Free Pie Town by Lynne Hinton Page B

take a closer look at the young woman he had seen in the parking lot. He turned back, watched his grandson, and took a drink from his glass of tea. “I don’t know, Alex.” He hesitated. “A little maybe,” he conceded.
    “No, she really does,” Alex insisted. “I mean, she’s smaller than Mom, but she has her smile, and she fidgets like her.” He kept eyeing them.
    Roger turned back at the door. The girl, smiling, pointed to a booth, and the priest joined her. He nodded and smiled nervously at Roger and Alex before taking his seat across from his companion. Roger returned the greeting.
    “The priest seems kind of anxious,” Roger noted to his grandson. “Maybe Bernie did tell him not to eat here.”
    “If he’s the priest, then who is she?” Alex asked.
    “I wouldn’t know,” Roger answered. “But I’m pretty sure she isn’t a nun.”
    Alex smiled. He had noticed the girl’s tight T-shirt and the short shorts too. He shrugged. “Maybe she’s just thinking about being a nun,” he responded, “and he’s helping her make up her mind.”
    “Then she’s not anything like your mother,” Roger noted.
    “Lunch is served,” Francine announced as she set the plates in front of Roger and Alex. “You want honey for your sopaipillas?” she asked the boy.
    “No, I like to dip it in the juice,” he replied.
    “That’s the best way,” the waitress said. “Roger, you want anything else?” she asked.
    Roger shook his head. “Nope, it’s all just right.”
    The two of them started eating as Francine went over to take the orders of the newly arrived couple.
    “What made you tell Bernie to ask Francine to your party?” Roger wanted to know.
    Alex shrugged his shoulders and chewed a few bites of dumplings and biscuit. “I just thought it would be nice. They seem to like each other, but neither one of them acts like they know how to talk to each other.” He turned back around to look at the patrons in the booth.
    “So, do you think she’s here to stay?” Alex asked his grandfather, referring to the young woman who had entered the diner with the priest.
    “I wouldn’t have a clue” came the response.
    “I like her,” Alex noted. “I like her looks. I like that she came in with him. I like that she picked him and us and this diner.” He took a big bite of dumplings and grinned.
    Roger smiled.
    “Let’s invite them to my party,” Alex suggested. “I think that would make it perfect.”
    And Roger nodded at his grandson with a hint of worry on his face, wondering if the boy was still anxious for his mother to come home.

Chapter Ten
    T ry not to look so nervous,” Trina said to Father George. “It makes you seem like you’ve done something wrong.” She reached over and pulled a napkin out of the holder. She spat the stick of gum she’d been chewing into the napkin and then balled it up. “And Father George, I suspect it’s been a while since you did anything wrong.”
    “Thanks for the advice,” he responded, surprised by her comment. He straightened his fork and knife on the table in front of him, placed the napkin in his lap. He tried not to glance around.
    Francine walked back over to the table and placed two drinks in front of them. “Your food will be out in just a minute,” she told them. She kept staring at Father George. Finally, she asked, “Are you the new priest over at Holy Family?”
    He cleared his throat, sat up a bit in his seat. “I am Father George Morris, and I will be taking over for Father Joseph in this part of the diocese.” He held out his hand.
    Francine shook it. “Nice to meet you, Father. No offense, but I’m Presbyterian.”
    He nodded. “None taken,” he said.
    “I’m Trina,” the young woman butted in. She held out her hand to shake Francine’s hand as well. “Nice storm,” she said, and then added, “I’m looking for a job.”
    Francine turned to her and took her hand, which was wet. “Always nice to see rain,” she noted. She wiped