Sean could only nod. It had been a long day for everyone and it wasn’t over yet.
“Come and have a hot drink. Liam might be hopeless on the ranch, but he knows how to make good coffee.”
“I can’t believe he brought a coffee machine with him.”
Nathan laughed. “You’re forgetting the ground coffee beans, raw sugar, milk, and cookies.”
Together, they walked across to the only table still standing. Liam had always had a gift for making something out of nothing. Earlier in the night, he’d created a menu on the back of a cardboard box and placed a selection of cookies at the end of the table. After borrowing one of the caterer’s aprons, he’d set himself up as a post-dessert barista.
Word soon spread of his prowess with the coffee machine and their families and friends, eager to test his capabilities, had thrown all kinds of orders his way.
The menu had long disappeared, but the coffee machine was still plugged in and ready to go.
Liam walked out of the tack room holding a box. “If you want a dairy or soy coffee, you’re out of luck. I only have almond milk.”
“Make it two—three if you want to join us.”
Leaving the box on the table, Liam picked up a container of ground coffee beans. “You’re lucky I’m so obliging. I just spent twenty minutes cleaning the machine.”
Sean watched his brother’s hands move with practiced ease over the machine. “Why did you decide to make everyone coffee?”
“The coffee machine is my wedding gift to Ashley and Matthew. When I was talking to Matthew yesterday, he told me he doesn’t know how to use one. While I’m here, I thought I’d give them an in-person demo.”
“Did they work out how to use it?”
“Ashley was happy to watch, but Matthew had a go. He’s not too bad, either. If he didn’t have to leave with Ashley, we could have perfected his technique.”
Nathan grinned. “It’s just as well he didn’t stay. It doesn’t pay to annoy the bride on her wedding night.”
“And that’s why you’re married and Sean and I are still single.” With a final flourish, Liam poured hot milk into the cup, leaving a heart shape in the froth. “Voila! One down, two to go.”
Sean sipped the drink. “Not bad for an amateur.”
“I’ll have you know I spent six weeks training as a barista to make coffee this good.”
“You’re a lawyer. Why on earth—” Sean’s pager beeped. He checked the message, then handed Nathan his coffee. “I have to go. The search and rescue team has been called out to a missing person. I’ll be back at seven tomorrow morning.”
“What about the flowers?” Nathan asked.
Sean grabbed the keys to Happy Petals out of his pocket and gave them to his brother. “Can you take the flowers to the shop? The refrigerator is in the workroom and the alarm isn’t on.”
“No problem. Be careful on the road.”
Sean waved and sprinted toward his truck. If he’d had his way, he would have gone home with Becky and Mary, and slept on their sofa. It was hard enough being a single mom without having a woman with addiction issues harassing her.
No matter which way he looked at it, Edith was trouble and Becky was standing in the way of what she wanted.
Chapter19
The following morning, Becky stood with her hands on her hips, surveying the barn’s interior. She’d thought they’d have to dismantle the tables and remove the decorations, but a group of fairy godmothers had been here before she arrived.
Behind her, the families of the two bridal parties were packing the last of the flowers into their trucks. They’d been so thankful for Ashley and Matthew’s generosity, it brought tears to Becky’s eyes.
“It looks as though you could do with a snack.”
She turned and smiled at Sean. “What are you doing here? I thought you’d still be at home.”
“I planned on being here at seven, but I had a callout last night. Nathan took the flower arrangements you wanted me to move back to Happy Petals.”
