Sweet Gone South (25 page)

Her lips parted in surprise and her face broke out in a blush. Surely, she knew the chemistry between them was extraordinary.

“Really?” she whispered. “Do you really mean that?”

Damn! She
didn’t
know.

“Yes, Lanie. I really mean that.” He’d vowed never to compare Lanie to Carrie, but if he
had
been going to — well, he wasn’t.

“Thank you!” She threw her arms around him. “Thank you, Luke, for telling me that.”

He laughed to lighten the mood and hugged her back. “It’s just the truth. Sure you have to do that order? We could go back upstairs.”

She pulled away. “No. Can’t annoy the Flower Guild. But it was nice to hear.”

He tipped her chin to give her a brief goodbye kiss, but she opened her mouth and deepened it. Then she abruptly pulled away, gave him a sunny smile, and trotted off, her gummy bear print clad bottom swaying. As she went, he watched her lift her right hand and run her finger over the ring on her left hand. A little of the warmth in his groin made its way to his heart.

It was a long time until lights out tonight. Luke stepped out the back door and began to stretch. Yep, Carrie was howling at the moon, setting fires, and screaming at angels.

And he began to run.

• • •

Lanie slipped one hundred fifty rum truffles into the walk-in cooler. Once they firmed up, she would decorate them with tiny pink marzipan tulips and they’d be all ready for the Christ Episcopal Flower Guild spring dinner. She’d begun to think she wouldn’t finish in time to have lunch with Tolly because it seemed like everyone in town had stopped in this morning. Most of them had been more interested in finding out “if it was true” than in buying candy and insisted Kathryn call her out so they could admire her ring and lament the loss of the Candy Land floor. But she didn’t care about the floor anymore. How could she?
Great in bed
, he’d said.
Great in bed!

The musical door chime sounded and Tolly entered carrying a bag from Lou Anne’s.

Lanie got two bottles of water from the case beneath the counter and hurried to the table where Tolly was unpacking the bag.

“Where is everyone?” Tolly asked.

“Kathryn’s at lunch and Phillip is in the back working on the website. No customers because there’s no one left in town who hasn’t already been in this morning.”

“Nosy, huh?” Tolly passed her a sandwich. “They were out of chicken salad so I got you a club sandwich.”

“Thanks. I’m starving. I guess if you’re dating a football coach one minute and engaged to a judge the next, people will wonder.”

“Hm.” Tolly took the top off her container of chicken and dumplings. “They will.”

Lanie unwrapped her sandwich. “But maybe we’ll get to eat without being interrupted.”

“Like we were this morning, when Luke walked in, just when you were getting to the good parts?” Tolly looked around. “Is His Honor likely to pop in again?”

Lanie laughed and bit into her sandwich. Had ham and turkey always been so good? “No. He went for a run right after y’all left. Then he came back, showered, and left again.” He’d been sweaty, bright-eyed, and very, very appealing. Was she turning into a sex addict? Or just trying to make up for what she’d missed?

“What’s he doing?”

“No idea. Marcia Tate and Sophie Ann McGowan were here when he came back.” Marcia was a nice woman, but a huge gossip. Sophie Ann had never been accused of being nice. “I didn’t have much time to talk. Besides, who wants to talk in front of those two — even about something that doesn’t matter?”

“Really,” Tolly agreed.

“Anyway, Luke kept asking what he could do to help me, so I gave him a grocery list. I assume he’ll eventually go to Big Starr.”

Luke had mentioned that he liked chicken potpie and she was going to make some for dinner, along with hearts of palm salad and banana pudding. So many times, she had imagined making dinner for the family she thought she’d never have. Of course, she’d been cooking for them but that had been when they were her pretend family. Now, that the bad sex specter had been banished it was real — or would be. While she cooked, Emma would play in the kitchen or maybe Luke would take her to the park. Either way, she couldn’t wait to sit down at the kitchen table and watch them eat the food she had made. Later, they’d put Emma to bed. Then, Lanie hoped not too much later, she and Luke would go to bed. Should she wear the nightgown Lucy had given her? Or save it for another night?

“Hey!” Tolly snapped her fingers. “Come back! I want information.”

“Oh. Sorry.” She took another bite of her sandwich. “I was just thinking about cooking dinner.”

“He should cook. He’s off.”

“I don’t think he
can
cook. Anyway. Where were we this morning?”

“You were about to tell us about talking to his parents.”

“That went really great.” She was still amazed at how warm Luke’s parents had been. She’d also talked to Arabelle and gotten the same reaction. “If they weren’t happy, they’re good actors.”

“I’m sure they’re relieved Luke isn’t alone anymore.”

“Maybe. The senator joked about getting free candy and Gail said they couldn’t wait to give us an engagement party.” Lanie took a drink of her water.

“When is this shindig?” Tolly pulled her iPhone from her purse and starting stabbing at the keyboard.

“Third Saturday in June, two weeks after they get back from Japan.”

“Got it.” Tolly put away her phone. “I’ll email Missy and Lucy when I get back to the office. What did your parents say?”

“They were surprised. Maybe a little alarmed. I hadn’t told them Luke and I were dating. But after they talked to him, they decided he wasn’t an axe murderer and didn’t feel the need to jump on a plane to find out if I’d taken leave of my senses. They’re anxious to meet him but they’re content to wait until the party. All-in-all, they were relieved. They thought nobody would ever want me.”

“I heard that.” Tolly sighed. “My mother interrogates me about my prospects at least twice a month.”

“Maybe you’ll meet someone at this party. I gather there will be a lot of people invited, but I’m actually looking forward to it. Things are going almost too well. It’s scary.”

“Don’t borrow trouble.”

“Says you,” Lanie laughed. “That’s your hobby.”

The afternoon was quieter. Lanie was able to get all the candy made for shipping and replenishing the shop. It might be time to think about hiring someone to work with her in the kitchen. She didn’t have time to take on an aspiring chocolatier, though she would like to do that in the future. But she could train someone to make some of the simpler candies, leaving the artisan work to her. And the chocolate stars. She’d never give that up, unless one of her siblings decided to take an interest.

Everyone else was gone when Luke’s Porsche appeared in front of the shop. A white SUV pulled in beside him. Lanie stopped closing out the register in case the SUV owner intended to buy something. It was after five, but not by much. When a minute passed and neither a customer nor Luke came in, she stepped over to look out the window. Luke and Brett Edwards, the owner of the local Volvo dealership, were standing by the SUV talking. When Luke caught sight of her, he motioned for her to come out, then opened the passenger door of his car and lifted Emma from her car seat.

Just like the first time I saw her.
Lanie stepped out the door and Emma ran to her, giggling.

“Hi, Mommy!”

Would there ever come a time when her heart wouldn’t turn over at hearing that? “Hi, angel girl.” Lanie swung Emma into her arms and kissed her curls. “I missed you!”

“My daddy came to Beau’s house to get me!”

“Did you have fun?”

Emma nodded emphatically. “Me and Beau saw a squished frog and we helped Beau’s mommy make cookies.”

“I hope one didn’t have anything to do with the other.” Luke stepped up and laid a hand on Lanie’s shoulder.

“Me too,” Lanie said. “Hi, Brett. Were you coming to the shop? No squished frog candy today, I’m afraid.”

“And that was just what I was hoping for. Oh, there’s my ride.” A truck with
Edwards Volvo
on the side stopped behind Luke’s car. “Thanks, Luke. You folks enjoy.”

“What?” Lanie asked as Brett climbed into the truck.

“I bought you a car,” Luke said proudly and gestured to the Volvo SUV.

Emma squirmed in her arms and Lanie set her on the sidewalk. “Stay away from the street, Emma.” Then she turned back to Luke. “You bought this for me? I already have a car.”

“More correctly, I bought you an SUV.”

“Why?” This was not hitting her exactly right. There was nothing wrong the five-year-old Camry that had belonged to her grandmother.

“We need something with more room. Come and look.” He opened the door on the driver’s side. “See? It has a navigation system.”

Because it’s so easy to get lost in Merritt.

“Leather seats with built in warmers,” he went on.

Because we wouldn’t want your royal ass to sit on plain cloth or get cold.

“A docking station for your iPod.”

Except I have no iPod.

“Five-CD changer.”

Because you might need to listen to CDs and an iPod at the same time.

“DVD player in the back for Emma.”

Because, God forbid, we should have to entertain the child ourselves.

“Bluetooth connection.” He didn’t look so happy about that. “Though I don’t care for talking on the phone and driving, even hands free. We might have to see about disabling that.”

Because I certainly can’t be trusted.

Then he perked up again. “And Lanie, look here.” He opened the back door and flipped up the seat. “When Emma gets old enough for a booster seat, it has one built in.”

“Weight,” Lanie said.

“What?”

“Graduating from a car seat to a booster seat is based on weight, not age. Considering how petite she is, it will be a long time before she can use that.”

“I don’t trade cars every year. I buy a good one, take care of it, and drive it until it causes me trouble. We’ll still have this when Emma grows into a booster seat. And look at this!” He waved his hand excitedly and motioned her to the rear of the vehicle. This was about as excited as she’d ever seen him — apart for when they were having sex. “It’s got an outlet back here for an electric heater and cooler box. We don’t have the box yet but I ordered it.”

What?
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”

“It’s for drinks and food. It can be hot or cold. I thought if you needed to deliver candy in the summer it would be handy.”

Except I don’t deliver candy.
Wait. That wasn’t fair, exactly. She sometimes did for friends. She should say something positive.

“It’s very nice.” It
was
nice, way nicer than any vehicle she’d ever had. And the white was pearly iridescent. “I like the color.”

“Do you? Good. They had a blue one on the lot but it wasn’t as tricked out.”

Can’t have that. Tricks all around for all Averys.

“I’ve already called Charles Kincaid and arranged for the insurance. I’ll get the tag tomorrow. I thought we’d take your old car and leave it at the farm until we decide what to do about it.”

“Do about it?”

“I thought you’d probably sell it.”

“Sell my car?” Could she do nothing but repeat what he’d said in the form of a question? “That car was my grandmother’s.”

He tilted his head to the side, considering. “You don’t have to sell it. You can keep it. Or give it to one of your siblings. But we still need to take it to the farm. There are only two places out back to park. We don’t want to leave a vehicle on the street.”

“Or we could take your car to the farm.”

“Lanie, be serious.” He laughed. He thought she was kidding, though she might as well have been. He set about removing Emma’s car seat from the Porsche and installing it in the backseat of what looked like was going to be her vehicle. “I’ll drive the Camry so you can drive your new Volvo,” he said like he was an emperor passing out favors.

Resigned, she said, “Give me your keys and I’ll get my groceries.”

“Oh, I didn’t get them.” He didn’t look up but continued to secure the car seat. “I thought it would be easier if we just got something out after we leave the Camry at the farm.”

Her heart sank.
He thought, did he? He thought!
She turned to stalk away, but stopped when she caught sight of Emma, who was skipping and singing to herself in front of the shop. She bent and ran her little fingers over the pansies in the window box.

“All right,” she said to Luke. “I need to finish closing and change clothes. Emma, sweetheart.” She held her hand out to the child. “Come with me. Let’s get you a snack since it’s going to be a while until dinner.”

“Take your time,” Luke said cheerfully. “I’ll move my car around back and bring the Camry around. Oh, and Lanie? What do you think about going down to Birmingham this weekend? You’ve done so much for us. I want to buy you some new clothes at this little place where my sister and mother shop.” He smiled and did that lip-biting thing. “I was always told it was not proper to buy clothes for a woman, but since we’re engaged now that rule doesn’t count.”

She led Emma into the shop without answering. But Luke wasn’t expecting an answer. He was already headed toward the back of the building, whistling as he went. That and making plans for running her life.

Lanie would not have guessed that dress shops like the one Luke took her to existed outside of novels set after 1950. He had called ahead, so they were ready for them. Barbara, the owner, had escorted her and Luke into a room, settled them on a velvet settee, and served them wine, coffee, and finger food. While Emma played nearby, the staff had brought what seemed like hundreds of garments for her to consider — dresses, skirts, pants, shorts, sweaters, blouses, and formalwear. Luke pointed, gave orders, and ate dozens of sandwiches and cheese straws, all the while insisting he didn’t know anything about women’s clothing.