Facade of Love

Chapter 306 The Warmth of Ordinary Life

For someone stuck in a hospital room, the idea of getting out for a walk was something to really look forward to.

As for taking Charlie out to eat, I could not think of anywhere special off the top of my head, so I picked a place I liked to go on any given day.

Charlie had insisted on ditching Inch and the bodyguard for the day inside the restaurant, so we snagged a table by the window. The view was killer–Polaris River sliced right through Lake City, with people kayaking and the sidewalks bustling with life under the bright lights.

As we browsed the menu, Charlie finally tore his eyes away from the scene and asked, “Do you like this?”

I nodded, watching the street vendors and the chill crowd wandering by. “It’s so lively,” I said.

He flashed a quick grin and agreed, “Yeah, it’s got that special buzz.”

Mid–conversation, Charlie’s attention drifted to a mom and her kid at the cotton candy stand below. The little guy, who was maybe five or six, was totally spellbound by the rainbow of sugary fluff and glued to the spot.

“That stuff will glue your teeth together. We’ll have something way better at home,” the mom probably said, trying to pry her kid away, thinking about the impending sugar rush.

The kid, however, was having none of it, his eyes glued to the cotton candy. He begged, “It won’t stick. Let’s just get one!”

was real: the kid wanted it bad, and mom was not budging. She tried to haul him off, yet the kid must have

the table toppled

noise was a magnet for onlookers. The vendor flipped out, glaring at the mother–son pair who had been on the fence about the cotton candy. “What is the big idea?” he

the little boy plopped down on the pavement

soothe him, scrambled to apologize

hard on you. My cotton candy costs two bucks a stick, and I can’t sell the ones you guys knocked to the floor now. Pay me what they cost, and since the syrup is

dig in, this ear–splitting yell came from

for the boss to respond. She just grabbed the kid

tumbling as he

boss stepped in front of her, now completely fed up, “Come on, lady, you’re not making any sense. I’m trying to be reasonable here, but

them! I’m not scared. It was an accident, the kid just pulled it down, and I already said sorry. What is this stuff even worth? It’s all junk food. I haven’t even reported you for selling bad food, which is me being nice. Now you want me to pay up? As if!” She

path, “Fine; report me. But you’ll wait here while

whipped out his phone, ready

as she saw the phone, the woman plopped down on the ground and started wailing like her heart was

long for a crowd of onlookers, who had been casually strolling by, to stop and gather around. With more and more people showing up, Charlie and I could not see

was set with all sorts of delicious dishes, and I slid the window shut to keep the outside clamor