All Chapters of Catch Me, Maybe: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Sunday.2:50 p.m.Riley sat by the diner window, looking outside.She wasn’t working today.Jeans.T-shirt.Sneakers.Completely normal Riley clothes.“They’re not supposed to be here for another ten minutes,” Nora said from behind the counter.“I know.”“You’ve looked outside three times.”“I’m curious.”“You already know they’re coming. Eventually, they’ll arrive.”The diner was open as usual.Three people at the counter.Two occupied tables.A perfectly ordinary Sunday afternoon.Except—Dana had been nursing a single cup of coffee for over an hour.And outside—there were probably several other security officers.Riley couldn’t see any of them.“Security’s already here, right?”“We are.”The voice came from behind her.Riley turned.“Dana! When did you move?”“A little while ago.”“Seri

The next afternoon—Riley was restocking straws behind the counter when the bell over the door rang.“Welcome in.”She looked up.“Oh.”Elliot.No jacket today.Just a light-colored shirt and fitted pants.Somehow, he looked a little more like he belonged in the diner than he had the first few times.“Hi.”“Hi.”Riley smiled naturally.“Perfect timing.”Elliot looked slightly surprised.“For what?”“I have something to give back to you.”“Give back?”“I’ll get it later.”Riley glanced toward the window.“Your usual booth is open.”“At some point that officially became my booth?”“You sit there every time.”“Then I guess I’ll keep using it.”◇Riley brought him water.Elliot was looking through the menu.“What’re you having today?”“I haven’t decided yet.”“That’s unusual.”“I’ve been

Two days later.A little after one in the afternoon—Elliot opened the diner door.The bell rang overhead.“Welcome in.”Nora’s voice.Elliot looked around.The counter.The window booths.The tables in the back.Then—once more—the counter.“Hi.”“Hello.”Nora looked at him.Then smiled just a little.“Riley’s not here today.”Elliot stopped.“...I didn’t ask.”“No?”“No.”“Then I must’ve misunderstood.”As if nothing had happened, Nora picked up a menu.“You eating?”“Of course.”Only after answering—did Elliot realize something himself.When he entered the diner—he really had looked for Riley first.◇He sat in his usual booth by the window.Same menu.Same table.And yet—the diner felt slightly different today.Of course—

The second pizza place Jax had picked—was a little bigger than the first.About ten minutes from the station.Old movie posters covered the walls.A large fan turned overhead.In the back, one of the employees was tossing pizza dough.“This place.”Jax looked oddly proud.“It’s a little more expensive than the other one.”Elliot looked at the menu.“By about three dollars?”“Yeah.”“And that makes it expensive?”“By our pizza standards.”“I see.”Elliot nodded seriously.Riley laughed.“You’re already getting used to Jax’s standards.”“I’ve had to learn a lot of standards lately.”“Mine?”“Your grading system. Benji’s approved pancake hours.”“My pizza price scale,” Jax added proudly.“That one is unnecessary,” Tasha said.◇The five of them ordered two large pizzas.Pepperoni for one.The second had ev

Saturday.A little before eleven in the morning.There were more people outside the animal shelter than Riley had expected.Families.Young couples.People who had come alone.Tents were set up near the entrance, selling donated goods and dog toys.“This is bigger than I thought,” Riley said, looking up at the sign.“Me too.”Elliot stood beside her.Today he was wearing a shirt and a lightweight hoodie.Still neat, because Elliot apparently had no other setting, but considerably more casual than when they first met.“Car?” Riley asked.“Only as far as the station. I walked from there.”“Look at you.”“That alone doesn’t earn points anymore?”“I’m used to it now.”“The standards keep rising.”They laughed as they headed toward the entrance.◇At check-in, a staff member explained the rules.Ask before touching any of the dogs.Don’