“But—”
“We’re a team, right?”
Ava looked up at him, and it reminded him how badly he’d wanted to kiss her earlier. How badly hestillwanted to kiss her. He only wished he could blame it on mistletoe or something equally cliché. “You’re walking into an ambush, you know. Glenda and Becca will probably pepper you with questions.”
“I know.”
When Ava hesitated at the top of the stairs, he felt the earlier tension return. “Why are you really doing all this?” Ava asked, folding her arms over her soft green sweater. Her gentle expression turned serious as she studied him uncomfortably close. “Don’t get me wrong, I really appreciate the help, but this isn’t your problem, mom dilemma or not.”
Brayden gulped a swallow, unsure how to answer her question without revealing how far he’d gone out of his way. “It keeps me busy,” he said, instantly regretting the word choice at Ava’s cringe.
“Maybe one of these days, you’ll tell me what you’ve been running from.” Ava hurried down the stairs and shimmied into her coat. “Or maybe your mom will.”
“Don’t count on it.”
“I know this is fake and all, but I’m not a quitter. Your mom willloveme before she leaves.”
“That a challenge?”
“I have a few days to win her over.” She winked. “Just wait and see.”
“Good luck.” Brayden doubted his mom would stay in Sunset Ridge a single day longer than she deemed necessary. She’d never miss her fancy office holiday party, not with such an important announcement to make. And in between, she’d work nonstop from the lodge. The questionable cell service alone might drive Mom out of Sunset Ridge within hours.
Ava rushed out the door, leaving him to load up the baskets.
Once finished, he was faced with an expectant dog.
“Sorry, Elsie. You’ll have to sit this one out. No room in that truck right now, and Ava would kill us both if you put a paw through one of her baskets.” Brayden knelt down and squeezed the golden against him. She groaned and squirmed, but ultimately licked him on the cheek. “We’ll go for a long ride this afternoon, promise. We have a special delivery to make.”
He locked up both places and headed to the Forget Me Not Boutique, prepared for the ambush wearing a smile.
ChapterSeven
Ava
“Isn’t this beautiful?” Kinley let out a heavy sigh that frosted the wintery air and momentarily blocked the mountain view she praised.
“It’s the perfect spot,” Ava agreed, shoving her gloveless hands in her coat pockets. When she agreed to meet Kinley for lunch to discuss bridesmaid dresses, she thought they’d be at Willamina’s Big Dipper, in a corner booth, enjoying a hearty bowl of soup. She rushed out of the house too quickly to remember gloves. At least she had her festive scarf. “I’m glad it’ll be warmer in June.”
“I have to run it by Ryder still. He wanted to get married on a boat.”
Ava sputtered a laugh. “Why am I not surprised?”
“We compromised on the outdoor concept. I’ll have to bring him up here later, but I needed a second opinion. It’ll be a small ceremony, so we don’t need much space for chairs and all that.” The way Kinley’s eyes sparkled with excitement was the exact reason Ava had never shared her secret burden with her best friend. It wasn’t that she worried Kinley would judge her ability to run a successful business. It was that she never felt right spoiling her friend’s happiness with a problem she created herself.
“It’s perfect, Kin.”
“I hope Tillie approves.” Kinley tore her gaze from the mountains and settled on Ava. “Speaking of wonderfully overbearing mothers, when does yours get in?”
“Tomorrow.”
“You really think this whole fake relationship thing with Brayden is going to keep her off your back?”
“It’ll keep her from setting me up on random dates. She’s bad enough from three thousand miles away. Could you imagine how she’d be, let looseintown?” Ava bounced from one foot to the other, not wanting to rush Kinley. But her fingertips were frozen, and her toes were following suit.
“Poor Pete.”
“Not poor Pete. Poor Ava. You know how that would’ve ended.” Ava shook her head, memories of past dates set up by Mom going south floating around in her mind. She couldn’t say no to the setups without being the bad guy, but she always ended up being the one to lethimdown anyway. “He’d be nice but strange. Not my type. But at the end of the date, I’d have to dodge a kiss and break his heart.”
