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dazzling ten.
    Jenny came back through the dining room carrying a plate with grilled cheese and plopped it between the espresso mugs and Veronica. The cups tipped, and Pauline lunged to protect her precious drinks, but she overcorrected, dumping everything on the sandwich plate.
    Jenny stared in horror. “Not the grilled cheese! You were supposed to eat that. I’m sorry,” she whispered.
    Veronica jumped up as the liquid spilled over the edge of the table, leaving wet splotches on her jeans. “Jenny, is that offer still open to sit at your table?” she asked a bit desperately. “I think I’d like to take you up on it if your uncle doesn’t mind.”
    “Let me get you more to drink,” Pauline said, standing up as well.
    “Oh, you don’t need to go to the trouble. Just a glass of water would be wonderful,” Veronica said.
    “You don’t like my espressos?” Pauline pouted.
    “I do! In fact, I gave them all tens.”
    “But you didn’t even try them all,” Pauline said.
    “I’m sure they would have been wonderful. If you have more you’d like me to try, I will. But if you don’t, I understand.”
    That was definitely the wrong thing to say. Matt knew it even before Pauline sprang into action.
    “Stay there. I’ll be right back.” Pauline bustled behind the counter.
    “I was trying to save you from the drinks. I didn’t mean to ruin your sandwich,” Jenny said.
    Veronica turned to her and squeezed her hand. “Thank you for trying to save me, for the fabulous table service, and for the grilled cheese, which I’m certain would have been delicious. You are the most welcoming, sweetest person I have met in this entire town. Your uncle must be very proud of you.”
    “Follow me,” Pauline called. “I’m going to set you up in a booth in the back, so no one will disturb us.”
    Veronica turned her gaze to Matt. He was absurdly proud—not just of Jenny but of Veronica’s ability to remain poised and regal.
    “If you like, you can bring my home-improvement book to me when you’re finished with your meal. I’m going to hazard a guess that I’ll be here much longer than you. If you’d prefer not to interfere in the taste test, you can drop it off at my trailer. I left it unlocked.”
    Of course she’d left it unlocked. She had no lock. Or door.
    Veronica followed Pauline to the back of the restaurant before he could reply. Jenny stared after her, her eyes round and adoring.
    “I can’t believe how rude city customers are,” the chairwoman of the library board muttered. “Only an ‘eight,’ just because of a tiny cherry pit. What was she thinking?”
    Jenny leaned toward Matt and clutched his hand. “Can I have a pink bandana for my hair like she had in hers? Please?”
    Matt groaned. “I’ll look around and see if we have one. But now you need to sit down and eat your grilled cheese.”
    “Can we invite her over for dinner at our house? I have important questions to ask her.”
    “Really? What do you need to know that you can’t learn from me?”
    “About makeup and high heels,” Jenny said, taking a bite of her sandwich.
    Just like that, Matt’s appetite was gone. Jenny’s mother hadn’t worn a stitch of makeup or owned a pair of high heels. Steve and Leah had entrusted Matt to instill in Jenny their hardworking, wholesome values—values that didn’t include an entitled mentality and frivolous wants. If Pauline’s espressos didn’t drive Veronica out of town, he was going to have to push much harder to show her that the only thing she was going to get handed to her here was hard work, dusty doughnuts, and coffee with hidden cherry pits.

Chapter Four
    The next morning, Veronica was wide awake early, thanks to Pauline’s never-ending supply of espressos. She ate a granola bar and a protein shake, the best she could do in her dysfunctional kitchen. She wouldn’t pass out for any reason today. Matt was going to see that she could hold her own in his world.
    Judging from