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Nearing the swinging door that led to the seating area, she was even more determined to escape. But instead of the clean getaway Katherine had hoped for, she ran smack dab into line cook, Zachary Mason, on his way in.

“Well, good morning, Zach. Did the dog eat your homework, too?”

Instantly, Zach’s happy-go-lucky grin morphed into a mask of complete confusion. Just beyond him, Lucy and Lyla had been busy at the counter placing menus and napkin-wrapped bundles of silverware in front of each stool, but stopped after hearing Katherine’s odd greeting, to listen as Zach’s eyes darted back and forth between the four waiting females.

“Uh, no…” He scratched his head.

Even though everyone in Windsong knew how much he liked working at The Copperwall, Katherine also knew it wasn’t always easy for poor Zach to navigate through what somedays had to feel like drowning in a sea of females.

The twins’ conversations alone confused him, while open discussions about female issues often embarrassed him. And since he obviously had no idea how to respond to one more random question, he looked slightly alarmed. As if a wave of something feminine was about to crash over him.

“I don’t have a dog,” Zach began again. “But I was just outside talking to Frank Vaughn. Did you know he’s moving to Florida?”

“Oh, Lord,” Katherine groaned.

“See, I told you,” Beth Ann added, beaming with satisfaction. “This issoexciting!”

Though Katherine felt the need to pray for mercy or, better yet, a well-timed bolt of lightning to hit Beth Ann, there wasn’t enough time. A group of Saturday morning regulars had already gathered around the front door, waiting to be welcomed in.

“Of course, I’d love to continue this conversation, but we have people to feed,” Katherine announced, gesturing toward the awaiting crowd. “Thanks again for thinking of my love life, but I’m just fine without one.”

As Zach took advantage of the distraction and escaped into the kitchen, Katherine continued toward the front door, greeting the Fraser twins along the way. “Good morning, Lucy. Good morning, Lyla.”

“Good morning, Katherine!” the twins responded in angelic yet slightly robotic unison.

Both girls had come to the diner at the age of sixteen as a favor to their grandma Millie. It had been Millie’s firm belief that a real job would teach them responsibilityand stop any boys from “sniffing around” as Millie put it. She’d even gone so far as to say the girls were a dangerous combination of naïve and boy crazy.

Lean and lanky, nearly six feet tall, with long red hair and adorably freckled faces, the Fraser twins were quirky in the best sort of way. They it made Katherine smile every time she saw them.

“Thanks for getting in and getting straight to work,” Katherine praised, shooting a smug look at Beth Ann. “How can a boss not love heron-time, busy little bees.”

With a smirk, Katherine was nearing the front door, feeling quite pleased with herself, when Beth Ann shouted over the tables and chairs between them.

“Brandon!”

Stopped in her tracks, Katherine turned, brows lifted in surprise, as Lucy and Lyla paused what they were doing to watch. The smile on Beth Ann’s face screamed of victory as she advanced on Katherine the way a lioness advances on helpless prey.

“Bella said the most qualified applicant for the position and the station’s new hire is someone named Brandon. And apparently, this Brandon person isveryattractive. So, in case you do change your mind, now you know at least his name.”

“Ooo…” the twins added, punctuating the end of Beth Ann’s speech.

“Katherine and Brandon,” she considered the two names together as she walked by. “Katherine… Brandon… it has such a nice ring to it, don’t ya think?”

Lucy and Lyla stood wide-eyed, bobbing their heads in agreement.

But before Katherine could insist that she still wasn’t interested, Beth Ann turned the lock on the door and pulled it open. As customers poured in, they smiled with cheerful greetings and immediate requests for coffee.

“Good morning!” the Fraser sisters said from behind the counter with their synchronized smiles while Katherine stood frozen in place.

Then she remembered that Bella and Frank Vaughn had been outside. They didn’t often come to the diner together, but it didn’t stop Katherine from holding her breath and bracing for the worst anyway.

“Katherine, dear, are you alright?” Dr. Evans’s wife stopped to ask. “You look a bit flushed today.”

“Oh, she’s fine, Florence. Nothing to worry about,” Beth Ann said, appearing out of nowhere. “Although I must say, it does seem to have gotten a little hot in here.”

Beth Ann winked at Katherine as she passed by, leading Florence and her friends to their favorite booth while all four of the silver-haired ladies agreed, discussing the current state of the weather and the warmer days to come.

“And you know it’s bound to get even hotter around here,” Beth Ann added to their conversation, her voice rising ever so slightly in volume. “Don’t you agree, Katherine?”