“Apparently, he’s going through the process to get hired onto the fire station here in Poppy Meadows,” Raquel went on.
“He couldn’t wait to get the hell out of Dodge back in the day. I mean, I knew. I knew he never wanted to stay. And I fell anyway.”
“You always were a glutton for punishment.”
“I don’t know, I guess I just thought we’d—well, it doesn’t matter. I was dumb. Naive.”
“No, your problem, cari?o, is that it’s practically impossible for anyone to get in that heart of yours. And when they do, you love them forever. No matter what. No matter how much they shit all over you.”
“Raquel, I’m seriously going to stab you with this tiny coffee straw if you don’t shut up.”
“Truth hurts,” Raquel shrugged, dragging a finger along the tabletop and staring innocently off into space. “Seriously. Aren’t you tired of living your life ruled by all your routines and lists? Don’t you want to give up just a teeny”—she drew out the word in a high-pitched voice as she pinched her thumb and forefinger together until they almost touched—“bit of control and, you know, have some fun? Stop obsessing over Jake being back, like I know you are in your head, and let’s have a girl’s night. Wine. Junk food. Crappy movies.”
“First of all, my life does not revolve around Jacob McNealy,” Sadie hissed, her stomach pooling into a mess of nerves as she finally said his name aloud. “I’m not even thinking about him.” Just then a whoosh of cold air shot into the diner as the door opened, and Sadie, whose back was to the entrance, whipped her head around so fast her neck cracked. She let out a shaky breath when she saw it was only Mayor Elias.
“I’m so convinced right now,” Raquel deadpanned. “Look how convinced I am.”
“I haven’t seen him in ten years. I shouldn’t even care that he’s back in town,” Sadie said, massaging her neck as the corners of her mouth pulled down into a frown. She knew full well that shouldn’t didn’t mean much when it came to Jake. “I don’t care, even if—”
“Mayor incoming,” Raquel hissed, cutting off her lies.
Sadie immediately sat up straighter. Raquel smoothed the napkin in her lap and ran a hand over her hair.
“Sadie, Raquel,” he said, walking over.
“Mayor Elias.”
“And how are my constituents this fine morning?” he asked, running a hand down his tie before sticking his thumbs through his suspenders. Impeccably dressed as always, Elias cut a striking figure with his dark skin and darker hair.
Sadie and Raquel mumbled their answers, always reverting to their teenage selves under Elias’s gaze, which had turned stern. He had the unique ability to make you feel like you’d done something wrong, even if you hadn’t, because he knew, at some point, he’d be right. He held up a hand.
“Lovely, lovely. Now, about the autumn window displays,” he started just as his husband, James, called his name from the corner booth. “Well, more on that later, I suppose. Breakfast beckons.” He patted his stomach and left them.
“Saved by the bell,” Raquel whispered. “Now, back to Jake.”
Sadie groaned.
“I mean, it’s not like he ‘dumped you.’” She made quotation marks with her fingers around the last two words. “You’re allowed to move on a decade later, you know?”
“I—we … it was complicated.”
“Was it?” Raquel demanded, her tone dripping with skepticism.
“The river flooding, seven bad omens in a row. He’s obviously the nightmare.”
“At least we finally agree on that. He’s a dipshit. Always has been.”
“You’re only saying that because he broke my heart.”
“Duh. You’re my best friend. You’d hate any idiot that broke my heart too.”
Just then Janie stopped by to drop off their Gold Rush scrambles and Sadie’s coffee. Sadie inhaled the steam coming off the hot plate, eying the maple sausage hungrily. Her stomach rumbled, and Raquel gave her an “I told you so” look. Ignoring her, Sadie picked up a rasher of bacon and dunked it in her coffee before folding the whole piece into her mouth. Stress eating at its finest.
“That,” Raquel pointed her fork at Sadie’s coffee, “is disgusting. You just contaminated your drink with pig parts.”
“It all goes to the same place, you weirdo.” Sadie rolled her eyes.