Despite Trudy’s sweet encouragement, Jay held his body stiff, his shoulders high. Finally he relaxed and laughed a little. “You’re right, sweetheart. It’ll be fine. I just really want this to go well.” He kissed her on the cheek. “I’m sorry I didn’t pick you up this afternoon. It won’t happen again.”

Later when it was time to cut the ribbon, Jay gathered by the shop’s front doors with his employees at his side. Trudy, dressed in her Friendly’s Girl outfit, was supposed to be in the photo, but she’d run into her old friend Billy Olsen, who’d shown up for the grand opening. When Jay noticed the two of them chatting off to the side, a shadow—so slight it was likely no one noticed it but Violet—crossed his face and he strode away from the group. He pulled Trudy by the elbow and positioned her right behind the ribbon, then took his spot in the middle holding the oversize scissors.

After the camera flashed and the ribbon fell in two pieces, Jay put his arm around Trudy’s shoulders as he leaned in close and said a few words to her. Violet couldn’t tell what he’d said, but the wary look in Trudy’s eyes and the way his fingertips pressed firmly against the skin of her bare shoulder made Violet’s stomach curl into a ball.

Later that night when it was just the two of them at home, Violet asked Trudy about Jay’s odd behavior.

“What are you talking about?” Trudy kept her back to Violet as she ran a dishcloth over the kitchen counter.

“He just seemed a little tense. Then getting mad at you for talking to Billy, yanking you back behind the ribbon.”

“He didn’t yank me, Violet. You’re just seeing things.” Trudy dropped the dishcloth and faced Violet. “Sure, Jay was upset that the reporter didn’t come. Can you blame him? It was the grand opening and the guy couldn’t even be bothered to show up. And the thing with Billy . . .” She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Jay just wanted me to be next to him in the photo. It was sweet, really.”

Trudy seemed so sure, so calm and confident, Violet forced herself to relax. Jay’s different. He’s a good one.

Then came the night a scant few weeks later when Trudy walked into the kitchen with pink cheeks, perfectly mussed hair, and puffy, just-kissed lips. Violet was at the table studying for a biology exam—she was taking college classes over in Mobile with her eye on a career in ornithology.

“He says he wants to marry me, Vi.” Trudy sank into the chair next to Violet and plopped her chin on her hand. “He doesn’t have a ring yet, but he’s working on it. He’s letting all the other Friendly’s Girls go and just keeping me. He wants me to be his one and only.” Trudy smiled and closed her eyes, no doubt savoring the memory of Jay’s whispered sweet nothings.