Good old summer love

When Gloria misses her exit during a storm, she stops at a local diner...and gets the surprise of a lifetime when her first crush steps out to greet her

- Marcella Robinson

Gloria groaned as she passed the exit leading to the campground. She’d been so distracted thinking of her girls’ trip, she had forgotten to listen to the navigation system.

Lately, if she wasn’t skipping by an exit, she was making a wrong turn. Yet she was filled with a sense of pride for venturing out on her own after her divorce.

The next exit came into view and Gloria took it just as a fat drop of rain hit the windshield. Not a fan of driving in storms, she followed the sign to E’s Diner. The sky opened up just as the squat building came into view, the welcoming glow of the lights inside beckoning her. But with no other cars in the lot, she worried that it was only open for breakfast and lunch and about to close.

Gloria parked her SUV, grabbed her umbrella and dashed for the front door, breathing a sigh of relief when it opened.

“Be right with you!” A male voice yelled from the kitchen area.

The friendliness of it chased away the disappointment of the rain, filling Gloria with unexpected warmth. She perched on a stool at the counter and took in the quaint space. It reminded her of a diner she would’ve visited as a kid.

The door from the kitchen swung open as the owner of that voice walked through.

Gloria’s breath caught. Dark hair, dark eyes and a broad chest perfect for cuddling, he looked as friendly as he sounded. Yet… he seemed strangely familiar.