by Jaci Burton
Feeling a little melancholy, she stopped in at Megan’s bakery after she got back.
It was late and the bakery was closed, so she rang the bell. It took Megan a few minutes to come to the front of the shop.
“Sorry,” she said after she opened the door. “I was baking. Come on in.”
Sam stepped in and inhaled the fresh smell of something amazing. Then again, it always smelled amazing in the bakery.
“What are you fixing?”
“Pies for tomorrow.” Megan locked the door behind them. “Do you want something to drink? I just made raspberry iced tea. It’s hot back there and I wanted something cool to drink.”
“That sounds so good. And yes, thank you.”
Sam grabbed a seat at one of the tables in front, trying to ignore the grumbling in her stomach. She’d been busy today—again. And had forgotten to eat lunch—again. Busy was good for business, but bad in that she wasn’t eating lunch.
Megan came out bearing a tray with glasses of tea and muffins.
“You must have heard my stomach all the way in the back.”
Megan smiled. “I didn’t. Why, are you hungry? I’m hungry. I’ve been busy back there and needed a snack. Did you forget to eat lunch today?”
“I was doing the funeral flowers for Mr. Tyrone.”
Megan’s smile disappeared. “I had heard he passed. He was always so nice.”
“He was. He used to stop in the store at least a few times a year to pick up flowers for his wife.”
“He’d come in for baked goods, too, when Mrs. T was still alive. She was fond of cheesecake, and he liked to surprise her.”
Sam sighed. “He must have really missed her after she died. He never came into the flower shop after.”
“He didn’t stop in here, either.”
They both looked at each other. Sam wondered if Megan was thinking the same thing, about what it must be like to lose that one person you love more than anything.
“Did you get a lot of floral orders for his funeral?” Megan asked.
“I did.”
“That’s good to hear. I like knowing people loved him.”
“They did. I think he’ll have a lot of attendance.” She grabbed a muffin and looked it over. “What are these? Chocolate with white macadamia nut?”
“Yes. Also, white chocolate chips.”
“I love you, Megan.”
Megan grinned. “I know.”
Sam bit into the muffin, letting its sweet and nutty goodness melt in her mouth. “Mmm, these are fantastic.”
“Thank you.”
They downed their muffins, sipped tea, and caught up on the day’s events.
“I saw a lot of work going on over at the mercantile today,” Megan said.
“You did? I was so busy I didn’t have time to check it out. What was going on?”
“Trades and such. Electrical and plumbing and HVAC stuff. I don’t really know other than it was super busy. I didn’t see Reid much, though.”
“He said he had an early meeting this morning, so maybe that was off-site.”
“Oh, he said that, did he? And when did he tell you that?”
Damn. She hadn’t meant to spill that information. “Oh, uh, when we talked last night.”
“When you talked last night. While you were at the bar, or was this after?”
She could lie—but she would never lie to her best friend. “No. We had dinner together.”
“You had dinner, huh? At a restaurant?”
Megan was very good at this game. “No, at my place. I needed to check on Grammy Claire, so while I did that, he went and got chicken dinners from Bert’s.”
“Sounds cozy. Was it cozy?”
She sipped her tea and looked over the rim of her glass at Megan, who stared at her expectantly. “It was cozy. The chicken was very good.”
“You know I’m not at all interested in your chicken dinner, right?”
“I’m aware.”
“Which means you’re being coy, and you’re never coy. Which means you and Reid had sex.”
Sam leaned back in her chair. “You’re like some super sleuth, aren’t you?”
“Not really. You’re just transparent.” Megan popped the last piece of muffin in her mouth, following it up with a swallow of iced tea. “So how was it? And if you tell me how good the chicken was, I’m going to deny you muffins for a week.”
Sam gasped. “That’s a pretty brutal threat, Megan.”
Megan shrugged. “Hey, I’m trying to live vicariously through someone who actually has a sex life, so I have to use all the weapons in my arsenal. Now spill.”
“It was . . . I don’t know if I have the words.”
“Try to find some. With adjectives.”
“It was wonderful. He’s a very inventive lover. And he has exceptional hands. Not to mention an incredible mouth.”
Megan sighed. “I don’t know whether to be supremely happy for you or to hate you.”
“Oh, please don’t hate me. You’re my best friend. I need you. And your baked goods. Not to mention your coffee.”
“I’m going to assume it’s my friendship you cherish more than my baked goods and coffee.”
Sam held up her right hand. “Hand to heart, I swear if you closed your bakery tomorrow, I’d still love you forever.”
“Good enough. And I am happy for you. It sounds like your night went very well.”
“Mostly.”
“Uh-oh. What part didn’t go well?”
“He didn’t stay the night.”
“Oh. He didn’t get up right after and leave, did he?”
She shook her head. “We fell asleep together. But he got up in the wee hours and said he had to head back to the ranch to shower and change clothes.”
“Okay, that’s not too bad, is it?”
She shrugged. “I guess not. I mean, it’s a reasonable excuse for not spending the night.”
“But . . .”
“But I could tell he was uncomfortable about having slept in my bed. You know how it is with guys.”
Megan shrugged. “I have a vague recollection.”
She laughed. “You can tell the ones who genuinely want to be there with you and the ones who are slightly uncomfortable. I mean, when you’re naked and having sex, they’re of course all in. But it’s the after part where they start second-guessing everything.”
Megan studied her. “And you think Reid was second-guessing the sex part.”
“Maybe. I don’t know. It was four a.m. and things were a little hazy. So it’s possible I’m overthinking it.”
“Are you going to the barbecue this weekend at the ranch?”
Sam nodded. “Are you?”
“Of course. I’m providing baked goods. And I wouldn’t miss ranch barbecue.”
“Will the hot mechanic be there?”
Megan lifted her chin. “Brady? I have no idea. Just because we were paired up for one dinner at Des and Logan’s place means absolutely nothing. I haven’t even seen him since then.”
“Maybe you should pursue it. Or him, I should say.”
Megan let out a huff. “And maybe if he was interested he’d have pursued me. Which he didn’t.”
“Some men need a push. Like a car with a dead battery. Or some such vehicular analogy.”
“I’m not much for pushing men around who don’t want a push.”
“Oh, please, Megan. It’s the twenty-first century. If you’re interested in him, you should go for it. Maybe he’s shy.”
“Brady Conners is hot and definitely as sexy as any man I’ve ever known. Shy? I don’t think so. He’s just . . . quiet.”
“So unquiet him. Then seduce him with baked goods.”
Megan laughed. “I’ll think about it.”
After Sam left Megan’s place, she went back to clean up the shop. Once everything was in order, she locked the door and headed to her car. She took a passing glance over at the mercantile. It was after six and Reid’s truck was there.
She thought about walking over there to see what was up, but then changed her mind.
He hadn’t called or texted her today. Maybe he’d been busy all day, or maybe his late-night flight out of her house had been his subtle way of telling her he’d like to keep things light and easy between them.
They were all supposed to meet over at the house Chelsea and Bash were interested in tonight. So she’d check him out then and see how he felt about . . . things. And if he wanted to do light and easy, she could do that.
After all, she knew whatever they had was only temporary.
First she needed to go home and check on her grandmother. Then she’d go check out Chelsea’s dream house.
And Reid.
IT HAD BEEN a long day with electrical and plumbing and HVAC, and, much as Reid had suspected, it was going to be one expensive fix after another. He’d barely had time to run out and grab a sandwich to choke down for lunch today. They’d been working nonstop. But at least he knew that everything would be modernized and up to code in the building once they were finished.
When everyone was done for the day he checked his phone. Just enough time to meet Bash and Chelsea at the house they were interested in buying.
He knew Sam was going to be there, and he hadn’t even had a second to call or text her since he’d left her house early this morning, which made him feel shitty, but it had just been that kind of day.
He’d talk to her after they looked at the house.
He plotted directions into the GPS on his phone and made his way to the house. It was on a quiet street with mature trees. Looked like a great neighborhood. Lots of kids outside playing. He parked at the curb and got out. Bash and Chelsea were already there. Deacon was going to meet him there after he gassed up his truck.
Reid stood on the sidewalk and surveyed the front of the house. He could see the appeal. It was a one-story brick with a good-sized front yard and an awesome porch with enough room for several chairs and a table. He could already envision Bash and Chelsea sitting out there to watch the sun set at night.
There was great landscaping, with a lot of tall trees to provide shade to the house, and close enough to have neighbors to chat with, but not so close they could see into your windows.
He walked up the long driveway and headed to the front door, noting the nice-sized bay window that was probably either in the living room or the kitchen. From typical layouts for the time period, he’d wager it was the living area.
He knocked on the door, which was answered by an attractive woman with short, dark hair and a friendly smile.
“Hello, I’m Layla Appleton of Hope Realtors. You must be Reid McCormack?”
“I am.”
They shook hands.
“I’m going to step outside and make some calls. Chelsea and Bash are in the main bathroom arguing about something,” Layla said with a smile.
Reid laughed. “That sounds normal for them. Thanks.”
He wandered into the living area. It was spacious, with a modern fireplace and spectacular wood floors.
Chelsea was right about these rooms having been updated. The kitchen was modern, with new appliances and a good-sized island, and it was open to the dining and living area. It was a great entertainment space.
He walked down the hall, following the sound of Chelsea’s and Bash’s voices, and ended up in what had to be the master bedroom.
“We are not painting the walls purple,” Bash said.
Chelsea heaved a sigh. “It’s not purple. It’s eggplant. And just one wall.”
Reid grinned. “Sounds like you two have already made up your minds about this place.”
“That all depends on what you can do with the closet in the master bedroom,” Chelsea said.
His phone buzzed, so he answered it. When he finished the call, he tucked the phone in his pocket. “Deacon got sidetracked on another one of his company’s jobs, so he won’t be able to make it. He said to tell you he trusts me completely to handle this.”
“Is that what he really said?” Bash asked.
“No. He told me not to screw this up.”
Bash grinned. “That sounds more like Deacon.”
Reid laughed. “Come on, let’s go take a look at the closet.”
Chelsea led the way. “Sam called me right before you got here. She’s not going to be able to make it, either. She said her grandmother isn’t feeling well.”
“Oh,” Reid said. “I hope she’s okay.”
“Me, too,” Chelsea said. “Anyway, as far as the closet, it’s over here, in a hallway between the master bedroom and master bath.”
Reid tucked away his disappointment at not being able to talk to Sam. He followed Chelsea, deciding he needed to concentrate on this task and get Sam out of his head for now.
The hallway had good space leading into the master bath, but the two closets on either side of the hallway were super small.
“You need a bigger master closet.”
“Yes.”
“She has a lot of shoes,” Bash said.
Chelsea nodded. “This is true.”
“What are the closets in the other bedrooms like?”
“Not very big.”
“Okay. Let me do a walk-through of the entire house.”
He went into the master bath, noting the size, then got out his tape measure and jotted down dimensions, including the hallway. Then he walked out of the bedroom and into the hall, following it to the other three bedrooms, as well as another full-sized bathroom, making notes along the way. When he finished, he met up with Bash and Chelsea in the kitchen.
“Great house.”
Bash smiled. “You haven’t even seen the backyard yet.”
Bash opened the sliding glass door and led them out into a very spacious yard.
“Now, granted, we have a small dog, but Lou will still enjoy all this space.”
Reid laughed. “Yeah, I could see a Chihuahua thinking this was like having her own private oasis.”
The yard was super spacious, with more mature trees and great landscaping. There was a deck covered by a wood arbor and lots of greenery, which would provide shade in the hot summer months. Flowering bushes surrounded the deck, and there was still plenty of grassy area for Lou to play in, and even add more dogs—or kids.
“Great yard.”
“Isn’t it?” Chelsea said. “We’re already planning parties back here.”
They headed back inside, and Reid laid his notebook on the counter. “So the only holdout is the closet space. Actually, the ones in the other bedrooms aren’t too bad. You have a walk-in in one of the bedrooms. Not a huge one, but it’s workable.”
“True,” Bash said. “They’re not bad, just not acceptable to the closet queen here.”
Chelsea elbowed Bash. “Hey. I like closet space.”
Reid took out his pencil and started drawing. “This is going to be rough, but here’s what I think is your best option. You can lose the hallway and redo the master bath.” He drew a rudimentary sketch, showing how to make best use of the space. “This will not only expand your bathroom area, but also your closet space.”
He handed the drawing to Chelsea and Bash. Chelsea’s eyes widened. “This is perfect. The size of the closet is just what I’m looking for.”
Bash nodded. “It would definitely work, without sacrificing the square footage in the master bedroom.”
“Right,” Reid said. “All I did was eliminate the hallway between the bedroom and bath. Now as far as the other bedrooms, since they’re all good-sized, I could add closet space, but you’ll lose room square footage.”
Chelsea stared at the drawing, waving her hand at Reid. “This is all I need.” She looked up at Bash. “All we need. Don’t you think?”
“I agree,” Bash said. “Expanding the bath and closet in the master makes this the perfect house for us.”
“Yay,” Chelsea said, grinning. “I think we’ve found our house.”
Chelsea and Bash embraced and kissed.
“That’s my cue to get out of here,” Reid said.
“No.” Chelsea grabbed his arm. “Thank you. I knew what I wanted, but without your vision, this would never have happened. So now what?”
“I’ll draw up something that looks a lot better than this. Once you buy the house, you can hire Deacon, or whatever contractor you want, to make it a reality for you.”
“Fantastic.” Chelsea hugged him. “Thank you, Reid.”
“You’re welcome.”
Bash shook his hand. “Thanks, man. You helped me out again. You should consider sticking around Hope.”
Reid smiled. “Well, you know I have a business in Boston.”
“You could have a lot of business here, too.”
“Yeah, I’ll think about it. In the meantime, I’m sure your agent is outside waiting to hear what you’ve decided.”
“Oh, right,” Chelsea said, then looked at Bash. “We should tell her we’re ready to make an offer.”
“And then we have to sell my house.”
Chelsea was nearly vibrating. “I’m so excited right now.”
Reid said his good-byes and headed out. He left a message for Deacon and told him about the house, just in case he wanted to touch base with Bash and Chelsea. He figured Deacon would be perfect for the renovation.
All in all, not a bad end to the day. He’d like to see how that renovation turned out, but it wouldn’t happen while he was still in Hope.
Too bad.
As he drove away, he thought about calling Sam. Or maybe dropping by. But in the end, he decided she likely had her hands full dealing with her grandmother, so he’d let things settle. For now.
Or maybe not, because he thought about her for the entire drive back to the ranch, so after he got home and had dinner, he pulled out his phone and texted her.
Sorry you couldn’t make it earlier.
It took her about five minutes to reply.
I’m sorry, too! Grammy Claire was a bit under the weather.
He texted back: Is she okay?
She replied with: She’s fine. An upset stomach, but I figured I should stay with her tonight.
He sent back: I’m glad it’s nothing serious.
She replied: Me, too.
He should have let it go at that, but he couldn’t, so he sent back: I missed seeing you tonight.