I smiled back and reached out to touch her hand. The kids were would have a blast with her. “I know I will. I’m turning over a new leaf. I’m going to be fearless,” I stated and passed Calla back to Mom. I had already kissed Dylan goodbye before I came downstairs, so I was ready to go.

Cade handed me another piece of bacon and gave me a chin lift. “Good luck, Lil.”

I pulled into the employee parking area behind Violet’s shop where Violet stood smiling and waving at me from her back door.

“Are you waiting for me?” I hollered as I got out of my car. She laughed at me as I climbed out of my Expedition. I had to use the running boards along the side to get in and out of it because I was so short.

“Yes, I’m waiting for you, silly. Here, put this on when you get inside.” She handed me a tiny, fitted, black T-shirt, one that was cuter than mine and didn’t have spit-up on it. It said, “First, I drink the coffee, then I do the things.” Violet’s said, “Death before decaf.” Our ensembles would be completed by purple half aprons with her logo, a coffee cup with a violet flower and her name in fancy lettering under the flower.

“Mom was texting you earlier, right? Fine, I’ll change,” I huffed and stomped toward the back door of the shop. I knew I was cranky from lack of sleep, I sighed and smiled at Violet to make up for my bratty attitude.

“I brought lipstick and mascara too. And a hairbrush. My God, Lily. You’re lucky you have me,” she said with a smirk.

“I was up all night with Calla and basement zombie nightmares. Give me a break. And what’s wrong with my hair? You don’t like my mom-bun? I’m stealing this look back from the hipsters,” I stated as crankiness surged back through me. I was mouthing off to Violet and that took balls. I took a deep breath and tried to settle down.

“You have two different shoes on. Have you no pride?”

I looked down. Hmm, so I did. One pink and one black sneaker. I was just glad I’d chosen the right feet. “They’re both Converse. Lay off. I’m tired, damn it.”

“Grouchy too,” she muttered under her breath. “We’ll go in. You’ll change and I’ll make you some coffee to wake you up,” she offered as she unlocked the door, and we walked through into her back hallway. I took a deep breath in, it smelled like heaven, like sugar and spice and everything nice—and coffee, so much coffee. We passed a restroom, a big walk-in storage closet, and a staircase that led to a tiny loft on the way to the main shop area.