Can't Let You Go by Jenny B Jones Read Free Book Online Page A

line.
    “Breakfast is on me,” Maxine said. “It’s the least I can do for your saving my granddaughter.”
    “I didn’t save her,” Charlie said. “Just helped her get off the plane.”
    “Why, my dear boy, I disagree.” Maxine turned to little Sadie. “He carried my Katie like she was Sleeping Beauty. She was wounded and unconscious, bleeding from the head. He threw his own body over her to shield her from further damage, then when the plane finally touched down, your brother lifted her in his big strong arms and brought her to safety. Isn’t it just the most romantic thing you’ve ever heard?”
    “Romantic is probably not the word I’d use,” I said.
    Sadie turned her wide eyes to me. “Are you going to marry my brother?”
    “What? No!” I searched frantically for our waitress. “Can we get some crayons over here?”
    The little girl was as ruthless as Maxine. “If you were in a Disney movie, it would end with you two getting married.”
    I forced my teeth to unclench. “Your brother and I are old friends.”
    “Right.” Charlie took a drink from my water glass. “Friends.”
    “Charlie,” Maxine cooed. “How long are you in town?”
    “Until after the wedding.”
    He was going back to Chicago soon. I had no business even considering getting tangled up with him or any form of long-distance relationship. Soon he would be back in his high-rise apartment sitting behind his desk doing whatever important businessy things he did.
    “Your company must really think a lot of you to let you have that much time off,” Maxine said.
    “Charlie’s working while he’s here,” I said as Kourtney flittered over and secured Charlie and Sadie’s order.
    Maxine blew on her coffee. “Doing what?”
    “A very important project.” Sadie leaned her blonde head into her brother. “Right?”
    Charlie straightened in his seat. “I don’t want to bore anyone with business talk.”
    I took a sip of tea. “Bore away.”
    Charlie opened his mouth, only to be interrupted by the reappearance of Loretta. “Here’s the job application.” She plopped it beside my saucer. “Bring this back with you next week so I can pretend to check your references. And here’s your uniform.” She thrust a wad of extra-extra-large t-shirts into my hands.
    I held one up. “They’re a little roomie.”
    “You get a discount on my pies,” Loretta said. “Maybe you’ll grow into them.”
    Wouldn’t that just be the cherry on top of my life?
    “Loretta, I had a few questions about the job—”
    “Sorry, hon. I’m wanted in a meeting. Dang corporation thinks they can take my diner? They got another thing coming.”
    “Someone’s trying to buy you out?” This was the first I’d heard of it.
    “Where’s that waitress?” Maxine said. “I’m ready for my food.”
    “Buy me out is putting it politely.” Loretta propped a hand at her hip. “What Thrifty Co. is doing is corporate terrorism.”
    Maxine clanged her fork to her glass. “What does it take to get a short stack around here?”
    “Did you know about this?” I asked my grandmother.
    “Who can keep up with a big metropolis like this?” Maxine’s laugh was a little too forced. “Loretta, I think they’re calling you in the kitchen. She’s coming!”
    “Thrifty Co. is wanting to build one of their discount stores right here,” Loretta said.
    “But your diner’s not for sale.” I glanced at Charlie. “Can you believe this?”
    He slowly shook his head. “It’s a tough situation.”
    “The mayor said it doesn’t matter that my diner’s not for sale. Said the city can sell the land right out from under me. Eminent domain. But I’m getting myself a lawyer.”
    “Loretta, that’s terrible.” I had so many memories at this diner. Charlie and I had shared many a banana split in booth number twelve my senior year.
    “I gotta get back to the meeting.” Loretta gestured her spiky head to the large table in the back of the restaurant.
    The one