heâs real.â
Her words didnât faze Erica. âOh, heâs real, all right. Look at this.â She reached in the neckline of her blouse and pulled out a gold chain with a large diamond hanging from it. âSee what he gave me?â
After looking at Ericaâs necklace, the women, almost in unison, looked at Gingerâs left hand.
âThatâs a lovely band,â Daisy said, smiling at Ginger.
âYeah,â Erica said, syrup dripping from her voice. âYou can find a lot of them at the drug store.â
Harvey opened the door, and the waitresses scattered to do their jobs. Daisy squeezed Gingerâs hand before she hurried to the kitchen.
Harvey came over to Ginger. âDid he really marry you?â
She nodded, staring down at the table.
âAre you going to quit working for me?â
She shook her head no. âHe promised me I could keep working.â
âYou want to keep working? Well, okay, then. Thatâs good.â He smiled brilliantly at her and headed back to his office.
Ginger knew why Harvey wanted her to continue to work. She never complained about working long hours and she always came in when he asked. She had been grateful for the opportunity to earn more money.
When the lunch crowds began to come into the café, the tables were properly set and everything was spic and span. Ginger smiled and greeted her customers, efficiently taking orders, just like any other day, until Amy, with her three children and Mrs. Turner, Joeâs mother, entered.
The hostess seated them at the last of Gingerâs tables. As she turned to go, she stopped by Ginger and whispered, âThese people asked for your section.â
Ginger continued serving meals at the table two rows over, but she peeked in their direction and found Joeâs family smiling and waving to her.
She hurried over. âHello.â
âDo you mind that we asked for you?â Vivian Turner asked.
âOf course not, Mrs. Turner. What would you like to eat today?â She nodded to the children, Robbie, Drew and Katie. âI bet you want hamburgers with French fries. Am I right?â
The three children nodded and Ginger looked at Amy for approval. The two ladies made their choices. As Ginger turned to go to the kitchen, she heard a familiar voice. âNo, I need to sit in Gingerâs section.â
Joe had come back to the café for lunch. Had he not liked the sandwich sheâd made for him?
âBut, sir, all her tables are full.â
âSheâs my wife and Iâm sitting in her section.â
He was going to announce their marriage to everyone in Mission Creek if she didnât do something. Ginger hurried over to the hostess and whispered that she would take care of him. Then she took him by the hand and led him to his motherâs table. âYou can sit here with Robbie, Joe. Robbie, will you keep an eye on your uncle for me?â she asked with a teasing smile for the little boy.
Robbie, eight, giggled, and nodded.
Before he sat down, Joe leaned over and kissed her briefly. Ginger was horrified at his behavior, but he sat down as if nothing unusual had happened.
âIâll have a club sandwich, sweetheart. Okay?â
âYes, of course, Mr. Turner.â Then she hurried away.
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âI think you embarrassed her,â Amy whispered to Joe.
âYeah. She thinks she still has to call me Mr. Turner, even though weâre married.â
His mother frowned at him. âEveryone doesnât know youâre married. Thereâd probably be somecomplaints about her behavior and sheâd be reprimanded.â
âSheâd better not be,â Joe said grimly. âAfter all, she didnât kiss me. I kissed her.â He reminded himself to stop by Harveyâs office and be sure Ginger wasnât punished for his behavior.
âMom, I need to talk to you.â He waited until his mother switched her attention