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“Welcome, welc—” Tammy froze when she saw us. I gave her the best smile I could, and a wave.
“Been a long time.” Gabriel must have also been in a good mood. Back in the day, he would never talk to Tammy. It wasn’t that he hated her, but he had a strong personality that clashed with hers. I knew they both cared about one another, yet sometimes, it didn’t show.
“Yeah, no kidding.” Tammy crossed her arms. “I thought you’d forgotten about us.”
Gabriel blinked. “I was a little busy.”
She looked at the girls. “Obviously. They look just like you, by the way.”
“How dare you!” Beatrice snapped. “I look nothing like him.”
“Oh, she’s spicy.” Tammy laughed and looked at me. “Did you already imprint on her?”
I shook my head. “This one wasn’t from me. Though, it does sometimes feel like looking in a mirror.”
“I feel that way about Wren sometimes. Come on, I’ll lead you all to a table.”
We were guided to a booth, and both girls fought on who would sit with who. In the end, Agnes sat with Gabriel. He didn’t say anything—a rare smart choice for him. But I caught his eyes widen for a split second.
He recovered quickly.
“Wow,” he said when we’d settled and could look at the menus. “The menu hasn’t changed.”
“Now why would I change a good thing?” Tammy asked. “That menu has kept me open through some of the worst things this town has seen.”
“Have the recipes changed?”
Tammy glared. “Don’t insult me, boy. I’m trying to be nice because you’re back.”
“I’ll take it. And I’m also glad you didn’t change your recipes.”
“So, you did miss us.”
“I guess I did.”
With how he admitted it yesterday, I didn’t think Gabriel would say it to anyone else.
One corner of Tammy’s mouth curled upward. “Good. Then you won’t forget about us again after you’re gone.”
“What do you two like to eat?” I loudly asked the girls. I couldn’t handle a discussion of the future when I was obviously doing what I would have in the past.
“Spicy eggs!” Agnes yelled.
Tammy was still looking at Gabriel. “You used to get the same thing.”
“I still like them.”
“Now I know how to please two of you. What do you like, dear?” She looked at Beatrice.
“Normal eggs.”
“What about pancakes?”
“Yes!”
“Wait, I want pancakes too!” Agnes whined.
“So, two orders for you both.” Tammy smiled and wrote down their orders. I knew that she would remember what they wanted even after they left town.
