“Dear?”
I freeze, staring at the fancy cappuccino machine I just gave a good talking-to. I’m sure I look like a lunatic. I’m talking to an inanimate object, giving it the business like it’s actually going to listen.
I turn and plaster a smile on my face, hoping Betty didn’t actually hear my crazy conversation. “Hey, Betty.”
She’s smiling. That’s a good sign. Or she already thinks I’m nuts, and I’ve just confirmed every thought she has about me. “Having problems?”
My shoulders sag forward as I groan. “This damn machine. I don’t know why I thought it was a good idea to get such a complicated contraption.”
Betty laughs as she steps into the middle of the shop. “I’m sure Angelo can figure it out,” she says.
“Maybe I’ll ask him for help.”
“He loves helping.”
She’s selling him hard. She doesn’t have to with me. I already know he’s a diamond in the rough. The way he treats his kids makes my empty womb crave to be filled.
“The shop’s coming along nicely.” She glances around. “I’d guess you like pink.”
“Eh,” I mutter. “I’m more of a red girl, but that’s a little too jarring for a cupcake place.”
“Who said?”
“The designer I hired. She said pink and cream are more inviting. She gave me the psychology behind the color theory, but for the life of me, I can’t remember. Anyway, is there something I can help you with?”
“I wanted to talk about earlier.” She pulls the gloves off her hands and keeps her eyes on me. “I hope you didn’t think I was being too pushy.”
“I’d never think that.”
She was forward, but her honesty was a breath of fresh air. I always get Roger’s opinion, but since he has a penis, his opinion isn’t always on point.
“Why don’t I grab us two drinks from the bar, and we can finish our chat?”
“How about some cocoa instead? I still have so much work to do. If I start drinking, I’m going to end up in bed way earlier than I want.”
“Cocoa, it is.” She slides into the pink velvet banquette I had specially made for the shop and places her gloves on the tabletop.
“I’ll be right back,” I tell her before I head into the kitchen to grab two mugs and the cocoa I’d been heating on the stove.
Even though I’ve been in Chicago for years, my body hasn’t gotten used to the cold. Growing up in the South, anything below sixty was enough to cause my body to go into shock. Cocoa had become my staple to get me through the cold winter nights, especially since Mitchell died.
“Here we go.” I take the seat across from her and place the two mugs in front of us.
She wraps her slender fingers around the mug, soaking in the warmth. “When’s the grand opening again?”
“In a week.” I sigh. “I’m so far behind, and my contractor is a flake.”
“That’s a shame.”
I shrug. I’ve learned not to depend on anyone, even when money’s involved. “I should’ve planned for this, but I was too caught up in the excitement, I didn’t have a backup plan.”
She lifts the mug to her lips and blows across the top. “It’s hard to plan for the unexpected sometimes.”
Isn’t that the truth? I never expected Mitchell not to come back from his mission. When we married, I knew what kind of life I was getting myself into. Military life isn’t for everyone. I accepted his long absences because he always came back to me. I knew he was in danger every time he went off to God knows where, but never once did I imagine my husband wouldn’t come home. Sure, I knew women who lost their spouses in action, but I never thought I’d be in the same shoes.
Naïve, I know.
Looking back, I realize I was a complete moron. Mitchell was bigger than life, and he always seemed invincible.
