Page 62 of Crashing Into Me
“A picture of the beautiful Capshaw women?” he asked.
“Of course,” Maureen said, smiling brightly. She linked her arm into Kim’s, and they smiled as the flash went off on the camera.
Lana was still in the back of the crowd, close to the street, watching the entire fiasco unfold. If she hadn’t known them all better, she would think everything was fine and that everyone was as happy as a tick on a deer. However, she was well accustomed to Maureen and how she could annihilate you with all thirty-two of her teeth showing.
Briskly, the city Mayor walked up to Kayden as the news crew ended the interview with him and Aunt Mae, and Lana thought Kayden never looked sexier. The wind was beginning to pick up now, and the noise was deafening, but he was as calm and collected as ever.
“And now for the grand reveal,” Kayden boomed into the microphone.
The crowd quieted a little as Taylor, Kayden, Maureen, and Kim reached up to the canopy and began to pull on it. It fell away, and in bright lights, Aunt Mae’s sign began to flicker on, and the crowd erupted in cheers, clapping and whistling. Lana couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. It was a mix of a retro diner and the home accents from the blueprints he had shown her a while back. The building had chrome accents on the corners, with brick inlay, and the new double-door entrance was beyond grand.
The huge panes of glass now showed the entire interior of the diner. Before, it was mostly blocked by half windows, but now it was simply outstanding. The mayor brought over the giant oversized scissors, and he, Aunt Mae, and Kayden all cut it at the same time.
The cheers went on as they shook hands, and the camera flashed with what seemed like endless pictures. Kayden and Aunt Mae hugged, and she held him as tears ran down her face. You could tell she was absolutely in love with all the work he had put into the space.
“And now, let’s eat,” Aunt Mae exclaimed into the mic, and everyone began to make their way inside.
Maureen, Kim, and the Capshaw Realty group moved inside along with a few photographers, KDN’s crew, Taylor, Kayden, and the Mayor. Lana made her way out of the crowd as they all surged like waves of the sea to the diner. The car service they ordered from Shelby pulled up at exactly eight fifteen, and Lana made her way through a few people to get to it. It wouldn’t be long before everyone would be up at the house, and she needed to be ready. As she made her way to the car, she felt a tug on her jacket and turned around. It was the librarian she spent most of her time with at the local library.
“Aren’t you coming inside, sugar?’ She asked so sweetly that it made Lana a little warmer in the brisk cold.
“No, it’s too crowded. I’ll come back tomorrow when things have calmed down,” she replied, then hustled into the warmth of the waiting car before her cover was blown. She looked at the diner and could see them all inside. Everyone was talking and laughing, sitting at the new booths; it looked like a real family affair. It’s what she loved most about the town. No matter who you were or where you were from, you became family almost instantly. Her cell phone started to vibrate in her pocket. She pulled it out, and Paula’s name flashed on the screen, with a text message:
PAULA: Did you leave already?
Lana began to type back.
LANA: Headed over there now
PAULA: Perfect!
LANA: See ya soon
PAULA:
THE DINER LOOKED spectacular,and Aunt Mae could barely contain her excitement. The irresistible aromas drifting out of the kitchen were enough to stir anyone’s appetite, and the flood of incoming orders showed no sign of slowing. Aunt Mae had her apron on as she was back to ordering the staff around, and they were happy to do her bidding. Everyone was amazed at the way the diner turned out. Kayden watched as Lana’s car pulled down the street and couldn’t wait to see her later. Whenthis night was behind them, life was going to be different, and he welcomed the change on the horizon.
Kim was clinging to his side, although she made no more grandiose gestures of their “engagement.” He couldn’t wait to rid himself of her and hoped she would find some peace and happiness in her life and leave him be. His mother was another obstacle altogether. As much as he loved her, what she did sickened him, and he wouldn’t forgive it easily.
The thought of getting out from under her thumb formed a huge grin on his face as he watched her walk around the diner like she actually cared about anyone’s opinion. Heathcliff was sitting at a booth with some of the other town officers, drinking hot chocolate, but he couldn’t keep his eyes off Maureen. The thought of those two together made him uneasy as he watched while he lustfully eyeballed his mother. He couldn’t wait to stick it to him, too.
He was fully aware of what his mother was up to; he was sure of it, and that made him an accessory to fraud and blackmail. Taylor approached Kayden carrying a plate of food, which broke his train of thought.
“This was added to the menu for you. Care of Aunt Mae herself,” he said.
Kayden looked at the plate, and it was a pot pie, sliced down the middle and filled with shrimp.
“Our new dish, shrimp gumbo pot pie!” Aunt Mae announced, and the diner erupted in applause.
Kayden raised the fork from the plate and took a scoop of the food. It was juicy and moist, flaky and perfect in every way. He raised his fork to Aunt Mae, still chewing.
“Amazing!” he said, and it was.
He took another bite from the plate as Taylor stood in front of him watching, then he leaned into Kayden.
“When are we headed over to the house?” he whispered.
Taylor had the injunction papers as well as Paula’s lawsuit papers with him, and he couldn’t wait to present them to both.
