Free Spring Secrets: Pine Point, Book 3 by Allie Boniface

have gone across town, to the Ponderosa or even the more upscale restaurant with three buffets, the Corner Lounge, but his mother loved Zeb’s.
    He kept his gaze down. What would he say if he did see Sienna here? What would he do? Before California, before Edie, before prison, before all those mistakes, he’d been a regular guy. Maybe, on his good days, a little bit of a charmer. A few of the guys out west had even called him Casanova, since he’d never had a problem talking to women or taking them home with him.
    All that had changed.
    “Hello, Josie,” Loretta crowed as soon as they arrived. “Look who’s taking me out on the town tonight.” She squeezed Mike’s arm.
    “Most handsome boy in the place,” Josie said as she led them to a table in the back.
    “I heard that,” a gray-haired man at the counter said.
    “I’m sure you did.” Josie swatted the man as she returned to the cash register.
    “So now tell me,” Loretta began. She unwound her scarf and took off her coat and gloves. “Have you met anyone? Any nice girl at the gym?”
    The question caught him so off guard, his knee jerked and hit the underside of the table. “Ma…”
    “What?”
    Josie came over with two plastic cups of water. “Ready to order?” she asked, even though they’d just sat down.
    “Uh, sure.” Mike scanned the handwritten page of specials taped inside the front of the menu. “Open-face-turkey sandwich for me.”
    “I’ll take a cup of the soup and a salad,” Loretta said.
    “That’s it?”
    She swatted the back of his hand. “Yes, that’s it. I don’t pump iron all day long like my handsome boy. I don’t need all those calories.”
    Though his face burned at the words, they soothed him too, down deep where most of him felt like it had calloused over years ago.
    Josie smacked her gum, collected their menus, and strolled away.
    “No one?” Loretta continued, as if their conversation hadn’t been interrupted. “I wish you would. I want you to be happy.”
    “I am happy.” And I have no interest in getting involved with anyone, nice girl or not.
    She waved away his words. “Well, I’d like some grandbabies before I’m too old to pick them up or play with them.”
    “Ma, geez.” He glanced around, thankful for a light Tuesday dinner crowd.
    “I’m just saying.” She took a sip of water. “What about Sienna Cruz?”
    Oh, my God. Maybe taking his mother to dinner had been a colossal mistake.
    “What about her?”
    “Have you seen her again? How’s school going for her? Must be a challenge, coming into a class midway through the year.”
    “I guess. I haven’t really seen her. Or talked to her.” Little white lie. Just a little one.
    “That’s too bad,” Loretta said as Josie returned with their meals. “She was a beautiful young girl, from what I remember. Elenita used to show me pictures of her. I’m sure she’s grown into a gorgeous woman.”
    Mike bent over his sandwich. Yes, she had. If she’d turned into an ugly, overweight, toothless hag, he’d have no problem getting her out of his mind. As it was, she filled almost every waking hour.
    “You be nice to her,” Loretta said.
    “I already told you I will. I’m nice to everyone.”
    She shook her head and blew on a spoonful of soup. “I mean be extra nice. You don’t know what she’s been through.” She thought for a minute. “In fact, why don’t you invite her over for dinner one night? I’d love to see her again and welcome her home.”

Chapter Eleven
    Friday morning, Sienna overslept. Exhausted from a week of heading off student meltdowns, keeping track of paperwork, and staying up past midnight to take notes on Pine Point secrets, she buried her face in her pillow when her alarm went off the first time. When she finally opened her eyes again, the clock read quarter past eight, fifteen minutes before she was supposed to sign in.
    “Shit!” She leaped out of bed and pulled on the first thing she saw, an old green