“Any favorites?”
“My sister’s is cute. But I like yours.”
“Ours,” Taryn corrected. “This booth wouldn’t have happened without you.”
“Thanks.” He glanced to his left. “Summit Ridge did an okay job withA Midsummer Night’s Dream, but a few things are missing, so it feels incomplete from what you designed. The florist shop nailed hers. It’s stunning.”
“Pippa’s impressed me.”
A woman stood next to Garrett and took a slice of black forest cake. “These desserts are so creative.”
“Thanks.” Taryn handed her a coupon. “This is good through next Saturday if you want to see what else Lawson’s Bakery offers.”
“Thanks.” She picked up a napkin. “It’s hard to pick one booth over another, so I’m doing a taste test to see who gets my vote.”
Taryn’s chest tightened. “Sounds like an excellent method. Enjoy the summer fair.”
Garrett watched the woman walk away. “Nervous?”
“I was, but now I’m…” She searched for the word. “Resigned. From a purely aesthetic view, Pippa’s booth should win. But even if it’s Summit Ridge, that’s okay. I—we did our best. Now, I’m doing what I can to draw attention to Lawson’s and send customers that way. Only time will tell if it’s enough.”
“Great attitude.”
She raised her chin. “Thanks.”
“Any marionberry slices?”
Taryn laughed. “Your true motivation now comes out.”
He winked. “Guilty, though I wanted to see how you were doing.”
She handed him a plate, fork, and napkin. Pre-slicing the pieces made things easier and cleaner. The table behind her, where all the prep work took place, was another story. “So far, so good. Lots of traffic. Brecken is refilling samples for me.”
“I wondered why you were alone.”
“He’ll return shortly.”
“What are you doing after this?” he asked.
Her heart bumped. “Putting all the stuff away and washing the trays for tomorrow before getting a late dinner.”
“Callie and Anna want pizza. We had it the other night, but do you want to join us?”
“I’ll never say no to pizza.”
“It’s a date.”
A thrill shot through her. She nodded. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Probably too much, but she would deal with that later.
Four girls approached the table. They appeared to be around thirteen or fourteen with their world-is-ours-for-the-taking vibe. Each held a ballot and a short pencil.
The taller of the bunch rose on her tiptoes. “Oh, I like this one.”
A redheaded girl with freckles nodded. “I love picnics. Someday I’ll have a boyfriend, and we’ll go on picnics every weekend.”
A girl with glasses pointed at the tiered platter. “Look at the watermelon cookies. Those are so cute.”
