“That’s a girl.”
Tucker kept her hand in his until they got through the door, then switched to nudging her at the small of her back. He was aware of his friends’ curiosity as they approached the table, cognizant of the need to walk the line between behaving like he and Corinne were a couple—which they weren’t—but still making it clear to his friends she was with him and they’d damned well better behave. Back at the big table there was a beat or three of silence, a few raised eyebrows.
Then Norah—bless her—offered a broad smile and said, “That back flip’s been the talk of the town! How on Earth did you pull it off? In dance shoes no less?”
“I was, um, a cheerleader all through high school.”
“Head cheerleader,” Tucker added.
When Corinne began to twist the purse strap again, he tugged it from her shoulder and looped it over the chair he’d pulled out for her. With a quick, almost panicked look in his direction, she sank into the chair. He dropped back into his beside her and reached for one of the hands trying to white knuckle the chair edge.
“What’ll it be?” asked Tyler. “Pepperoni? Vegetarian? Supreme? I’d offer meat lover’s but it’s already been wiped out.”
“Oh I—a slice of supreme, please. Thanks.”
“I still can’t get over those acrobatics,” Norah continued. “If I tried to do any of that, my partner would be taking his life into his hands.”
Corinne’s lips twitched as she glanced at Tucker. “I did hear something to that effect.”
Norah laughed. “Hand to God, I have no skill in that department.”
“You’ve got a multitude of other skills, Wonder Woman.” Cam leaned over to punctuate the statement with a kiss.
“Get a room,” Brody called.
“Better yet, get a wedding date,” Tucker added.
“We’re working on it. Every time we think we have one nailed down, something comes up,” she said.
“If you’d acknowledge the fact that someone other than you could run this town for a week or two, you’d probably get a lot further,” Piper pointed out.
As banter picked back up around them, Corinne unbent a little. She ate her slice of pizza in small, neat bites, observing his friends, occasionally contributing to the conversation. And the world didn’t end. Better yet, everybody made an effort to include her. Tucker considered the evening a success when Corinne snagged a second slice of pizza as she chatted with Tyler about some project or other she’d found on Pinterest.
Eventually, she checked her watch, eyes widening. “Oh good Lord. I need to get on home or I’ll miss Kurt’s bedtime story.”
“Yeah? What’re you reading?” Myles asked.
“Captain Underpants for possibly the hundredth time.”
Myles nudged Piper. “Obviously we need to add that to the library for the Peanut.”
Tucker rose as Corinne did. “I’ll walk you out to your car.”
She flashed him a puzzled smile. “That’s not necessary. I’m all the way over by the diner.”
“All the more reason for an escort, as it’s after dark.”
Her mouth opened, then closed again. “All right. Just let me run to the restroom right quick.”
As soon as she was out of earshot, the table erupted with questions.
“What’s going on?” Tyler asked.
“Corinne Dawson? Seriously?” Piper put in.
“What exactly was that?” Brody asked.
“That,” Tucker said, “is a hardworking, single mom, who’s scared to death of the lot of you, and too afraid to ask for a second chance, lest y’all judge her like everybody else in this town for mistakes that are ancient history.”