Orchard Valley Brides (25 page)

She stared at him and felt the laughter bubble up inside her. Flinging her arms around his neck, she kissed him soundly. “For the life of me I don't know.”

 

Sherry returned to the office sometime later to find both Mrs. Colson and Donna Jo standing on the porch waiting for her.

Sherry greeted them as she strolled past.

“How'd it go with Cody?” Donna Jo asked urgently. The pair followed her into the clinic.

“Everything went fine,” Sherry said. She couldn't help it; she enjoyed keeping them guessing.

“Fine?”
Mrs. Colson repeated. She looked at Donna Jo. “What does
fine
tell us?”

“Nothing,” the waitress responded. “I learned a long time ago not to listen to the words, but to study the expression.
Fine,
the way Sherry just said it, tells me there's going to be a wedding in Pepper soon.”

“Isn't the lunch crowd at the café by now?” Sherry asked.

“Ellen can handle it,” Donna Jo said, sitting in the closest chair.

“She's not wearing a diamond,” Martha Colson pointed out.

“No diamond?” Donna Jo looked incredulous. “I was sure you'd come back sporting the biggest rock this side of Mexico.”

“You mean one like this?” Sherry dug into her purse and pulled out the ring Cody had given her. She slipped it on her finger, feeling heady with joy and excitement.
Mrs. Colson and Donna Jo screamed delightedly and Sherry hugged them both.

“When's the wedding?”

“Soon, just like you said,” Sherry told them, her heart warming. She and Cody had called Sherry's family and made what arrangements they could over the phone. Afterward, Cody had given her the ring, one he'd been patiently carrying with him for weeks.

Sherry wasn't able to explain more. The door opened, and Heather let out a cry and vaulted into her arms.

“Who told you?” Sherry asked when she caught her breath. Cody had planned to pick up his daughter after school and bring her over to the clinic so they could tell her together.

“Dad,” Heather explained. “He came by the school. Men are so funny—they can't keep a secret at all.”

Cody walked into the clinic behind her, looking sheepish. “You don't mind, do you?”

“Of course not.” Sherry hugged her soon-to-be daughter.

“Hey, I need a hug, too,” Cody said, wrapping his arms around Sherry and holding her against him.

“Now
that's
romantic,” Mrs. Colson sighed.

“I could just cry,” Sherry heard Donna Jo say.

“How soon do you think it'll be before Sherry has a baby?” Heather whispered.

“A year,” Mrs. Colson whispered back.

“A year?” Cody lifted his head. He smiled down at Sherry and winked. “I don't think it'll take nearly that long.”