Page 14 of Royal Desire

His friend frowns. “That’s not the same at all. They’re married.”

I shrug. “It’s all the same. Blake was amazing. I’m lucky to have him, not to mention I’ve missed him and Grandma so much. I never thought I’d say this, but it’s good to be back.”

“We should take the old birds for a night out to see the Sinclairs. It’d be a splurge—I heard the manor is pricey.”

His friend leans back and scratches his belly. “Sounds like a plan—though I’d need to drink coffee after ten in the morning to stay awake.”

“You should definitely stop in. If anything, you’ll be helping me keep my new job, right?”

“Only if you take requests. I love The Osmonds.”

I smirk and make a mental note to brush up on Donny and Marie. And I use brush up in the loosest sense possible. I don’t know one Donny and Marie song. “Let me know if you have a favorite and when you’ll be there. I’ll add it to the set.”

He slaps his hand on the table. “It’s a date. We’ll get with the birds and figure it out.”

The bell over the main entrance to the Combover has been working double time while we chat. “I’ll get these orders in and be back with your drinks.”

The moment I turn around, Winnie exclaims, “If it isn’t my Italian stallion. I always feel safer when the police chief is in the house.”

My head whips around to the entrance.

Dean Moretti.

I’ve known him since kindergarten. The Morettis have lived in Winslet for generations. Grandma keeps me up to date on everyone—even those I don’t want to know about. Dean moved back as soon as he could after his dad died. The next year, the old police chief who’d been there for decades retired. Dean got the job.

Dean and I were close in high school. He was always a third wheel when he was between girlfriends. After he dated everyone in town, he moved to the surrounding counties.

Dean’s gaze hangs on me for a long moment before he turns to greet Winnie. “How’s the ankle?”

Winnie glances at him, me, and back to him. I doubt anyone in town has forgotten we were friends back in the day. “You know, still broken.”

Dean’s stare returns to me. I’m not sure what he’s thinking, but it hangs like a dirty wet rag as he takes a seat at the bar. He finally shakes his head, and his lips barely tip up on one side. “Ruby Sinclair. I never thought I’d see the day. Welcome back to Winslet.”

“Hey, Dean.” I finally make myself move. “And that makes two of us. I need to get these orders in. I’ll be right back.”

Dean reaches over the counter, grabs a clean mug, and pours himself a cup of coffee. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Great. And since there’s no crime in this place, I’m sure he has nothing to do but sit and shoot the shit with Winnie all day. Some things never change.

My past is crashing into me like a wrecking ball. I guess it had to happen eventually. It’s like ripping off the bandage. But damn. These memories were easier to bury in New York City.

I find my backbone and do my best to be chill, even though I’m not at all chill about anything at the moment. I busy myself with making a new pot of coffee as I talk. “I see you already helped yourself. Do you want to order or are you just here to hang out until there is peril for you to chase down?”

He doesn’t take his eyes off me as he takes a sip of his steaming black brew. “That doesn’t happen often, thank goodness. I’m in no hurry.”

“Great.” I shove the pot into its cradle harder than necessary and mentally apologize to the ancient coffee maker that can’t afford the extra abuse. “Give me a shout when you’re ready to order.”

“Oh, you’ll know,” Dean mutters.

I do my best to ignore the man who was one of my best friends growing up, though he had another friend that trumped me. When I made a break for it, I wasn’t surprised whom Dean aligned himself with. I couldn’t blame him, so I didn’t try to reach out. Who would want to be a wedge between two friends?

I grab three plates from the kitchen window, balancing one on my forearm, and serve the good patrons of the Combover. I’m back and forth three more times, taking more orders, refilling waters, and topping off everyone’s coffee

Through it all, I’ve managed to ignore Dean as the constant ringing bell over the door makes me move double time. The lunch rush might come and go fast, but I’m hustling as much as I did back in the city.

I serve the retired club and make sure they have enough ketchup. “Do you hotties need anything else before you dig in?”

“Darlin’, you call me hottie one more time, and I just might be back tomorrow.”