Page 51 of The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever
“Thank you. I dropped nearly eighty pounds two years ago, thanks to Wally.” Ali looked adoringly at the tall man standing beside her. “We met at a cupcake tasting. He’s a baker and all. Then we started taking walks, and well…” She shrugged. “He taught me about moderation and all that.” She leaned closer and said, “Then we got married, and I gained twenty back withourlittle cupcake.” She rubbed her belly. “Our baby girl is due in just six weeks.”
Grace’s expression warmed. “You’re having a girl? I’msohappy for you. Wally, it’s nice to meet you. And this is my boyfriend, Reed Cross. He grew up in Meadowside and just moved back a few months ago.”
Reed had wanted so badly to claim Grace as his girlfriend when they were younger that hearing her call him her boyfriend affected him way more than it should have at his age. But man, it gave him a thrill. He shook Walter’s hand. “Nice to meet you both.”
“You’re the guy buying the theater?” Walter asked.
“That’s right. I guess the rumor mill has already started churning.” Reed reached for Grace’s hand.
“Okay, Chatty Cathies,” Winona said. “Time to move along and sit on down. Y’all can catch up over lunch one day.”
“Good idea! Let’s do it soon,” Ali said, giving Grace another quick hug. “I want to hear all about the play y’all are putting on.”
“Play?” Grace asked.
“Oh, maybe I heard wrong. Pregnancy brain and all,” Ali said. “I thought I heard you were producing a play here in town.”
“Oh no. I’m teaching a screenplay writing class over at Amber’s bookstore.”
“Come on, baby.” Walter put a hand on Ali’s back. “We’d better sit down before Winona refuses to feed you any more pickles and cream cheese. It was nice to meet y’all. Enjoy your breakfast.”
“I get the oddest cravings,” Ali said over her shoulder as they headed for a booth.
Reed and Grace sat at the counter. Winona set two mugs in front of them, pouring coffee with a smirk on her freckled face.
“Go ahead, Winona,” Grace said as she poured cream into her coffee. “Ask away.”
“Oh, I will.” She set the coffeepot down behind her.
A burly tattooed guy in the kitchen put two plates on the pass-through and hollered, “Order up!”
Winona grabbed the plates and set them in front of a customer at the end of the counter. When she returned, she leaned across the counter and spoke quietly, “Just tell me this. Have you been playing around with each other for all these years? Or was that a high school fling and now you’re reunited?”
Grace blinked several times, as surprised as Reed was.
“You knew about us?” Grace whispered. “Does everyone?”
“Don’t be silly. The only reason I know is that my cousin Tami works at the Creekside Diner. She mentioned you two smoochin’ in there a decade ago when you were kids. Someone’s gotta watch out for y’all.”
“But you never said anything,” Grace said with awe.
Winona winked. “And I won’t now. I just wanted to know if it was true. But I can see it was. Everyone thinks I don’t know how to keep a secret.” She leaned closer again and lowered her voice. “Y’all did the right thing back then, with those crazy rivalries goin’ on.”
“Thanks, Winona.” Reed put his hand on Grace’s and squeezed. “To answer your question, no. Grace and I have just found each other again.”
Winona’s gaze moved between them. She pulled a pencil from above her ear and waved it at them. “And the rest of the rumors? I hear you had a community movie night and didn’t even think to invite my parents, who have known you, Grace Montgomery, since you were nothing more than a hope in your mama’s heart.”
Grace smiled and shook her head. “That was a date that Reed set up for us. People saw the movie playing and stopped to watch.”
“And Reed’s buying the theater?” she asked.
“I am. And before you tell me what I have to do with it, don’t worry; I got an earful last night. Seems everyone in town wants outdoor movies as badly as they want an indoor theater.”
Winona nodded. “Heck yes, we do. Nobody wants to drive for thirty minutes to go to a cinema complex that they need a map to navigate. Now, I just have one more thing that needs clearin’ up before I take your orders and leave you be.” She set a serious gaze on Reed and said, “Tami told me about you moping in the diner after you two ended that secret thing we’re not speaking of. Going weeks without eating.” She waved her pencil at Grace. “Teenage heartbreak is the worst.” She pointed to the graffiti wall in the back of the café. “You know nearly every kid who ever lived in Oak Falls has worked here for some period of time, and ourLet It Outwall is full ofJoanie loves Chachis and all sorts of matters of the heart. That’s one thing, but I don’t want any moping around here. If you two decide to part ways, there will be no sitting alone in a booth staring into a chocolate shake, ya hear?”
Reed chuckled. “Loud and clear, Winona.” He pressed a kiss to the back of Grace’s hand and said, “But we’re not kids on our way to college anymore.”
“No, you’re ten times more complicated,” Winona said. “Your hearts are so intertwined you couldn’t help but find each other again, but your lives are now worlds apart.”
