The Gingerbread Bakery (Dream Harbor, #5)(79)

‘You okay?’ Charlie asked. ‘You got all weirdly tense there for a minute.’

Mac cleared his throat, and Annie caught his eye over the shoulder of her dance partner. She gave him a satisfied little smirk.

‘I think your sister might be the death of me,’ he told her.

‘She is the most stubborn person I know, so good luck with that.’

‘Yeah, I know that. I’ve been trying to get her to forgive me for years now.’

‘And how's that going?’

‘She’s dancing with another man, so not great.’

Charlie raised a brow. ‘To be fair, you're dancing with another woman.’

‘Good point,’ he said as he watched Annie’s hands wrap tighter around the man's neck until their bodies were nearly flush together. He practically growled with rage.

Or maybe he did growl, because Charlie pulled back, her eyebrows raised.

‘Sorry.’

‘Do you want to know what I think?’ she said.

‘Sure.’ What did he have to lose? He was already failing at this and had been for years. Maybe one of the people who knew Annie best could finally help him figure it out.

‘I know Annie thinks it’s some big secret that you two were together for a while there, but I knew, little sisters always know, and I know how upset she was when you left.’

‘Shit, Charlie, I know. But how many times can I say I was a dumb kid and I’m sorry?’

She shook her head. ‘That’s not the main problem. Getting over heartbreak is easy but you bruised her ego. You know she loves to be perfect. But she was wrong about you. She fell for you and then you never came back. She hates to be wrong. You made her feel stupid and foolish and that is something she hates more than anything.’

‘What do I do about it?’

‘Well, that's the hard part. I’m not really sure. I guess she needs to know for certain that you’re not going to do it again.’

Mac sighed. ‘I’m trying.’

‘Good. Keep trying. And when it works it will be so worth it. You know her, Mac. She might be stubborn, but that stubbornness translates to loyalty when she loves you. That girl will go to hell and back for the people she loves.’

‘Yeah, I know.’ Mac said, thinking about their road trip today. All to make sure Logan wasn’t upset on his wedding day.

Annie and her dance partner turned, and Mac got to look at the man’s face. He had dark-rimmed glasses and was blushing as if he was finding this whole scenario overwhelming. Mac almost felt bad for the guy. He knew he had nothing to do with this situation.

‘Thanks, Charlie,’ Mac said, giving her a peck on the cheek.

‘Anytime,’ she said, turning to find her date waiting for her.

Mac walked over to Annie and tapped her dance partner on the shoulder. ‘Mind if I cut in?’ he asked and the man looked instantly relieved, even as Annie looked like she might argue.

‘Go right ahead,’ he said quickly, releasing his grip on Annie. ‘She’s all yours.’

If only that were true.

Annie hesitated, like maybe she was going to leave him standing there like a fool but after an awkward silence she stepped into the circle of his arms.

‘Dancing with my sister was a dirty move,’ she said.

‘You’ve been avoiding me, Annabelle. I had to do something.’

‘Today is not about us.’

‘Look around, Annie! You did it. The wedding was beautiful. People went wild for that gingerbread house. I’m pretty sure it was the most Logan cried today, which is saying a lot. The bride and the groom are happy.’ He gestured to where Jeanie and Logan were slow-dancing, her head resting on his chest. They did look blissfully happy. ‘Your job is done, so I would argue the rest of tonight can be about us.’

Surprisingly, she didn’t argue but huffed an angry little sound that blew her warm breath over his neck. Her hands were on his shoulders, holding him at a distance like they were at some sort of middle-school dance and had been lectured by the chaperones to keep space between their bodies. His hands were on her hips and, every once in a while, his fingers grazed the bare skin of her back. He wanted to press his whole hand there and tug her closer. He wanted to feel the full length of her body, in that damn dress, pressed up against him.

‘I think we regress when we’re together,’ he said, and Annie looked at him with a bemused expression.

‘Oh, yeah?’

‘Yeah, we act like we’re teenagers again,’ he said, taking her hand from his shoulder and twining it with his. He slid his other hand to the small of Annie’s back and savored her small intake of breath as he pulled her closer. ‘But I’m not a teenager anymore, Annie. I know what I want now.’

‘And what’s that?’ Her voice was low and breathy and right beside his ear. She was close to him now, so close he could feel the rapid beat of her heart against his chest.

‘You.’ It was as simple as that. He'd been too scared to take what he wanted before. Too young, too unprepared. But not anymore.

‘I want you, Annie, and I don't care if you need to fuck me like you hate me but you're leaving here with me tonight.’

‘Is that so?’ she said, like she was going to fight him on it, but there was no argument in her tone. Only curiosity, interest.