Page 57 of A Very Merry Mistake

“It ain’t the Merryville way, ma’am. I’d feel bad. Was no problem at all.”

Claire looks at me, and I shrug. “He’s hardheaded.”

She reaches for the business cards on the counter and tucks one into her pocket. “I’ll leave you a review online.”

“See, now that’s priceless.” Hank taps his knuckles on the counter, then gives her a wink.

Claire laughs, not taking him seriously. “Thank you for this,” she says.

“Thanks, Hank,” I tell him. “We’re gonna go eat. You want anything?”

“Nah, I’m good. Y’all need anything else, lemme know,” he says just as Mrs. Reindeer enters.

I give him a wave, and we walk outside.

“Wanna come back and get it later?” Claire glances at the gigantic truck backed up in the parking lot. It’s almost comical that they gave her something so large.

“Sure. Let’s get some food.”

She moves closer to me as we walk to the truck, and I open the door for her. Then we make the short drive to Glenda’s. The parking lot is full, but as soon as we arrive, someone leaves. It’s right up front. I glance inside, and notice nearly every table is taken.

“It’s packed,” Claire says.

“If you don’t want to wait, I can call it in to-go. It’s a local trick,” I tell her.

“Let’s go check it out. We might get lucky.”

I open the door, and we enter. Music plays overhead, and chatter fills the room. Glenda and her staff are running around, but there isn’t an unhappy person in the building.

“Two of y’all?” Chelsea asks. She came to Merryville a few years ago, and instead of going back home, she stayed. Glenda hired her, she found a small house to rent, and the rest is history. Sometimes that happens.

“Yep,” I tell her.

“Once they pay, that table right there is all yours.” She points across the room, and I see the guy take a sip of his coffee.

I smile at her, and then Claire and I sit in the waiting area in the front by the door. I put my arm across the back of the bench, and she leans into me.

Claire turns and looks at me, and just as I get ready to say something to her, my attention is being pulled away.

“Jake?” It’s a voice I’ll never forget. My ex. Lacy. The woman who destroyed my heart.

My smile fades. Claire notices and turns to look at her.

“How have you been?” Lacy asks.

“Fantastic‌,” I say as Claire leans into me further.

“My manners,” Lacy apologizes, but she sounds anything but sorry. “And you are?”

“Claire.” She stands, meeting Lacy eye to eye. “My friends call me CeCe.”

My ex holds out her manicured hand. “Lacy. That’s cute. JJ and CeCe.”

Claire gives her a tight smile. “Isn’t it? Lacy… Oh yeah, I’ve heard a lot about you.”

I don’t know what she’s doing, but I see the fake smile on my ex’s face fade. I think this is the first time I’ve ever witnessed someone get under her skin—other than her mother. And it’s…comical.

“All good things, I hope,” Lacy adds. I almost burst into laughter. The audacity.

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