Page 14

14

Eloise

The town of Pine Creek had roughly two thousand residents. By dinner, I was convinced at least fifteen hundred of them knew Jack and I had gotten naked in my shower.

We stepped into the diner around six o’clock, and the aroma of fried chicken, fresh biscuits, and fresh-baked peach pie immediately hit me.

Mrs. Grigsby, who taught second grade and always wore a cardigan regardless of the weather, did a full double-take from her booth. Hank, the owner, lifted one thick brow from behind the counter. And Doris, our waitress and full-time town gossip, nearly dropped her tray when she spotted us.

Jack leaned close to my ear and whispered, “Why does this feel like we just walked into a courtroom and the jury’s already made up its mind?”

“Because they have,” I muttered. “Mable called someone.”

“She called everyone, ” Jack said. “I saw a pigeon fly past the truck with a scroll tied to its leg.”

I shot him a look, but I was grinning. There was no hiding from this. Not in Pine Creek. Especially not when your eighty-two-year-old friend accidentally FaceTimed a full-frontal moment.

“Table for two?” Doris chirped a little too brightly. “Or should I grab a towel and a change of clothes?”

Jack smiled like he’d been training for this. “We’ve both dried off, thank you.”

“Oh, I know. Everyone knows. The video quality wasn’t bad for a phone in a sink.” She winked at me. “You got yourself a looker , Eloise.”

I sat down hard in the booth. “This is so embarrassing, but I’m glad we are getting it over with. My business will be so busy, with everyone wanting to look at me to see for themselves that I still look the same.”

Jack slid in across from me, barely suppressing his laughter. “It’s fine. They’ll forget.”

“No, they won’t. This town still talks about the time Earl’s goat got into the church and chewed off Pastor Jim’s robe.”

Jack chuckled. “Tell me more about that goat. He sounds like my kind of guy.”

Doris dropped two menus on the table and whispered behind one, “Was it love, or just… steam?”

Jack leaned in and said, straight-faced, “It was spiritual.”

I kicked him under the table.

Across the room, old man Carter raised his glass at me and mouthed Atta girl .

Jack took my hand across the table, thumb rubbing slow circles over my knuckles. “For what it’s worth… I don’t regret a thing. Except maybe not putting a sock on the camera lens.”

I laughed, then groaned and hid my face. “We’re never living this down.”

“Oh, I’m thriving,” he said. “This is my origin story. I came to town, got hit with a bull’s enema, made love in the shower, and the entire night. I’ll earn a lifetime of free pie if I play my cards right.”

Doris returned, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. “Jack, honey, Hank says dessert’s on the house tonight. You want lemon meringue, or you still feeling... vanilla lava?”

I coughed. Jack blinked.

“Doris,” I said sharply.

“What? I’m just offering sweets.”

Jack smirked. “Peach pie sounds very satisfying.”

Doris winked and walked off.

I pressed my napkin to my face. “I can’t believe I’m going to have to live here after this.”

“You’re a legend now,” Jack said, sipping his iced tea. “You’re gonna have people lining up for vet visits. ‘Give me what you gave that bull,’ they’ll say.”

“I’m going to kill you in your sleep.”

“You already almost did—in the shower. I was one slip away from meeting Jesus.”

I burst out laughing, despite myself.

Right then, I realized something: this was what it felt like to be happy: messy, embarrassed, slightly traumatized, but happy.

We ate, we laughed, and we dodged about fifty sideways glances. When dessert arrived— my favorite peach pie —Jack fed me the first bite with a wicked grin.

“I told you,” he said. “Best Saturday ever.”

I didn’t want Jack to leave. It was Sunday night, and his family was coming to visit him on Fraser Mountain. He had visited them three times, and he loved being with them. I would never ask him to stay with me, knowing how happy he was having a family, that visited.

“I want to tell my family you are the woman I love.”

“You love me?”

“Yes, I love you. Do you think I would allow bull poop to land on me if I didn’t love you?”

“I love you, too,” I said, wiping tears away.

“I’ll leave early in the morning, he said, pulling me back inside.

Later that night, we lay in bed talking about everything and nothing. “Jenny is in love with Tony Thompson. She said he won’t do anything about it because he never finished college.

“Tony went to veterinary college for large animals, but he could no longer afford to go because his dad broke his back. Tony had to work to pay all the bills. I’m thinking of telling him a white lie.”

“What kind of white lie?”

“I’m going to tell him I filled out a paper for him for a full scholarship, and he won.”

“How would you get the money to him?” Jack asked.

“I haven’t gotten that far yet, but it will come to me.”

“Is it alright if I help?”

“I didn’t tell you so you would help.”

“I know that, but I really do want to help. Plus, we can send Tony the scholarship money through a company I own. He will never know who it was from. Besides, I always give scholarships out. Plus I like Tony.”

I can’t let you do that. Tony still has two years before he becomes a vet. How about I pay for the first year, and you can pay for the second year?”

Eloise, I’ll let you pay the other expenses. You can put in clothing expenses for two years, which will be about twenty-five hundred dollars. Pay me after you’ve told Tony he won the scholarship.”

He’s going to be so excited, and Jenny will be so happy. Those two are perfect together. Thank you so much for your generosity.”

“You are so welcome.”