I shake my head. Surely, I’m making more of this than there is. She’s probably just tired. Once again, I kept her up later than her usual bedtime making love to her for hours. There’s no going back to sleep after seeing off to work, so I decide to go for a run to clear my head.
I’m fresh out of the shower and drinking my first cup of coffee of the morning when my parents come down for breakfast. I whip up some frittatas and bacon the whole time I’m cooking, wondering if my dad will be himself today or if another piece of his mind will be gone.
“This is wonderful, son,” my dad says, wiping his mouth with his napkin. “Your talents really are wasted at that diner. Daisy says you haven’t changed the menu at all since you’ve taken over. You’re a trained chef… you should be cooking things like this.”
I shrug, “I love working at the diner. I love giving folks what they want.”
Dad shakes his head. “They don’t know if they want your fancy breakfasts if you don’t try. You should add some specials and see how they do. I think you’ll be surprised.”
“Maybe,” I say to appease him, though I have no intentions of changing his menu. I get my love of cooking from him, and changing the menu feels like another small loss of his memory.
“I have something for you,” my dad says, pulling a small wooden box from under the table.
I know exactly what’s in that box, and my heart starts to pound. He hands over the box that holds my great-great-grandmother’s wedding ring. My parents were already married when my grandmother passed on, and the ring was left to my father. He was supposed to keep it until it was time for me to get married. Why is he giving it to me now?
“I know it’s not the way it’s traditionally done, but it’s time. I want you to have this before my mind is completely stolen away from me. I’d love to see that ring used before it happens, but seeing it in your hands makes me happy enough.
Maybe it’s about time for you to use it already on that pretty little baker of yours. It would be nice to see my only son married off and happy before…” he sighs sadly.
“It’s okay, dad. Thank you for this,” I say, fisting the box tight in my hand, the pointed corners biting into my palm. I should be thankful that my dad is one hundred percent himself today, but that means there’s no need for Margo to be my fake wife.
Why does that upset me so badly?
7 Margo
“Margo!” Lani says as she throws her arms around me. “It feels like it’s been ages!”
I laugh. “It’s been five days.”
She shakes her head. “Like I said, ages.”
Prue rolls her eyes. “She’s so dramatic now that she’s all knocked up.”
We all laugh at that because she’s not wrong.
Ana is the next to hug me. “Hey hon, is everything okay? You look troubled.”
Leave it to Ana to see something behind my smiles. She’s way to perceptive for her own good. Definitely works against all of us when we try to hide something.
“I’m okay… it’s just…” I hesitate to say anything because the whole fake marriage thing seems not only ridiculous, but I want it to be real, and that right there is ridiculous.
“Spit it out already,” Prue says with a roll of her eyes. She’s never one to beat around the bush and hates when others do too.
“You all know that Amos’ dad has Alzheimer’s, right?” They all nod. “Well, yesterday was an off day, and he confused me for Amos’ wife. I went to correct him, but Amos stepped in and agreed with him. Can you believe it?!
“So now I’m fake married to Amos, who I’ve been dating officially for only two weeks. It’s… ridiculous.”
“And yet you seem sad that it’s fake,” Ana says.
Once again, my friend is way too perceptive. I distract everyone from the conversation by handing out everyone’s favorite treats. We move to the small table I have set up for the random customers that like to eat here instead of taking their desserts and leaving.
“I’ve known Amos for a long time,” Ana starts. “He’s not one to do anything he doesn’t want to do.”
I shake my head, “Except he would do anything for his father. Including lying to protect him from feeling like he’s crazy.”
“Except that…” she agrees. “Even so, I don’t think that’s a lie he would let stand if he wasn’t already thinking about the future of your relationship and where he wants it to go.”
“I love weddings,” Lani adds around a big bite of muffin. “They are my favorite. Watching two people vow themselves to each other…”
It’s my turn to roll my eyes. “What part of fake did you not understand? This isn’t real, Lani. Amos didn’t propose. This whole relationship is fake.”
Ana purses her lips. “Not the whole relationship, just the married part. Amos is completely smitten with you—probably even in love with you.”
My eyes go wide at that. No way is he in love with me after two weeks. Guys don’t fall that quick, not like women. I mean, I know I’m in love with the big gruff diner owner who treats me like a queen, but he’s not there. Yes, he likes me a lot… love? No way.
“Ana is right,” Prue adds. “That man has been gone for you for months.”
After a lot of back and forth where my friends almost have me convinced that Amos is in love with me even though he hasn’t said anything of the sort yet, I’m more confused than ever when they leave.
Thankfully Leanne comes in shortly after, and I’m able to leave her in charge while I escape to my house. I need time to myself. Time to think and to talk myself out of the craziness my
