She glanced at him, and then away. “It’s late.”
“But you haven’t eaten. Louise said you had no chance to grab anything before all of tonight’s meetings.”
“I can eat when I go home.”
“Louise also said you’d just have soup. She thinks you need some proper meals.”
Taylor frowned. “Louise shouldn’t be sharing my personal life with you.”
“I’ve known her since I was just a little kid and she has a good heart. I like her, and respect her, and appreciate that she’s looking out for you.”
Taylor’s expression suddenly eased. “I agree. And she’s right. I could use some real food. Besides, it’s Tuesday which means the Diner has the most wonderful homemade beef barley soup tonight—”
“Soup?” he laughed.
Smiling, she shrugged. “I like soup. But don’t worry, I’ll order some biscuits and a salad, too.”
Chapter Five
They cut through Crawford Park, towards the courthouse before crossing Front Street for the Main Street Diner.
Marietta had been so pretty with all the Christmas lights and decorations up. Now it just looked empty and a little dirty with white and gray snow heaped in the gutter and on all the street corners.
Taylor was glad to reach the Diner to get out of the biting wind. Fortunately, at almost nine, the restaurant was virtually empty. The waitress told them they could sit anywhere and Troy left the choice to Taylor.
Taylor selected one of the big leather booths along the brick wall and once seated, she peeled off her coat and scarf and hat, piling them next to her. Suddenly she thought of McKenna, and how McKenna had avoided looking at Troy, and how Troy had gone after McKenna but she’d left without speaking to him.
“I didn’t realize until yesterday that your brother Trey was the father of McKenna’s son,” Taylor said.
Troy gave her a wary glance. “Are you and McKenna close?”
“No, I wouldn’t say close, but she did ask me to go dress shopping at Married in Marietta with her tomorrow night.”
“I didn’t think she was getting married that soon.”
“Not for a wedding gown. But a formal dress for the Ball.”
“Ah.” That seemed to reassure him a bit, and he leaned back against the booth, and studied the menu for a minute before setting it aside. “McKenna is amazing, and a great mom to TJ.”
Taylor lifted a brow. “But..?”
His big shoulders shifted. “But nothing. Trey had the best girl—the best thing—and he screwed it up.”
“Did you love McKenna, too?”
“Of course I love her. Everybody loves McKenna. She’s just... that… special, but if you’re asking if I was in love with her, that’s a no. She was always Trey’s girl. Always. I would never, ever go there. Trey’s my twin.”
“Can’t imagine two of you,” Taylor answered. “Does Trey really look just like you?”
“We’re identical, but we’ve never dressed alike, or played the twins card. We’ve always been so different. Trey was quite a bit older than McKenna so they only flirted in high school, and began dating once McKenna had graduated from Marietta High. McKenna’s brothers, Rory and Quinn, did not want their sister dating Trey. She was this sweet, good girl and he was the terrible, bad boy but they clicked.”
“Opposites attract,” Taylor said.
He nodded. “She made him better and he made her laugh, and when it was good between them, it was very good, but when it was bad, it was hell. I don’t know how many times they broke off, only to get back together before another bruising break up. They were broken up—apparently for good—when McKenna discovered she was pregnant. It took her a long time to take him back, and then it was magic. Trey proposed, she’d accepted, and they were planning a wedding when Trey got in trouble. Now he’s gone for a couple years.”
“He got in a bar fight?”
“Some guy was getting rough with his girl over at the Wolf Den and Trey got involved, threw a punch, and the other guy hit his head on a table as he fell. He later died. Trey was arrested, and sentenced to three to five years for involuntary manslaughter.”
Taylor didn’t know what to say.
Troy shrugged. “It’s bad.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I am, too.” Troy lifted a hand, flagged the waitress down. “It’s late. We should probably order.”
They steered away from personal topics while they ate, discussing the Ball for a bit, and then the Great Wedding Giveaway, before circling back to Taylor’s new job at the library.