Page 2 of Faking I Do
Bodie pushed open the door leading to the back parking lot and swept his arm forward, gesturing for me to go first. “You want to grab lunch over at the diner and talk?”
“I can’t now. I’m late for my shift at the Burger Bonanza.” I jammed my sunglasses on my face, crushing the stupid fake lashes as I brushed past him into the sunny, but chilly, February day.
“When are you going to quit that job, Lacey Jane? The mayor shouldn’t be flipping burgers and mixing milkshakes.”
I turned, jabbing a finger into Bodie’s chest. “I’ll do what I have to do to pay the bills.” I jabbed harder. “And I’ll do what I have to do to keep this town afloat.”
Despite my efforts, the concrete plane of his pecs didn’t budge. Damn him.
He grabbed my hand, twirling me around like we were doing a two-step instead of sparring about the future of our hometown. “That’s one thing Idont has going for it that Swynton never will.”
“What’s that?” I stumbled as he released me, not sure if I was dizzy from the spin or off-balance because of the way my hand had felt in his.
“You.” Bodie tipped his cowboy hat at me as he walked away. “You’re determined, I’ll give you that, Mayor.”
I adjusted my purse strap on my shoulder and tried to compose myself as he climbed into his pickup and drove away. Bodie wasn’t one to dish out compliments, especially to a woman he’d considered a pesky nuisance most of his life. Either that was the nicest thing he’d ever said to me or he wanted something. Knowing him, it was the latter.
That would give me two things to think about while I worked my shift at the Burger Bonanza . . . how to save the town of Idont, and why in the world Bodie was trying to butter me up like a fresh-baked biscuit.
“You’re late.” Jojo stood at the counter, loading her arms with blue plate specials. “Watch out for Helmut, he’s on a bender.”
“Thanks.” I slipped off my heels and slid my feet into my flats before tying an apron around my waist. “Where do you need me today?”
“Why don’t you start on the floor and take over the grill when Helmut leaves?” Jojo had been waiting tables at the Burger Bonanza since she and I started high school. If Helmut had taken the time to name a manager, Jojo would have been the natural choice. But instead, he paid her the same as the rest of the waitstaff and expected her to keep everyone in line.
“Sounds good.” I grabbed my order pad and made my way to the front of the restaurant.
“Table twelve just got seated.” Jojo nodded toward the corner booth.
“Got it.” I headed that way, my eyes on my notebook. “Hey, can I get y’all something to drink?”
“Well, look who it is.” The voice that had squashed a thousand of my childhood dreams drifted across the table.
I lifted my gaze to stare right into the eyes of my high school nemesis—Adeline Monroe. “Oh, hi, Adeline. It’s been a long time.” And thank God for that. Adeline lived over in Swynton. It used to be the only reason she’d cross the river that divided the two towns was if she was on the hunt for some too-good-to-pass-up gossip. What was she after now?
“It sure has. And look at you. I heard you came back.” Adeline leaned over the table, lowering her voice, that familiar glint in her eye. “Is it true you got yourself elected mayor?”
I nodded. “Yep, sure did. Now, what will it be? A round of Burger Bonanza Banzai Shakes? Or can I start you off with a basket of buffalo bites?” I tried to pull a smile from deep down, but it seemed to stick on the way to my face. Half of my mouth lifted, the other half slid down, probably making me look like an undecided clown, especially with the damn lashes still glued to my eyelids.
Adeline turned to the man next to her. A quick glance at the giant rock on her left hand confirmed he was probably her fiancé. What happened to the curse I’d cast at graduation? Adeline was supposed to be hairless and withered by now, or at least well on her way. Instead, she looked like she’d just stepped out of a salon. Every highlighted hair was in place. Her eyebrows were plucked to perfection, and there was no sign of premature aging.
“Lacey, I’d like you to meet my fiancé, Roman.” Adeline put her hand on Roman’s arm, obviously staking her claim. As if I were going to try to dry hump the man right there at table twelve.
“Congratulations. Nice to meet you, Roman.” I managed to correct my awkward expression and forced a smile. “Are you ready to order?”
Adeline’s smirk faded. She ran a manicured nail down the side of the menu. “We’ll take two Burger Bonanza baskets with fries. Diet for me.”
“Do you have iced tea?” Roman asked.
I nodded. I’d been afraid the man couldn’t speak. I wouldn’t have put it past Adeline to marry a man incapable of talking back to her. He probably didn’t get a word in edgewise most of the time. “Sweetened or unsweetened?”
“Unsweetened, please.”
“Got it. I’ll be back in a minute with your drinks.” I tucked my order pad into the front of my apron. First the news of the Phillips business closing, now an unexpected visit from Adeline. Bad news usually came in threes. What would happen next?
It took less than a minute to find out. As I approached the soda station to grab two cups, someone grabbed my arm.
Bodie.
