LEXI

“I’m sorry!” I rush through the front door of my diner. “I’m so, so, so sorry.”

My second in command looks up from his post behind the counter. Rick is a busy and sweet dad of four who seems to love his job. I can’t figure out if it’s the diner he loves, or the temporary escape from a house with four little children in it, but I’ll take it. He’s a fantastic employee.

“No problem.” Rick grins as I skid around the counter and shove on an apron. “But I was worried sick about you! Why didn’t you answer your phone sooner? I was about to send the SWAT team when your text came through.”

I quickly explain about the impound, the elevator, and everything else. As I’m talking, I glance around at the diner. “Is it quiet in here today?”

Rick gives a one shoulder shrug. “We had the typical after church crew come and go. Lunch... yeah, lunch has been quiet.”

“Huh.”

My diner is named Minnie’s. We’re located on a tiny corner lot, a shoebox in the scheme of city plots. Inside, however, you’d never know it. We’ve played up the old-school, retro vibe and went hard core on the diner-themed decorations. It’s cozy and familiar, and I’ve heard Barb, my first-ever customer, say that walking in the door feels like a second home.

Being that my brother plays for the Stars, my dad’s a coach, and my mother is a full-fledged hockey mom, we also have lots of hockey paraphernalia. Photographs of the Stars going back to their first year as a team line all the walls, along with a few random license plates, Minnesota themed posters, and staff pictures. It’s a jumble of local goodness, and we’ve earned our way onto a few ‘Things to do in Minnesota’ lists.

On top of décor, there’s the heavenly smell. Bits of syrup and melting butter mix with freshly ground coffee beans, forming a scent that’s nothing short of delectable. We have a pretty standard menu, which the regulars have memorized, and I’m proud of it. I’ve heard more than one person say it’s the best chocolate chip waffle they’ve eaten in the state.

“Oh, sweetie, that sounds horrible.” Rick lays a hand on my shoulder and squeezes. “Is your brother waiting outside?”

I nod.

“Go get your car. We’ll hold down the fort here.”

“Are you sure?”

Rick nods. His hair is graying, his eyes a gentle blue. He’s older than me by about ten years, and I can’t decide if he’s more of a father figure, a brother, or simply a friend. Whatever he is, he’s the best second-in-command I could’ve dreamed up.

“Go get your car,” he says. “It won’t be long before the night shift gets here. Sunday nights are pretty low key after the bridge club leaves.”

“Thank you, Rick. So sorry I didn’t call sooner—the service was impossible in the elevator, and—”

“Go on,” he says. “Even the boss is allowed off now and again.”

I shoot him a grateful smile and make my way back out to the car with two to-go mugs of coffee. I hand one to Lucas and take a cautious sip of the other. It’s piping hot and dark, just the way I like it.

“It’s quiet in there today,” I say, as Lucas pulls away from the curb. “I wonder why.”

“Nice day out.” Lucas squints into the May sunlight. “Maybe people are outside.”

“Maybe.”

He glances over. “Are you worried?”

“It’s not exactly a get rich quick sort of business. It’s not even a get rich slow business. If it stays this quiet for much longer, I won’t be able to afford rent.”

Lucas’s face turns into a mask of sympathy. “I’m so sorry, Lex. What can I do?”

“Nothing, I’m just whining.”

“You’re not whining! What you’ve done is incredible. Managed to turn a profit within three years. Most businesses fail in one. All businesses have soft months—it’s natural. You just need to find a way to get customers back in there.”

“If only it were that easy.”

“Maybe it is,” Lucas says. “Think about it. You’re smart; I know you’ll come up with a solution.”

I offer him a smile, then curb my whining and focus on the warmth of the sun hitting my face as we cruise through town to the impound lot. The sunshine, the coffee, the conversation with my brother—it’s a surprisingly pleasant Sunday drive.

“You’re not really going on a date with him, are you?” Lucas finally asks, once we’ve skirted the topic for long enough. “Come on, Lexi.”

“I have to. Fair is fair.”

“What do you mean by that? You don’t have to do anything.”

“He gave me his burger if I agreed to a date.”

“He bribed you?”

“He bribed my stomach,” I correct. Then laugh at my brother’s expression. “Give me a break. I wouldn’t go if I really didn’t want to. Who knows? Maybe it’ll be a good thing. Repair some of the damages from before.”

“You really don’t think things can go back to the way they were before, do you?”

“Call me a dreamer, but I’d like to try.”

“Lex—”

“Maybe if you actually told me what happened between the two of you, I’d understand more. But you’ll have to imagine from my point of view—it looks like Bradley ruined his knee, and then magically the two of you stopped talking. What happened?”

“Nothing. Forget it.”

“My point is proven.”

“Couldn’t you repair damages without dating him?”

“What’s it to you? You still never answered the question.”

“I just feel like... he’s not the right one for you.”

I fall silent, mostly because I feel the same way about my brother and Kitty. So, if he feels this way, maybe there’s something to it.

My brother throws a hand up. “I mean, he’s Brad! Our friend. Friends don’t date each other.”

“Is he your friend?” I slide out of the car. “Because friends actually talk. Thanks for the ride.”

“Lex—”

I wait for him to expand, but he doesn’t.

Instead, he flings his hands up in the air before white-knuckle gripping the steering wheel. He shakes his head and sighs. “Just be careful.”