“So how about them Eagles?” I ask her, referring to her husband’s football team.
She points her fork at me. “I know what you’re doing.”
“What?” I ask her innocently. “How about JJ? How’s he doing?”
And finally, when I mention her son, she takes the bait, pulling out her phone to show me some of the recent pictures she’s taken of him. We spend the rest of the meal talking about him.
“I don’t see how you do it all, Vi. You have a husband, a child, this restaurant. I can barely manage taking care of myself.”
As soon as I say it, I know I’ve said too much. Being vulnerable is not my thing, but it seems like any time I’m with Violet, I open up to her. Violet reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. “Emily, my life looks easy now, but at one time I was a mess. Don’t compare your life to mine. One day, you’re going to have everything you want... and more.”
Because I can’t stop the question before it comes out, I say, “What if I don’t know what I want?”
She pats my hand. “You’ll figure it out.”
With her gaze trained on me, I feel like she’s reading my mind. I blink twice before I nod my head at her. “Right. I know you’re right.”
She’s nodding with me. “Will you do me a favor?”
As if I can tell her no. If it wasn’t for her, it’s hard telling where I’d be right now. “You name it.”
I wait, thinking she’s going to ask me to babysit or maybe pitch in at the diner, but she surprises me with her request. “Give Dawson a break, will you? Just be open.”
Confused, I purse my lips. Does she even know what she’s asking? She may not see it, but he really has been an ass. But even though I want to say no, I know I can’t. “Sure thing. I can do that.”
The noise of the restaurant goes on around us and starts to get louder. The lunch rush seems to be starting, and I know the way Violet is looking around, it’s killing her to be sitting here. She doesn’t get a lot of time in the restaurant anymore, so when she does, she has a lot to do. I don’t want to stand in her way. “Well, I guess I better get to work.”
Violet nods. “Wait. I forgot to ask about the apartment. Josh and I are worried about you. It’s not really the safest place. Josh spends more time in Jasper than I do, but he said it’s not really in the safest part of town.”
My face heats. It’s weird for me, being friends with Violet when we’re so different. Violet and Josh have a house here in Whiskey Run and in Jasper, both of them in the nice parts of town. I had to take what I could get, and unfortunately the apartment I’m in is all I could afford at the time. Plus the drive from Jasper every day for work is a pain, but I don’t have a choice. “I’m saving money. I hope to move in the next few months,” I tell her without really answering her question. I don’t want to tell her that yeah, it is a dump, and I see a drug deal every time I walk out of the apartment door.
“I wish you would just let—" she starts.
I’m already shaking my head and sliding out of the booth. “Nope. No way. You have helped enough. You are not helping me with an apartment too.”
Violet grabs my elbow. “I just worry about you, that’s all.”
The sigh escapes me. I forgot what it was like to have someone care about me. I haven’t felt it in a long time. And even though I’m not a huggy person, I can’t stop myself from reaching out and pulling Violet in for a hug. “Thank you, Vi. That means the world to me, you know. But I’m fine. I promise I am.”
She squeezes me back. With defeat in her voice, she mutters, “Fine, but call me if you need anything. Day or night.”
“I promise.”
Seemingly satisfied, she lets me go. “Have a good night at work. And remember what I said.”
I wave bye to her. “I remember.” And that’s all I think about as I walk down Main Street toward Savage Ink. Curiosity hits me, making me wonder why Dawson is the way he is. I may never know because he doesn’t seem the type to really open up. But I’m determined to be more patient and tolerant of him. If Violet likes him, he can’t be all bad.
2
Dawson
I used to love my job. Nobody could probably tell it because the scowl on my face is pretty much a permanent fixture, but yeah, I used to enjoy coming to work. Now not so much. Well, fuck, it’s actually more of a love/hate kind of thing now. I still love coming here, but I hate the way my body reacts to Emily.