I take a break around lunch and decide to treat Margo for being so good and patient all day by taking her to the restaurant in town. We drive over to the diner and head inside.
“For being so good, you can order anything you want,” I tell her, picking up a menu.
“Anything?” she asks, her eyes wide.
I laugh and nod.
“Ice cream sundae?”
“Sure, but after your lunch. Deal?”
She nods twice. “I want a corndog and fries. And ice cream,” she tells me.
“Okay, I got it.” I go back to looking at the menu to figure out what I want. The bell above the door rings and I look up, finding Violet. She hasn’t noticed me, but she’s got a donut box in her hands and she goes straight to the counter.
“Here’s the order you placed, June,” she says, handing the box across the counter.
“Thank you, honey. Let me get you some money,” the waitress tells her.
Margo’s head pops up, and her eyes get big when she sees Violet standing only a couple of feet from us. “Violet! Violet!” she shouts, sitting up on her knees and waving like a crazy person.
Violet turns and finds us. She looks a little nervous at first, but then she smiles and walks over. “Hey, what are you two out doing?” she asks, eyes moving from Margo to me and back.
“We’re having lunch! I’ve been a good girl today.” She beams proudly.
She laughs. “I have a feeling you’re a good girl every day.”
“Have lunch with us, Violet. Please, please, please,” Margo begs.
This kid is trying to kill me. I’m sure of it.
“Oh, well, I don’t want to ruin your lunch. You guys go ahead.” She tries to turn away, but Margo clutches onto her hand, stopping her.
“No, you’re not ruining anything. You make it better. Please stay. Dad, tell her to stay,” she adds on, looking at me.
I laugh. “Violet, you’re always welcome.”
“I really do have to get back to the bakery. There’s a few more orders to deliver.”
“No, Violet. After lunch. Come on. Please?” she asks again, this time giving her the saddest face she can make.
I see Violet’s resolve fall away. “Alright,” she agrees.
“Here, sit by me,” Margo says, scooting over in the booth.
Violet takes her seat. “What are you ordering?”
“Corn dog. You?”
“Hmmm, I think I’ll get a big juicy cheeseburger.” Her eyes stretch wide.
Margo giggles. “That’s what Daddy always gets too.”
Violet looks at me with a grin. “Is that so?”
I nod. “I do. Every time, without fail. I don’t know why I bother looking at menus anymore.” I drop it onto the table.
The waitress makes her way over. “Here’s that money, Violet.” She passes her some cash and then looks at the rest of us. “You folks ready to order?”
“Margo will have a corn dog and fries. And I think Violet and I will have cheeseburgers and fries.”
“Oh, you don’t have to buy,” Violet interjects.
“It’s fine. After yesterday, I owe you,” I insist.
“And to drink?” the waitress asks.
“Apple juice,” Margo says.
“Just a water for me, please,” Violet adds on.
“I’ll just have water too. Thanks.”
The waitress walks away and leaves us alone.
“That spaghetti you made was amazing. What did you do differently?”
Violet’s cheeks turn a soft pink. “I just added in a few things.” She bats her eyelashes. “I’ll have to give you my recipe.”
“I would like that,” I tell her.
Lunch arrives and we devour it, talking casually as we finish up our food.
“Violet, Daddy said that we could have a scary movie night tonight. Will you come?”
“Scary movies?” Violet asks.
I lean forward. “They’re not scary movies. It’s Hocus Pocus. Margo is getting impatient for Halloween, so we’re starting early. We’re going to have popcorn and candy. The whole shebang”
“Wow,” she says, looking back at Margo. “Hocus Pocus is my favorite Halloween movie of all time. Halloweentown is my second. Have you seen that one?”
Margo shakes her head. “Dad, can we watch that too?”
I laugh. “I don’t see why not. So, what do you think, Violet?”
Violet smiles. “I would love to. What time?”
“After dinner? Say, around six?”
She nods, smile wide. “It’s a date,” she agrees, looking at Margo and reaching out to tickle her.
Margo giggles and tries pushing her hands away, but she’s too weak. Violet knows to pull back. She looks up at me with a smile.
“Should I bring anything?” she asks.
“I have plenty of popcorn and candy,” I tell her, but Margo butts in.
“Cookies! The yummy ones.”
Violet laughs but nods. “Okay. I’ll see you guys tonight then.”
I take Margo’s hand and lead her toward the door. She skips out ahead of me, and I wave one last time to Violet before chasing after her.
I help her into the backseat and climb behind the wheel. I had planned to work on the boat some more, but now that Violet is coming, I want to get everything ready for our little movie night. I clean up around the living room and make Margo a frozen pizza for dinner. She eats and then takes a bath. Then the two of us start pulling out all the goodies for the movie and putting everything in its place on the coffee table. Margo is bouncing around with excitement, and she hasn’t even had the candy yet. I have a feeling it has more to do with Violet than sugar.
Even though I’m excited to see her again, I’m also nervous because I know that means that we finally have to talk about that kiss, and I’m not sure how to explain it. What do I say? “Sorry, but I’m seriously attracted to you and I have no idea how to handle it because you’re the first person I’ve noticed since my wife’s passing?” Ha, I highly doubt that would work. It doesn’t sound like a good pickup line to me.
Seven
Violet
Lunch was nice and easy thanks to Margo being there. Carson and I couldn’t talk about last night or that kiss, which I’m thankful for today, but I know we need to address it soon, which is why I agreed to Halloween movie night. I’m hoping for a few minutes alone with him after Margo falls asleep. I have to tell him that whatever that was can’t happen again. Not that I’m against the idea completely, but there is Margo to figure in, and that kiss was moving a little fast. If he’s interested in me, then we need to move slow and make sure that we’re actually compatible before jumping into something neither of us are ready for and possibly hurting Margo in the process.
After lunch, I leave them behind to get back to work to make the rest of the deliveries. I leave around five, letting Jane close herself so I can go home and get cleaned up. Like most days, my clothes are covered in a flour, sticky icing, and dried sweat from being near those hot ovens all day. When I make it home, I go straight to the shower. I wash and condition my hair, then go about shaving like normal. When I get out, I smother myself in my favorite scented lotion, Warm Vanilla Sugar, then I blow dry my hair. It falls down sleek and smooth like always. The only way I can get my hair to hold a curl is if I leave it in a knot all day or all night. Washing it takes all the curl out. I don’t bother with makeup. My usual thing is just some black mascara and lip gloss. Tonight, I add a touch of highlighter to makes my cheeks sparkle.