“You wouldn’t.”
She slumped. “Okay, not my cake, but I’ll find a way to get you back.”
“Promises, promises.” I kicked open the door. “Hold tight.”
“As if I can do anything else,” she shouted after me.
I followed Parker and overheard her asking one of the caterers to move their van.
It didn’t seem to be going well.
“Look, lady?—”
“Chief Olson.”
The exasperated voice rose. “I don’t care if you’re the Pope. I can’t move the damn van. It’s filled with food.”
“Hey,” I cut in. “Look, buddy, it’s the wedding cake.”
The guy in the stained white chef’s apron put his hands on his hips. “You think the main course isn’t as important as the cake?”
“Kinda...” I trailed off. “Look. It’s my brother’s wedding and it’s gotta be perfect.”
“Then she should have gotten here earlier.”
“Her van broke down, man. Have a heart. She’s sitting in the back of my Caddy with the cake on her freaking lap. We’re dying here.”
I spotted the first inkling of empathy and hurried on. “Look, I own Murdock Automotive, right in Indigo Valley. Free tune up of your catering vans, on me.”
He rocked back on his heels. “All five?”
I internally winced. “All five.”
“You’re not going to renege, are you? I’m from Saratoga.”
“Nope. You get them to me sometime next week and I’ll have them all running like they’re new. What do you say?”
“I say, you’re on.” He closed the side door and hopped in.
I sighed. “That’s going to cost as much as Sully’s cake.”
Parker socked me in the arm. “Probably more.”
“Gee thanks, Chief.”
She laughed. “C’mon let’s get this bad boy on the serving table.”
“Go on and get to the girls. Nora will freak out if her maid of honor isn’t getting ready with the rest of them.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, I appreciate the help.”
“I didn’t do much. Good luck. See you at the end of the aisle.” She edged around the back of the van as it slowly pulled forward.
A quick shiver slid down my spine. I’d never thought much about marriage and the whole I do’s thing, but now it was everywhere in my damn family. Shaking it off, I ran back to my car where a nervous Mercy was looking all over the parking lot. When she spotted me, the pinched lines around her mouth eased.
My stomach did a quick twist. I’d never had a woman look at me like I was saving the day.
