“I don’t know that he meant he doesn’t think you can do it when he said that.”
Sighing, she shrugs and looks away. “That’s exactly what he meant. The truth is, I don’t know that I really believe in myself, either, but it’s really humblin’ to hear your own husband confirm your doubts, you know?”
“Why are your hours getting cut?”
“Doris wants to retire, but no one can buy it. She’s slowly takin’ more and more time off, but she doesn’t trust it to be open without her there.”
“Can you buy her out? Take over and make the changes you need?”
She snorts. “Only if I can come up with fifty grand. The rest is in a savings account Carter doesn’t know about. It’s where I’ve saved all of my tips and bonuses. No bank in town will loan me the money because of the current state of the business. Because Doris won’t let us work.”
“What about investors?”
Patting my cheek, Darla chuckles as she cries. “We don’t live in a rich town. I’d need every person in town to invest, and that still might not be enough. No, I have to figure this out on my own. Maybe I should just find a new dream. One that doesn’t cost money or require any real effort because that’s all my husband thinks I’m capable of.”
She bursts into tears, and she throws her arms around me when Carter and Rhett walk inside. Carter’s confusion turns to concern when he sees Darla sobbing into my shoulder.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” he asks, kneeling beside us.
Pulling away, she won’t look at him. “This was a bad idea. I’m sorry I made us come here and waste our money.”
“What—”
“Let’s let them get back to their date,” she says and stands. “Have fun, you two.”
They walk outside, and Rhett watches them with worry. “Is she okay?”
“I… I don’t know,” I answer honestly.
“What’s wrong?”
I’m torn. She’s my friend, one of the only I have here, and I give him a shrug. “I don’t know if I’m supposed to say anything.”
He takes Darla’s empty seat and grabs my hand. “I don’t want to break any confidences, but I’ve never seen her like this. She’s one of the toughest people I know.”
“That might be part of the problem. The ones who are the toughest sometimes struggle the most.”
“Do you want to leave, too? Or walk around? I have enough tickets to go on the Ferris wheel again.”
My eyes brighten, and I beam. “Yes!”
“You’re an easy girl to please,” he says with a smirk as I stand with him.
He wraps an arm around my shoulders, and I wrap mine around his waist. “You have no idea.”
Groaning, he squeezes my shoulder. “You can’t say things like that.”
“Why?” I ask, feigning ignorance.
“Because I’m a guy, and you’re hot as hell.”
I laugh, liking how his nice guy image falters ever so slightly. It’s refreshing to see he’s still a typical guy in some ways. “Was that suggestive? My apologies.”
“I don’t think you’re really all that sorry,” he says as we stand in line.
“Guilty. I’m really not.”
“So… How’s this all playin’ out for you? Is it everythin’ you thought it would be? The fair, I mean.”
