Page 22 of His Curvy Distraction

“It’ll be busy, but it’s going to be fun. For the kids and you.”

“I hope so. When do you leave to go see your parents?”

Daisy closed her store and took the entire week off between Christmas and New Year’s so she could visit her parents. “I’m going to leave early in the morning. They wanted me to come tonight, but when I thought about it, I worried about driving so late.”

“I don’t blame you.”

Daisy nodded, then set her phone on the table. “Did you eat yet?”

“I did not. I made lasagna.”

She groaned. “You know how to spoil me.”

I snorted and followed her to the kitchen. “Yeah, because it’s not a mutual thing.” Whoever was home first would cook. We shopped for certain meals every week, but neither of us was ever married to a plan. We liked to have an idea but be flexible about what we cooked and when.

“Yes, well, you could have waited to make lasagna until I was gone.” Daisy sliced a large piece for herself before slicing an equally large one for me.

“I wouldn’t do that. I should have made this yesterday so I would know you ate lunch.”

Her cheeks reddened, telling me she skipped lunch, again.

“You need to take care of yourself.”

“I know! I will do better after the holidays.”

“New Year’s resolution,” I teased.

She laughed loudly and nodded. It had become a joke for us that next year we would do all the things we said we needed to do. Lose weight, date more, meet new people, drink more water. We never stuck to any of them, and by December, we were right back there, making the same promises we always made.

“Maybe one will stick next year.”

“Maybe.”

We ate in silence for a few minutes, the TV playing the movie I put on earlier. The lasagna was good. Very cheesy, but the addition of a layer of zucchini noodles and ground turkey gave it a different flavor compared to the traditional meat lasagna.

“This is really good,” Daisy said. “We need to make it like this every time from now on.”

“I was just thinking the same.”

Daisy chuckled. “Maybe we should try to stick to some of those resolutions next year.”

“Which ones?”

“Adding vegetables seems to be a good one.”

I nodded and laughed with her.

She sighed. “I need to ask for help. Accept that I can’t do everything.”

“That’s going to be hard for you. You never ask for help.”

She laughed. “I know! That’s why I need to do it. There was a kid in the store today with her mom, and I had to stop myself from yelling at her when she was messing with one of the toys.”

“Seriously?” Daisy never lost her patience. I admired it, but hearing she was close today was cause for concern.

“I have never been this tired in my life. I love Lincoln Toys, and I love that I work for myself, and I am so happy I was able to move here with you, but it hasn’t been easy. This last year has been both the best and worst of my life.”

“I’m sorry, hun. Why didn’t you tell me?”

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