Page 41 of Lucky in Love
“Young.”
One woman leaned over to another. “Still could be an age-gap, don’t you think?” she whispered. “Just tack a few years on him?”
“What’s going on here?” Alex asked the group, then turned toward the kitchen and raised her voice. “I don’t hear any eggs cracking, Sylvia.”
Brody bit his lip to keep from laughing as Sylvia’s attention snapped back to the bowl in front of her.
“We’re just looking for some real-life inspiration, that’s all,” Nancy said. “It’s hard to continually come up with original content.”
“Yeah,” Esther added. “After you’ve written two dozen books, all the ideas feel stale. We need fresh takes, somethin’ to get the creative juices flowing.”
“You think Brody and I are gonna magically fall in love right here while you watch?”
“Don’t be silly,” Nancy said. “We’re barely past the meet-cute. You still have to get to know each other, suffer through a falling out, and then reunite even stronger. I mean, duh.”
Everyone murmured their agreement. Alex rolled her eyes, and Brody sat back as she took the lead to defend them both.
“Life’s not a story,” she said. “You can’t just cram us into your predetermined plot points.”
“What’s your deepest fear?” Esther asked, ignoring her accusation. “How were you wounded as a child, Brody? How’s your relationship with your mother, Alex?”
“And…I’m out.” Alex stood. Brody followed suit, equally eager to leave, but not quite as bold in stating his determination to do so.
As they made their way out, a chorus of apologies and promises of no more romance talk wafted behind them.
“I still expect a slice of cake, Sylvia,” Alex called over her shoulder. “Leave it in the fridge.” She shut the door. “Why do I let my sweet tooth get me into messes like that?”
“If you’re that desperate for dessert, I’ll take you to the diner for pie,” Brody offered.
“And fall right into their trap?” Alex exclaimed. “Don’t you see? That’s exactly what they want.”
“I heard the pie’s good, but I doubt we’ll fall in love over it,” he said. “Then again, I am pretty irresistible.”
She narrowed her brows at him, but he could tell she was tempted.
“Seems unfair that just to prove a point we have to go without pie?” he said. “Isn’t there a phrase for that? Like cutting off our nose to spite our face or something?”
“You have a point.” She licked her lips. “And I mean…pie.”
“Come on.” He helped her down the stairs. “You can wait in the parking lot while I run and get my car. We’ll have dessert, fall nowhere near in love, and really show them.”
“Fine. But I’m texting my posse to meet us there.”
“Of course. Safety in numbers. I agree. Invite Nick.”
He ran to his cabin for his car keys, and ten minutes later, he was holding open the door for her at the diner.
“Edna?” Alex said to the waitress. “It’s eight o’clock at night. What are you still doing here?”
“Someone called in sick, so I told Mr. Norris I’d stay.” She returned to the booth she’d been sitting in and picked up the book she’d been reading. “Get your own water though, and just holler back at Saul what you want.”
“Don’t worry,” Alex said. “You sit. I’ll take care of everything.”
“We’re closin’ in thirty minutes,” Edna said without looking up. “Don’t make a mess.”
Faith and Nick entered, followed closely by Juliet and Tess.
“Dang. You guys are fast,” Brody said.
