by Olivia Miles
She’d gone home that day and studied the pregnancy test stick over and over. Each time she got the same result: positive. Her life with Mark was still moving forward somehow, even if he had already left her without a glance back.
“I was just telling Rosemary about my date last night,” Jane told Anna, without looking back. She stared stonily at Rosemary, who casually inspected her nails.
“So he had a little too much to drink,” she replied airily.
“He had two glasses of wine and three Scotches. Before the meal was even served.”
Anna hid a smile as Rosemary’s eyes went wide. Recovering her fluster, she waved a hand dismissively. “Worse things have happened.”
“Like cheating on your wife?” Jane set her hands on her hips. “He also doesn’t seem particularly fond of children.”
“I didn’t know he cheated on his wife,” Rosemary murmured, frowning. “Who told you this?”
“He did, more or less. After about his fifth drink, it all just slipped out.” Jane gave an unhappy laugh.
Rosemary tutted. “He seemed like such a nice young man.”
Jane nodded. “He seemed that way at first, but in the end, he wasn’t.”
Anna tied her apron at the waist, pulling the strings tight. “Isn’t that usually the case? Things start out so promising, and then… then they really show you what they were all about.” The difference with her, though, was that she knew Mark’s pattern.
She set the last basket of croissants on the counter and was just about to start on the coffee when she caught Rosemary’s expression. Even Jane had turned ever so slightly to face her, one eyebrow cocked in question.
“Sounds like you’re speaking from firsthand experience,” Rosemary commented.
Anna’s fingers began to tremble as she scooped Kona beans into the grinder, remembering the brush of Mark’s hand on her own, the way they’d worked side by side in the kitchen last night, the way she had started watching the clock and then reluctantly left to fetch Jane, not wanting their time together to end anytime soon.
Something about him felt different. There was something hesitant about him, something less cocky. Something more… genuine. She smiled when she thought of the way he doted on Scout, even if he spoiled the poor dog rotten. Maybe he wasn’t as cold-hearted as she’d come to believe…
Nonsense! Just two weeks ago he was cavorting with her niece’s preschool teacher. Who was next?
Not her. Definitely, certainly, not her.
She jammed her finger on the pulse button, watching the coffee beans whirl and whiz until the pieces chipped and broke off, and all she was left with were the fragments. Just like Mark had done to her heart.
Anna set the coffee to brew and looked across the room at Rosemary. “You’ve set Jane up on two dates. I think it’s my turn now.” Her tone was clear and determined, and she felt her resolve tighten. She would go out on a date—it was about damn time.
She’d expected Rosemary to be ecstatic, but the woman sat rooted in her chair, her blue eyes wide with something close to alarm. Anna stood expectantly, waiting for her to say something.
“Well.” Rosemary pinched her lips. “I assumed you were too busy. What with the fire, and now the contest… Can Mark really spare you right now? This contest is only two weeks away; you must be spending nearly every spare minute together!”
Anna tipped her head. It wasn’t like Rosemary to back down on one of her own suggestions. “I can make time,” she said brazenly. Just saying the words aloud gave her conviction.
“If you’re sure…” Rosemary frowned and set her hands in her lap. “I just… it’s just that I know how great it would be for the two of you to win this contest. I wouldn’t have mentioned it if I didn’t think it was… exactly what you both needed. I hate to interfere now.”
Interfere? Since when did Rosemary Hastings worry about interfering?
The door chimed and from behind the tall stacks of books, Anna spotted a few of the book club women arriving for their weekly meeting. She counted out the mugs, making sure enough were clean, and stood at attention near the register, waiting to take their orders. The book club was a nice little perk to Saturday’s profit, and several of the women stopped in throughout the week as well, often bringing other friends. Many had enjoyed the bring-your-own-wine night; Anna would have loved to have been there, but Grace understood why she’d missed it. They were a team—with Grace covering Main Street Books and Anna holding up her end with the food and now the contest—and she liked it this way. Too many years of silence had passed between the sisters, and Anna still felt sorry for the time they had lost.
She and Grace were different, and they were still coming to terms with that. Grace had fled town when she and Luke broke up, whereas Anna could never give up Briar Creek, no matter what Mark had done to her.
Anna poured three coffees and made two cappuccinos, taking a moment to add a little heart shape with the foam. Back when the Fireside Café was getting off the ground, she’d worn many hats; that was years ago, but still she could nearly work the machine with her eyes closed.
She’d nearly forgotten how far she’d come. Now she had a manager, a barista, a dishwasher, two waitresses, and part-time staff to watch the bakery counter when she was busy in the kitchen. To think she used to manage all that by herself!
But then, what other choice did she have?
She plated a vanilla bean scone and handed it to Jane, who brought it over to the table. The women had all begun to chatter noisily, but several stopped to compliment her on the food. She never tired of a pleasant remark from a satisfied customer—it reminded her why she stuck with this. Why she was still fighting to keep her passion alive. Why she was even daring to dream bigger.
Fifty thousand dollars. In two weeks it could be hers. And then, if the space next door to Fireside was still free…
She sucked in a breath. She shouldn’t get ahead of herself. Not when reality could be so harsh.
“So, will you do it, Rosemary?” She folded her arms across her chest and waited.
Rosemary regarded her through her suspicious eyes, but finally smiled. “Of course. And come to think of it, I know just the man, too.”
Anna felt her pulse kick with instant regret. “Oh?”
“Yes,” Rosemary said with a lift of her chin. “This date will do the trick, my dear. I’m quite sure by the end you’ll begin to realize exactly what—or should I say who—has been missing from your life all along.”
CHAPTER
16
Mark flicked to the last page of one of the dozen cooking magazines he subscribed to and set it on the glass coffee table with a sigh. It was Wednesday, Vince was covering the diner for the rest of the afternoon, and like so many quiet days that seemed to go on forever, Mark found himself wondering what the hell he was doing with his life.
At his feet, Scout was snoring softly, and Mark reached down to lay a hand on his soft fur, finding something soothing in the comfort of the dog’s body under his hand. He wasn’t alone anymore, and he liked it that way—more than he dared to admit.
Regret gnawed at him when he thought of how many years he’d spent holed up in an empty house, occasionally opening the door to the random girl or friend, but always shutting it firmly behind them on the way out. He’d told himself he was happy that way, that he liked his space, that he didn’t want the complications that came with letting someone in and sharing… anything. It was better to control his world, to choose who came in and who went out, to know that in his carefully chosen orbit, there was no room for disappointment or heartache.
No room for surprises.
“Don’t know what I’d do without you, buddy,” he murmured, giving Scout a light pat on the back.
The dog lifted his head from his paws and turned to him with big brown eyes. Since Scout had slipped through the gate, Mark had secured the fence and taken extra care in keeping the latch closed at all times. He was too ticked at Anna’s negative assumption t
o give her the satisfaction, but the truth was that he was scared to the bone when she told him Scout had wandered all the way down to Mountain Road, in the dark, and that he had been none the wiser. The thought of losing the one good thing that had come his way in years left him rattled, stirring up all those feelings of self-doubt he’d tried to bury over the years. It would have been his damn fault if something had happened to the pup, just like Anna had accused.
She’d been right. He was careless. A few nights ago with Scout. Years ago with her.
For two years she was his closest friend. Then he had to bring it to the next level. Ruin everything they’d shared.
He should have known better than to take that risk. With Anna. With anyone.
Mark stood, stretching his back, which had begun to ache more and more from so many hours on his feet, reminding him that he wasn’t young anymore—as if the sight of all his friends with babies wasn’t enough. Deciding some fresh air would be good for his mood, he took Scout’s leash from the hook near the back door and attached it to his hunter green collar. Handing over a treat, he stuffed a few more into his pocket and stepped outside. They took the driveway to the road and followed it for a mile south. By Mark’s calculations Luke should be home from work now; a chat with his cousin was just the thing he needed to remind him of the family he had in his life, not the one who had chosen not to be a part of it.
He’d been thinking about his dad too much these days. It happened every time he started making plans for himself, daring to open the kind of restaurant he envisioned. He could see it all, lively and bustling, and then just as quickly the image would be replaced with the dark and dead Tavern on Main.
If his father’s restaurant hadn’t failed, would he have stuck around? Mark’s parents had often fought over that place, especially toward the end. It started with the time and attention Bill gave the business, and then turned to shouting matches over money. Sometimes Mark hated that restaurant—wished it would go away. But what he didn’t know was that Tavern on Main was the best of his father, and when it was gone, he was, too.
Luke’s black Range Rover was in his driveway, and he opened the door before Mark and Scout made it to the top of the stairs. “Perfect timing,” Luke grinned. “I was going to call you later. Beer?”
Mark nodded. “Thanks.”
He unhooked Scout’s leash and handed him another biscuit, which Scout eagerly accepted and then took to the living room to enjoy. Mark winced as he watched the dog jump onto one of the soft leather sofas Luke had centered around the large stone hearth. “Sorry about that.”
Luke just grinned. “Don’t worry about it; you know I like dogs. I’m hoping Grace and I will get one of our own soon.” He popped the cap off two beers and handed him one.
“You seem to be in good spirits today,” Mark commented, eyeing his cousin steadily. “Normally, you’d jump on the opportunity to jab me about Scout’s lack of training.”
Luke just shrugged, but his grin widened. “I’m going to propose to Grace.”
The beer remained halfway to Mark’s mouth. “But… I mean… I assumed you might ask her to move in first.”
“It’s been good for her to stay with her mom these past few months. They both needed that time together, especially with Ray’s passing.”
Mark nodded slowly and took a long sip from his bottle. He didn’t taste a thing. “It just seems so soon.”
Luke frowned. “I thought you’d be happy for me.”
What the hell had gotten into him? No one knew better than Mark how much Grace meant to Luke. When she’d come back to town over Christmas, he’d been the one who encouraged Luke to see if something was still there between them. He should be thrilled that his cousin was marrying his first love. Instead, that stomach-churning feeling he’d been fighting off and on for years was hitting full force, knocking every rule he’d ever made for himself upside down.
He pushed back the unwanted emotions. “Of course I’m happy. Just shocked, that’s all. Jeez, man, congratulations!” He thumped Luke on the back and then brought the beer to his mouth, feeling the cool, foamy liquid trace its way down his throat.
Luke was getting married, and not for the first time. After the pain of losing his first wife, he was finally getting a second chance at happiness, with the girl he’d been crazy about since they were just kids. He’d been down. He’d been crushed. First by Grace when she’d broken his heart, then by Helen’s death. Somehow, despite it all, he was willing to try again. Willing to let Grace in. Willing to believe this time it would be different.
Willing to accept the risks if it wasn’t.
Mark gritted his teeth. All week he’d been pushing aside this pesky attraction to Anna, telling himself it was the friend he was missing, nothing more. She was a pretty girl, so what? But he couldn’t deny the part of him that wondered… could there be a second chance for him and Anna if he wanted there to be?
Luke reached into his pocket and pulled out a box, setting it on the counter with a determined smack. Mark’s eyes widened on it, the reality of the commitment setting in. When had he ever shown such a leap of faith?
He looked into the living room, where Scout had moved over to the large floor-to-ceiling windows, basking in the late afternoon sun. A dog was one thing. A person… a person could leave you. Hell, even Scout had nearly wandered away.
Luke flipped the lid and Mark let out a low whistle, leaning in closer for a better look at the solitaire diamond on a thin platinum band. “When are you going to do it?”
“Tomorrow,” Luke said. He tapped his finger against the counter, his stare fixed on the box, his jaw set with resolve. He suddenly looked nervous as hell. “Think she’ll like it?”
Mark grinned, resisting the urge to joke with Luke’s sudden uncertainty. There had been enough of that. “She’ll love it.”
Luke slipped the box into a drawer. “I’ve already talked to Kathleen, and we’re going to have an engagement party this Friday at the Madisons’ house. She’s planning everything for it, along with my mother.”
Mark’s mind spun at how quickly this was happening.
“Another thing,” Luke said, leaning against the counter.
Mark shifted the weight on his feet, fighting the growing restlessness. It was one thing when Luke had married Helen—Mark hadn’t cared much about it then, other than to be happy for his cousin. The years of loneliness hadn’t set in yet; plenty of friends were still single. Not anymore. After Helen died, Luke had fallen back into bachelorhood, and his bachelor status made Mark feel more normal, less unfocused. Less alone.
Had he really assumed it would continue like that forever? A little part of him maybe had. Instead, Luke had found love again. He was moving forward with his life.
While Mark… Well, Mark was left behind. Even though he’d promised himself never to be in this position again, it couldn’t be avoided.
“I know you’ve already been there for me once, but I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather have stand at my side. You were the one who got me out of my rut after losing Helen. You helped me start living again. So what do you say, will you be my best man?”
“Of course!” Mark gritted his teeth harder, hoping his smile wouldn’t waver. He clinked his beer to Luke’s and knocked it back, waiting for his racing pulse to slow, wondering what it would take to banish this feeling that had suddenly consumed him. Normally when he got like this, he hit the bar, chatted up a friendly girl, and took his mind off his troubles. A little fun, a little flirting, and he had his fix. More and more, though, it wasn’t enough. It left him feeling more empty, more alone, and more filled with an aching reminder of what was missing.
By Friday morning, it was official. Luke and Grace were engaged. Anna announced it breathlessly within minutes of arriving at the diner, but Luke had already called Mark late the night before to tell him Grace had accepted.
As if there were ever any doubt.
“I’m the best man. Again.” Mark gave a half-hearte
d grin as Anna pushed up her sleeves and began measuring flour.
“That’s quite an honor.” She caught his eyes, and his gut tightened at the clarity of her blue gaze. “I’m not sure if I’ll be the maid of honor. Even though I’m the middle sister, Grace and Jane always had a special bond. Or she might ask Ivy Birch. They’ve been friends since they were children.”
Mark nodded thoughtfully. He supposed he’d have the same dilemma if he ever made it to the altar. He loved his brother, but he was closer to Luke than Brett in many ways. Being the oldest, he’d had to look out for his mother and brother after his father cut town—it was a strain Luke understood firsthand when his own father passed away a few months later. Those types of bonds were unspoken and deep.
His brow furrowed as he peeled an onion. What the hell was he even thinking about this for? He was never getting married. He knew firsthand that marriage didn’t last. In the end, someone always left. One way or another…
His mind trailed to his mother and his heart began to wrench like it did every time he thought of her lying in bed, thin and pale, with that patterned scarf around her head. She shouldn’t have been alone then—and she wasn’t, because he’d made damn sure of it. He’d put two years of his life on hold, deferring college until she was in remission, working in the diner to keep it going. He’d done it again by coming back here after culinary school, vowing that he’d do what he had to, just so long as she got better.
A wave of guilt washed over him when he thought of the way he’d been thinking about his father again recently, remembering the way it felt to work side by side in Tavern’s clamoring kitchen. The man had treated his mother like dirt, leaving her with two young sons and no money, not bothering to check in or be there for her when she was staring death in the face. What kind of son did that make him?
His frown deepened as he hacked at the onion.
“You all must be relieved. I know Luke went through a dark period after Helen died. It was tough for him to be alone like that,” Anna said, as if reading his thoughts.
