"Are you saying our dinner choices aren't healthy?" I snuck acan you believe this?look at Ayla.
"That's exactly what I'm saying," Angela agreed, still perusing her menu.
Ayla covered her giggle with her hand.
I enjoyed sharing something with her. It wasn't a good idea to side with Ayla against her mother on big things, but surely some teasing at dinner was allowed.
Ginger returned with a notepad. "What can I get you?"
We rattled off our orders, and I handed Ginger the stack of menus.
"Are you going to the trail tonight?" Ginger asked Ayla.
"Yup. Can't wait," Ayla said.
"You'll love it. I'm sure," Ginger said as she moved to the next table.
"I didn't realize that Eve built a light trail. I guess I've been so busy with everything; I missed the flyers," Angela said.
"It sounded like a last-minute kind of thing," I said.
"Miss Clara told me," Ayla said.
"Are you friends with the other shop owners?" I asked her.
Ayla nodded eagerly. "Reina gives me sweets, and Meg makes my hot chocolate with extra marshmallows."
"I suppose this town is like a playground." I would have loved to have free rein here as a kid.
"Most people are quick to help out with Ayla. I can let her roam the stores and not worry about her," Angela said.
I gave her a look. "We'll get your shop up and running again."
"Eve said Bill is insisting on a town-hall meeting to discuss the 'future of my business.'" She put air quotes around the phrase.
"That guy needs to mind his own business," I muttered, irritated with the man who'd dared to verbally assault a woman with her child on a sidewalk.
Angela's eyes widened in surprise. "I wish he would."
"Eve seems to have your back."
"Yeah, but will she bow to pressure from someone who's been around longer than me? It would be easier for her not to renew my lease at the end of its term."
"From what I know of Eve, easy isn't something she does."
Angela looked out the window where shoppers walked by with their bags full of presents for the holidays. "We'll see how it goes."
"You have your online shop," Ayla said as she colored the kids' menu with a red crayon.
Angela sipped her tea. "I will once it's up and running. I have to take more pictures and set up all the product pages."
"Why don't you post the products that you have images for, then continue to add on as you go?"
Angela stilled, her gaze lifting to mine. "That's not a bad idea."
"Get the basics up first." I figured it would take the pressure off, and she'd have something to sell. But now I had visions of her posing in barely there bra-and-panty sets.
"I just need to research how to handle packaging and shipping. I should use small packages that will protect the product but also make the recipient feel like they've bought something special."
