but I saw it. This was bothering her.
“Okay, take a booth. Nick, I know what you want. Nora, bagel and cream cheese?”
“No, I’ll have what Nick’s having.”
“My bagels don’t compare to fancy baguettes, huh?” Lola teased. “Eggs it is.”
We took our usual booth and I slid in opposite her.
“Okay, talk,” I said.
“Like on demand? Am I just supposed to perform for you? Make up stories out of thin air?” The sun came through the big windows and covered her in warm bright light that made her glow. It sparkled in her hair and in her eyes and I sat back and enjoyed her.
“No, you’re supposed to tell me why you don’t want to go over to your aunt’s and see your cousins. Lola and Jackson are your second family.” A server dropped off ice water and we both took sips.
“Of course I want to see them.”
“You have a tell, Nor. I know when you’re lying.”
She spun her glass in careful circles. “I’m not lying. I’m hedging. It’s totally different.”
“Talk,” I said again.
She leaned back against the booth, her shoulders slumped. “It’s not exactly easy to be back here, you know. Every time I run into someone, I know they’re dying to ask about what happened. Dying to ask how I could have been so stupid. Humiliations galore.”
“Nor, these people love you. No one is judging.”
She was saved from having to answer when Lola appeared with two plates, piled high with fluffy scrambled eggs, bacon and a side of whole wheat toast.
“Enjoy,” she crooned before heading over to another table.
“Okay, that’s a lot of food,” Nora said, looking down at her plate. “I keep forgetting how big American breakfasts are.”
