Page 18 of The Wedding Favor

She was so right, of course. But still… The contrary part of me rose up. “I could do a pageant. I don’t want to do a pageant. There’s a difference.”

“Of course,” Ali said sweetly like she was talking to a four-year-old who’d just announced unicorns were real. “Absolutely.”

I smiled back. With teeth. I did not care about some stupid pageant, but I did care that everyone thought they knew me so well. I schooled my face into one of disinterest and gave a classic response. “Whatever.”

The bell over the door chimed and Ali grinned, waving wildly. “Abe. Come sit with us.”

He brushed past me to slide in the booth next to his sister. Smears of dirt and grim covered his ratty jeans and t-shirt. His fingernails looked like they’d been dragged through the mud. Honestly, he was filthy, but for some reason, that made him more attractive.

Ali slung an arm around his shoulders despite his appearance. “Brother of mine, it’s good to see you. Iris, get the man something to drink.”

“Yes, great ruler and mistress of all.”

“Could I get a glass of water, please?” Abe asked.

“Only because you asked nicely.” I shot her a smug glance and headed to get the water.

“Thank you,” Abe said when I returned and set the glass in front of him.

“What’s it like to be back in Two Harts?” Mae asked.

“It’s different. It will take some getting used to, but I think it will be good for Hallie.”

“I’m so glad you’re here. I’m never letting you leave.” Ali smiled up at her big brother. “How’s it going with Dad?”

It was no secret that Abe and his dad, Eli, had always had a rocky relationship. I didn’t know the full story, but I knew enough to know the ridge between the two of them had been deep. Only in the last three or four years had Abe and Eli begun to mend their relationship.

“It’s going… slowly,” Abe said. “Mom is excited though.”

“Mom is over the moon to have Hallie close. She has someone to take shopping now,” Ali said.

Abe frowned. “I figured she would spend time with her since school’s out for the summer and I have so much work to get done on the shop. But she told me this morning that her and Dad are taking the RV to Oregon to spend the summer with Cal and Mel. They’re leaving in the next week.” Cal was the oldest Ramos brother. He and his wife, Mel, were expecting their first baby next month.

Ali straightened. “She hasn’t said anything to me about this.”

“They just decided today.” He nudged her with his shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll hear all about it in detail later. It leaves me in a bind though. I need to find a sitter for Hallie or I’m never going to get this shop ready.”

“I can’t wait for that place to look brand new,” Ali said. As mayor, she’d been on a mission to up the “cuteness factor” of our town. We were once number two hundred and eighty-seven on a list of America’s three hundred prettiest cities. Ali was determined to get us back on that list.

Abe grimaced. “It’s going to take a lot of work and Hallie hates hanging out at the shop.”

“I wish I could do it but there’s so much going on.” Ali glanced at the papers scattered across the table.

“I’m sure you can find someone,” I said. “Maybe a teenager who’s looking for a summer job.”

“I can give you a few names,” Mae said.

“I’m sure someone’s out there who could do me a favor.” He gazed at me with a speculative glint.

Oh, no. Don’t get any ideas, buddy. I have a life to figure out this summer, thank you very much. The last thing I needed was to be in charge of a kid. Except for Lulu, my niece, or Oliver, Ellie’s son, I didn’t really have any experience with children. As the youngest by nine years, I was the kid in our family. No cousins or younger siblings to chase around or babysitting gigs when I was a teenager.

“Miss. Miss,” someone shouted across the room. He held up his mug.

“That’s my cue.” I had never been more excited to refill someone’s coffee.

SEVEN

“There was nothing like a hug from my father. He came home from work after a long day and the first thing he did was give all his girls a hug.”