That takes me by surprise. “What was the dream about?”
“I told you…Violet.” She’s always short and to the point first thing in the morning.
I laugh. “Well, what did you and Violet do in the dream?”
She sighs, clearly tired of talking with me already. “You took me to her bakery, and she let me help her in the kitchen. I made cupcakes and donuts and pies! It was fun. We had a fight where we threw white powder at each other, and the whole kitchen was covered in white dust.” She giggles, remembering the dream.
I smile at her sweetness. “That does sound like fun, but I wouldn’t want to clean up that mess.”
She giggles more but trains her eyes on the TV.
“Well,” I say, standing up and ruffling her hair. “When you’re ready, we’ll get you dressed and head to town.”
“Yay! I’m ready. Let’s go,” she says, jumping up and running for the stairs.
I shake my head and laugh as I follow her up to get her clothes, which are hanging too high in the closet for her to reach.
After she dresses, I pull her long, dark curls into a high ponytail—pretty much the only hair style I can do—and we load up in the truck. She’s holding onto Violet’s picture, and she’s wide-eyed, taking everything in on our drive. I park the truck at the side of the building, and by the time I make it over to her side, she’s already running toward the door.
Five
Violet
The door opens quickly, and I spin around to see what’s going on.
“Violet, Violet,” Margo yells as she runs in the door and to the counter. She holds up a piece of paper. “I made this for you!”
I smile, leaning down and noticing Carson walking in behind her. I take the paper and look over it. I gasp. “Look how beautiful that is. You drew this all by yourself?” I ask.
Her eyes widen, and a smile takes over as she nods her head up and down. “Yep! I did it last night, but Daddy made me wait until today to bring it over.” She shoots him a dirty look.
“Thank you, Margo. I love it. In fact,” I say, standing up right and spinning around, “I’m going to hang it right here for everyone to see.” I break off a piece of tape and hang it to the wall, right under the clock.
She smiles proudly.
“Sorry,” Carson says. “She wouldn’t leave me alone until I agreed to bring her over. I hope we’re not bothering you.” I notice the way his eyes drop, taking me in. He quickly catches himself checking me out and positions them right at my face.
I wave my hand through the air. “It’s no bother at all. I love my picture very much. Thank you, Margo.”
She smiles, but she’s already too distracted with all the goodies in the case.
“Tell ya what, how about as a thank you for the picture, I’ll let you pick one goodie out of the case?”
She claps and jumps up and down as she checks out the selection more seriously this time since she can only choose one.
“I think I want…that one.” She points at the chocolate eclair.
“Good choice. These are my favorite.” I reach into the case with tissue paper, pick it up, and hand it over.
She takes it happily and, without wasting any time, takes a big bite. Chocolate smooshes all over her face on both sides of her mouth, and I can’t hold back my giggle.
Carson joins in, but when I look at him, he’s tearing his eyes from me again, directing them back to Margo. I wonder why he keeps doing that? Is he simply checking me out? Does he maybe want to ask me something but keeps changing his mind?
“So what are my two favorite people up to today?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest, suddenly feeling nervous about the way he keeps looking at me.
“Daddy says he has to work in the garage today, so I have to sit in there all day.” She rolls her eyes.
I smile and look up at Carson. He shrugs. “I have to get some work done and you can’t be in the house all alone.”
She sighs. “Can’t Violet come over? She can sit with me and we can play.”
My eyes suddenly meet his. “Oh, uh…well, Violet has to work, right?” he asks, pulling his brows together.
“Well, I mean, Jane is here and she can handle everything. If you want me to, I can.”
“No, I couldn’t ask you to do that,” he says, brushing it off.
But Margo has other ideas. “Come on, Dad. She said she could,” she nearly begs.
I smile. “Really, it’s no problem. I’d love to play with you today, Margo.” I bend down to her level now.
“Yay!!”
I laugh and stand back up. “Really, it’ll be fun,” I tell Carson.
He shrugs. “Alright. If that’s what you both want.”
“It is,” Margo says matter-of-factly.
“I guess we’ll see you there when you can get away.”
I nod, waving them goodbye as he takes her hand and leads her out to the truck.
I spin around and rush to the kitchen where Jane is preparing to bring out another tray of donuts.
“Jane, I have to go,” I tell her, rushing to get my purse.
“What? Why?” she asks, pausing and setting the tray down.
“Carson and Margo were just in here. I’m going to go to their place and babysit Margo for the day. Can you handle things around here?”
“Oh, yeah. Go.” She shoos me off.
I push the swinging door open, but she calls after me and I spin around to face her.
She smiles wide and seductively. “Go get him.”
I roll my eyes. “Ugh, seriously. You’re a child,” I say, but mentally, I’m in total agreement.
I climb behind the wheel of my car and decide to swing by my place to get on something more comfortable that isn’t covered in icing and flour. In my room, I change at least ten times. Everything I try on is all wrong. I want to look good for Carson, of course, but I also have to look casual. I end up settling on a pair of tight skinny jeans, my white converse, and faded gray T-shirt that has a Ford logo on it. It doesn’t slip by me that he drives a Ford truck. I let my hair down, and it falls down my back in long, dark waves from being tied up all day. Then I slap on a coat of mascara and some lip gloss. I add a little perfume and hit the door.
I’m pulling up in their drive thirty minutes later.
Margo comes running out of the garage. “Violet!” she yells as she throws her arms wide open. She runs into me, wrapping her arms tightly around my hips in a hug. Moments later, Carson is walking out with a smile of his own.
“Alright, Margo. Don’t crush her.” He comes to a stop directly in front of me.
“It’s fine,” I tell him. “She’s just excited. I’m sure she has all kinds of fun things to do today, huh?”
She nods but doesn’t pull away.
“Alright. I’ll probably be out here most of the day, but if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. And if you need to go, don’t worry about it. Just bring her out to me on the way.”
“Sounds good.” I nod. “Come on, Margo. Why don’t you show me all your toys?” I take her hand.
She pulls me to the front door and into the house, up the stairs, down the hall, and to the right where her bedroom is. It’s already pained in pink glitter. There are stick on cartoon characters on the walls, and the biggest bed I’ve ever seen for a child her age.
“What do you want to do first?” I ask.
“Tea party!” She rushes over to the little white table.
I sit on the tiny chair, praying that I don’t crush it with my weight.
“Don’t worry. Daddy sits there all the time. It won’t break,” she says, reading the expression on my face.
I laugh and she gets busy pouring the imaginary tea. The morning passes by quickly since we have a tea party, play Barbies, and give each other makeovers. We pause the playing for lunch where I make her a box of mac and cheese. She eats and crashes out on the couch soon after.
I decide to make Carson something since he hasn’t been in the
house all day. I throw together a quick sandwich, slice it in half, then add some carrot sticks to the plate. I grab the baby monitor to listen for Margo while I’m in the garage.
I walk out, and he’s hard at work, sanding some wood, even though I’m not exactly sure what for. When he sees me, he shuts off the sander.
“I made you some lunch,” I say, walking deeper into the garage.
“Oh, thanks. You didn’t have to do that.”
I set the plate down on the table. “It was nothing. I made Margo some mac and cheese, and she crashed. Figured you had to be getting hungry since you haven’t been inside all day.”
He sits down on the stool beside the table. “I would’ve been fine, but I appreciate it. Take half?” He holds the plate out.
I wave him off. “I’m fine.”
“I insist.”
I smile. “Okay.” I reach out and take half the sandwich.
He takes a bite. “Mmm, this is good,” he says around his chewing. “Why does this taste so good?”
I look down to see tomato, lettuce, fresh cheese, and meats. “My trick is to mix mayo with spicy mustard, then just a touch of salt and pepper.” I take a bite and chew it slowly.
“I never thought of that. Usually, I’m not big on mayo.” But as fast as he eats the sandwich, I’d say he likes it.
I laugh. “I’m not either, but there isn’t much. Just enough to make the mustard a little fluffier.”
He finishes his half and moves onto the carrot sticks. “Margo really likes you. Thanks for being so kind to her.”
“Of course. She’s so sweet. I’ve always wanted a little girl of my own, so this is a nice substitute.”
“She really needs some attention from a woman. It’s usually just her and me.”
“Where’s her mom? If you don’t mind me asking.”
He takes a deep breath. “Her mother, my wife, passed away when she was two in a car crash.”
I gasp. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“No, it’s fine. I mean, it’s only a matter of time before everyone knows in a town this small, right?” He gives me a crooked grin, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.
I offer a sad smile and nod.
“Margo doesn’t remember her much. She was so young. But she remembers some things and I tell her a ton, my way of trying to keep her memory alive, I guess.”
“That’s good of you to do. I noticed the photo on the mantel. Was that her?”
He nods. “Yeah, that was her.”
“She was beautiful.”
“She was,” he agrees softly, sadness drenching his words.
“Well, I should probably get back inside. If there’s anything you need, don’t be afraid to ask,” I tell him, meaning every word of it.
He nods, but I can see the sadness that’s settled over him now. He doesn’t respond as I make my way out of the garage and back into the house. Margo is still sound asleep on the couch, so I move over to the mantel to look at that picture a little more closely.
The woman in the photo has shoulder-length blond hair, styled in soft wavy curls. Her eyes are blue, bright and shimmering, and she’s wearing a wide smile. She really is beautiful, and she looks so happy with a baby Margo on her lap and Carson at her side.
I take a deep breath and head back into the kitchen to clean up from our lunch mess.
The rest of the day passes quickly. Margo wakes up, and we end up playing more dress up, watching TV, and having a snack. Around six, I decide to take dinner into my own hands, and she volunteers to help. After searching through the fridge and cabinets, I find the ingredients I need to make a pot of spaghetti and some frozen garlic bread. I’m not much on jar sauce, but I don’t have enough fresh tomatoes to make it from scratch, so I do a half and half mix, using the jar stuff but adding my own ingredients to make it taste a little more homemade.
Margo and I have dinner together, then she goes upstairs to take her bath. While she’s cleaning up, I clean up the mess in the kitchen again and make a plate for Carson. I add some spaghetti, a piece of the garlic bread, and a small side salad. I wrap it up and put it all in the fridge.
I move to the living room to pick up our mess from the day and then to Margo’s room to put away all the toys we dragged out. When she gets out of the bath, I brush out her hair for her and braid it so it doesn’t get tangled in her sleep. Then we go back downstairs for a snack, juice, and story before bed.
Margo is the sweetest child, and she seems to want to please me. I never have to get on her for acting up or making an unnecessary mess. She’s the perfect little girl, and Carson couldn’t have done a better job with raising her. At eight, she claims that it’s bedtime, so I tuck her in and turn off the light. I turn the baby monitor on, planning on taking the other end to the garage so I can leave for the night.
I walk into the garage, and Carson is back at work. I set the monitor down. “Margo has been fed, bathed, and is in bed.”
“What?” he asks, looking at his watch. “Oh man. I lost track of time. I’m so sorry for keeping you here for so long.”
I wave him off. “It’s not a problem. I had fun today. She’s a great kid.”
“She really is. I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have her to keep me sane.”
“I made spaghetti, garlic bread, and a salad. I cleaned up, but I left you a plate in the fridge. You need to eat.”
His eyes go wide. “Wow. You cooked a whole meal? I feel bad now. I would’ve come in to eat with you guys, had I known.”
“It’s okay. Really, it’s no problem,” I assure him.
“Well, at least sit and have a drink with me. It’s the least I could do. You have time?” he asks, freezing on his way to the fridge.
I look at my watch. I’m usually in bed by now—bad side of owning a bakery, you have to get up before dawn—but why not? “Sure.”
He pulls two beers out of the fridge in the garage, opens them both, then he hands me one.
I take a long drink as my eyes find what looks to be the start of a boat. “What are you building here?”
“A sailboat,” he replies.
My brows raise in surprise. “Wow, you know how to do that?”
He laughs and nods. “Yeah, I grew up sailing. In the summers, my dad and I would build and repair boats. It’s sort of my fallback career—the whole point of moving here. I thought, if I still enjoyed doing it, I would open my own company.”
“And? Do you still enjoy doing it?”
He purses his lips together a moment before answering, “I do, actually. I’ve completely lost track of time today.”
“Well, that’s good. I’m glad you found something to keep you busy that’s also something that makes you happy. Not everyone gets that, you know?”
“I know,” he agrees. “I’ve gotten lucky many times in my life, more than I deserve, I’ll tell ya that much.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I found the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with early. We were only in college. She married me and gave me the best daughter I could ever imagine. I landed an amazing job in the city, and it’s provided me with enough money to live the rest of my life comfortably if I choose to. And now, I have this. Another shot at being happy with my work.”
I smile. “It sounds like you have been happy. That’s good.”
I can’t help but to think of the luck I’ve had. It’s nowhere near as good as his. I was born to a poor family, my mother died, and then my dad started using drugs, which eventually led to his death. At the age of nineteen, I was completely alone, left to fend for myself and walk this world alone. I still haven’t found the man I want to spend my life with, and I don’t have the family I’ve always dreamed of, but I did get lucky enough that I was able to buy myself a home, and I own a pretty successful business, so I guess I’ve made out better than some too.
“So is Margo going to start school here this fall?”
He nods. “That’s the plan. She
went to pre-school in the city, but this will be her first year in kindergarten. She’s looking forward to making friends her own age.”
“I bet. It’s probably hard on her being the only kid around. I know she didn’t hold back with me today. We had a tea party, played dress up, and played with dolls and every other toy in her room. But don’t worry, I picked it all up.”
He smiles. “That’s the least of my worries. I’m glad she had fun today.” He pauses and nods. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself as well. She’s just clung to you for some reason. She’s never done that with anyone before.”
I laugh. “Well, I kind of bribed her with baked goods.”
His laughter mixes in with mine. “That always help, I’m sure.”
I nod in agreement. “In my experience.”
I take another drink and look up to meet his eyes. They’re already on me, looking at me like he did earlier in the shop. They’re moving up and down my body, taking me in fully. His jaw is cocked, making it appear even more sharp, like he’s trying to hold something back.
I can feel the air between us grow thick. It feels heavy like it’s been charged, with tension or emotion, I’m not sure. I guess it could be either given our talks today.
I’m not sure what to say or do at this point, so I finish off my beer and set it on the table. I stand up. “I guess I should probably get going.”
“Oh.” That snaps him out of his trance, and he stands with me. “Of course. I guess it is getting late. I should probably shut the garage down for the night.” He follows me to the open garage door and turns off the light, leaving us in darkness. He hits a button, and the door starts to lower once we’re on the other side of it.
He turns and nearly bumps into me. “Thanks for coming over today. I know I’ve said it already, but it really did mean a lot to Margo.”
I smile as I look up at him in the darkness. “Anytime.”
I don’t know why my feet won’t move, but I suddenly find myself locked in place. I don’t move and neither does he, but that heavy feeling seems to form between us again as he looks down at me with his smoldering eyes. His tongue comes out, wetting his lips, and they part like he’s going to say something, but no words come out.
Grand Lake Colorado Series: A Complete Small Town Contemporary Romance Collection Page 30