All of Me (The Bridesmaids Club Book 1)

by Leeanna Morgan

  Dylan shook his head. At least she thought he had, but that could have been her imagination. “Not happening. You’re coming with us.”

  Tess lifted her brow. She could be equally as expressive as Dylan.

  He didn’t look impressed. “I want to see Yellowstone National Park. If I have to look after you, I can at least get a free tour out of the deal.”

  Annie pushed past Dylan. “Sorry, but I need to get the mop. Oliver Tanner just spilled his chocolate milkshake all over his little sister.”

  As soon as Annie’s body connected with Dylan, he did the unthinkable. He actually moved. Fast. He looked so befuddled that Tess wouldn’t have believed it unless she’d seen it with her own eyes.

  Annie hadn’t noticed that something out of the ordinary had just happened. She zoomed into their storage room and came out wheeling their cleaning cart.

  Dylan made sure he was out of harm’s way when she ran back into the café.

  A woman with short black hair and worried blue eyes joined Dylan in the kitchen. “Do you have another cloth you could give me? The chocolate milkshake has gone everywhere.” She glanced at Tess and smiled. “You must be my son’s almost girlfriend.”

  Tess forced herself to smile. It wasn’t Logan’s mom’s fault that her son was an idiot.

  “Almost?” Dylan had suddenly decided to become interested in the conversation going on around him. “I thought Logan told you it was all a misunderstanding?”

  Mrs. Allen sent a dazzling smile toward Dylan. “I live in hope.” She glanced around the kitchen and saw the paper towels on the wall. “These will do.” She dribbled water on them, then headed into the café.

  Tess washed the scone dough off her hands and followed Mrs. Allen. It was bad enough that her son helped out in the kitchen. Mrs. Allen didn’t need to clean up spilled milkshake as well. When she saw the mess Oliver had made she understood Annie and Mrs. Allen’s need to get things clean.

  Oliver Tanner’s little sister was sitting in a highchair licking chocolate milkshake off her arm. Oliver’s dad was using every napkin he could find to wipe the milkshake off the rest of her. The floor and checkered tablecloth were coated in the same sticky mess.

  Tess found another highchair and put it beside Mr. Tanner. “Do you want to move Maddy into here?”

  He looked at the highchair, then at Maddy’s dress. “I didn’t bring a spare change of clothes with me.” He looked so upset that Tess knew something else was going on.

  Brian Tanner’s wife had left him six months ago. From what Tess had seen and heard, he was doing a great job of raising his children on his own.

  Tess looked more closely at Maddy. “Wait here.” She walked into the kitchen and took a couple of clean tablecloths off a shelf. By the time she made it back into the cafe, Annie and Mrs. Allen had the table and floor clean. Dylan was holding a giggling Maddy in the air while her dad wiped her dress down.

  Tess flicked one of the tablecloths open and folded it in half. “I helped Sally at their last school Christmas play. We made shepherd costumes out of sheets. If you’re happy for Maddy to wear a tablecloth toga style, we can get her cleaned up in no time.

  Brian looked so grateful that Tess felt embarrassed. “Thank you. It hasn’t been a good morning.”

  “It’s no problem. Do you want to change her in the kitchen?”

  Brian nodded and Dylan put Maddy on the floor beside her father.

  Maddy wobbled across to Dylan and held out her hand. She wasn’t the least bit intimidated by the big man with the frowning face.

  To Tess’ surprise, Dylan let Maddy clutch one of his fingers and they slowly made their way into the kitchen.

  Annie had a soft smile on her face. “How cute is that?”

  Dylan looked over his shoulder at Annie and blushed. Blushed. The man of steel had a heart made of gooey marshmallow.

  Annie and Mrs. Allen stayed in the café while everyone else traipsed through to the kitchen. It was just as well there weren’t too many people in the café.

  Oliver stood quietly beside his dad while Maddy got changed.

  “I’m really sorry about all of this,” Brian Tanner said. “I don’t know how it happened. One minute we were having a nice family breakfast and the next minute, Oliver’s milkshake was everywhere.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Tess said. She tied the last knot on Maddy’s shoulder. “That should stay there until you get home. Would Oliver like another milkshake?”

  Oliver’s little face lit up like a lightbulb. Brian looked down at his son. “That’s very kind of you. How about a small vanilla milkshake this time?”

  Oliver nodded so hard that Tess smiled. He loved milkshakes. Each time Oliver’s family came into the café for their Saturday morning treat, Annie or Tess made him a special milkshake. They whizzed a tiny scoop of ice cream with a glass of milk in her grandpa’s milkshake machine. Every now and then, Oliver was allowed chocolate flavoring. After this morning, Tess hoped the chocolate option hadn’t been banished.

  The kitchen door opened and Mrs. Allen poked her head around the doorframe. “The café’s nice and clean. I’ll stay out here and help Annie.”

  Tess looked at the door, then at Dylan. Her life had been taken over by the Allen family and their friends.

  Dylan stuck his hands on his hips. “I’ve already filled a cooler with enough lunch for three people.”

  Tess wasn’t going to let him boss her around. She was six-foot tall and cranky, a lethal combination for anyone wanting her to do something that didn’t make sense. “I hope you’re hungry.” She smiled sweetly.

  She washed her hands and went back to her scones. Dylan stood on the other side of the counter, watching her every move. She set the timer on the oven, slid the scones in, then walked into the café. Annie would have a smile on her face and something nice to say. Unlike the silent sentinel in the kitchen.

  Annie was serving a customer. Oliver Tanner and his dad and sister looked as though they were nearly finished. Maddy looked cute in her tablecloth dress. The milkshake spill was long forgotten and everyone looked happy. It would have been a perfect morning, except for Mrs. Allen clearing the tables.

  Tess walked across to her. “I can do that.”

  “Nonsense. I can lend a hand.” She bustled past Tess with an armful of dirty dishes.

  “I tried to tell her I was okay,” Annie said. “But she wouldn’t listen.”

  Tess sighed. “It runs in their family.”

  Annie pointed to three big boxes she’d stacked at the side of the room. “More bridesmaids’ dresses have arrived.”

  Tess walked across to the boxes. “They’re from San Francisco.” After Logan’s follow-up story about Connie’s wedding, people from all over the country were sending them their dresses. So far they had forty-six gowns and nowhere to put them. “We’re going to have to do something. Otherwise, we’ll end up with hundreds of bridesmaids’ dresses and no bridesmaids to wear them.”

  “I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. Someone recognized Molly from the photo in Logan’s post-wedding article. They asked if we’re going to help other women.”

  Tess glanced at the boxes. “I hope she said yes?”

  Annie nodded. “Molly told the lady to write to the café and we’d be in touch.”

  “That’s fine.” Tess looked around the room and frowned. “Have you seen the weekend newspaper?”

  Annie’s cheeks flushed bright red. “Logan said to hide it until you left.”

  “He said what?”

  “To hide it. And there’s no point going to the stores beside us. They’ve all hidden their newspapers too.”

  “I’ve got one in the truck.”

  Tess jumped a mile. Dylan had snuck up behind her and quietly inserted himself into the conversation. “I don’t want your paper,” she growled. “I’ll find my own.”

  Molly came bustling into the café. “I’m sorry I’m late. I slept in.” She walked past the boxes and stopped. “Mo
re dresses?”

  Annie nodded.

  “Oh, my. We’re being over-run with people’s kindness. I’ll move them into the storage room once I’ve put my bag away.”

  Tess and Dylan followed Molly into the kitchen. One of them had a subtle grin on their face and it wasn’t Tess.

  “What are you doing here?” Tess’ question seemed irrelevant given that Molly was busy putting a clean apron on.

  “Logan called me last night. You should have told me you needed a day off. I waitressed for three years while I was at college.” She washed her hands and looked through the glass door of the oven. “Scones look as though they’re nearly done. I’ll go and get those boxes.”

  “You don’t need to be here. I’m not…”

  Molly shook her head. “I don’t want to hear any of your excuses for not having a fine day in the sunshine. Go with Dylan and Mrs. Allen. It will do you good.”

  Molly glanced at the timer on the oven. “I’ll be back in five minutes. Sally’s coming in at twelve to take over from me.”

  “I can’t ask you to help. It’s Saturday.”

  “You didn’t ask, Logan did. Now leave the café before his mom thinks you don’t want to go.” Molly opened a cupboard and took out Tess’ jacket and bag. “Enjoy Old Faithful.”

  Dylan held the kitchen door open.

  Tess looked at her bag. “Are you sure you’ll be all right?”

  “Of course I’m sure.” Molly nudged her out the door. “Take plenty of photos. I want to see them when you get back.”

  Mrs. Allen was wiping down the glass food cabinets. She looked at Tess and smiled. “Are you ready to go?”

  Dylan put a pair of dark sunglasses on and Tess sighed. Instead of a babysitter he looked like a bodyguard. “I’m ready to go.”

  “I like your café, Tess.” Mrs. Allen handed Annie the spray bottle and cloth she’d been using. “I can see why Logan likes eating here. Your food looks very tempting.”

  “It tastes even better than it looks,” Molly said. She picked up one of the boxes and Dylan took it out of her hands.

  “Show me where you want it. I’ll get the other boxes too.”

  Molly didn’t hesitate. “Follow me.”

  Dylan moved quickly, coming back for the last two boxes while Logan’s mom straightened the salt and pepper shakers.

  Tess tried to distract Logan’s mom. “We’re really okay, Mrs. Allen. Molly’s here now.”

  “There’s always a speck or two that needs to be taken care of. Especially in such a busy café. You can call me Kathy, Tess. Mrs. Allen sounds far too old.”

  Dylan cleared his throat. “Can we continue this conversation in my truck?”

  Logan’s mom smiled. “Lead the way, Dylan.” She waited for Tess, then walked beside her to the black truck parked in front of the café.

  If Tess was being paranoid, she might have thought Kathy and Dylan were on presidential security. Kathy stayed on her left-hand side and Dylan on her right.

  Dylan waited until they were both in his truck before moving quickly around to the driver’s seat. He looked at Tess and smiled. “Okay, Ms. Tourist Guide. Tell us about the history of Bozeman.”

  Tess adjusted her seatbelt and looked out of the windshield. “I’ve only been living here for three years. I might be a bit fuzzy when it comes to an accurate history of the town.”

  “Just tell us what you know,” Kathy said from behind Dylan’s seat. “Anything is better than nothing.”

  Tess glanced at Kathy’s excited face. She could have asked Dylan for his copy of the newspaper, but she didn’t. What was published could never be taken back, so she might as well enjoy her day before reality set in. “I’ll do my best. Let’s see…there are about 40,000 people living in Bozeman. The city is named after a man called John Bozeman. I think a branch of the Oregon Trail used to run through here.”

  Images of the Wild West suited the mood Tess was in. She could imagine wagon trains hauling new settlers across the plains of Montana. They were heading for what they thought was a better life, a chance to make something of themselves.

  She’d left Bozeman for the same reason ten years ago. But here she was, back where it all began, waiting to see if everything she’d worked hard for was about to come crashing down around her ears.

  ***

  Dylan opened the cooler and put three wrapped sandwiches on the blanket he’d pulled out of the truck. Next came juice, pie, muffins and a sweet apricot bar. “I’ve got bottled water if anyone wants it?”

  Logan’s mom looked at the food. “Were you planning on staying for the week?”

  Tess had learned very quickly that Kathy Allen had a great sense of humor. Their tour of Yellowstone National Park had been more fun than hard work. After checking at the visitor center to see when Old Faithful was next due to erupt, they’d hiked to the top of Observation Point to get a birds-eye view of the geyser.

  They’d seen elk and bison along the trail, taken more than one photo of each other enjoying the scenery, and laughed with other tourists doing the same thing.

  Old Faithful’s eruption hadn’t been as spectacular as the last time Tess had been in the Park, but she still enjoyed watching the steam and water shoot out of the ground.

  Dylan picked up a sandwich and started reading the brochure they’d been given at the Yellowstone Lodge. “Eat up, ladies. Once we’ve finished lunch we’re going to walk around the Geyser Basin. There’s a hot spring in there that I’ve heard about.”

  Tess picked up a slice of vegetarian pie. “You can’t go skinny dipping.”

  Dylan almost smiled. “I’d scare everyone away if they saw me rising buck naked out of a hot spring.”

  Kathy and Tess looked at each other, trying hard not to laugh.

  “You’d start a social media stampede,” Kathy said. “Every woman under the age of ninety would be clicking on your link to see you.”

  Dylan didn’t look impressed with the thought. “I’ll keep my clothes on, then.”

  Tess smiled. “Wise man.”

  Kathy opened a bottle of water and glanced at Tess. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but I was wondering what happened today? You didn’t seem all that happy to come with us.”

  Tess finished what she was eating and wiped her mouth. “Logan didn’t tell you?”

  Kathy shook her head. “All he said was that a big story was about to hit the papers and he wanted you away from Bozeman for the day. What’s happened?”

  Tess looked at Dylan. He wasn’t giving anything away about what he knew. “I was a model for about ten years. Just before I retired three years ago, a friend of mine died from a drug overdose. A Senator was supplying her with cocaine. I tried to do something about it, but no one believed me. Logan found evidence that could put the Senator in prison. He wrote a story about it and it’s in today’s paper.”

  Kathy’s bottle of water landed on the blanket. “What the heck does Logan think he’s doing?”

  Tess hadn’t expected such an angry response from Logan’s mom. She thought she’d be supportive of Logan’s story, even a little confused that Tess wasn’t feeling as positive.

  “He’s going to get himself killed on American soil this time.”

  Dylan watched them both with steady eyes. “It’s okay, Mrs. Allen. Logan’s being careful. He knows the risks.”

  Kathy wasn’t buying any of Dylan’s reassuring words. “I watched my son go off to Afghanistan full of high ideals. He came back broken. What he saw over there nearly destroyed him. I don’t want him getting tied up in political games and drug rings over here.”

  “It’s not a drug ring, ma’am. Least we don’t know if it is. Logan’s planned his story with military precision. He’s been speaking with a team of lawyers and PR people. He knows what he’s doing.”

  “He told me the same thing before he went to Afghanistan.” Kathy looked at Tess. “Have you seen the story Logan wrote?”

  Tess shook her head. “I haven’t
seen the story. I’ve got a feeling it might spoil my day so I’m not going to read it until tonight.”

  “Would you mind if I bought a copy and read it now?”

  Tess glanced at Dylan. “You don’t need to buy one. Dylan’s got a copy in his truck.”

  Dylan sighed and pulled his keys out of his pocket. “I’ll go and get it now.”

  While Dylan was gone, Kathy put her hand on Tess’ arm. “I’m sorry you’ve been put in this situation. How do you feel?”

  “I’m worried and angry.” Tess’ voice shook and Kathy gave her a hug. “I want the Senator put in prison for what he did to my friend, but he’s as slippery as a snake. He knows how to use the media and make himself look like a victim.”

  “I hate to admit this, but Logan knows what he’s doing. I think that’s why what happened in Afghanistan was harder to understand. He’d always been so careful. He keeps his professional and personal life completely separate.” Kathy paused, then looked more closely at Tess. “Are you still Logan’s almost girlfriend?”

  “He was my friend, but I’m not so sure anymore.” Tess looked across the Park. Logan had known about her past long before she’d told him. He’d worked his way into her life, learned things from her that she shouldn’t have told him. She’d thought he was different. She’d been wrong.

  She turned to Kathy. “You said Logan normally kept his professional and personal life separate. What happened in Afghanistan that made that different?”

  “Has he told you about what happened?”

  “A suicide bomber destroyed the school he’d started.”

  Kathy waited for her to say something more. “Did he tell you about Abiba?”

  Tess thought back over what Logan had told her. “She was the suicide bomber. She spoke more English than anyone else in the village. That’s why she helped at the school.”

  “That’s all?”

  Tess nodded.

  “You need to ask Logan about her. It might put what’s happening into perspective.”

  Dylan arrived back and handed Kathy the paper. “Front page.”

  It was worse than Tess imagined. If it had made the front page of the Chronicle, it would have made the front page of at least one major newspaper. She glanced down at the paper and her mouth dropped open. “That’s not the Chronicle.”