Page 93 of Just One More Thing

So naturally I don’t.

Charlie falls into step beside us about twenty yards from Tall Tales. He says nothing at first. Just walks. Ten seconds pass. “Morning, Emory.”

“Morning, Charlie.”

Five more steps. “Nice hoodie.”

Mo glances down at herself. Then back up at him. “Thank you.”

Charlie nods slowly. “Awful big.”

“Is it?”

“It is.” His eyes slide to me. Neutral. Suspiciously neutral. “Early morning,” he adds.

“Prep day,” I say. “Long list.”

“Mm.”

“Charlie.” His hands go up in surrender as he peels off toward the fire station. “I’m just acknowledging the time of day.”

Mo watches him go. “He knows.”

“Everyone knows.”

She looks over at me. “How?”

I gesture broadly at Blue Crab Bay. Willard tips his hat from his bench. Mrs. Kravitz lowers binoculars. Old Man Humphrey squints over the top of whatever paper he’s pretending to read.

Mo exhales. “Oh.”

“Yeah.”

I hold the Tall Tales door open for her and Hank. “It’s the Blue Crab Bay way. Nobody minds their business. It’s in the town charter.”

The second we step inside, the whole place goes quiet.

Not even trying to be subtle.

A woman near the pastry case smiles too wide. Somebody at one of the round tables whispers something that includes theword finally. From the back, a man says, “Well look at that,” like he’s spotted a rare bird. “Little family outing,” someone whispers loudly. “The hoodie confirms it,” somebody else adds.

Mo tips her head up toward me. I lean closer. “I don’t know why I expected discretion.”

“Optimism builds character,” she mumbles.

Walt doesn’t even attempt to hide how pleased he is. “What’ll it be?” he asks, nodding toward the chalkboard.

THE WALK OF SHAME LATTE

THE MORNING AFTER MACCHIATO

THE SLEPT OVER SPECIAL

I stare at him. “You too?”

He shrugs. “This is what I live for.”

Mo laughs, and half the shop turns just to look at her doing it. “We’ll take two Slept Over Specials,” she says louder than necessary.