Read Online We'll Be Home for Christmas by Helenkay Dimon - Free Book Online

motion. Before Lila could ask for it, a plate clanked against the counter with a long twisty doughnut on it. “I saw you eyeing it up.”
    Lila tried to ignore the sugary blob but maybe she could pick at the end. “Do you work every shift? I just saw you at dinner yesterday.”
    “The Schmidt in Schmidt’s Diner is my grandfather. So, yeah, I’m always here except when I’m home cooking for the husband.” Darla dumped the coffee pot on the warming burner behind her.
    Lila ripped off the end of the dough and popped it in her mouth, licking her sticky fingers right after. But, really, that was going to be it. At five-five, her figure went from curvy to chubby pretty fast. She’d always carried what some might consider extra weight because the stick-figure thing didn’t appeal to her. Neither did starving. She had breasts and hips and refused to apologize for being built like a woman.
    “I don’t think I could be around food that much,” she said as she pulled another piece off the doughnut.
    “Do you cook?”
    “Not unless I’m forced or you count instant oatmeal.”
    “I don’t, but nice try.” Darla left for a minute to ring up a customer. When she returned, she jammed her pen in her hair and took up residence right across the counter from Lila. “So, how long have you known Spence?”
    Lila choked down the piece of doughnut she’d been chewing. Swallowing over the sudden lump in her throat hadn’t been easy. “You’ve been holding that in since last night, haven’t you?”
    Darla threw back her head and laughed in a sound so rich and genuine that several people joined in even though they couldn’t possibly have heard the comment. “I gotta tell you. The curiosity has been killing me. Spence is not the type to bring his girl around.”
    Just like that Lila’s amusement faded. It was a good thing she’d finished the doughnut so fast because this turn in the conversation might ruin the last bites for her. “No.”
    “You’re thinking he does?”
    “I’m saying the ‘his girl’ thing, that’s not me.”
    Darla’s eyes narrowed a fraction. “Word is you two had a lover’s spat.”
    “A really vocal one, if the gossip is right.” An older woman shuffled over and plopped down next to Lila. The stool creaked and coffee splashed over the rim of Lila’s cup when the woman knocked it with the open sleeve of her oversized coat.
    The lady smelled like gardenias and wore the brightest pink lipstick Lila had ever seen. She’d never been good at tagging people’s ages, but she’d guess this lady was in her sixties or seventies. She was short and almost as wide as she was tall. She threw elbows and shushed a man who tried to get Darla’s attention.
    Darla took the interruption in stride. She grabbed another coffee mug and set it down. “Hi Cleo. This is Lila, Spence’s new girlfriend.”
    Yeah, she had to put a stop to that talk. “I’m not—”
    Cleo made a slurping sound as she drank from the mug. “I’ve heard.”
    The people of Holloway sure did like their gossip. Lila had never been a fan of... “Wait, what exactly did you hear?”
    Cleo dropped the cup to the counter, lipstick smudge and all, and signaled for Darla to pour a second cup. “Something about wild nights and a knock-out fight at the nursery.”
    Good grief . “I’m Ned Payne’s niece. I’m running—”
    “Bah, I know who you are. It’s good Spence found a hometown girl. Mitch’s Cassidy. Austin and Carrie. Those men knew not to drag one of those city types back here.” Cleo leaned back as far as her stomach would allow without tipping her over and looked Lila up and down. “Where are you from?”
    “Philadelphia.”
    The older woman’s face fell. “That’s not good.”
    “Cleo, she’s here now and has kin in these parts.” Darla kept pouring coffee. Cleo would empty a cup and Darla would be right there with more. Clearly this was some sort of practiced dance.
    At the older woman’s comment, those