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now she was being chivalrous also.
    What am I coming to? Inwardly she laughed.

    †

    As they walked amiably to the diner, Thea saw several locals, mainly men, looking in their direction. One of them seemed to be especially interested in watching their progress to the diner. As they entered, Thea saw him out of the corner of her eye as he moved with speed toward the bank. She sighed heavily.
    That’s all I need. Another visit from George Andrews. It would only give me indigestion.
    “You okay?”
    Thea gave her a weak smile. “I’m good…” she paused for a moment. “I saw someone I’d rather not see today…ever actually.”
    “Good thing that you are with your protector then.” Joanna gave her a warm smile. “Smells good in here, as always.”
    “Yes, it does and I’m famished.” Thea pointed to a booth in the corner. “Let’s sit there.”
    Joanna nodded and guided Thea to the empty table.

    †

    Lucy Evans, a plump motherly woman, was the sole owner of the diner ever since her husband Kent died of a heart attack ten years earlier. They never had children, so everyone who used the diner frequently became a member of her family. She watched as the newest member of that family came into the diner with one of the oldest members.
    When Jo had appeared in her establishment three weeks earlier, Lucy’d sized up the younger woman as arrogant with the self-confidence to match. Normally that type of person didn’t do well in towns like Danvers. John-Henry had hired her to sing and from what she heard from others, the woman was certainly good at that. In a town starved of young women, she certainly did offer a stunning sight. Within a week, Jo’s eating habits had been deciphered and during the following weeks, they had developed a friendly rapport.
    Now, the woman who had all the young men champing at the bit to take her out on a date was talking amiably with Thea Danvers, the motel owner. They obviously would know one another since the motel was the only place for out-of-towners to stay. What surprised Lucy the most was that the two women were socializing. In all the years, she had known Thea, she’d never seen her socialize with anyone. It was common knowledge that the banker George Andrews had staked a claim on her and warned off the other men in town.
    Obviously no one told Jo that.
    She beamed at the two of them as she headed for a table. “Hi, girls. What can I get you today?”
    “Hi backatcha, Luce. I’m having an early lunch with Ms. Danvers here,” Jo said.
    Lucy saw Jo’s hand resting on Thea’s shoulder and gave her a friendly smile.
    “Well, I have the steak special that’d I’d recommend, but if you girls need something lighter, well, I can….”
    “No. No, that sounds good to me,” Thea jumped into the conversation.
    “Then count me in also,” Jo said.
    “How do you want the steak, Thea?” Lucy asked. It was rare she came into her diner. When she did, she always sat away from prying eyes and scribbled in a notebook as she ate two helpings of apple pie and drank coffee.
    “Well done for me, Lucy.”
    “Well done it will be then. I don’t need to ask you, Jo. Medium rare about cover it?”
    “Yep, that about covers it. If you need me to help with the serving, give me a holler.” Jo grinned at her.
    “Comin’ right up.”

    †

    Thea was astonished at the friendliness that emanated between the two women. She was surprised, but happily so when she felt Joanna’s hand rest with what seemed a natural occurrence on her shoulder.
    “You know this is the same table I sit at every time I come in here,” Joanna said.
    “Why this table?” Thea asked, intrigued.
    Joanna seemed to be scanning the occupants of the room.
    Thea looked, too. There were four men eating. She didn’t know any of them by name.
    “Ah, well, I like to see everyone in the room. I don’t like surprises, but I also like my privacy and this affords both.”
    “That’s exactly why I sit here when I come in