Page 100
As they refilled new tacos, she realized that despite everything feeling strained between Aiden and her, it felt good to be home. Unfortunately, that made the idea of returning to the empty apartment in Athens alone even more daunting.
20
FRIENDSHIP
Bells banged against the glass door as Charlotte entered the diner she used to work at.
Now called The Sizzlin’ Griddle, the atmosphere felt so different after ownership changed hands a second time since her old boss Ricky left.
They’d done a lot in the time she’d been away.
Fifties music played from a jukebox in the corner, with records hanging from the ceiling. The entire diner now had a fifties theme. It suited the original style of shiny red leather booths, black-and-white checkered flooring, and chrome-wrapped bar. She often wondered why Ricky never embraced the concept.
Lazy, that’s why.
The staff appeared diverse, no longer limited to pretty girls under nineteen. Her old boss had a type.
Gone were the skimpy server outfits, replaced with the cutest black hoop skirts with white poodles on them, big belts in the same color as the frilly petticoat the server wore—pink, blue, green, or yellow, and dainty shirts with glittery name tags matching the server’s color. Other servers wore pressed slacks and white button-down shirts with black suspenders. Their bow ties and name tags also varied in color.
They made her feel underdressed in her white denim shorts, lavender tank top, and matching short-sleeved overshirt.
“Charlotte!”
At the sound of Riley’s voice, she whirled around from her focus on the new dessert display.
On her knees in the booth, Riley waved her arms as if Charlotte weren’t looking right at her. She looked so out of place in the bright and vibrant diner in her black band T-shirt over a fishnet undershirt. Charlotte couldn’t see what else Riley wore, but she would put big money on it also being black—and some kind of boots, definitely boots. At least her pink pixie haircut fit.
Blaire sat across from her, laughing at Riley’s antics. Layla sat next to Riley, peering over the booth’s back with a soft, sympathetic smile, doe eyes wide.
Charlotte approached their booth and slid in next to Blaire, but not before she caught a glimpse of the cut-off, black jean shorts Riley wore over sheer black stockings and short combat boots. Called it.
“Ooh, new earrings?” Riley leaned across the table and flicked the tiny purple cloud earrings dangling from Charlotte’s ears.
“Nah. I’ve had these since high school. Found them when reorganizing my closet last night.”
Riley slumped back in her seat. “I still want those bat earrings you used to wear.”
“You can have them.”
“Really?” Riley’s face brightened, mouth parting with all her top teeth showing as a wide smile overtook her face.
Charlotte nodded.
After her run-in with a vampire, she didn’t want to have a reminder like that hanging around. Can vampires actually turn into bats? It wasn’t like the man flew after her, so she had her doubts.
“So, how did Sara and Elizabeth take the news?” Blaire asked, turning to face her.
“They weren’t disappointed in me.”
“Told you it’d be fine,” Riley said.
Layla looked between them, confusion lining her forehead. “What’s going on?”
Riley turned to Layla, propping herself up on her knee, resting her arm on the back of the booth. “So you know how we said Charlotte is coming back for the rest of the summer?”
“Yeeeeah, but I didn’t know why.”
“How about let Charlotte explain it,” Blaire said with a soft smile.
