Cory croaked. “I never said it was bad, Dad. Geez, talk about being a drama queen. All I meant was that I’ll miss the nice kind of food that we don’t get at home. It’s only one night a week we get to go out and try proper cooking, you know.”
His words earned him a quick hug from Mari. Jake loved how easily his son had fitted in with the Moore family. First Mari who had returned to Cherry Lake to bring up her son away from the rush of the big city and then her younger half-sister, Dakota, who’d fallen in love with his friend, Adam Clement, soccer player and idol of Cory’s. The Moore sisters had gone a long way to help fill the void left in his boy’s life since they’d been in town. It was understandable that losing their Sunday night tradition was going to leave him anxious.
“Don’t worry too much, Cory. I’ll make sure the restaurant won’t be closed for too long.” She scooped up another empty glass and stacked them in the crook of her arm. “Now, for her final hurrah, Penny has created a cherry cobbler for dessert that’s to die for. Noah had a small tester earlier and I couldn’t help but try it too. That warm sugary goodness is going to make your taste buds sit up and sing, I promise. Shall I tell her three servings?”
“Sounds good to me.” Jake was in the mood for something sweet to try and banish the sour mood that kept creeping in when he least expected it. “Thanks, and you’d better make Cory’s a double helping. Boy seems to be eating more than me nowadays. Must have a growth spurt happening because he can’t ever seem to get full. I swear, I’ve had to buy him so many new clothes this year too.”
“I train hard with Adam and the guys. ’Course I’m gonna need to bulk up. Gotta increase my calorie intake too.”
“So it’s got nothing to do with girls, all that preening you’re doing in the mirror these days, flexing those muscles of yours or the extra time you’re taking exercising?”
His remark earned him a glare from the teen. “No. Gotta bulk up a bit if I want to play in college. Adam thinks I’m good enough and you always say never let a chance go begging.”
“True, I do.” Even though Cory had a few more years to go before that was a possibility, Jake wasn’t looking forward to letting his son go.
He was the only connection to Lisa and there were days he still missed her more than life itself. He’d started to wonder if it was more a case of missing someone, of having a relationship, that gave him the hollow pain in his gut. He thought he’d mourned and moved on but it was hard to tell when loneliness hit.
“So long as you don’t fill up on junk food, you’ll fill out soon enough. Don’t go trying to rush things.”
Mari laughed and walked away to place their order for dessert.
“So, tell me the latest on how the training is going then?” Woodsie focused on his grandson, giving Jake time to relax and let his mind wander.
He was staring at the door, his mind blank when it burst open and a woman bolted in with all the energy of a small typhoon, a gust of cold wind helping her on the way.
*
“Aunt Bella!” Noah came running from the back of the room and charged right at her. She caught him as he launched himself into her arms. “You came. I knew you would.”
“My, look how you’ve grown!” She twirled him around, her knitted cap falling from her head. Her long, unruly hair fell to her shoulders but she ignored it. Should have tied it up like she usually did but it was nice not to have to face the mirror and make herself look glamorous for the cameras. She laughed loudly before remembering she stood in her sister’s place of business. With a grimace, she put Noah down, glanced around the room. “Sorry, folks. Got a little bit carried away here. Missed the little guy.” She giggled as her nephew pulled her by the hand through the tables to the back of the room.
“Mom’s out in the kitchen. Come on, she’s going to be so happy you’re here at last.” He tugged her past the diners, some of whom had started to whisper in that staged “oh, my goodness, isn’t that Bella Moore” and whipped out their cell phones for a quick shot in the way she’d never gotten used to.
Once out of view from the restaurant patrons, she could breathe. So much had happened these last couple of weeks, her head still spun from the rush of it and being in front of people who knew her only made it worse.
A swish of a door followed by a squeal of delight came from behind her. “Bella, you came. I wasn’t sure you meant it when you called me because you’re always so busy.” Mari engulfed her in a hug, lifting her off her feet and squeezed her tight. “It’s so good to see you.” She put her down but didn’t let go.
“Of course I came. I told you I would.” She wriggled out of Mari’s arms and undid the buttons on her coat before she slipped it from her shoulders, glancing around the heritage hotel. The
