“It doesn’t sound silly,” Megan replied. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she’d probably feel the same way if some of the families she’d come to know over the years decided to go to another clinic for their therapy treatments.
“I just don’t know what I’m doing wrong.”
“Doing wrong?” She leaned over the table, closer to her friend. “Janey, you’re not doing anything wrong. You have great product.” She tried to assure her. “It’s just sometimes people get a taste for something a little less than perfect, I guess.”
“A little less? You’re saying Sean’s cookie-cutter right-next-to-the-gas-station doughnuts are just a little less tasty than mine?”
Janey’s eyes narrowed like darts of accusation, penetrating Megan’s resolve. Feeling like she was suddenly on the witness stand, she fumbled to come up with the perfect answer. “No, no, of course not. I’m sure we’re talking a lot less. Way less. I’m just saying—well, like, do you always want steak? No. Sometimes you just want a regular hamburger, you know?”
“I’m a vegan, remember?”
“Well, you know what I mean, Janey. The same thinking applies to your situation.”
Megan tried to hide the frustration in her voice. But attempting to comfort her friend was never an easy task, and Janey’s doughnut problem had certainly spoiled the wistful daydreams she’d been enjoying about Mac.
“There’s always going to be competition. That’s just the way it is,” she said, hoping to end the conversation, knowing Mac would be there—in real life and not just a daydream—any minute.
“I know—I know …” And instead of the usual spark Janey got at the mention of the word competition, she uncharacteristically sank deeper into the chair, perplexing Megan even more. Surely Janey wouldn’t stay and sulk when Mac arrived, would she?
“So how’s the contest been going?” Megan tried to steer Janey’s thoughts toward something concrete, and hopefully, positive. “Did you get some interest last weekend? I saw a lot of people coming and going from your place.”
“I did get a lot of the Amazing Race traffic.” Janey nodded. “I hope you and Allie got my e-mail thanking you guys for handing out the postcards. The cookie jar is almost filled to the top with entries.”
“Well see, that’s a good thing, isn’t it? And proof that a whole slew of your customers have a Sweet Sensations favorite.” She paused, still thinking about Janey’s trips to the Donut Emporium. She hoped Sean hadn’t recognized her. It’d be so embarrassing if he had. “Did Sean know it was you?”
“Sean?” Janey shook her head. “Oh no.”
“Really?” “No, not at all.”
“How do you know?” “I just know.” “But how?”
“Because if you must know, he flirts with me when I visit his shop. Would he ever do that if he knew it was me?”
Megan wasn’t sure how to answer that question, so she ducked it with an indirect response. “Well, regardless, he must think you’re pretty if he’s flirting with you. Right? How’s Sean looking these days, by the way? Still have that baby face of his?”
Before Janey could answer, the waiter was back at the table again.
“So what do you think? You ladies ready to order?” he asked, pad in hand once more.
“Oh,” Megan spoke up. “This isn’t my friend.”
Janey blinked at her, baffled. Megan noticed Jason react the same way. “Well, I mean she’s my friend. But she was just passing by. She’s not the friend I was expecting,” she explained.
“Oh yeah, That’s right. You said your friend is a ‘he.’ ” Jason slid the pad into his pocket again. “No problem. I’ll be back.”
“He?” Janey quizzed as Jason walked away.
“Mac.”
“Ohhhh,” Janey replied in the same singsong way Megan had a few minutes earlier. “A sweet little lunch at Tano’s with Mac. Nice!”
“Actually, we’re just reviewing some things for the Sports Day event.”
“Uh-huh. You really need to catch me up on things, Meg.”
“I have been keeping everyone up-to-date. I sent out an e-mail just last week, talking about Volunteer Day and how we need volunteers to head out to Mac’s farm to do some preliminary set-up work. But it’ll be on a Saturday, so I figure you’ll be working, right?”
“No, I mean you need to catch me up about you and Mac.”
“Well, we—he’s—I’m—” Megan stammered, not sure where to begin and what it would all mean in the end anyway.
“Hold that thought,” Janey teased, and then laughed when Megan couldn’t manage to put together a sentence. “I can’t wait to hear everything. But I’ll give you some time to gather your thoughts. I have to get back to the bakery anyway. Lucy loves baking but she’s not fond of waiting on customers, and I’ve been gone longer than I said I’d be.”
Her bracelets jangled again as she took one last sip of water. “I can’t believe the dance is coming up so quickly!” Standing up, she slung her cloth tote over her shoulder. “Megan …” She paused, removing her sunglasses from her tank top then settling them into her mane of fake hair. “Can I ask you a favor?”
“Sure. But I hope it doesn’t involve borrowing dressy shoes for the dance. Most of mine are dated. I don’t even know which shoes I’m wearing yet.”
“Oh no, not that. Your shoes wouldn’t fit my big old feet anyway.” Janey waved a hand at her. “No … I just—I’m wondering if you’ll stop in.”
“To Sweet Sensations? Of course I will. I always do, don’t I?”
“No, I mean to Sean’s. To the Donut Emporium. Will you stop in and do a little looking around?”
“You want me to spy?” Megan could barely believe her ears. “And wear a red wig like you?”
“Of course not. You don’t have the coloring for a redhead at all.” Janey looked at her blithely. “No, just be yourself. Stop in and check out things for me. I need your perspective. Will you? Please?”
Megan moaned. “Really, Janey?”
She loved her friend, but loathed the thought of getting involved in her spying drama. Actually she tried to refrain from getting involved in most of her dramas. Though the two of them had been close for forever, listening to Janey was as far as she usually liked to go.
“You know Sammy loves jelly doughnuts. You know I won’t get out of there without buying him one or two.” Megan tried to discourage the idea, playing on Janey’s typically competitive nature.
“As long as Sammy doesn’t start liking Sean’s better than mine, it’s okay. I can deal with it.” Her friend’s voice softened. “Please, Megan,” she begged, her brow furrowing. “It would really help me to know what you think.”
“I already told you what I think, Janey. Remember, my steak and hamburger theory?”
She tried not to look directly into Janey’s pathetic, pleading eyes. Without a doubt, her friend was going to the extreme to come up with the poorest, most pitiful expression ever. But even if Megan didn’t get all the way sucked in by Janey’s pouting face, there was no escaping her incessant, imploring voice.
“Puh-lease? Pretty, pretty please?” she repeated.
“Oh Janey!” Megan sighed at her relentless friend. “Okay.” She finally gave in. “Okay. I’ll try to get over to the Donut Emporium.”
“Promise you’ll try hard?”
Megan couldn’t make herself say yes. But she couldn’t force herself to say no either. Not with the way a glimmer of light began to shine in her friend’s eyes. Not with the way a smile tugged at Janey’s lips for the first time since she’d sat down. Instead, Megan simply smiled back and gave her red-haired friend a little wave good-bye.
“Yeah, sounds good.” Mac stood on the downtown sidewalk, holding his cell phone to his ear, trying to wind up his weekly chat with his agent. “Of course you’ll be the first to know what Dr. Kline says, Hal. But my appointment’s not for weeks.”
“I know I’ll be first.” Hal half-chuckled and half-harrumphed in Mac’s
ear. “Because I’ll be calling you the minute you leave Kline’s office,” he promised. “And be careful with your elbow in the meantime, will you? None of that heave-ho, manly manual labor stuff you can’t seem to get enough of on that farm of yours.”
“No worry.” Mac glanced up at the We Do! Wedding Planners sign. “Not tackling anything too manly and physical today, Hal,” he said, as they exchanged good-byes and he opened the door of the shop.
Besides the sound of soft chimes that greeted him, the first thing Mac noticed about the inside of We Do! was that it was very, very pink. The direct antithesis of any stadium locker room he’d ever been in.
The second thing he noticed is that all of the women there grew quiet the moment he walked through the door.
Lord, I need Your help here, he prayed as he stepped farther into the establishment, which somehow instantly reminded him of colored Easter eggs and Pepto-Bismol all rolled into one.
He hadn’t thought it through at all when he’d decided to pay a visit to Megan’s mom at her place of business. From the overall reaction he was getting, it was obvious males didn’t typically drop into the shop. Except for maybe a UPS man now and then. Or, other than that, maybe when an intended groom accompanied his bride-to-be for a scheduled appointment. But beyond that, he could pretty much tell a male’s presence was a rarity.
Luckily though, Laura O’Donnell seemed to be the type who could smooth over any uneasy situation easily. Handing her client a photo album to browse through, she excused herself and came sailing over to him.
“Mac!” She glided around the reception desk, a warm smile gracing her face. “It’s good to see you.” She laid a welcoming hand on his arm and, leaning in closer, lowered her voice. “Please excuse all the gaping mouths. It’s not often a baseball superstar comes wandering into We Do!”
Already feeling awkward enough, he brushed off the compliment. “Or any man, I imagine. Sorry I just showed up like this. I should’ve called first. Or made an appointment.” He scratched his forehead, chiding himself. “I was just going to meet up with Megan over at the bistro and thought I’d stop in here on my way to ask you a question. But I can always give you a call later … when you’re not busy.”
“Oh no, it’s fine. I can take a moment. Ask away.” She leaned against the reception desk, crossing her hands, as if she had all the time in the world.
“Well, I’ve been wondering. Can Sammy keep a secret?”
“Sammy? Hmm …” Laura’s face contorted. “Well, he certainly kept a secret about his pappy’s new fishing rod at Christmas last year. For several months actually. So, I think I’d have to say yes.”
“And how about you?” Mac tilted his head. “Can you keep a secret?”
She laughed, her eyes twinkling. “Most of the time.” She nodded. “It depends on what it is, I suppose. Care to tell me what you have in mind?”
“Well, I know Sammy is in day care this summer while you and Megan are working. But I also know in the evenings, if Megan has to go out, she depends on you and Kurt to watch Sammy.”
“Reluctantly she relies on us, yes. But only because Mrs. Biddle, her regular sitter, still isn’t up to watching him.”
“I’ve heard.” Mac nodded. “Well, what I was thinking is that Sammy really liked the bowling ramp I built for him. I’m in the process of making a few more in case it’s popular with the kids on event day. Right now, one of the ramps is sitting over at a warehouse that Ted’s brother owns. Anyway”—he shifted on his feet—”I thought it’d be fun for Sammy to get some practice on it. Then on Event Day he could surprise his mom with how good he’s gotten.”
“Oh Mac!” Laura clapped her hands together. “That sounds like fun—and like a secret I can keep.” She laughed. “So you’d pick up Sammy at our house when we’re watching him and take him over to practice?”
“Well yeah, on nights when I know I have enough time to get back and forth without bumping into Megan.”
“I love it! Count me in!” Her eyes sparkled with gratitude. “Thanks so much for thinking of this, Mac. Sammy will be so excited. Oh, and Kurt may even want to join you and Sammy sometime.”
“The more the merrier,” he said, realizing how much he meant it. After all, having Kurt’s help with Sammy would make things go quicker and smoother. Plus, he had enjoyed talking to Megan’s dad the night of the barbecue. They’d talked about a lot of the baseball greats and even baseball history. Few men knew the sport like Kurt did.
“Let me give you my cell number.” Laura was already looking for her readers. Finding them, she slid a business card from a holder on top of her desk and took her time writing out the seven-digit phone number. “Do you know if you all have sold many tickets for the fundraising formal?”
Mac blinked at the change of subject. “Uh, I think last I heard Wendy said we’re about sold out.”
“That’s wonderful!” Laura turned from the desk, holding the card in her hand. “It should be a great night. I can’t believe it’s coming up so soon.”
“Yeah, you’re right. The summer is flying by.” Mac held his hand out for the card. But Laura acted as if she didn’t see his hand there at all. Instead, she smiled, tilting her head thoughtfully.
“It is, isn’t it? And such a nice thing to do this summer. The dance. Are you asking a certain someone?” She finally relinquished the card to him.
“Asking?” He took out his wallet and slipped the business card inside. “Uh, I assumed Megan and I would be going together.”
Laura didn’t say anything. But she didn’t have to. The way she peered over her glasses at him, eyebrows arched, said it all. He’d have to be blind not to pick up on what she was getting at.
“But I shouldn’t assume that,” he said slowly. “I should ask her at lunch today.”
Her slight smile instantly blossomed into something even more special and genuine. “The bistro has great food, don’t they? You two will enjoy your lunch, I’m sure,” she said, ushering him to the front door. “Oh, and Mac—about Sammy. I’ll talk to him. Mum’s the word.” She put a finger to her lips.
Mac had to grin to himself as he left the wedding planners’ shop, suddenly aware of what had just transpired. Megan’s mom must be really good at her job with soon-to-be-married couples. Easygoing, but somehow direct, she undoubtedly had an uncanny ability for organizing people and guiding them toward the right decisions without them really realizing it—until afterward.
As the noon traffic stopped for him at the crosswalk, Mac caught a glimpse of Megan already seated at the bistro. Even in her red work polo, she still looked so pretty, a sight that could make his heart hum. But that wasn’t the only thing that added an extra lift to his step as he crossed the street. It was the realization that in Laura O’Donnell’s own subtle yet effective way she’d just given him her stamp of approval.
Well, that’s one lady in the O’Donnell family, he thought. Although from the way things had been going with Megan, he got the sense her feelings for him were growing, too. At least it certainly seemed that way.
But I can sure use Your help to fan the flame, Lord! He appealed to his Father in heaven just as Megan spotted him. And with a smile he’d grown to love, she waved.
Chapter 14
Megan wasn’t quite sure what made Mac ask her to the dance when they’d had lunch at the bistro over a week ago. All she knew is that she was glad he did. Or at least she had been glad, until she started getting ready for the special night. That’s when reality struck and the idea of being on a date with Mac—a formal date—made her so nervous that her hands began to shake.
Which didn’t help a bit as she attempted to put on her makeup. And didn’t help either when she was trying to do such a meticulous job of it, especially when applying makeup wasn’t something she felt very adept at to begin with.
Oh, just calm down. She tried to comfort the reflection staring back at her in the bathroom mirror. Calm. Down. He’s just a man. She brushed eye shadow on her lids. Just a—
Okay, maybe Mac’s maleness wasn’t such a good topic to dwell on, she decided as her stomach began to flutter. Better, instead, not to think about him at all. Best to think about the details of the dance,
she thought as she fished through her makeup bag for her mascara.
But drawing the mascara wand from its tube, she swiped at her lashes realizing that there wasn’t much to think about in that department at all. Once she had helped Wendy pick out the spot for their dance at the Oasis Golf Club and Conference Center, Wendy’s four-person fundraising committee had taken care of most of the details for the evening. So no issues there to contemplate.
Sammy. She forced her thoughts to switch gears. She could always think about him, she thought, putting the mascara back in its place and digging out her berry blush.
But, actually, everything was also fine in the Sammy department. Lucinda, a cousin of Allie’s husband, happened to be in town and offered to watch Sammy along with Carrie and Justin for the night. She was someone Megan had met before, and she had no reservations about leaving Sammy with her, so …
That left her mind drifting back to Mac again, and—
Oh, could it be any hotter in here?
Cheeks reddening under the rosy blush, she hurriedly applied the finishing touch, covering her lips with a soft, creamy cherry color. She couldn’t wait to get out from under the globe bulbs burning bright above the bathroom mirror.
Thankful to exit the master bath, she stood in her bedroom fanning herself and glimpsed at the clock on her nightstand.
Eight minutes! Eight minutes until Mac was due to arrive! In an instant her heart was racing in her chest, partly because she needed to hurry. And partly because that meant she’d be seeing him soon.
Wedding Homerun in Loveland, Ohio Page 14