The Strawberry Hearts Diner(46)

Emily giggled with her. “I’ll protect him. Now if you will unlock the doors and turn on the lights, we’ll prove that we can run this diner all by ourselves.”



Vicky’s smile was flagging by midafternoon, but she kept it pasted on through several more visitors. That was the least she could do when folks came to support Nettie. But after nearly no sleep the night before, all she wanted was a nap—even one of those twenty-minute power ones would be wonderful. Everyone finally cleared out, and Nettie glanced around the room.

“Is anyone hiding under the bed?” she whispered.

“Why would you ask that?”

“Because I’m going to take off this fake grin if they’re all gone. This business of bein’ sick is harder on a body than workin’ at the diner all day,” she said.

“Hello! We are here!” The four kids all piled into the room.

“Did you bring a file in a cupcake so I can escape this joint?” Nettie’s smile quickly turned into something real that put a twinkle in her eyes.

“That’s why they put you up on a high floor.” Ryder pulled up a chair and motioned for Emily to sit down close to the bed. “Even if you figure out a way to saw through the window locks, you’d have to rappel down the side of the hospital. I don’t think there’s enough material in the sheets to get that done.”

“Wh-what’d the doctor say?” Shane hung back, his arm around Jancy’s shoulders.

“That he’ll put the pacemaker in tomorrow evening and I can go home after twenty-four hours,” Nettie said. “I’ll be back at work on Saturday, and that’s the day we all clean the cemetery, so . . .”

Shane’s head went from side to side. “No, m-m-ma’am. W-we might let you sit in a lawn chair and boss us, but you ain’t goin’ to do a thing.”

Nettie shook her finger at him. “You are not my boss.”

“Nope, I’m not, but I’m the biggest one in this here room,” Shane said.

Vicky yawned. “I’m goin’ down to the cafeteria for a cup of coffee to keep me awake a little longer.”

“Eat something while you are there,” Nettie said. “Like maybe real food instead of vending machine chips and the cookies and fruit from those baskets.”

“Wow, Nettie!” Emily exclaimed, seeming to notice the arrangements for the first time. “Folks must love you a lot.”

“Y’all help yourselves. There’s so much that it’ll go bad before we can use it up,” Vicky said as she headed out the door. “I’ll be back in half an hour or less.”

“Take your time,” Ryder said. “We’ll be right here until you get back.”

Vicky’s nerves were stretched out to the breaking point. Hospital time didn’t run on a normal schedule. Some hours went by at warp speed. Others dragged on the tail end of a snail. If it was one or the other, it wouldn’t be so tiring, but mix them up and it flat wore her out. She pushed the “Down” button, and the elevator doors opened right up. Grateful that it was empty, she touched the “G” to take her to the ground floor where the cafeteria was located. When the doors opened, there was Andy Butler standing right in front of her with two cups of coffee in his hands.

“Thought I’d bring you a cup.” He grinned. “Great minds must think alike. How’s Nettie this evening?”

She stepped out into the hallway. “She’s been the queen and held court all day, but I think she’s beginning to wear out. The kids are with her.”

“Oh, okay. There’s a little lounge area right around the corner. Want to sit for a spell or can I buy you supper in the cafeteria?”

“I’d rather go outside and get a breath of fresh air. I’m not hungry,” she said.

“Then follow me. There’s a place with a couple of benches right this way.” He led them down a short hall.

Automatic doors opened for them, and she inhaled hot air that had the faint aroma of wild roses. He handed her a cup of coffee and waited for her to sit on one of the park benches. “I was going to come earlier, but I’m glad I waited if she’s had company all day. The kids—as you call them—how long have they been friends and dating?”

“Jancy and Shane have only been on one date. He really does like her, but why would you think that Ryder and Emily are a couple? Not possible. He’s not her type.”

“Just the way that he looks at her and she at him. Either they’re in love or I’ve lost my ability to read people,” Andy told her.

“Never. He’s—”

“I know about Ryder Jensen. He dated one of my employees a couple of times. She cussed his name for weeks,” Andy chuckled.

“My daughter is smarter than to ever get mixed up with him as anything more than a friend,” Vicky declared. “You read that one wrong.”

“Maybe so. I’ve been known to make mistakes before.” He sat down beside her.

The noise of a helicopter above them meant someone was critical enough to be airlifted to the hospital. She looked up to see it hover overhead and then disappear to a landing pad. Her eyes snapped shut as she said a silent prayer of thanks that Nettie had been in the hospital when she’d collapsed. When she opened her eyes, Andy was staring at her. Their gazes locked for a long moment before she brought the coffee to her lips and sipped.