Read Online Hearts in Harmony by Gail Sattler - Free Book Online

table, deliberately sitting with her back to the counter so no one entering the restaurant could see her face. She had just taken her first bite when a deep voice sounded behind her.
    â€œHi, Celeste. Mind if I join you? I saw your car, so I knew you were here.”
    Celeste choked, swallowed and recovered, but not in time to say anything as Randy lowered a full tray of food onto her table. He parked himself in the opposite chair and smiled a greeting. “This is great. It’s nice not to eat alone.”
    Celeste pressed her fist into the center of her chest and cleared her throat. Unlike Randy, she had wanted to eat alone. Still, she considered Randy to be safe. This was okay, but she hoped that no one else she knew would associate her with her mother’s car. “Hi, Randy. It’s good to see you.” Strangely, as soon as the words were said, she found she meant them.
    Randy bowed his head briefly as he took time out to pray over his food in silence, then removed the wrapper from hisburger. “I think I know where you’re going after you eat.” He paused and grinned. “And speaking of Adrian, when—”
    â€œHi, Celeste,” a male voice called out from behind them, cutting off Randy’s words.
    Celeste’s heart pounded. She turned her head so quickly her neck hurt.
    As she raised her hand to rub the sore muscle, Bob approached, also carrying a tray brimming with junk food. “I saw your car in the lot.” Bob’s eyes moved slightly as he glanced at Randy, then back to her. His smile flickered, then resumed. “Hi, Randy,” he muttered, his voice not as cheerful as it had been in his greeting to Celeste. He lowered his tray to the table.
    Celeste didn’t see it, but she heard the double thump of Randy’s feet landing on the chair where Bob obviously intended to sit. With Randy’s feet taking up the third chair, Randy deposited an empty bag on the fourth chair. He leaned back, raised his arms, and linked his fingers behind his head. “Sorry. All the chairs at this table are taken.” He released his hands from behind his head, shoveled a few fries into his mouth, then resumed his position, grinning while he chewed.
    â€œGrow up, Randy,” Bob grumbled, unceremoniously pulling the chair out from underneath Randy’s feet. Randy’s feet landed on the floor with a thump. Bob brushed any potential dirt off the seat with his fingers, then sat. “I think I know where you two are going.”
    She forced herself to smile. “Yes. I know where you’re going, too.”
    Bob closed his eyes and bowed his head slightly for a couple of seconds, then unwrapped his burger and dumpedthe cardboard envelope of fries onto the corner of the wrapper. “It’s nice to see you here, although I kind of expected Adrian would be with you, not Randy.”
    Randy’s grin widened. “Sometimes the best man really does win.”
    Bob rolled his eyes, then pointedly faced Celeste. “Speaking of Adrian, I guess—”
    Another male voice broke through Bob’s words. “Hi, Celeste!” Paul lowered only the corner of his tray to the table, because the surface didn’t have enough room for it. “I saw your car in the lot.”
    Celeste didn’t know why this time she wasn’t surprised.
    Paul emptied a burger, fries and a drink onto the table, then set the tray on the empty table beside them. He hesitated for a second when he saw the empty bag on the last chair. He picked it up, shook it to confirm it was empty, dropped it on the tray at the other table, and sat. “Hi, Randy. Bob,” he said as he quickly acknowledged his friends. He paused to bow his head slightly, closed his eyes for a second, then began to unwrap his burger. “This is funny. The only one missing is Adrian.”
    In unison, Bob and Randy turned their heads toward the door, as if thinking about him would make Adrian