“Could I just get my food for here?” Violet interrupted.
“Of course. I’ll be right back with more Dr. Pepper,” Rachel told Simon.
Simon smiled at her. “Thanks.”
“My pleasure.”
When Rachel walked away, Violet muttered, “This isn’t Chick-fil-A. Keep your pleasure to yourself.”
“What was that?”
“Nothin’.” She waved him off. “How’s your first week in town been?”
Simon sat back, causing the navy-blue T-shirt he wore to stretch across his broad chest. She fought the urge to stare, keeping her eyes on his face.
“A bit slower than I’m used to,” Simon answered. “But it’s growin’ on me.”
“You ever figure out what you’re doin’ with Holt’s nonsense?”
Simon’s lip curved up in a half smile. “I wouldn’t call it nonsense.”
“So you’re gonna do a series on it?”
“Haven’t decided yet.”
“Hmm. What do you do about your podcast when you’re out of town?”
“I’ve got my equipment with me. Provided I can find a quiet place, I can still record.”
Violet wished she didn’t find that so fascinating. It didn’t sound all that difficult. Well, the talking into the microphone part, anyway. As for sounding good or making sense or appealing to a broad audience, she wasn’t sure she could pull it off. Then again, she didn’t much care for the sound of her own voice.
“Is it not quiet at the B and B?”
“It is.”
“So you’re gettin’ some work done?”
“Not really.” He grinned. “You could say I’ve been procrastinating.”
“Well, if you need somethin’ to do, you can always help out at the store,” she teased, sitting back when she saw Rachel approaching.
“Here you are.” Rachel set her food in front of her, then placed Simon’s drink down. “How long are you in town for?”
If he was surprised by the question, Simon didn’t show it. His full attention shifted to Rachel. “Another week or so.”
“Well, if you find yourself with some free time, maybe we could grab a beer at Moonshiners.”
Violet watched Simon closely, noticing the way his gaze shifted to her briefly before returning to the waitress. “I’ll have to see how my schedule pans out.”
“You know where to find me,” Rachel told him before turning her attention to Violet once more. “You need anything else?”
She managed to shake her head, forcing a smile. “I’m good.”
The moment she was gone, Simon’s expression fell. “Was thatnot niceenough for you?”
It took a second for his words to make sense, and when they did, Violet was at a loss for words. Quite possibly for the first time in her life.
•••••
