“Oh, yes.” Mrs. Leary leaned in close to Kelly, but her whispering skills lacked. “Trust the happiness that’s coming your way, my dear.”

Kelly blushed. “Yes, ma’am.”

“I could listen to you talk with that little southern accent all day.”

Y’all are the ones with the accent, Kelly thought.

A robust man wearing white came toward the table, carrying two huge plates of cheesecake. One with cherries on top, one plain. “For my new friends. I saw you both on the Four Square Bake-Off. I’m so glad to meet you. Candace told me all about you, young lady.” He slid the plates onto the table—the cherries in front of her, and the plain in front of Andrew. “Eat up.”

Andrew and Kelly locked eyes, then with a laugh she switched the plates. “Just like old times,” she said.

“Even better.”

They dug into the cheesecake, and when both plates were clean, Henry asked, “So, what do you think?”

“You’re right. This is the very best cheesecake I’ve ever had.”

“Fabulous. Hold on. I need to get a picture of us together. You’ll sign it for us!” Henry ambled over, carrying an old Polaroid camera. “Franny. Come take a picture of us. This lady won the Four Square Bake-Off!”

Franny squealed and came racing to his side. “I lawwwve that show. I can’t believe you’re in the diner. I’m Franny. My mom and I watched. I was almost late for work because of you.”

“Oh no, I’m sorry,” Kelly said.

Henry, Candace, and Kelly stood together. “Get over here, boy,” Henry said to Andrew.

“Me?”

Candace pulled Kelly closer to her. “Yes, you. I want the four of us together in the picture.”

Andrew stepped in close to Kelly. She leaned back against his chest, then tilted her chin back to him with a broad smile. “This is great,” he said.

Three pictures spit out of the camera at an alarmingly slow rate with a buzzing that sounded like a big bumblebee.

Candace grabbed them and started flapping her arms, stopping every few seconds to see if the picture had come in to view yet. “These are going to be so good.”

Henry walked over to the cash register and came back with a marker. “How’d we do?”

Candace eyed each one. “This one goes on the wall.” She shoved it toward him. “You two sign this.”

Henry handed him the marker, and Andrew signed along the very bottom, leaving the rest of the white cardboard-framed border for Kelly.

She wrote, “Best cheesecake I’ve ever had!” Then signed above his name, finishing with a curly ampersand.

Kelly & Andrew. Seeing it written like that brought back so many memories.

“Can I have one of the other pictures?” Andrew asked.

“Of course.” Candace handed them both to him. “Take your pick.”