The call of her name made Nadia turn away from the window, but it was the familiar voice that brought a smile to her red lips — well, the voice and the reflection in the glass pane. Laurel was always welcome company, and although they usually saw each other at the gym or at her uncle's house whenever the older Reynolds was feeling particularly sociable, the young woman's vibrant personality was just the remedy she needed this Monday morning to lift her wayward thoughts. Unfortunately, as soon as their eyes met, Nadia could tell that she wasn't the only one thinking about the events of the last week.
She laughed anyway and shook her head. "No. No worthwhile Tinder matches lately. Just a business meeting in a couple of hours." Still grinning, the chef motioned to the other chairs at the table. "Sit. Unless you're here for a scandalous rendezvous. And right beneath your uncle's nose." Said uncle wasn't working the counter this morning, she'd noticed, but that didn't mean he wasn't on the premises.
Sometimes Nadia forgot just how small this town really was, but at times like this when everyone was being pulled together by a common thread, she had to marvel at the network of connections that stretched across Willow Creek. As bleak as some things currently seemed, it gave her a sense of reassurance. Even more than that, it made her feel like she was a part of something, and for someone who'd lost all ties to her past, that was a big thing.