She steps closer and cups my cheek. Using her thumb, she swiped at my face. I’m assuming one of the tears I was trying to fight back has fallen.
“Doesn’t seem like this is just for fun. Seems to me feelings are involved.”
I pull away from her touch and use the back of my hand to clean my cheek. I force another smile.
“You know how things are when they're new. He and I both know that we are on borrowed time. We’re just enjoying it while we can.”
My mother’s gaze narrows. Not in a bad way, more like one of those looks when she knows way more than she should. Eventually, she nods her head, and a smile lifts her lips.
“Well, enjoy your fun. You deserve it. But I want to remind you that love plays by no one's rules, baby girl. Just remember that.”
I refuse to accept the truth of her words. I cannot be in love with Mitchell. This isn’t what’s supposed to happen. We’re just having fun.
Maybe if I say it enough times, I’ll start to believe myself.
Mama and I go back to fixing up our table. We served a few more customers when suddenly Daddy walks by with a plate in his hands.
“Robert Alexander, I know you ain’t out here eating another woman’s pasta salad?”
Daddy looks shocked before he tries to hide the plate behind his back.
“No baby. I was just sampling it.”
I stifle my laugh behind my hand. He knows Faye Alexander doesn’t play about who feeds her family.
“You better sample that plate in the trash,” Mama demands. “Out here eating out another woman's house.” I watch as she works herself up, moving around the table toward my father.
“Let me go round here and see who snuck my husband some food. You got to watch these old heifers out here, Ella.”
“Mama,” I scold before cackling at her antics. “These are your fellow church members.”
She looks at me as if I said something wrong. “Those are the ones you have to watch. It’s a lot of holy hoes in the church.”
My jaw drops at her words. She walks away, still going on about that pasta salad. My daddy follows behind her, trying to clear his name. Despite her anger, she knows that Robert Alexander isn’t going anywhere. That man is so desperately in love with her. Not only did he marry her, but he adopted me so that she knew he was serious about her. For all it’s worth, he is truly my father.
My phone dings, alerting me that I have a text message. It’s a picture of a hundred-dollar bill. Seconds later, a text followed.
Mitchie: Can old man Deacon beat this? Bring me some cupcakes, beautiful.
I burst out laughing at his antics. Sliding my phone into my apron, I go back to serving the customers. I’m glad that I already had the foresight to put Mitch’s cupcakes aside.
Two hours later, I pull back up in my driveway. It’s been a long day, but my tent raised a lot of money for the church.
“AJ, get those empty containers out of the trunk for me,” I say, climbing out of the front seat.
“Why can’t Cameron get them?”
I stop to give my son my full attention. I don’t know what the hell is going on with AJ, but he has been so snippy lately. Nothing too disrespectful, but constantly challenging me and his father.
“I asked you to get them,” I reply.
“I can get them, Mama,” Cam volunteers.
There was no issue with Cameron getting the containers. Any other time, I would’ve told him to go ahead. But because I asked AJ first, and he got an attitude, he’s going to do it.
“Thank you, Cam. You can help your brother, but he’s going to do what I asked.” I place my sights back on AJ, giving him a look to suggest this wasn’t up for debate.
He rolls his eyes and sucks his teeth, but goes to do what I asked. I take a moment to count to ten. This new teenageattitude might cause me to catch a charge. I head to the back seat to pull out the tray of cupcakes I stashed for Mitch.
