Michelle chuckled and reached for a glass of water she’d been working on for a while. She looked weary and younger than her twenty-three years, dressed in skinny jeans and the diner’s signature T-shirt. “First off, I stay hydrated. Second, I have no choice. You’ll build up a tolerance for it.”
A pang of sympathy hit Toni’s heart. Of course, Michelle had no choice. She was a young single mother. Worst part of it was Toni got to go sit in her office for a few hours before going home to a quiet, peaceful house. Michelle spent three hours at home with a rambunctious toddler then moved on to her second job, cleaning offices in the evenings. No wonder the poor woman looked one stiff breeze from blowing over all the time.
“You working tonight?” she asked Michelle, after groaning at the pleasure of a good stretch to her calves.
“No!” A lightness came over Michelle that Toni hadn’t seen yet. She smiled, revealing a straight set of shiny white teeth and then sighed in pleasure. “And, to make the day even better, my parents commandeered Beth for the evening. I’m a free woman for the next fifteen hours.”
“Oooh! Any big plans?” Toni raised her arms over her head, lengthening the knotted muscles in her back. A hot bath and some solid couch time was just what the doctor ordered.
The laugh that came from Michelle was more of a scoff than a humorous sound. “I have no freakin’ idea. I don’t even want to tell you how long it’s been since I’ve had more than two straight hours to myself.”
After dropping her arms, Toni leaned against the back of the plush booth. “Do you want to hang out? I don’t really have any girlfriends, and I haven’t actually done anything fun since I’ve been here.” Unless she counted sitting on her porch with a forbidden man. “Neither of us are up for a crazy night out, I’m sure, so why don’t we just have some drinks at my house and watch a chick flick?”
“Yes! That sounds amazing. Most of my girlfriends have moved away over the last few years and then with Beth, I never get a chance to have any fun.” A panicked look cross her face. “Not that being with Beth isn’t fun, but—”
Toni held up a hand. “Please, no judgment. I think you’re absolutely amazing for raising a daughter on your own while juggling two jobs. There’s no way I’d begrudge you a night away.”
“Will your boyfriend mind? That guy I saw you with at the funeral and a few other times. Tall, thin, always in a suit.”
“Uh, he went back to Chicago.” Toni hadn’t introduced him to anyone at the diner, so she didn’t really think her employees had even noticed his presence.
“Oh, you must miss him.”
The momentary silence was thick, awkward. “I kinda broke up with him, so…”
Michelle’s hand flew to her mouth in a poor attempt to stifle a gasp. “And I just stuffed my whole foot right in my mouth, didn’t I? I’m so sorry. Are you doing okay?”
“I am. Very okay. Not upset at all, actually, which I suppose means I should have done it a long time ago.” Toni straightened and winced when her back protested.
“Well then, goodbye and good riddance. I’ve learned that it’s best to shed the baggage before it becomes too heavy.” Shadows crossed Shell’s face. “Trust me. Some baggage can be so heavy it’s impossible to carry.”
Toni knew about that kind of baggage. Maybe she and Shell would be kindred spirits. Have a lot in common.
With a shake of her head, Shell lost the gloom and smiled. “Girls night sounds perfect.” Bouncing on her feet as though the idea of a chick flick and some booze was akin to an all-expense paid vacation to Hawaii. “Okay, let me run home and change so I don’t smell like French toast and I’ll meet you at your house.”
“Perfect.” Toni couldn’t help the happy feeling warming her.
A new friend in Tennessee.
A business, a house, a hot male neighbor, and a new friend. If she wasn’t careful, she’d have a full, satisfying life in Tennessee without even meaning to.
The thought wasn’t as uncomfortable as it had been just a few days ago.
When Toni arrived home, she shed her diner T-shirt and jeans, leaving them in a pile on her bedroom floor. The shower beckoned her and, hopefully, it would infuse her with enough energy to stay awake until Michelle got there. After showering the day off, she dressed in yoga pants and a Chicago Bulls T-shirt. Not much of a sports fan herself, Uncle Mark had dragged her to a game last winter and in the spirit of the game, she’d purchased a shirt for a team she didn’t care about.
An hour later, a rap at the door announced Michelle’s arrival.