All's Fair in Love and Chocolate (Marietta Chocolate Wars #1) - Amy Andrews Page 0,47
He’s just left a long-term relationship.”
Viv nodded, treading carefully as she spoke. “I don’t think he was that…” Ugh. How could she tell Reuben’s mother that her son hadn’t been that cut up about the romantic relationship between him and Clem ending? He certainly hadn’t given it a second thought when he’d let her pick him up in Bozeman.
“I’m pretty sure that was quite amicable,” Viv said, tentatively, trying to feel her way delicately through the situation.
Gaylene sighed. “I know. Trina—that’s Clem’s mom—and I kept hoping but they never seemed interested in moving things along.” She smiled at Viv. “It feels like I’m the only sixty-five-year-old woman in Marietta who isn’t a grandma.”
Viv smiled back. She supposed that was another by-product of the infertility that had impacted Gaylene’s marriage—one child later in life reduced grandchildren odds.
“Clementine seems happy,” Viv said. “And, not to be too conceited or anything but…so does Reuben.”
“Yeah.” Gaylene looked back at the pan she was still scrubbing. “For now. And then you’ll leave and then what?”
“He’ll be fine, Gaylene.” Viv said it gently because it was sweet of her to worry about her son getting hurt. Even if said son was thirty years old. Viv supposed a mother never wanted to see their kid hurt. “He knows what he’s doing. We both know what we’re doing.”
Another one of those soft snorts Viv was already coming to recognize as Reuben’s mom’s way of saying bullshit without having to curse out loud. “I can’t talk for you, Viv, because we’re not that well acquainted but I am acquainted with my son and trust me, he only thinks he knows.”
Viv was pretty sure Reuben knew his own mind on just about everything, including this, but she was curious as to why his mother was so adamant. “What makes you say that?”
“Because.” She looked up from the sink straight into Viv’s eyes. “You’re different. He was with Clem for three years and he never looked at her the way he looks at you. I’ve never seen him look at any woman like he looks at you.”
A big old thunk in the center of Viv’s chest rattled her rib cage. Was Gaylene saying what Viv thought she was saying? Her hands stilled on the dish towel. “He doesn’t…love me if that’s what you’re thinking.”
Gaylene gave Viv a sad little smile. “Oh, honey, of course he does. He just doesn’t know it yet.”
“No, I—” Viv frowned. That was ridiculous. They’d known each other for a month. They’d set parameters. He’d sworn on his deputy badge.
This wasn’t at all like that guy at her first shop who had fallen for her so quickly. Reuben wasn’t following her around or showering her with gifts. He wasn’t sending her flowers or writing her notes and leaving them under her windshield. He wasn’t calling a dozen times a day and clogging up her voicemail.
“He’s not,” she insisted.
“Okay.” Gaylene held up her hands in surrender. They were red from the hot water.
“Just answer me one thing, okay?”
Viv resumed drying the object in her hands. “Okay.”
“Do you have to leave? In six months. What happens if you decide you’d found a store you wanted to stay at?”
“Oh.” Viv blinked. The question seemed…preposterous. Of course she didn’t have to do anything but…she’d never even considered the question Gaylene had just put to her because she’d never not wanted to leave.
She’d never even thought about not leaving anywhere she’d been temporarily located. Because moving on meant she was free—not stuck. It was the metaphorical dropping off of the key and getting in the car and going on to the next place.
She loved going on to the next place. She loved the challenge of a new store, a new city or town, a new bunch of faces. Viv loved seeing parts of the country she’d only ever dreamed about as a kid and she got a huge kick out of exploring the places in which she’d lived. She loved finding all the best boutiques and the funkiest craft markets and the interesting little lanes and alleys where antique shops and hole-in the-wall pizza places were often found.
She loved finding the best gelato. And the nicest park. And the most interesting gallery or museum.
Or the best lake to skate on…
“That’s not my job though,” Viv said slowly because she wasn’t sure Gaylene had understood when she’d been explaining it over the turkey at lunch. “I’m the new store manager. I have to move around. To all the new stores.”