Harlequin Special Edition April 2023--Box Set 1 of 2 by Makenna Lee

Author:Makenna Lee
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

As was her habit, the moment she heard someone coming in, Miss Joan’s eyes darted over to the door. When she saw who it was, she automatically poured two cups of coffee, one black, one with cream, and brought the cups over to place them side by side on the counter.

“You’re still here,” she noted, a trace of surprise echoing in her voice. The words were directed toward Matt.

“I am,” he acknowledged. “Takes a while to get to know someone,” he explained, referring to Vikki. He had made no decisions about the girl’s future yet, but he wasn’t about to be hasty when it came to making that decision.

In the meantime, Miss Joan’s hazel eyes pointedly washed over Riley as she agreed with Matt’s observation. “That, it does.”

Surprised by the silent implication she saw in the woman’s eyes, Riley thought Miss Joan had the wrong idea.

Or maybe she didn’t, Riley realized the next moment. Maybe Miss Joan was intimating that Matt was checking her out, thinking of her as his daughter’s potential guardian.

Now that she thought about it, Riley decided, that didn’t seem nearly as farfetched as she might have initially believed.

“We’re here for breakfast,” Riley told the older woman.

Miss Joan laughed shortly. “And here I thought you came here for the scintillating conversation.” She placed a menu in front of Matt and then looked at Riley. “I don’t figure I have to give you a menu. Nothing’s changed since you were a little girl.”

“Nothing?” Matt questioned in surprise.

Miss Joan shrugged. “When you’ve got something good going, why mess with success?” she asked, looking at the young man sitting at her counter.

Matt rolled the question over in his head. “Well, for one thing, tastes can change,” he told Miss Joan.

“We’re very basic people around here,” Miss Joan said by way of explanation. “We usually like eating the same things we’ve eaten before.”

To emphasize her point, the owner of the diner looked pointedly at the coffee Matt had in front of him.

Time to move this along, Riley thought.

“Speaking of which,” Riley said, deciding to make Matt’s choice for him, “we’ll have two breakfast specials.” She went on to specify two scrambled eggs, four slices of bacon and two slices of rye toast. Finished, she looked at Matt. “Unless you’d like something else instead?”

Miss Joan pinned the man sitting beside Riley with a look. “Would you?”

Matt couldn’t help thinking that the way Miss Joan had just worded her question was actually more of a challenge than anything else. He had no intention of beginning the day on the wrong side of this woman. Besides, food was food, and he had never been that fussy an eater.

“No, what Riley had just selected will do nicely,” he told Miss Joan, then added for clarity, “Anything that’s quick.” The diner owner was about to comment on his request when Matt explained, “I don’t want to keep Vikki or Mr. Robertson waiting.”

Miss Joan’s eyes narrowed and she looked at him for a long moment, as if debating whether or not what Matt had said was on the level.

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