was about to move when Mrs. Harlow raised her hand. “No, let’s do one where you actually look like you like each other. Pretend I’m not here.”
Pretending she wasn’t there would’ve been easier without the constant stream of posing instructions, William thought. She had them pose with his arm around Casey’s shoulder, then her waist, then wrapped in an embrace.
After what felt like forty variations of the same photo, she finally let them go. “Love you. I’ll see you at midnight,” she called after them as they walked to the car.
William started the engine and headed toward Cooper’s Diner.
“Sorry I have to be home by midnight,” Casey said, buckling her seatbelt. “But Bob’s been setting limits.”
“It’s fine. We’re still going to have a lot of fun,” William said, trying to reassure both himself and her.
“We always do,” Casey replied, placing her hand on his arm as they pulled out of the neighborhood.
William smiled. “Can’t wait to have professionally made pancakes, though,” she teased.
“Are my pancakes not good enough for you?” he asked with mock offense.
“They’re fine in a pinch,” she replied, eyes twinkling. “But you need a few more lessons before they reach professional quality.”
“Maybe the supervisor was at fault,” William joked.
“No,” Casey smirked. “The supervisor did a splendid job.”
They were the first of their friends to arrive at Cooper’s. The parking lot was about half full—not packed, but not empty either. Casey had attended the last Further monthly breakfast and remembered how crowded Cooper’s got on Sunday mornings. Tonight, the vibe was quieter, more intimate.