“Let’s try it,” Fiona said. She pointed at the first question. “Do you like a little spice?”
There was a yes or no option, each with arrows pointing to different choices. “Yes.” Her gaze followed the arrows. She laughed, reading the choices aloud. “Jalape?o hot or black pepper hot? Black pepper but only because that’s a big gap in preferences.”
Fiona laughed, scrolled down a touch. “Wimp. Okay. Meat, yes or no?”
Hailey shrugged. “No.”
Another arrow pointed down and Fiona scrolled to the bottom of the graphic, revealing a cute graphic of a salad cup.
“House special,” Hailey said, clapping her hands together. Below it were the ingredients in very small font: mix of lettuces, red peppers, cucumbers, shaved almonds, shredded cheese, and homemade croutons with oil and pepper dressing.
She reached around Fiona’s shoulders, hugging her from the side. “You are so awesome. I love this. I think I might put it on the take-out menus.”
“That would be perfect. I’ll share the graphic on social media and you can put it on your website.”
Fiona often dropped by the shop since she could write anywhere. It was nice having her there. She closed her laptop, picking up one of the coffees she’d brought from Tara’s for each of them.
“Things okay with you and Wes?”
After Valentine’s Hailey had phoned both Fiona and Piper to talk about the evening and Wes’s gift. She’d been tempted to accept it, fawn over it because he was so happy to give it to her, but he’d have seen right through her fa?ade. What they shared was real, which meant she had to be honest with him.
“Yes. I think he gets it but I still feel bad.”
“Money can come between people. You told him how you feel. I don’t think you need to feel bad. I do wish you’d snapped a picture of it.”
Hailey tried to smile. “I’m falling in love with him.” She stared at the patterned tabletop, tracing the barely noticeable circles.
When Fiona didn’t respond, Hailey looked up. Fiona set her cup down. “Sorry. Was that supposed to surprise me?”
Huffing out a laugh, she picked up her own coffee but didn’t sip. “It’s too soon. I mean, I wouldn’t let him give me a gift, which in his world was really nothing much, yet I’m thinking about a future and how much I want him in it.”
Fiona rubbed her shoulder. “Listen, from what you’ve said, you already tried to fit into a world where you didn’t feel like you belonged. If you can’t be straight with him when he goes over the top, then you’re not as steady as you think you are. Has he given you any reason to think he’s upset or hurt?”
She smiled, thinking of the text he’d sent this afternoon, telling her he couldn’t wait to see her tonight. “None.”
Dropping her arm, Fiona began packing up her laptop. “Then stop sweating it. Enjoy it. Live in the moment. You two can’t be in the same room without drooling over each other so I’m thinking he feels the same way.”
Giving her a mock glare, Hailey stood up. “I do not drool.”
Fiona laughed, touched the corner of her own mouth. “You’ve got a little right there just from talking about him.”
Hailey’s tension eased with the laughter. “Get out.”
“On my way. See you Sunday.”
“Fi?”
Her friend turned, waited.
“Thank you. For the graphic, for being my friend. You’re another reason I’m grateful I moved here.”
Fiona rolled her eyes but leaned in for a one-armed hug. “You’re a big sap. But I’m glad too.”
Locking the door after her friend, she decided to do one more check to make sure she was ready for the next day. The massive whiteboard calendar Wes had bought her months ago hung in the kitchen beside the walk-in fridge. Her phone pinged before she made her way to it. Pulling it out of her pocket, she saw it was an email and swiped it open.
Frowning, she leaned against the fridge and read the email from one of their regular lunch contracts. They were canceling. No explanation. She typed a quick response, thanking them for their business, asking if there was anything she could do to make the service better for them, and offering a discount if they changed their minds.
Tucking her phone away, she told herself it was just one contract. It would be okay. Looking at the board, she erased the company’s name. They had thirteen other weekly contracts. That was huge. Super important and one of the reasons she’d been able to stop the catering. It made up a substantial piece of her business.