Page 88 of Love Me Like It's Real
“Yes! Yes it would be.”
“Walk me through that, honey. How exactly?”
“I’m warning you, Mrs. H. If you keep this up you’ll be lunching alone.”
“Oh no. The horror!” Mom slaps the back of her hand to her forehead and rolls her eyes back as if she’s going to faint but I’m not the least bit amused.
“Fine. If you’re going to be an ass, I’m leaving.” I put my cup down and snatch my jacket from the back of the chair.
“Don’t be so dramatic, Hayworth. There’s a reason I stopped sending you to theater camp. You suck at it.”
I huff and sit back on my chair. “I hate you when you’re like this,” I mutter under my breath.
“I love you too, honey. Now drink up. I’ve got important things to do today and bearing witness to your sulking ain’t one of them.”
I roll my eyes and eat the cake she’s served with it that I know I’ll have to burn at the gym later.
When we finish, I help her clear the table and we both go out together. I drop her off at the Wild Palette, her craft and art store, and I make my way to Sparky’s for some much-needed lunch before my workout.
Despite Valentine’s Day being well and truly in the past, the place is still decked out in themed paraphernalia and I can only hope it’s because it’s too busy to take it down at the weekend and not because they’ve also decided to celebrate love all month long.
But that’s not even the worst of it. Other than all the red and pink decorations making the place look quite tacky if I may say so myself, there’s absolute pandemonium inside. Kids are screaming their lungs out, crying their eyes out or flinging food across the table while their parents are probably regretting not wearing a condom. I try to wait by the counter for a few minutes and read one of the leaflets advertising today’s Parent-Child Date “Night” but when a kid practically renders me deaf by howling in my ear I decide it’s about time I defect to Red’s and get it over with.
“Hayworth!” I hear over all the screaming and despite my best instincts to ignore it, I turn to the source and find two beautiful little girls smiling and waving at me from the other end of the diner.
“Damn,” I mutter and before I can help myself I’m walking to their table.
“Hayworth!” they exclaim again and get up from their seats to hug me by the waist and legs.
Is it me, or has Arya grown taller since last week? And what the fuck is wrong with me that I’m even noticing that?
Agh!
“Hey, girls. What are you doing here?” I ask and they both turn to the man across from me who’s studying me with narrowed eyes.
“We took Poppy out on a date!” Arya yells and Felix winces.
“Oh really? I missed the part where you’re paying for all this.” He breaks eye contact to address his youngest and I take the chance to breathe again.
Why does he have to be so breathtaking, even amidst all this chaos?
“You’re silly, Poppy!” Arya chuckles and grabs me by the hand. “Sit with us, Hayworth.”
“Yes. Please sit with us!” Elsa tugs at my other hand and I can’t find it in me to refuse even though I should. Even if I should put as much distance from this…scene as soon as possible and never look back.
“Sure, I’ll sit with you,” I say with a sigh and the two girls cheer, pushing me down to the fourth available chair.
“There, Poppy. Hayworth can pay for us. Can’t you, Hayworth?”
Felix chokes on his soda and it takes some effort to look away from him and stare the girls down with fake indignation.
“Oh is this how it’s going to be, huh? Are you trying to take advantage of me?” I raise my eyebrow comically high and it elicits a giggle from both of them so I count that as a successful acting job.
Take that Mom and theater camp!
“No! Poppy can buy us things too. That’s why it’s good to have two daddies!” Arya says and it’s my turn to choke on nothing.
“Arya!” Felix says and Elsa pats me on the back with the gentlest smile. She looks just like her dad and my heart skips a beat without my consent.
