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There were a few wonderful moments of silence, then Bree started in. “So, what did you think of the bakery, Quinn?” She fixed her eyes on me, smoothing her long, blond hair, and waited for my answer.
“It was nice. Cute. Good food.”
Ryder smirked. “That was a lot of words for you. You must have really loved it.”
I shot him a look.
“Lanie’s done a nice job with the place,” Bree said, resting her chin on her hand. “Don’t you think, Quinn?”
Geez, nothing like badgering a guy.“Yeah, it’s nice. She’ll do well.”
Bree smiled beatifically. “Yes, I think she will.” Then she stared at me, unblinking, for like thirty seconds. I squirmed a little under her gaze, took a slug of water.
“Why’d you go toLanie’s, Quinn? Hungry after a long day at the station?” Ryder’s eyes crinkled in amusement at his own lame joke.
“Josh asked me to go, you know, to support Delaney. He’s still on duty, so he wanted me to head over. I said I would, so I did.” I set my glass down, a little harder than was necessary.
“Hmmm,” said Bree, nodding her head.
I hated when she psychoanalyzed me. It was unnerving.
Changing the topic, I asked, “Where’s Pops, Mom?”
“He’s still at the store. We got a late shipment this afternoon, so he said he wanted to take inventory before he left. It’s hard, with mostly high school kids working the evening shift. We really need to get more help, but you know your father. Stubborn as an old goat.” She shook her head.
The General Store had been run by our family for generations. I knew Mom wanted someone to take over for Pops, but neither Ryder nor I had the inclination and none of Pops’s siblings had volunteered. So for now, he was just hanging on. Ryder and I helped when we could, but we both had full-time jobs, plus Ryder had a kid and a girlfriend. I’d been stepping up, but with double shifts at the station, it hadn’t been as much as I’d hoped.
“I’ll stop by tomorrow, Mom, and see what I can do to help,” I said. A look of relief flitted across her face before she waved me off.
“No, no, it’s fine. You need to rest.”
“I’m off tomorrow, I can help for a few hours before...” I stopped myself just as I was about to mention Delaney again.
“You have plans?” Ryder asked, narrowing his eyes at me. Damn, he’d caught that. Of course he would. Annoying.
I shifted in my seat, not wanting to admit what those plans were.
“Sort of.”
“And?” Ryder took a big bite of bread and chewed, eyebrows raised.
“I told Delaney I’d help her decide on her holiday menu at the bakery.” I swallowed hard, not making eye contact with anyone at the table. I didn’t feel like going into details.
“Sounds fun,” Bree said.
“That’s really helpful of you, Quinn,” Ryder said, smirking as he emphasized the word ‘helpful.’
“That’s me, always helping,” I said before shoving a big bite of cheesy lasagna into my mouth.
“Lanie seems lovely,” Bree chimed in.
Geez, these two. I was really beginning to regret coming over here for dinner.
“She’s fine,” I said, staring hard at my plate, stabbing another bite.
“I’ve never seen you volunteer to help anyone that was justfine,” Ryder said, kicking my leg under the table. I scowled, kicking him back.
“Well, it’s nice of you to volunteer to help her out, Quinn. I know she’s had a tough road since her mother passed. That’s sweet of you,” my mom said, rescuing me from the teasing.
