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Early mornings and late nights became her new normal, and day by day, hard work helped to heal parts of her heart. With days turning into months and the months turning into years, Katherine’s time alone in the diner’s kitchen became her favorite part of the day. Once she was there —lights on, ovens going, and music playing—she’d fall into a comfortable routine, managing to forget how tired she felt despite the rising temperature of the kitchen.

Between exhaustion and the heat, she should’ve felt sleepy, but she didn’t. Instead, the smell of vanilla in the muffins and cakes she baked and the cinnamon she added to pumpkin and Dutch apple pies all helped to soothe her aching soul. Along with the finished product, it left her with a sense of accomplishment and peace. It was just her and her food.

Well, at least until her employees started arriving. That’s when solitude ended, and reality came rushing back in. Though she appreciated everyone who worked for her, some days, she’d give anything to hold on to those moments of solitude just a little longer. So, with a heavy sigh, she glanced at the clock on the wall.

Years of experience taught her that the Fraser twins, Lucy and Lyla, were likely up front making coffee in the big brewer, heating water for tea, and setting places at the counter for their first round of morning customers. All things Beth Ann Lucas should’ve been there to help with. But since Beth Ann hadn’t come into the kitchen to say good morning like she always did, it was a safe bet that she was late again.

After carrying a stack of pans to the three-compartment sink and lowering them into the basin filled with soapy water, Katherine stood there scrubbing baked-on bits of muffin batter, wondering what it would take to get through to her flighty friend.

Beth Ann Lucas.

Waitress. Hopeless romantic. And limitless bundle of energy.

Though she was expected to be at work by now, Beth Ann being late was nothing new. In typical fashion, she’d probably come barreling through the door at any minute with some flimsy excuse as to why she wasn’t on time. And though Katherine secretly found some of her excuses amusing, she also found them frustrating on the days she was too tired to even think straight.

“Hey, guess what I just heard!”Beth Ann called out as the kitchen door flung open. Like countless times before, she didn’t mean to startle Katherine, but she did.

“Dammit, Bethie, you know I hate when you do that!” Katherine scowled after dropping the pan she’d been scrubbing.

“Sorry, I forget sometimes,” Beth Ann said, rushing over and handing her a towel to wipe the bubbles from the front of her apron.

“Sometimes?”

Beth Ann’s shoulders slumped as she let out a sigh. “Yeah… I guess I do that a lot, don’t I?” Then she looked around at how much Katherine had accomplished. “I can’t believe you got all this done already. That’s twice this week. Are yousureyou’re getting enough sleep?”

Feeling her head start to ache, Katherine avoided the question by naming off the items she’d made.

“It smells so good in here,” Beth Ann said, looking longingly at the muffins cooling on the counter. “Hey, did you hear Bella Vaughn is leaving WDSG?”

At the mention of Bella’s name, Katherine turned her attention back to the pan she’d been scrubbing. Although Isabella Vaughn was something of a local celebrity and her mother’s high school friend, Katherine didn’t care to keep up with the latest gossip.

In fact, shehatedgossip. Inwardly cringing every time she was reminded of those awful days after Max’s death and the gossip that grew from Bella’s news reports. Reports that quickly made Katherine the talk of the town.

“Nope. Haven’t heard that one.” She scrubbed, hoping her curt reply would put an end to the subject.

“Well, it’s true,” Beth Ann added before Katherine could point out that she preferred not to know. “I just ran into Bella outside, and she told me all about it.”

Katherine stopped scrubbing long enough to glance at the clock. “So,that’swhy you’re late?”

As Beth Ann bit her bottom lip, her expression was heavy with guilt.

“Bethie, you know I need you here to help Lucy and Lyla. You can talk to customers all you want once we’re open,” she said, shaking her head as she went back to scrubbing. “Not to mention the fact that gossip is as bad an excuse as the dog eating your homework.”

“Fine.” Beth Ann rolled her eyes. “I won’t be late anymore.”

When Katherine shot her a disbelieving glance, she caught Beth Ann sneaking a handful of chocolate chips from a storage canister and stuffing them into her mouth.

“Hey! Are your hands even clean?”

“Of course they’re clean. I showered this morning.”

“Beth… Ann… Lucas…”

“I’m sorry, I can’t help it. I’m hungry. I ran out of milk last night and didn’t get my bowls of cereal this morning.”

“Bowls?” Katherine asked, emphasizing the plural.

“Yeah…bowls. What’s wrong withbowls?”