The Strawberry Hearts Diner(45)

Emily’s phone rang, and she leaned forward enough to work it up from the hip pocket of her skinny jeans. “Hello, Mama. We are home safe. About to go to bed so we can get to the diner early in the morning and get started.”

A moment of silence.

“I didn’t call Waynette. Shane and Ryder offered to help us through the lunch rush. And, remember, you and Nettie ran this place by yourselves for weeks. We can do this. Don’t worry.”

If you only knew about what is coming, you’d think managing a diner was nothing. Jancy’s thoughts began to form whole sentences. You’re about to have a son-in-law that you would have never picked out for your daughter and you’re going to get a really big Christmas present.

“Yes, I will call you after the morning rush. By then the doctor will have been in with whatever reports he has and you can tell me about that,” Emily said. “Good night, Mama. Get as much rest as you can. Love you.”

She put the phone on the coffee table when she finished talking. “Mama says to tell you thank you from the bottom of her heart.”

“I should be thanking her. When Nettie comes home at the end of the week, you have to get this out in the open, Emily. How on earth are you going to get a wedding put together in such a short time?”

“It will be simple. We’ve rented chairs and an arch that will be set up in the parking lot at eight o’clock that night. The sun will be setting behind us at that time. The reception food will be on the counter in the diner. No cake, just Nettie’s tarts and finger foods, which we’ll have catered. I just have to hire someone to do the job, but that shouldn’t be hard.”

“You have to have a cake. Give your mama that much. And a dress and flowers,” Jancy argued.

“Okay, then after we tell her, will you help me pick out a cake?”

“That’s your mama’s job. You could get Andy to do the cake. He could maybe even bring his book of cake pictures to the diner,” Jancy said. “Where is your engagement ring? Are you hiding that, too?”

Emily hopped up, rounded the coffee table, and hugged Jancy. “I didn’t want one. All I want is a wide gold band—very, very wide—and a matching one for Ryder so that all his old girlfriends and one-night stands will know he is taken. We’ve already picked them out and they’re being engraved. They’ll be ready a few days before the ceremony.”

“Looks like the plans are coming along, even if Vicky is in the dark.” Jancy yawned.

“Yes, they are, and maybe I can even sleep now that I’ve got a friend to talk to about all this. You know I was really worried when Mama said she’d hired you. I made her promise to lock her door at night.”

“So that was you.” Jancy started toward her bedroom. “I heard the click. Have to admit that I locked mine, too. Seems like years ago rather than a week, though.”

“I’m going to call Ryder and tell him that I told you. He’ll tell Shane, I’m sure. See you in the mornin’, and thanks again, Jancy.” Emily stopped by the recliner and gave Jancy a quick hug. “I’m glad you are here and I really hope that you don’t ever leave.” And then she was gone from the room.

Jancy couldn’t get past the lump in her throat to talk. To process the whole day would take months, not thirty minutes. She couldn’t possibly leave before the wedding. Besides—she almost smiled—Nettie had said she had to give them a six-month notice. Vicky and Nettie would need her that long, and then there was the baby. They’d need help during that time for sure. Simply sitting there, she could feel the roots sinking into the ground right there in Pick, Texas.





CHAPTER ELEVEN


On Wednesday morning, Emily fired up the oven, the range top, and the grill for breakfast while Jancy found the recipe for strawberry cupcakes. She whipped up four dozen and popped them into the oven. While they cooked, she made cream cheese frosting and set it in the refrigerator. Then she helped Emily by arranging biscuits on the baking sheets so they would be ready to go into the oven as soon as the cupcakes were finished.

“Fifteen minutes until time to open.” Emily cracked two dozen eggs into a bowl and whipped them up.

Jancy pulled two trays out of the oven and slid two more pans in behind them. “We make a pretty good team.”

“This ain’t the first rodeo for either of us,” Emily told her. “I talked to Ryder last night. Shane is so excited that someone else knows about everything. He’s been about to explode because he has no one to talk to about it, so you’ll get an earful today and again tonight when we go see Nettie.”

“Do you think Vicky is going to get suspicious when we all four show up again?”

Emily stopped for a minute and stared out into space. “Maybe that would be good thing. We’ve decided to tell her and Nettie together on Sunday night after church. If she already suspects something, maybe it won’t be such a shock.” Emily nudged her shoulder. “Promise me you’ll be there with me.”

“That should be a private matter between you and your family.”

“Then I’ll adopt you and Shane both. If y’all are there, maybe it won’t get crazy.”

“What you better hope is that Ryder walks out of the house alive.” Jancy’s laugh held a nervous edge.