Page 6

“Yes, The Copperwall Diner! Is Suzie available? Katherine has a special request!”

There was a long pause before Zach bellowed, “Oh, so you’re putting Suzie on? Great! Thanks, Mr. Chen!”

Katherine could tell when Suzie took the phone from her husband because Zach’s voice immediately dropped by at least two octaves, and a smile brightened his face.

As Zach made his request, Katherine thought about Suzie Chen. Though she was just as sweet as her husband, she was also never one to mince words. Direct, outspoken, and incredibly funny, she was fun to be around. Not to mention, by all malestandards, Suzie was smokin’ hot. A fact that only amplified her daughter’s embarrassment and her husband’s delight.

With strict diet and exercise, along with regular visits to the salon, Suzie had the body of an eighties video vixen with hair as white as an angel’s. She was a true one-of-a-kind, and everyone loved her.

“Great! We’ll see you when you get here,” Zach said, then blushed at something Suzie said before he hung up.

“I take it we’re all set?”

“Yeah, but it sounds like she’s bringing enough for a small army.”

Katherine laughed. “Well, in that case, let’s hope it’s a hit.”

Back at the flat top, Zach squirted water on the hot surface and started scraping off burnt bits of food when Beth Ann entered the kitchen with one final breakfast order.

“I need a double everything Brown Lace Bagel with a side of fries.” She smiled, tearing a page from her order pad. “And make it to-go.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Zach smiled back, saluting her like a private would a four-star general. Then he added oil to a pan and cracked two eggs into a small bowl.

Standing there watching Zach, Beth Ann glowed in his presence while Katherine wondered how long it would take for the two of them to finally admit they were dating.

“Ahem—”

“Oh, hey, I didn’t know you were still in here,” Beth Ann said as Katherine smirked at her sudden nervousness. “Didn’t Lucy and Lyla tell you your family’s here?”

“No,” Katherine said, giving another quick stir to the baked potato and beef barley soups. “Can you tell them I’ll be out in a minute?”

“Sure.”

“And Beth Ann… not a word about that Brandon person, okay?”

Beth Ann’s smirk widened as she placed a hand over her heart. “You don’t think I would say anything, do you?”

When Katherine shot her a look of warning, it only made Beth Ann burst out laughing. “I swear… if you started something—”

“I didn’t!” Beth Ann insisted, biting back the same scheming little smile that drove Katherine half crazy. “But it doesn’t help when you look at me like that. You’re making me laugh.”

Katherine raised a skeptical brow.

“I swear, I didn’t say anything. Besides, what makes you think I would anyway?”

“How about the look on your face and the fact that I know you.”

Beth Ann crossed her heart. “Not a peep.”

Feeling herself start to relax, Katherine untied her apron and breathed a sigh of relief. With the story of Bella and Frank’s departure quickly making the rounds, she didn’t want it to get back to her family and become the main topic of conversation.

“But if they do know anything—and I’m not saying they do—I didn’t have to be the one to tell them. That order I just gave Zach was for Frank.”

Katherine shook her head as the color drained from her face. “Please don’t tell me that FrankandIsabella are here.”

“Umm… yeah… they are,” Beth Ann said. “They didn’t stick around earlier because Bella wanted to hit the farmers’ market before it got too busy. But you know Frank can only take so much of that health-conscious-cardboard-tasting trail mix she buys, so he insisted they come back for some real food.”

“Dear God, this can’t be happening.”