“Exactly where did your relationship with him start, Emily?” Jancy asked as they rounded the end of the house. “Couldn’t have been in college, because y’all went to different ones.”
A shy grin covered her face. “Walmart.”
“You are kiddin’ me. Does that mean you can take him back for a full refund if he doesn’t perform to your satisfaction?” Jancy asked.
Emily’s giggles broke through the darkness. “I’ve teased him about that many times. It’s kind of crazy and I’ve never told anyone this. I had to make a tampon run and that was the only thing in my cart.” She blushed scarlet. “And the only thing in his cart was a box of condoms. Our carts had a fender bender as we both came around the same corner. We both looked down to check the damage before we realized that we knew each other, and then we got tickled.”
“And he saw a skirt to chase?”
Emily shook her head. “It’s hard to believe, but he didn’t act like that with me. Not even at the beginning. We went for coffee and talked for hours that first day. I actually had to chase him. He didn’t think he was good enough for me.”
Jancy understood that feeling perfectly well. “So when did you go on your first date?”
“We met six times for coffee or for lunch and then it was Christmas and I was home for a month. He’d come into the diner and we’d flirt, but he wouldn’t ask me out. Finally, when I went back to college, I called him and asked him for a date. We went out in the middle of January, and he was so nervous that it was cute. He brought a red rose to the dorm and took me to a fancy place.”
“I feel his pain,” Jancy whispered.
“Why would you feel his pain?”
Jancy collected her thoughts carefully. “I’m kind of like Ryder. I’ve lived with men, been disappointed by them, was almost married to a man who already had a wife. And here’s Shane in my life. I don’t feel like I’m good enough for him, either.”
“I guess I’m like Shane, then,” Emily said. “I’m in love, and the past doesn’t matter to me, only the future. He may have had lots of women, but as long as I’m the last one ever, then I’m okay with that.”
“But you don’t want to see any of those women making passes at him, right?” Jancy lowered her voice as they quietly made their way into the kitchen.
“Good morning,” Nettie said. “Coffee before you go to your rooms and get ready for work? I’m assuming that the wedding is still on and the makeup sex was good?”
“Nettie!” Emily’s voice went all squeaky.
“Well?” Nettie asked.
“The wedding is going to happen, and good mornin’ to you, too. I don’t need coffee just yet, but I do need to change clothes. We’ll be leaving at five thirty, right?” Jancy said as she headed down the hallway.
“On the dot,” Nettie chuckled.
“Lord, I wish I was you.” Emily trailed along behind her. “You are fearless.”
“Sometimes that’s a good thing. Sometimes, not so much.” Jancy grinned. “I need a fast shower. How about you?”
“Oh, yeah!”
“I’ll be out in five minutes and you can have it. We’ll still be ready by the time to go to the diner.”
Nettie made an announcement as soon as they opened up the diner that morning. “Jancy will be working with me in the kitchen today. Emily and Vicky can run the front.”
“I don’t care if anyone sees my black eye,” Jancy said.
“It’s like this—everyone who was at church and saw the fight is going to want to talk about it. Those who only got the story through the gossip vine are going to want to know details. If you don’t stop and talk, they’ll get their feelings hurt. If you do, it’ll slow down the work. So you are cookin’ today and those two are running the front,” Nettie declared.
“I’m not lookin’ forward to all the questions I’ll get asked,” Emily said. “I need Jancy for support.”
“Too bad. Get out there and take up for yourself, your man, and your upcoming marriage. Let them folks know that you will fight for what is yours,” Nettie said. “Well, look at that—Andy Butler is our first customer. He even beat Woody this morning.”
Vicky tied an apron around her waist and pushed open the door separating the kitchen from the front of the diner at the same time Andy entered the place. “Good mornin’. What brings you out so early?”
“Have to check on some stuff in Frankston before the Palestine store opens,” he answered. “I’d like a tall stack of pancakes with sausage on the side and a cup of coffee. How’s the wedding plans coming along?”