I have nuggets ’n’ fries?”
“You sure can.”
“Yum!”
Satisfied that he could have his favorite meal, JJ hummed quietly to himself, kicking a beat on the back of the front passenger seat while he waited. Raina stifled the admonition that sprang to her lips when he started to kick. She didn’t want to enter into an argument with him now. Instead, she reached into her bag and dragged out her phone. One missed call, unknown number. A sick feeling of dread crept into her gut. Quelling the sensation, she listened to the message.
“Hey Rai, it’s Jeb. I hear you got your little shop up and running again. That’s good, ’cause I’m in a bit of a bind. I really need some money, honey.” He sniggered and Raina cringed. He sounded drunk, again. “Anyway, I owe some guys... I, uh, well, I’ll tell you when I see you. Soon, babe. By the way, how’s that kid of ours? Later!”
Raina deleted the message instantly, her skin crawling. She felt as if she needed a long hot shower. Hadn’t it been enough that he’d emptied out her bank account and skipped town when she’d been at the hospital in labor with JJ? And what about the extra five grand she’d given him early last year for what she’d told him was absolutely and totally the last time ever?
“Mommy, I’m hungry!” JJ demanded from the back, his kicks picking up in tempo.
Raina reached across to still his little legs. “JJ, what’s the rule about kicking in the car?”
His little mouth firmed in a stubborn line. Pick your battles, Raina reminded herself, morphing into distraction mode instead. “Are you having ketchup with your chicken nuggets?”
“Yay! Ketchup!”
“Let’s go then,” she said with a smile as she put the car into gear.
It was a short drive into Royal but traffic was heavy. Raina was lucky to get a parking spot on the road about a block away from the diner. JJ skipped and jumped, holding her hand, as they walked along the pavement. Judging by his energy levels, she hoped he’d be okay to go back to day care tomorrow.
When they entered the Royal Diner, JJ hopscotched along the black-and-white checkerboard linoleum floor. They took a booth near the back and settled in on the red faux-leather seats.
“Be with you soon, hon,” a waitress said with a smile as she poured glasses of water and left them with the sheet menus that everyone knew by heart but still pretended to study anyway.
Raina’s appetite was gone, but she decided on a green salad with ranch dressing because she knew if she didn’t eat, she’d be running on empty by the time her craft class started in a couple of hours. Shoving all thoughts of her ex to the back of her mind, she focused instead on her son and the evening ahead.
All going well, JJ would eat his dinner and she’d take him home to shower before the sitter arrived. Once the sitter was there, she’d be able to head back to Priceless to open up for her first class. Bookings had initially been slow but they’d picked up in the past day or so, and she hoped the simple candle-making class would be well received and that word of mouth would bring more students. With more students would come more overhead but she’d done her homework. After the initial outlay was met, the classes would bring in more sorely needed income, as well.
A movement across the booth made her look up from the menu she was staring at but had stopped actually seeing several minutes earlier. JJ was waving at someone. Thinking it might be their waitress returning for their order, Raina looked up with a smile, only to feel it freeze on her face and the hairs at her nape prickle to attention as she recognized the man walking toward them. Nolan Dane. What was he doing here? Surely he was more likely to be dining out at the Texas Cattleman’s Club, or at the hotel in town?
It took only a few seconds to notice that he’d changed. His jeans were new and fit him perfectly, and the black Henley he wore under a worn leather jacket seemed to stretch across his chest as if it caressed him. Her cheeks flamed at the thought.
“Mommy! Man!” JJ said from his booster seat, and he waved again.
“Hey there,” Nolan said as he drew next to the table.
“I’m having nuggets ’n’ fries,” JJ informed him importantly. “You wanna eat with me?”
“Oh, no, JJ. I’m sure Mr. Dane has other plans,” Raina said quickly, feeling her blush deepen on her cheeks.
“Please, call me Nolan and, actually, no, I don’t. But I don’t want to intrude. I can eat at another table.”
Raina felt terrible. She’d all but told him he wasn’t welcome to sit with them. JJ’s face fell. How bad could it be? she asked herself.
“Oh, please sit down. Seriously, it’s okay. We haven’t ordered yet, anyway. Join us.”
“Well, if you’re sure.”
She nodded and gestured to the empty space next to JJ’s booster seat. Nolan slid into the booth and stretched his long legs out under the table. She shifted slightly as his leg brushed hers.
“Do you guys eat here often?” Nolan asked.
“No, this is a treat for JJ. Aside from the mess with your suit, he’s been a really good boy for me today, haven’t you, JJ?”
JJ nodded emphatically and reached for his water glass. Nolan helped him steady the large glass as he drank and then put it back on the table for him.
“You’re good at that,” Raina commented. “Do you have kids of your own?”
A bleak emptiness appeared in his eyes, its presence so brief she wondered if she’d imagined it, but it was enough to make her realize she’d been prying where she had no right to.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be so rude. I didn’t mean to pry.”
“No, it’s okay,” Nolan brushed off her concern. “Maybe we should just put it down to self-preservation. I’ve seen how lethal he is with an ice cream cone.”
* * *
Nolan watched Raina from across the table and silently congratulated himself on managing to keep his past locked firmly where it belonged. The waitress came by and took their orders, distracting Raina from asking any further questions. She was less relaxed than she’d been when he’d left the store. Was it his presence at the table that did that to her, he wondered, or was it something else? The waitress returned promptly with JJ’s order, and while the little boy dug in, Nolan thought it time to ease conversation back to the Courtyard.
“So tell me a little more about the Courtyard,” he started.
“The idea for it really only took off a few months after the tornado. A lot of us lost our stores and several of Royal’s local artisans lost workshops and homes. The Courtyard gave us all a fresh start—gave us a new community to be proud of.” Her eyes grew worried and a frown marred the smoothness of her forehead. “There’s talk that some oil company is looking to buy the land. It worries me.”
“Why’s that? What difference would a new landlord make?” Nolan probed.
Raina
