“What’s going on?” he asked.
“Nothing,” Deacon said. “Just ask Carter and Lauren.”
Everett looked over at us and lifted an eyebrow.
“Guys?”
“Nothing,” Carter and I said again.
This time, all I could do was shake my head. Deacon and Everett went into their office, and I looked over at Carter.
“Well, that was something,” he said.
I laughed. “I think that’s precisely the way to put it.” I looked over at the other office door to make sure it was closed and neither of the other guys was listening in. “And this—” I gestured between us, then at the desk. “—apparently not for mornings.”
Carter chuckled. “Maybe not this morning, but I’m not going to completely discount the possibility.”
I smiled. “I think I might hold you to that.”
“You better,” he said right as the guys were coming into the room again.
“She better what?” Everett asked.
“Teach him how to use the coffee maker,” I said quickly. “He’s tired of going by the coffee shop to get coffee in the mornings, yet still can’t figure out how to work the coffee maker.”
That probably would have been a more convincing explanation if either of us was holding a cup of coffee in that moment. Neither of us were. I hadn’t even noticed if he’d gone to get us coffee that morning. But I didn’t let on. I just kept looking back at the other guys like I was totally confident in what I was saying and hoping they would go along with it and not keep pushing. Finally, Everett looked at Carter.
“I can help you with the coffee maker,” he said. “It’s not that hard.”
Carter smiled at him and then looked over at me. “Thanks.”
We spent the rest of the day pointedly ignoring one another.
I’d already made plans to hang out with Harleigh and Desiree after work, and as I was getting ready, I had a thought. Calling Harleigh, I put the phone on speaker and propped it up on my counter, so I could finish my makeup.
“You aren’t calling out on me, are you?” she asked.
I laughed. “Well, that was a warm greeting.”
“Sorry,” she said. “I’ve just been looking forward to hanging out with you, and I didn’t want you to tell me you aren’t coming.”
“You can relax. I’m definitely coming. I’m putting on my mascara as we speak.”
“Do you not wear makeup to work?”
“I took a shower when I got home,” I said.
“Is there a reason you needed a shower after being at the office?” she asked with a suggestive note in her voice.
I didn’t take the bait.
“Just wanted to freshen up before going out,” I said. “I like having the separation between work and relaxing.”
“That is very mental health awareness of you.”
“Something like that,” I said. “Anyway, the reason I was calling you is because I wanted to know what you thought about inviting Rebecca to come out with us tonight.”
“Rebecca?” Harleigh asked. “Like from the diner?”
“Yeah. I’ve missed her since leaving the diner. I thought it might be fun to have her come hang out with us. I think she’d get along with Desiree.”
“I think so too,” Harleigh said. “Call her. Have her meet us there.”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you in a bit.”
I got off the phone and finished up my makeup before calling Rebecca. She was surprised to hear from me but seemed happy and quickly jumped on the opportunity to come out to the bar with us for the evening.
When I was ready, I grabbed my phone and started to put it in my purse, then paused. I thought about texting Carter. I knew I couldn’t ask him to come hang out with us. Not only was it supposed to just be a girls’ night, but we were still keeping things to ourselves. It wouldn’t exactly be subtle to have him show up at the bar with us.
Instead, I sent him a quick note letting him know I was thinking about him and that I was going out. Stuffing the phone away in the clutch I was bringing with me, I headed out.
Harleigh and Desiree were already waiting when I got to the bar, and we hung out on the sidewalk until Rebecca got there. She smiled and reached out to hug me as she approached.
“It’s good to see you,” I said.
“You too. It’s not the same at the diner without you.”
“Has everything been okay there?” I asked. “The new manager is handling everything alright, and the regular customers are doing okay?”
“They’re fine,” she said. “There were definitely some hiccups in the first few days after Molly took over, and I think she’s still feeling overwhelmed, but she’s figuring it out as she goes. The customers are less than happy that you aren’t there anymore. People still come in every day asking where you are and when you’re coming back.”
“People?”
“Yeah.” She nodded. “Yesterday was the first day since you left that he didn’t at least come by to check and see if you were actually there. When he asked about you, I told him you weren’t working at the diner anymore, but I don’t think he believed me. I genuinely think he thinks he’s going to show up and you’re going to pop out from the kitchen having hidden in the walk-in for the last couple of weeks.”