Alex grinned at me. “You had to work to turn that around in your head, didn’t you?”
“Maybe, but I did it.”
“I’ll get Mark to box up the cupcakes, and then we can pick your cake pulls.”
“What are cake pulls?” Alex asked as soon as Meredith slipped out the door in search of Mark.
“I forgot you’re a Yankee. And this means I know a wedding thing you don’t. This day just gets better and better.”
“I’ve lived here for almost a decade. Isn’t that long enough to be something of a local?”
“Oh, honey.”
“Fine. Tell me about cake pulls.”
“They’re like a cross between a fortune cookie and the baby in the king cake. You tie little figurines onto ribbon and tuck them under the bottom tier of the cake. Each one has a different meaning. Before the cake is cut, the single women take turns pulling out a figurine and finding out what their future holds.” I sat back in my chair, feeling as if I’d finally earned my place in the bridal party.
“That’s kind of lovely.”
“Unless you pull the thimble.” I shuddered like it actually mattered.
“Which means?”
“You’ll become an old maid.”
“The horror,” Alex said with a laugh.
“It’s one of my top five choices, actually.” Or at least it had been. I wasn’t sure that was true anymore.
“Who’s the praline guy?”
Alex changed gears on me so fast, I barely had time to school my expression.
“Just a guy. It’s nothing serious.” I wasn’t ready to have my friends scrutinize Ford and whatever it was we were doing. Not because I didn’t think they’d approve; because I was afraid they would and I didn’t know what to do with that. “Really. I’ll let you know if anything changes, but it won’t.”
“It might if you let it. Or you could reconsider letting me set you up for the benefit.”
I shook my head, grateful when Meredith came back carrying a small bakery box stamped with the I Dough logo and a handful of ribbons with different style charms on the ends.
“I could find a date for you, too, if you let me,” Alex said, shifting her attention to Meredith.
“The guy would have to be a dairy farmer or something to make my crazy schedule work.” She set the box in front of Alex and fanned the charms out on the table.
“You’ll never know if you don’t try.”
Which was exactly what worried me.
I PARKED THE TRUCK IN front of Charlotte’s and was halfway to her front door before she came running out to meet me. I loved that she was watching for me, and I loved even more the way she stretched up on her toes to kiss me. I hugged her tight, soaking in the feel of having her in my arms for a moment before reluctantly letting go.
When I texted to set things up, I’d told her to wear something casual that she didn’t mind getting dirty. I hadn’t expected her to show up in jeans worn so soft, I had to work to keep from running my hands over her delicious ass at inappropriate times, which unfortunately for me was going to be most of the afternoon. In a play to stretch out our cooking time as long as I could, I’d decided this week we were making crawfish, starting with catching them.
“Nice truck,” she said, heading for the passenger side.
“Funny.” I’d borrowed the pickup from a friend. It had definitely seen better days, but I didn’t want to make the drive out to Jackson’s in my car.
“No, I mean it. I wasn’t teasing.” She grinned at me over her shoulder in a way that clearly said she was.
“The first step is awfully high for you. Let me help you.” Because two people could play that game. I gripped her waist to give her a boost, giving in to the urge to run my palm over the soft swell of her ass and finishing with a quick swat. Which might be the last thing I did before I died.
