Read Online Reunited by Hilary Weisman Graham - Free Book Online
Authors: Hilary Weisman Graham
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we call a road trip,” Tiernan said,a note of authority in her voice. “Which means we should be adhering to the road-trip food pyramid, not that mini version of Whole Foods you stashed in the back.”
Summer stifled a giggle.
“I guess I must have missed that day in health class,” Alice said.
Tiernan went on. “On the bottom of the pyramid, you’ve got your snack cakes—your Ho Hos, your Twinkies, your Little Debbies. Next up, you have gummy animals, which includes your Gummi Bears, gummy worms, as well as Swedish Fish and Sour Patch Kids, all of which are considered subspecies within the gummy kingdom.”
“What’s at the top of the pyramid?” Alice asked, playing along.
Tiernan rolled her eyes. “Funyuns. Duh .”
“I think we all need to get out of this van and get some fresh air,” Summer declared.
A red neon sign for Lucky’s Diner flashed in the distance, so Alice headed toward it, without even bringing it up for a vote. Lucky’s looked like an old-school greasy spoon, the kind of place where if it wasn’t cooked in a fry-o-lator, they probably weren’t serving it. When they pulled into the parking lot, Tiernan could see that the neon L on the Lucky’s sign flickered on and off so that LUCKY’S temporarily turned into UCKY’S .
Alice parked in the only empty spot she could find next to a long-haired dude by a motorcycle.
“Nice wheels,” he called out as they exited the Pea Pod.
“Thanks,” Alice said.
The motorcycle dude was older than them, but not by much—twenty-one or twenty-two—and cute in a scraggly sort of way. Tats on both arms, three days worth of stubble on his chin, the kind of wiry, skinny guy muscles that come from working outdoors. Tiernan usually went for guys with more of an indie rock vibe to them, but there was something captivating about this one—the hint of a bad-boy gleam in his eye.
“Is it a ’seventy-seven?” he called out.
“’Seventy-six,” Alice said, quickly wiping the sweat off her forehead before turning to face him. Without the breeze of the moving van, the heat was stifling.
“It’s in good shape,” he said, moving his gaze from Alice to Tiernan. “ Damn good shape.”
Tiernan smiled back at him, but only with the corner of her mouth. Maybe she liked him; maybe she didn’t. Of course, Summer hadn’t even bothered to acknowledge his presence and was already halfway across the parking lot.
“Thanks.” Alice giggled. “My parents just had it redone for me as a graduation present.”
Tiernan cringed. Nothing like mentioning the ’rental units to kill a good flirtationship. But, in a way, Tiernan always thought it was kind of sweet the way Alice had absolutely no moves whatsoever. She was just 100 percent pure Alice, take it or leave it.
“Anyway,” Alice kept blathering, “we’re pretty hungry, so we should probably go.” Then she turned around and actually started to jog toward the Ucky’s entrance.
“See ya around,” said the dude, his gaze lingering on Tiernan.
“Maybe,” Tiernan replied, giving just a hint of the other half of her smile as she slowly walked away. Mona Lisa had nothing on her.
When she entered Ucky’s, Tiernan was hit with a much-needed blast of air-conditioning, and she stood under it until the breeze made the hair on her arms stand on end. She’d just started to shiver when the hostess came over, pointing them toward the last available booth.
Summer sat down first and Tiernan plopped herself onto the bench across from her, which left poor Alice with the unfortunate task of choosing sides. Tiernan could practically hear the silent eenie-meenie-minie-moe going on in Alice’s head before she finally slid in next to Tiernan, her bare legs making a farting noise against the green vinyl seat.
“You gals here for the festival?” A chunky waitress with streaky blond hair and eighties bangs plunked three ice waters on the table. She was about Tiernan’s mom’s age and she wore a polyester
Summer stifled a giggle.
“I guess I must have missed that day in health class,” Alice said.
Tiernan went on. “On the bottom of the pyramid, you’ve got your snack cakes—your Ho Hos, your Twinkies, your Little Debbies. Next up, you have gummy animals, which includes your Gummi Bears, gummy worms, as well as Swedish Fish and Sour Patch Kids, all of which are considered subspecies within the gummy kingdom.”
“What’s at the top of the pyramid?” Alice asked, playing along.
Tiernan rolled her eyes. “Funyuns. Duh .”
“I think we all need to get out of this van and get some fresh air,” Summer declared.
A red neon sign for Lucky’s Diner flashed in the distance, so Alice headed toward it, without even bringing it up for a vote. Lucky’s looked like an old-school greasy spoon, the kind of place where if it wasn’t cooked in a fry-o-lator, they probably weren’t serving it. When they pulled into the parking lot, Tiernan could see that the neon L on the Lucky’s sign flickered on and off so that LUCKY’S temporarily turned into UCKY’S .
Alice parked in the only empty spot she could find next to a long-haired dude by a motorcycle.
“Nice wheels,” he called out as they exited the Pea Pod.
“Thanks,” Alice said.
The motorcycle dude was older than them, but not by much—twenty-one or twenty-two—and cute in a scraggly sort of way. Tats on both arms, three days worth of stubble on his chin, the kind of wiry, skinny guy muscles that come from working outdoors. Tiernan usually went for guys with more of an indie rock vibe to them, but there was something captivating about this one—the hint of a bad-boy gleam in his eye.
“Is it a ’seventy-seven?” he called out.
“’Seventy-six,” Alice said, quickly wiping the sweat off her forehead before turning to face him. Without the breeze of the moving van, the heat was stifling.
“It’s in good shape,” he said, moving his gaze from Alice to Tiernan. “ Damn good shape.”
Tiernan smiled back at him, but only with the corner of her mouth. Maybe she liked him; maybe she didn’t. Of course, Summer hadn’t even bothered to acknowledge his presence and was already halfway across the parking lot.
“Thanks.” Alice giggled. “My parents just had it redone for me as a graduation present.”
Tiernan cringed. Nothing like mentioning the ’rental units to kill a good flirtationship. But, in a way, Tiernan always thought it was kind of sweet the way Alice had absolutely no moves whatsoever. She was just 100 percent pure Alice, take it or leave it.
“Anyway,” Alice kept blathering, “we’re pretty hungry, so we should probably go.” Then she turned around and actually started to jog toward the Ucky’s entrance.
“See ya around,” said the dude, his gaze lingering on Tiernan.
“Maybe,” Tiernan replied, giving just a hint of the other half of her smile as she slowly walked away. Mona Lisa had nothing on her.
When she entered Ucky’s, Tiernan was hit with a much-needed blast of air-conditioning, and she stood under it until the breeze made the hair on her arms stand on end. She’d just started to shiver when the hostess came over, pointing them toward the last available booth.
Summer sat down first and Tiernan plopped herself onto the bench across from her, which left poor Alice with the unfortunate task of choosing sides. Tiernan could practically hear the silent eenie-meenie-minie-moe going on in Alice’s head before she finally slid in next to Tiernan, her bare legs making a farting noise against the green vinyl seat.
“You gals here for the festival?” A chunky waitress with streaky blond hair and eighties bangs plunked three ice waters on the table. She was about Tiernan’s mom’s age and she wore a polyester
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