The Gingerbread Bakery (Dream Harbor, #5)(7)

‘So, what have you been doing since graduation?’ she asked.

Mac shrugged. ‘Mostly working at my dad’s pub. What about you? You didn’t want to go away to school somewhere?’ he asked. ‘Somewhere other than Harvard?’

‘Why would I want to go away? I love it here.’

Mac laughed but cut himself off when he realized she was serious.

‘You don’t feel the same way, obviously,’ she said, her earlier convictions that they had nothing in common and this whole thing was stupid returning.

He leaned forward again, arms on the table. Whatever position he was in, he seemed to take up so much space.

‘I’m just bored. I guess. Or restless? I don’t know. I feel like I need to figure things out.’

‘And you have to leave to do that?’

He nodded, taking another fry and dragging it through the ketchup. ‘I think so, yeah.’

‘But you’re still here.’

His cheeks flushed red at that observation and Annie thought maybe this big, strong guy was just as freaked out about the future as she was.

‘I can help you map a route, if you want,’ she blurted. ‘I mean, I’m a pretty good planner.’

His smile grew again. ‘That’d be cool. Thanks, Annie.’

The pleasure that warmed her body at his praise was almost embarrassing. But lucky for Annie, no one was around to witness it.

They spent the rest of the night with heads bent over Mac’s phone, periodically scribbling places and ideas in the notebook Annie always carried with her, plotting the route that would take him far away from her.

But, by the time Gladys was kicking them out, they were closer than ever.











Chapter Five





Now


Kira had set four of the wedding-reception tables for the rehearsal dinner. She’d kept it simple with only candles for the centerpiece and little sprigs of rosemary on each napkin. The tablecloths were white and the plates mismatched china. The whole thing felt homey and intimate. As it turned out, Kira was quite good at this. Annie was impressed.

She was seated between Iris and Bennett for dinner, and luckily Mac was at a different table because she really couldn’t make any more promises about being on her best behavior if she had to sit next to him. After walking down the aisle, where she had been subjected to memories of the other times she’d let her body get too close to his, she’d been trying to avoid him as much as possible. Which was tricky to do since it wasn’t exactly a big crowd. The guest list consisted of the bridal party, Logan’s grandparents, a couple of Jeanie’s cousins, Mayor Kelly who was officiating, and Archer and Iris. The rest of Jeanie’s family didn’t get into town until the next morning and everyone else had to wait for the big day on Sunday to be part of the fun.

Annie slid into her seat, setting her plate down on the table. She’d filled it with slices of beef tenderloin, mashed potatoes, and haricot verts, which she’d learned this evening were just green beans, but Archer had made them all fancy.

‘This looks heavenly,’ she said, and Archer smiled at her as he placed a full plate in front of Iris and sat down beside her.

‘Enjoy,’ he said.

‘Does he feed you like this all the time?’ Annie asked Iris. ‘If so, it makes complete sense why you agreed to have his baby.’

Iris laughed and the water she'd been drinking nearly sprayed from her mouth. She coughed into her hand and Annie patted her back.

‘Sorry, didn't mean to make a pregnant lady choke.’

Iris shook her head. ‘I'm fine. I'm fine,’ she said, waving away Annie’s ineffective life-saving efforts. ‘And yes, he does feed me like this all the time.’

Annie laughed. ‘Damn, girl.’

‘I know.’

‘I would carry the man's baby for a meal like this every night,’ Bennett said from Annie’s other side, and Iris burst out laughing again.

Archer winked at Bennett and the girls laughed even harder.

‘What’s so funny over there?’ Mayor Kelly asked from across the table.

‘Oh, we’re just discussing what we would do for Archer in exchange for this food every night,’ Annie said with a smile, and the mayor’s eyebrows rose above his glasses.

‘So, Pete, do you have the ceremony ready for Sunday?’ Estelle asked, changing the subject before the mayor could weigh in. Which was probably for the best.

‘Mostly. I want to get a few more thoughts from the bride and groom, but I think I'm ready to go.’

‘You're going to do great, Dad,’ Hazel said, patting him on the back from her seat beside him.

‘It's going to be lovely, I’m sure,’ Estelle said, and then turned her attention to Jeanie who was seated at the next table. ‘Jeanie!’ she called. ‘Have you given any thought to what you're wearing on the wedding night?’

Annie could see the furious blush on Logan's face from across the room. She and Iris descended into more giggles.

‘Um, not really,’ Jeanie said.

Estelle smiled. ‘Okay, very good. I have just the thing.’

‘Well, that's ominous,’ Annie whispered and Iris agreed.

‘I don’t think I want to know.’