I tucked my phone away. "She's still working."
Her brows furrowed. "Does Miss Eve own the shop that flooded?"
"She owns the building, so she's responsible for the repairs."
She tipped her head to the side. "If it's not her store, why was she folding clothes?"
"I'm not sure, honestly. Maybe she was just being nice," I suggested, not wanting to tell Sofia that I was concerned that Eve might enjoy working a lot.
"Miss Eve isreallynice." Sofia said, emphasizing the wordreally.
Was it being nice, or was she doing more work than necessary? It didn't sit right with me for some reason.
When I made the decision to open my life up to Eve, I'd hoped we could spend more time together. We'd spent one day putting up the tree and baking cookies. I wanted more of that.
Eve was single before me. Maybe she was used to working in her spare time. Maybe things would change now that we were together.
I focused on the menu, trying to ignore the unease settling into my gut. I decided on a club sandwich, and Sofia ordered a grilled cheese.
When our drinks came, I asked, "How would you feel if I dated Eve?"
She frowned. "I thought that's what you were doing?"
I rested my elbows on the table. "Just wanted to make sure you're okay with it."
She raised her brow. "Are you okay with it?"
I shifted on the cushion. "Of course."
Sofia stared out the window. "I love Miss Eve. I want her around all the time."
I laughed. "I don't think that's possible."
Sofia sighed.
I wanted her to have everything she was missing. I just didn't want her to get hurt. What if Eve wasn't around enough or her job was more important than us? Then I reminded myself thatmy job required crazy hours. But I wanted to be promoted so that my hours were more regular and I could be home with Sofia when she wasn't in school.
I wasn't sure what Eve wanted. Did she want a ready-made family?
I hated the thought that she wasn't as into this as we were. Sofia really liked her. I didn't want Eve to let her down.
Dating as a single parent was complicated.
"After Christmas, Eve won't have to work as much."
I relaxed into my seat. "That's probably true."
We moved onto safer topics, like school and friends. This I could navigate without thinking too hard. I let my mind wander, wondering if Eve enjoyed her job. I'd give it time and space. It was too early to make any decisions.
After we ate, we walked to the truck, ready to go home for the day. "I need to research bed-and-breakfasts."
"Oh, can I help you? I know what Miss Eve would like." Sofia bounced on her toes.
I looked down at her. "You do?"
She nodded eagerly. "Yeah, it has to have a soaking tub and a garden out back."
I frowned at the idea of finding a garden. "I'm not sure that a garden would be visible under all this snow."
