Finding Home at Randy’s (Diner Days)

Chapter 18

W rangling feral characters never gets easier. You’d think after five years, and two dozen books under my belt, things would go a lot smoother, but that is not the case at all . It feels like with every book I write, it gets harder to make the characters and plot do what I want, hence why I don’t even bother trying to outline anymore. Of course that makes this damn fantasy romance so hard sometimes, because I have to keep it all straight in my head.

Luckily, the plot and romance have come together into something that’s not a dumpster fire, so I’ve had good enough writing days that I feel like I’m actually getting somewhere with the book. Finally, after weeks of beating my head against the wall and wanting to toss the entire thing into the sun.

All part of the process, really. Did I even write a good book if I didn’t want to burn it to the ground at least once?

With a groan, I sit back in the booth and rub at my eyes before stretching my arms out in front of me. I still have a lot of work to do, but I’m pleased with what I’ve done so far. Reaching for my coffee, I’m pleasantly surprised to see a full cup that’s still warm, telling me Zo must have dropped by recently to refill. I’m not surprised I didn’t notice. With my earbuds in, and focused fully on the scene I’ve been anticipating for days, the rest of the world kind of drifted away.

After a much-needed drink of caffeine, and removal of my earbuds to give my ears a break, I stand from the table and stretch a little. Proper posture isn’t a thing while hunched over my computer, and various body parts are never very happy with me at the end of each long writing session.

In the middle of a stretch, I look over to the front door of Randy’s and catch Luka entering, along with Ivy and someone I don’t recognize.

It only takes a few seconds for Luka’s gaze to find mine and he smiles, giving me a little wave. I wave back and finish my stretching before taking a seat again.

Myles looks up from his own work. “Getting too old for these long hours?” he teases.

“Fuck off.”

“That’s not very nice.”

“Nice is for young people,” I tell him. “I’m old enough to not have to be nice, and people will give me a free pass because I’m ‘old’ and don’t give a fuck anymore.”

He laughs and shakes his head at me.

Luka sidles up to the table and I smile at him, my heart giving a little kick at seeing him up close. It’s been almost two weeks since our first date, and while the three of us have texted, their work schedules haven’t matched up for us to get together again.

“Hey, it’s good to see you.”

“Yeah, you too. I hope I’m not interrupting?”

I shake my head and move over in the booth. “Not at all, we’re just working. Or supposed to be, but I need a bit of a break.” I gesture across the table. “Have you met Myles yet?”

Luka shakes his head. “No, but I’ve seen him around a few times when I’ve come in.” To Myles, he says, “I’m Luka.”

“Myles. It’s nice to officially meet you. I’ve only had to watch Grae longingly stare at you from across the diner for a short period of time.”

I kick Myles under the table and he smiles brightly at me. “It’s true! Though, I guess it’s better than all the time you’ve spent mooning over Denver.”

Groaning, I palm my face and look up at Luka. “You might be better off with your friends. Mine seems to be in dick mode today.”

“You love me,” Myles shoots back, but I ignore him.

Luka sits next to me and I have to remind myself to breathe. And of the fact I’m an actual adult with a child, because being in this close proximity to Luka has my heart and other body parts doing weird things.

“They’re fine. I think Ivy is pleased that I’m willing to talk to someone other than her, and I don’t know Axel that well, but they were very encouraging, too.”

He leans into me and every part of us that touches lights up. We’re slowly getting to know one another, and every interaction endears me to him more. He’s still a bit shy, and sometimes I can tell his insecurities get the better of him, even over text, but I like his quiet nature, it fits in a lot with my own.

I’ve always gravitated to more extroverted types, but Luka is sweet as hell, and I love seeing both his shy smile and how easily he blushes. It stirs up all the long-forgotten caretaker tendencies in me. I just want to lay him out and ease all the insecurities and self-doubt away.

A hand on my leg startles me out of my thoughts, and I hear Myles snickering across from us as I look into Luka’s hazel eyes.

“You okay?” he asks.

“Yeah, sorry. Lost in my own head.”

“I can see that. I asked about what you were working on?”

“Uhh…” I laugh a little and turn to look at the darkened screen of my laptop, as if that would help.

Myles laughs at my expense—the asshole. I kick him again, and grin in satisfaction when he winces.

“You don’t have to tell me if you’re not comfortable with it,” Luka tries to assure me.

I shake my head. “No, no. That’s not it at all, promise. I just…have a hard time articulating what I’m working on sometimes. I guess I still have this fear of being judged, or laughed at. It’s also awkward as fuck to talk about myself.”

Looking back at Luka, I tell him, “It’s book two in my fantasy series. It’s still a new genre for me, and I’m scared as all hell at fucking it up. I don’t do any plotting or anything, so trying to get all of the pieces to fit correctly without also burning out my creativity by planning too far in advance has been killing me.” I take a breath, realize I’m rambling, and try to rein myself in.

“Anyway, that’s what I’m focusing on now. An epic queer fantasy romance that will hopefully not suck. Normally, I write contemporary queer romance, but I like trying to shake things up. I might have bitten off more than I can chew with this one, but I like it right now.”

Luka smiles. “Well, that’s what matters then, right? That you like it?”

I nod. “Yeah, true. But I also want my readers to like it. It’s their hard-earned money they’re spending, ya know? I don’t want to let them down.”

His gaze softens, and the way he’s looking at me, as if I said something that impressed him, has butterflies taking flight in my heart. “You won’t. That you care so much about what they’ll think and how they’ll feel about the book tells me you’ll do your best to make it worth their time. I think that’s very admirable.”

“You make it sound better than it is. I’m honestly just a nervous wreck.”

He laughs a little. “Aren’t we all? Do you mind if I ask your pen name? I want to check your books out.”

“If he won’t tell you, I will!” Myles says cheerfully.

“Nobody asked you.”

“Payback is a bitch.” He grins and I roll my eyes, accepting that I may or may not have been a smartass when he and Avery were dancing around each other.

“I don’t mind if you read them. Rory and Callum both do, so does Rory’s mother. I don’t write under my real name because Cal was only ten when I started and I wanted to try to keep some anonymity for us—not that it matters now. He’ll tell anyone who is willing to listen to him for more than five minutes. Anyway, my pen name is GR Elliot.”

Luka moves, as if to whip out his phone, and I set my hand over his. “Maybe look it up later? I have accepted the fact that the people in my life will read my books, but it’s still embarrassing as all hell for me.”

“Of course. Sorry. I’m just excited, I’ve never met an author before.”

I huff a laugh. “I promise, I’m not that interesting or entertaining. I’ve lived a very boring life the last few years.”

Luka leans in a bit more. Our faces are so close together now, all it’ll take is the slightest move from one of us to be in each other’s space, lips fused together. My groin tightens at the same time my heart flutters at the thought. Licking my bottom lip in anticipation, I choke down a gasp as Luka’s lips part and his eyes get a shade darker.

“I highly doubt that,” he whispers.

I want to tell him it’s the truth. Outside of work, all I really have going for me is my kid and ex-husband. Neither of those things are usually attractive to other people. Especially the whole ‘my ex is my best friend and we still live together’ thing.

“I should get back to my friends,” Luka says. “I just wanted to say hi, since we haven’t seen each other recently.”

“Yeah. I need to get a bit more work done before calling it a day. But…call me later? When you’re free?”

Luca nods. “I’d like that. Denver is working tonight, so I’m just going to go home after this. I’d like to talk to you more though.”

“Me too.” Taking a deep breath, I gather courage from that long-forgotten place deep inside and ask, “Want to get together soon? Just the two of us?”

“Like a date?” he asks, then immediately blushes.

I smile. “Yeah, exactly like a date.”

“Okay.”

“Good, we can discuss it later.”

“Okay.”

Taking a chance, I lean forward the scant few inches between us and press a quick but firm kiss to Luka’s lips.

He gasps, but doesn’t push me away or tell me no. Instead, he leans into the kiss for a moment, before we both pull away, chests heaving and eyes wide.

His cheeks are a nice shade of pink as he stares at me. “Talk to you later?”

“I look forward to it.”

Luka slides out of the booth and gives me a quick wave before walking off to join his friends.

“Wow,” Myles drawls. “That was both painful and cute, all at the same time.”

I only look away from Luka once he’s sitting down at his table, and when I do, it’s to roll my eyes at Myles. “You could have pretended you weren’t watching,” I gripe.

He shakes his head. “Yeah, no, that was pure front row entertainment. Wasn’t going to pass that up.”

“Why do I like you again?”

He shrugs. “Beats me, but you do, so that’s your problem.”

I roll my eyes and wake my computer, intent on getting some more things done before going home and waiting for Luka to call, as if I can’t still feel the press of his lips on mine…