"The mute kid?" she asked, and Chrissy groaned and shot Archer an apologetic look before turning back to her grandma. But Archer wasn't looking at her anyway.
I put the iced teas I was holding down on the counter, my eyes never leaving Archer's and wiped my hands down the sides of my hips, my smile growing even bigger.
I walked around the counter and when I cleared the side of it, I increased speed, fast-walking the rest of the way to him and laughing out loud before I jumped into his arms. He picked me up, a relieved looking grin spreading over his handsome face before he put his nose into the crook of my neck and squeezed me tightly.
If there was ever a time to let someone know that they were wanted, this was it.
As I stood there holding onto him, it occurred to me that not all great acts of courage are obvious to those looking in from the outside. But I saw this moment for what it was–a boy who had never been made to feel that he was wanted anywhere, showing up and asking others to accept him. It made my heart soar with pride for the beautiful act of bravery that was Archer Hale stepping into this small town diner.
You could have heard a pin drop around us. I didn't care. I laughed again and brought my head back, looking into his face. "You're here," I whispered.
He nodded, his eyes moving over my face, a gentle smile on his lips. He placed me down on the floor and said, I'm here for you.
I smiled. They were the same words he had said to me the day he met me outside the diner several weeks before.
"I'm here for you, too," I whispered, smiling again. I meant that in so many ways, I couldn't even begin to list them all.
We stared into each other's eyes for several long seconds as I realized that the diner was still quiet. I cleared my throat and looked around. People who had been staring at us, some with small smiles on their faces, others looking perplexed, looked back to what they had been doing. Chatter in the diner slowly started up again, and I knew exactly what the chatter was about.
I took Archer's hand and led him to the counter and went back around to the other side. Melanie and Liza looked over at him, replacing their still slightly shocked expressions with big smiles.
Melanie reached her hand out to him. "I'm Melanie. We've never properly met."
He took her hand and smiled just a little warily at her.
"Archer," I said, "that's Liza, Melanie's sister." Liza leaned forward and reached across Melanie to shake Archer's hand as well.
He nodded and then looked back at me. "Can you give me just a minute? I need to take care of a few customers and I'll be right back."
I handed him a menu, and he nodded as I went to deliver the food that had just come up at the window and refill a few drinks. When I got back, Liza and Melanie's food was up and so I grabbed it and set their burgers down in front of them, and then turned to Archer. Hungry? I signed.
No. I'm saving my appetite for dinner with a special girl, he grinned. Just… he looked around behind me at the soda machines.
Chocolate milk with a twisty straw? I asked, raising an eyebrow.
He chuckled silently. Coffee, he said, winking at me.
"God, that's sexy," Melanie said. "It's like you two are talking dirty right out in the open."
Archer smiled over at her and I laughed. I shook my head. "Maybe you two should learn sign so you can join us." I grinned.
Liza and Melanie laughed. I turned around and grabbed the coffee pot and poured Archer a cup, and then watched as he poured creamer in it.
Maggie came up next to me and put her hand out to Archer. "Hi there," she smiled, glancing over at me quickly, "I'm Maggie. Thanks for coming in."
Archer smiled shyly at her and shook her hand, signing to me, Please tell her I said it's nice to meet her.
I did and she smiled. "I met you many years ago, honey. Your mama used to bring you in here when you were a little thing." She looked off in the distance as if she was recalling. "That mama of yours was just the sweetest, prettiest thing. And oh, did she love you." She sighed, coming back to the present and smiling. "Well, anyway, I'm so glad you're here."
Archer listened to her, a small smile on his face, seeming to drink in her words. He nodded and Maggie went on, looking at me. "So, Archer, this girl here has worked a lot of overtime recently. I think she's earned an early day. Think you can come up with something to do with her?"
"Geez, Maggie, that sounds dirty." Liza snorted.
Archer tried not to smile and looked away, picking up his coffee cup as Maggie put her hands on her h*ps and glared at Liza as we laughed.
"It's your dirty mind that makes that sound dirty," she said, but there was a twinkle in her eye.
Archer looked at me. Think we can come up with something dirty to do this afternoon? he asked, grinning at me. I laughed and then bit my lip to stop myself.
"See!" Melanie said. "I knew you two were talking dirty. I’m totally learning sign language."
I grinned. "He just asked me if I'd like to go on a nice picnic," I said, deadpan.
"Right!" Liza said, laughing. "A na**d picnic!"
I laughed and Maggie snorted, causing Archer to grin bigger. "You people aren't right. Now get outta here, you," Maggie said, nudging me.
"Okay, okay, but what about my sidework and the salads–"
"I got it," she said. "You can make the salads in the morning."
I looked at Archer. "Well, okay then! Let's go!"