Page 35 of A Soft Kiss in Summer
She laughed.“Let me guess.The cow.”
“Of course.”
She rolled her eyes.“Randal was in the store last week going on about that cow.”
“Well, they’re still at it.”
“I’m surprised they haven’t resorted to violence.”
“It was headed that way today.Cecil came to town to fetch me when Randal went into the house for his shotgun.Or that's the story he told me.”
Violet took a sip of water before saying, “Those two are too old to be fighting or threatening to shoot each other.What are they now?Close to a eighty?”
“Probably.”
“That old cow will probably outlive them both.”
They lapsed into silence again before he asked, “Did you work at the store today?”
“Yes.Tanner brought in our shipment from Elkin.”She huffed out a breath.“Edwin sent a letter with it.”
He stilled and looked up.“What did it say?”
“The same thing he’s been saying for the past two weeks.That he wants to marry me and if I’d just give him a chance, he’d make me happy.”
“And you already being married isn’t an issue?”
She laughed.“No.He said it was easily taken care of, whatever that means.”
She went into great detail about the letter and the rest of her day and as he sat there listening to her, he was reminded of a time when he’d thought his life would be just like this.Sitting around a dining room table discussing his day with his wife, only Violet hadn’t been who’d he’d imagined.No, that had been Ruth, a woman so different from Violet in every way.She’d been soft-spoken and quiet, with pale skin and blonde hair.The complete opposite of Violet.They both shared one trait, though.
Being married to him was a death sentence.He hadn’t even made it down the aisle with Ruth before he buried her.How long would it be before the same thing happened to Violet?
It won’t.Not if I can help it.
You said the same thing about Ruth.
He sighed and finished off the pie before leaning back in his chair, stuffed.He lost count of the number of slices he had and if he hadn’t been so hungry when he sat down, he might have been embarrassed about it.
Violet finished her water and raised her eyes to him.“So, how was it?”
“Best chicken pie I’ve ever eaten.”
She laughed.“I’m sure you tell Mabel the exact same thing every time she feeds you.”
He couldn’t help the grin that curved his lips.Violet stood and gathered the dirty plates and forks.“How do you wash dishes?”
“I don’t.”She raised an eyebrow.“I don’t cook here, so I never have to worry about dirty dishes.”
She stacked them on the dirty pie plate.“In that case, I’ll take them back to the house with me and return them tomorrow.”
Her statement answered the question of whether or not she was staying.He wasn’t sure if he was disappointed by it or not.Did he want Violet to stay?
It doesn’t matter.You can’t have her.
She picked up the dirty dishes and turned to the door.He stood from his chair and followed her, standing in the doorway after opening it for her.
The smile she gave him was sweet and innocent and his gaze was drawn to her mouth and those soft, full lips he’d tasted only once.He’d not had time to kiss her properly.Not the way he wanted to, and a small part of him regretted the fact he may never get the chance.
