He glanced at Rose, remembering the specials she’d told him earlier and the letters finally made sense. A Reuben with fries and a cheeseburger with onion rings. Relief washed through him but it wasn’t sweet.
He had to get back on the bass pro circuit. If he didn’t qualify for next year’s schedule, he’d be a goner. Without fishing, this was the best he could ever do and even that was tough when it came to reading order tickets.
He looked around, found the prep fridge and got to work making that hot grill sizzle.
* * *
It was nearly closing time and Rose made change for their last customer and laughed at something the old guy said. She had a great laugh—deep and rich sounding. Nothing fake or put on.
The front door opened with a jingle. Two men entered and Cam’s stomach turned when he recognized them as Karl and Kory Dean. They raked him over with arrogant smirks reminiscent of high school days. They’d always looked down at him and called him stupid—
“Well, if it isn’t Cam Zelinsky. Aren’t you supposed to be fishing somewhere?” Kory didn’t bother hiding a sneer.
Cam’s professional fishing career was no secret, especially in Maple Springs. He’d been a guest on local outdoors shows and a few articles had been written about him in the local paper. It had been a few years since he’d won big, but no matter how well he’d done, there were always guys like the Deans who thought he was a waste of skin, wasting time chasing fish.
Wiping his hands on the front of his apron, Cam came out from behind the service counter. “Just taking a break.”
“You work here?” Karl’s eyebrows rose.
“Filling in.” He wasn’t about to let on that Chuck had defected. That guy might cool down and come back.
“Hmm.” Karl looked around, as if he couldn’t care less what Cam did. “Is Rose here?”
Cam scanned the diner. Rose walked the customer she’d made change for to the door and then flipped the Open sign over to show Closed. Hadn’t these guys ever met her before? She was family, wasn’t she? “She’s right there.”
Kory sized her up, looking satisfied. “Rose Dean?”
Rose turned and smiled. “Yes?”
“I’m Kory and this is Karl. We’re Linda’s sons.”
Rose hesitated before finally reaching out her hand to each of them. “Hello.”
Kory turned to him. “Will you excuse us?”
Cam glanced at Rose. If she wanted him to stay, he would. In fact he hoped she did. He didn’t trust these guys, especially after what Monica had said about their not being happy with Rose inheriting the Grille.
“Cam, could you see if Greg needs help?” Obviously, Rose didn’t want him sticking around. To the Dean boys, she asked, “Can I get either of you a cup of coffee? If you’d like a meal, the grill is still hot.”
“No, nothing for us. We won’t be long.” Karl followed Rose to a table in front and sat down.
Cam waited a moment longer, but Rose didn’t glance his way. He entered the kitchen filled with the rattling sounds of Greg loading up the industrial dishwasher.
“Can I help?”
“Yeah.” Greg grinned and then nodded toward the diner. “Who are those guys?”
“Linda Dean’s sons Kory and Karl.”
The kid’s eyes grew round as a pair of bobbers. “Really? They’re my uncles.” He ran for the doorway and peeked out. “What do they want?”
“To talk to your mom. Haven’t you met them before?”
Greg shook his head, but continued to stare into the diner. “Nope. Never.”
Cam frowned. Evidently, Rose had married the oldest, Kurt Dean. Hadn’t she been welcomed into the Dean family? If that were true, then why had Linda left her the diner? Karl and Kory obviously didn’t know her. Rose must not have attended Linda’s funeral and clearly, Karl and Kory hadn’t been to Rose and Kurt’s wedding.
He glanced at Greg watching the Deans with wistful eyes, and his gut twisted. He knew that wish-filled feeling running through the kid. Wishing for things that couldn’t be or hadn’t been.
Cam wished he read more easily. He wished he hadn’t been disqualified at last year’s fishing tournament. He wished he hadn’t lost every last one of his sponsors because of it. He wished he could turn back the clock and do things differently. He had only today and all his tomorrows to make things right.
* * *
“Greg, honey, can you come out here?” Rose called to her son, hating the way her voice cracked.
“No need, Rose. We don’t need to meet your boy.” Karl got up from the table.
Rose stood, meeting Karl’s gaze directly even though her knees might give out at any moment. “He’s Kurt’s boy, too, and that makes him your nephew. My hope is to pass this diner on to him. It’s what Linda intended.”
The two brothers shared a look, then Kory spread his hands wide. “We’re just trying to help you out.”
She didn’t buy it. Not for a second. “Then why are you trying to take the diner away me?”
“We’re willing to pay—”
Greg came out from the kitchen and stood next to her. “Yeah?”
“Greg, these are your uncles. Kory and Karl Dean.” Rose stood straighter when her son reached out for a handshake like the properly raised young man he was. She wanted them to see Greg’s face. He looked so much like Kurt, their brother. Karl and Kory were taking from blood, threatening their own family.
“Hello.”
“Greg.” Karl briefly shook hands, followed by Kory. Neither man met her son’s eyes. “Rose, you’ve got a week to decide.”
Shame on them! She stood ramrod straight until they unlocked the front door and walked out of the diner. Then she crumpled into a chair.
“Mom! You okay?”
“Yes.” She sounded weary, even to her own ears.
Cam came out from the kitchen, looking concerned. “Greg, will you do me a favor and grab three beef patties from the fridge and throw them on the grill?”
Greg didn’t move.
Rose hated to see the worried look on her son’s face and smiled. “Go ahead, honey. We might as well have lunch before meeting Grandma and Grandpa.”
Cam locked the front door and returned. “What was that all about?”
Rose needed to unload before she saw her parents and fell apart. They had texted her before the Deans came in that they were getting settled into a hotel room in the larger town across the bay. She didn’t want to add to their worries about her. Looking up at Cam, she didn’t have time to be choosy. If she didn’t air this one out, she’d cry.
Rose hated to cry, so she gave way to anger. “They are threatening to contest Linda’s will if I don’t agree to a buyout of the diner.”
Cam whistled.
“Yeah. And I have a week to decide.” Rose threw her head back and stared at the ceiling, willing those unshed tears to stay put.
“Mom?” Greg sounded scared.
“It’s okay, honey. Just some business with the diner. Help Cam make lunch, okay?”