Chapter 6

Settling on a stool at the counter in the diner the next morning, Lucas had just opened his menu when Hal appeared beside him.

“Morning, Lucas.”

Lucas smiled. “Morning. How’s Sammy doing?”

Hal straightened the set of salt and pepper shakers near them. “She took a hard knock to the noggin, but the doc says she’ll be right as rain in a few days.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Lucas said. “What can I help you with?”

Hal gestured towards booth 12. “I’d like to talk to you for a few minutes.”

Lucas groaned inwardly. So much for a peaceful breakfast and a chance to see Leanne. “Sure.” He followed Hal and was surprised to see that the mayor’s cronies were absent. “What’s on your mind?” he asked, sliding into the booth opposite Hal.

Hal drew himself up and met Lucas’ eyes. “It’s come to my attention that you and Leanne are seeing each other.”

Lucas barely kept a smile from his lips. He’d wondered how long it would take Hal to broach the subject since he had eyes and ears all over town. “Well, we went out on a date the other night, if that’s what you mean.”

“Yep. It is. My daughter is a beautiful girl. She’s also a good girl and I don’t want you getting any ideas about her,” Hal said.

“Ideas?” Lucas feigned innocence. “What kind of ideas?”

Hal’s brows drew together. “Don’t be a smart ass. Leanne isn’t some cheap Hollywood starlet who—”

“Coffee, gentlemen?”

Lucas smiled at Helen while Hal glowered at her. Helen focused on Lucas and ignored Hal.

“Coffee would be great,” Lucas said. “Do you guys serve scrambled egg whites and gluten-free wheat bread? Or maybe quiche?”

He didn’t want any of that, but he couldn’t resist needling Hal.

“No, we don’t serve quiche,” Hal said. “He’ll have eggs, bacon, and regular, old-fashioned toast, Helen.”

Helen put a hand on her hip. “Who’s ordering? Him or you?”

Hal’s jaw clenched for a moment. “That’s what we’ll both have. Don’t argue, Helen.” His tone said that she’d better watch her step.

Helen shot him dagger eyes before she filled their coffee mugs and left.

Lucas gave Hal a mild smile. “I believe we were talking about starlets before Helen came over.”

“No, I was saying that Leanne isn’t like those cheap floozies,” Hal said.

“Floozies. Wow. The Roaring 20’s called, and they want their insult back, Hal,” Lucas said.

There were times when having a college-aged son came in handy. Hal’s youngest son, Heathe, said things like that all the time, so Hal understood Lucas’ flippant remark. “Make no mistake, Lucas; hurt her and I’ll bury you. You’re not boyfriend material. A different town, a different woman every night. That about right?”

Lucas nodded. “Something like that, yeah. However, Leanne’s not that kind of woman.”

“And you’re not going to make her one, either,” Hal warned.

Flicking a glance towards the kitchen, Lucas asked, “Have you met your daughter? No one makes her do anything she doesn’t want to. Well, except for work here.”

Red crept up Hal’s neck and his eyes turned a brighter shade of blue. “This diner is a good business with a steady income. It put food on the table and kept a roof over our heads.”

Lucas took a sip of his coffee. “That and all that old family money. You didn’t need this diner to survive, so why did you want it?”

Hal’s right fist clenched. “That’s none of your business, Hart. I’ve said my piece about Leanne. Consider yourself warned.”

Lucas leaned towards him. “Mr. Gladstone, I’m not one of your citizens you can boss around. I’m attracted to Leanne, but just as importantly, I respect her. That said, she’s a grown woman and can take care of herself. Don’t threaten me or I’ll roll up the rug and pull PE out of this town. You need me, not the other way around. Keep that in mind. Have a nice day, Mayor Hal.”

He gave Hal a slightly malicious smile as before leaving the booth. He informed Helen that he’d be eating at the counter after all. Taking out a small pad from the back pocket of his jeans, he borrowed a pen from Helen and wrote on it.

When Helen brought his order, he ripped off the page and handed it to her. “Will you give this to Leanne for me?”

Helen’s lips twitched as she took it. “I sure will.”

He grinned at her wink and tucked into his eggs.

“The hunk with the baby-blues sent this to you.”

Leanne wiped pancake batter from her hands and took the note Helen held out to her. Ignoring the older woman’s knowing smile, she unfolded the paper. It read, “Can I kiss the cook good morning?”

Laughing, Leanne went over to the order window and spied Lucas sitting at the counter. Their eyes met and she crooked a finger at him. His grin made her heartbeat accelerate and she suppressed the urge to pat her hair even though it was pulled back into a ponytail.

“I’ll leave you two crazy kids alone,” Helen said when Lucas entered the kitchen.