her head to the side and assessed how she really felt. “Huh. I guess I’m getting hungry, too. I just was so distracted by the project that I didn’t really think about it.” She met his gaze. “So, do you want to quit for today, or do you want to work over lunch?” It was nearly three o’clock. “Huh. Or I guess we could call it Linner.”
“Linner?” He questioned.
She nodded. “If the meal between breakfast and lunch is brunch, then the meal between lunch and dinner is…”
“Ah. Linner.” He smiled at her. She was a bit quirky. “Where would you like to go?”
“I’ve been here just a few days. I’ve eaten all my meals at either Laurel’s or Hope House. Don’t ask me.” She smiled and looked at him, waiting for a suggestion.
“Well, let’s go to Laurel’s,” he offered.
As they drove, separately, he wondered over his reasoning behind the location of their linner. If pressed, he would admit to having an ulterior motive. Laurel had been giving him the cold shoulder ever since that last time he and Marti had been forced to share a table. She hadn’t had any Texas Pete in stock since, not for his late afternoon snack of fries, not for his early morning eggs. And though she claimed differently, he knew his last few meal portions had been smaller. His fries had been cold. Though he openly admitted he never understood women, he certainly understood that he was being punished. Maybe if he showed her that Marti had forgiven him, she would, too. If there was anything he hated, it was upheaval in his life. He wanted a calm life. That time he spent with Finn was the most exciting time he had ever experienced, both good and bad. And after that, he had been craving calm, needing solitude, seeking peace. Moving into his father’s house had seemed like just the change he needed…and his only option.
Joe made sure they walked into the café together. He even held the door for her. He would have pulled out her seat, but Marti had already done that for herself. And so he walked around to the other side of the table. He knew Laurel was watching. That was the point.
“I’ll have the usual,” he said calmly as she walked over to take their order. “Do you have any Texas Pete yet?”
“I’ll check in back,” she said, eyeing him suspiciously. Then she looked at Marti and smiled. “And what would you like?”
“This is pretty much my first meal of the day. What do you recommend? I just realized…I’m starving!” She smiled at Laurel.
Laurel looked first at one, then the other and finally spoke. “Okay, I know just the thing.” She left them to talk and returned shortly with a basket for Joey and a platter for Marti.
Staring at the food, Marti wondered what she was looking at. This was unlike anything she had ever seen previously. “I don’t know what to say,” she began. And really…she didn’t. To begin with, she didn’t recognize half the items sitting in front of her. “And I don’t know what I’m eating.”
Joey chuckled. “This is New Year’s Day, southern style. Don’t you have any traditions up north?”
“Not for New Year’s Day. So, is there some significance to…,” she gestured, “this?”
“Of course,” said Laurel as she pulled over a chair. “So the ham slabs…”
“Hey, I knew that was ham!” Marti exclaimed. “We do eat that up north.”
Laurel chuckled. “Yes, but the reason ham is served on New Year’s Day is because the pig is the only animal that can eat while moving forward. That is supposed to be indicative of prosperity.” She pointed to the beans. “Those are black eyed peas. It is said that because they look like small coins…lucky!” She laughed as Marti nodded. “These are collard greens. Green…like money.”
“I’m catching on,” she nodded. “The corn bread?”
“Eh, no one really knows. It is simple and tastes good. How about we say that it is about the importance of appreciating a simple life?” Laurel looked up when she saw more people enter the café. She tucked the chair back at the other table. And then she smiled at them one last time before she turned toward the counter.
“Texas Pete?” Joe questioned in a pleading tone.
Laurel reached into the pocket of her apron. “Here,” she said absently as she focused on the new customers.
With a smile, Joe greedily drenched his fries and chicken in the hot sauce. Thoroughly content, he stuffed his mouth