The door chimed, and the Walkers entered.
Saved by the bell.
Emma stood and pushed in her chair before turning to the couple. “I can’t believe Shea and Tatum graduated this year. I remember babysitting them.”
Emma’s parents lived next door to the Walkers, and from about the age of sixteen, she’d spent almost every Friday night watching the two girls until she graduated from high school.
“Trust me. Neither can we,” Misty replied.
“Liv, I’ll stop back later,” Emma said before heading out the door.
She’d known this appointment would only be a short respite from sharing enough with Emma to satisfy her curiosity.
Liv moved the vase to her desk and grabbed her notebook and laptop.
“Those are gorgeous. Whoever sent them has great taste.” Misty gestured toward the flowers.
She heard the unasked question in her former high school history teacher’s voice. Misty wanted to know who’d sent them, because it wasn’t a secret that Liv was single and had been for a long time. A downside of living in a small town was that everyone usually knew everyone else’s business.
“I agree.” Liv liked Misty but wasn’t going to share anything personal with her. “When you called, you said you were thinking of having sandwich platters and an assortment of salads for the party. Is that still the plan?”
Misty nodded. “We also want a dessert buffet.”
She handed Misty the binder that listed all the sandwich and salad options they offered. “I’ll grab the dessert information for you.”
Forty minutes later, Liv had a signed contract, deposit, and completed menu in hand. “If you think of anything you want to add or change, call me.”
“What is the latest we can make changes?” Misty asked.
The party was scheduled for the last Friday in July. Since they would only be responsible for delivering the food, she didn’t need to schedule her usual serving crew. “The sooner the better, but no later than July 15.”
Misty wrote the date on her copy of the contract and then added it to the folder Liv had given her, which contained copies of all the details they’d agreed upon. “Sounds great. Thank you.”
Liv watched the couple leave and then gathered up her things. She didn’t make it back to her desk before the door opened again.
When she glanced over her shoulder, she wasn’t surprised to see Emma walking inside. “Were you watching for them to leave?”
“No, but I was adjusting the window display and looked up just as they walked out.”
“Convenient.”
Emma tried to maintain a neutral expression but failed. “What can I say? I’m curious. A superhot rock star slash actor who, according to the media, is also a super-nice guy, is sending my best friend flowers and inviting her over to his house for pizza.”
When she put it that way, she’d be curious too if the tables were reversed. Plus, maybe talking with Emma would help her sort out what was going on between her and Matt. All the signs pointed to a developing relationship. If he’d been someone she’d met through a dating app or someone who’d lived in town year-round, she wouldn’t question it. But this was Matt Sherbrooke.
The man had fans around the world. He’d dated women like Jasmine Locke, his love interest in One Last Heist, and Milan Novak, one of the most sought-after runway models in the world. Why would he be interested in a woman who ran a catering business and occasionally waited tables at her family’s restaurant?
And even if he was, a relationship between them couldn’t last. Her life was in Orchard Harbor, a place he visited once or twice a year.
“So, what’s up between the two of you? Most men don’t send flowers to a woman because they’re bored.”
“This is actually the second time he’s given me flowers. Thursday night, when I cooked for him, he brought me some too.”
“And you didn’t tell me?”
At least this was an easy question to answer. “I knew you’d be disappointed if you found out he went into the shop when you weren’t there.”
“Somehow I doubt that’s the only reason you didn’t tell me.” Emma took a sip from the iced coffee she’d brought with her. “But back to my original question. What’s up between you two? Are you and Matt officially a couple?”
