~ Chapter Three ~

For Lotte, the whole ride to her favorite diner was like falling down a rabbit hole. This town looked exactly as it had this morning when she clocked in at the bakery, and yet it somehow also felt so wrong. Staring into the back of David’s head, she acquired this bizarre urge to stroke his feather-light hair a few times. In fact, the overpowering desire became so strong that Lotte had to force her hands to rest under her ass or risk making an incredible fool of herself. 

As if she were able to read her niece’s mind, Romy’s left hand suddenly appeared from the passenger seat and mimicked exactly what Charlotte had wanted. Her ruby nails even gilded down the driver’s neck a little, forming goose bumps that Lotte could see from her position in the back seat. In the rear-view mirror, the girl watched as David’s smile lifted just a bit more. For some reason - some insane reason - this made Charlotte’s stomach fill with jealousy… Followed by immediate shame. 

The Aunt and Niece never had any complications when it came to men. Now, when Romy finally brought ‘home’ a good one, Lotte was sitting directly behind her and wanted to pull out the older woman’s weaves. 

By the time the car pulled up to the diner, Charlotte was ready to just ask for a ride back to the bakery. She felt savage - animalistic - and incredibly scary… But then David looked back at her and smiled. “This place is charming. I hope they have milkshakes.” 

“I love milkshakes,” Romy lied. Lotte had to hold back from rolling her eyes. Outside of anything from the bakery, Romy never touched sweets. She was always going on about how fat she was and would even shame Charlotte for finishing an entire brownie on her own. “What flavor is your favorite?” The older woman asked with a strange pep in her voice, reaching out a hand to rest over the one that David still had clung to the driver’s seat.

Without missing a beat, the Doctor answered, “Chocolate.” 

“Me too!” Romy cheered, as if their being together at this very moment, both ‘fans’ of the same drink, were some confirmation from the stars. 

David, missing the overenthusiasm, focused his attention on Charlotte, “And what about you?” 

Romy snorted, cutting her niece off. “Oh, Lotte hates sweets…” 

Lotte’s jaw practically hit the car floor. 

Of course, Romy’s answer confused David greatly, “But then why work for a bakery? That must be torture…” 

It was as if Charlotte were no longer in the car as Romy continued. “Lotte just wants to be a baker because her mother was. My sister could make anything taste delicious. Charlotte just wants to keep her mother’s memory alive.” 

David’s gaze never left Lotte’s as the girl clamped down her teeth over her tongue. Again and again, she had to remind herself that this was the first decent guy that Romy had ever brought about, and it would have been a massive douche move to chase him off so soon. Lifting the corners of her mouth, the girl fixed David with a soft smile. “Let’s get inside then - I’m starving!” 

Leading the way, Charlotte led everyone into the diner and motioned toward her favorite booth. It was one facing the Ocean and was close enough to the grill to get the most mouthwatering aroma of meat. The new waitress, Deb (one that Lotte already really liked), rushed to their table and began getting everyone’s drink orders. To Charlotte’s amusement, Romy, in a rush to order a diet soda, forgot to put in for a shake, unlike everyone else at the table. 

David’s gaze swept to the rolling waves outside. “That is absolutely beautiful. I wish we lived closer to the Ocean.”

Romy batted her eyes, “We?” 

The Doctor’s focus didn’t shift from the window as he answered, “I have 3 sons… We live in a mountain Cabin in Varglow, Colorado.” Finally turning to his lunch ‘date’, the man’s tone took on a teasing air as he reminded Romy, “I did tell you all this last night; however, you were a bit out of it.” 

Lotte grinned into the milkshake that had just been placed in front of her. Going entirely off of habit, the girl reached for the cherry on top and plopped it into her mouth. The best part of the drink… And then another cherry appeared. Looking up quickly, Charlotte watched David’s hand make a hasty retreat back to his end of the table after gifting her his cherry. That was sweet - too sweet - and for another long moment she was once more too stunned to know what to say. 

Romy clicked her tongue, “Young lady, where are your manners? You should thank David.” 

With cheeks almost as red as the new cherry on top of her drink, Lotte muttered a sloppy, “Thhhhannk youuuu.” 

Saved by Deb, the waitress cleared her throat and cheerfully asked what everyone was in the mood for. Still attempting to play the ‘dream girl’ scenario that Romy had probably picked up in a random magazine, the older woman requested a salad without croutons. The order pushed Lotte’s lips into a pucker as she asked for the new ‘Holiday Burger’ (which came with cranberries, brie, and bacon), and a side of stuffing-stuffed mushroom bites. It was even more amusing when David, practically drooling, ordered the same thing, extra bacon. The Doctor liked his meat…