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He’d wanted so badly to get it over with, whateverit was, and now he’d have to worry about it for hours, days, maybe.
    He put the phone down slowly. He had to call Stein back about going to New York. He’d have to get through the dinner rush, smiling, chatting, and twisted like a licorice stick inside. It wouldn’t help that Allie would be there waiting tables, either, but maybe the annoying attraction he’d felt this morning wouldn’t come back. Instead, it would feel like old times having her around.
    And she might take his mind off both the lawyer and the franchise deal. Tonight he just wanted to run his restaurant.
     
    A LLIE COULDN’T BELIEVE how quickly it all came back to her. Working at the diner felt as comfortable as the old black flats she’d worn to work. She’d quickly picked up the changes to the menu, and the new cash register was a snap to figure out.
    The only downside was that she knew almost everyone who came into the restaurant. And everyone wanted to know the same thing—what was she doing working at Mike’s Diner? Why wasn’t she in medical school?
    Except that Vermonters didn’t ask people about their private lives. Not directly. Instead, they said, “Allie, heard you were home,” their eyebrows lifted almost to the hairline, hoping she’d explain. When she said cheerfully, “It’s great to be back. Let me tell you about the dinner special,” the next prod was something like, “How’s med school?” And when all she said was, “The university has a great medical school. The special tonight is…” her cross-examiner would say, “Bet your mom’s glad to have you home.”
    At which she would smile and blurt out the special, then speed away.
    Several times during the evening she’d managed to say hi to Mike, or send him a little wave, but hadn’t had a chance to have a conversation with him. The diner was swamped. At eight, business started to slow down. Allie carried a stack of plates into the kitchen and observed that Mike was in his office.
    “Busy night,” she said, just tossing it into the room, not wanting to disturb his work at the computer.
    Instead of ignoring her, Mike swiveled his desk chair toward her. “How’re you doing, kiddo?”
    She knew he was talking about more than her first night back at the diner. “Okay.” When he kept looking at her, she admitted, “You know, half relieved that I made a move to save myself, half scared to death that I’ll regret it. But I’ll be fine. I have things to keep me busy. One of them is that I’ve agreed to chair the dinner committee for the benefit.”
    “Your mother sucked you in?”
    “Afraid so.” It was true, but she hated to admit it. “I’m so glad you’re catering it.”
    “What choice did I have?” he said. “In fact, what choice did my sister-in-law have when she was planning the benefit? But the good news here,” he added, “is that it sounds like you and Elaine are speaking to each other, at least.”
    “Yes, thank goodness. She more or less apologized for overreacting, but I know what she’s hoping I’ll decide.”
    “Your mom’s a stubborn woman.”
    Allie jumped. She hadn’t noticed Barney standing behind her.
    “She’ll come around,” Barney said, and then added, “Just wanted you to know we served all the whatever itwas, the chicken special.” He turned and went back to his after-dinner, pre-breakfast jobs.
    “Barney knows my mother?” Allie asked Mike. “I mean, well enough to know she’s stubborn?”
    “News to me,” Mike said. “By the way,” he asked her, “what’s the date of the benefit? Nobody tells me anything.”
    She named a date in late October. “Any problem?”
    “Nope.” He gave her an odd look, then blurted out, “Want to come to breakfast tomorrow morning and talk about the menu?”
    “Sure,” Allie said, surprised by the suggestion, but strangely excited, too. “Breakfast would be great.” With a wave, she went back to cleaning up the dining