Page 3 of #Lovestrong

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Declan

"Declan, dear, just set those cases right there next to the middle table."

I grunt, squatting to sit the seventy-five pounds of cocoa beans down. Doing things for Mrs. Deb isn’t fun, but man, it’s sure worth being able to take home one of her famous pecan pies. Plus, with Mom and Dad gone for the month, I won’t have to share it with anyone.

Mrs. Deb and her husband, Mr. Gary, are the owners of Grandma Mabel's Homegoods. They cook up baked goods galore and everything from salads to soups and sandwiches. Any time someone in Lakeview wants home cooking, they go Grandma Mabel's.

My Dad won't let me gorge on this stuff once school starts, so Mrs. Deb and I have a deal— I help around here when I'm not training or otherwise occupied, and she lets me stuff my face for two months every summer.

"You want a sandwich or something, Declan? You been hauling the delivery in all day, just about." Mrs. Deb pats one of the counter stools as she walks around and heads over to the sandwich station.

"Yes, ma'am." I stop at the sink and wash my hands before sitting down. I learned real quick that while Mrs. Deb is one of the sweetest old ladies in town, she's old school and a lack of manners is something she doesn't tolerate.

She sets a loaded ham sandwich in front of me with an iced tea before sitting on her stool opposite me by the register. It's slow this time of day, but in another hour, she'll be swamped. They don't have much of a staff here— just Mrs. Deb, Mr. Gary, and three others who don't come in until just before the lunch rush.

"You expecting a busy night, Mrs. Deb?" I take a bite of my sandwich and almost groan from happiness. Maybe it's because she's like a grandmother to me, but everything she makes is better than anything I can get elsewhere.

"We're closing early today, dear. Gary's going to the train station in an hour to pick up our grandbaby. She's gonna be staying with us for a while."

My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "Oh, yeah?"

She gives me a knowing smile. "You just relax your hormones, boy. She's only gonna be here for the school year."

I give her a smile before digging back into my sandwich, which makes her laugh. We chat about the upcoming holiday and my plans for Senior year. Mrs. Deb is one of the biggest supporters of the schools here, always catering events and sports functions. A lot of the kids here, me included, view her like a grandparent. Whenever a kid is having trouble with someone, whether it's a friend or their family, you can almost always find them sitting at this counter, getting true life advice from Mrs. Deb and Mr. Gary. Hell, even the adults come to them for advice.

As I finish my sandwich, I throw my napkin atop my plate and stand. "Mrs. Deb, you do make the best sandwiches ever."

She laughs as I walk around the counter and squeeze her shoulders, planting a kiss on her cheek. "That's enough sucking up outta you. Get your pie outta the fridge and get home. We'll see ya soon."

"Yes, ma'am!" I say loudly with my head already stuck in the fridge.

After walking out the kitchen door, my cell phone rings as I unlock my car and slide into the driver's seat. Hitting the answer button, I wedge the phone between my ear and shoulder.

"Yo, D. We're getting ready to hit the lake for some fun. You down?" My best friend Jackson's deep voice makes the speaker crackle.

"‘Sup. I gotta drop something off at home. Meet you at the docks in twenty?"

"Sounds good, bro. We'll wait for you."

"Cool. See ya then." I start my car and hit the end button, tossing my cell into the passenger's seat.

Pecan pie and fun on the lake— sounds like a perfect night to me.