Bronwyn had a moment of clarity. “Wait a minute. Meredith! What are you doing here? Why aren’t you seeing patients?” If Meredith had cancelled appointments to come...
“I don’t have any patients until ten thirty. You’re good.”
“I thought you had something planned with Gray this morning.” Mo gave Meredith a pointed look.
“I did. But Gray wanted me to come to the aid of my oldest and dearest friend. We’ll do it again another day.”
Bronwyn shared a look with Mo. They still hadn’t spoken directly to each other, but sometimes, words weren’t necessary.
“Would you two stop already?” Meredith asked. “We were going to talk to Cal about house plans this morning. It’s not like we can’t talk to him any day that ends iny. The land is mine. It isn’t going anywhere. Cal is obligated by blood and friendship to build us our house, and we aren’t in a hurry. Gray’s house is adorable, and I’ll be perfectly happy to move in there after the wedding. I’m not rushing this. Besides”—Meredith leaned against Mo—“there was no way I was going to leave the two of you to stare at each other and try to communicate without speaking. Full disclosure, I’m done with both of you. Get yourselves sorted.” She pinched Mo’s arm. Based on the way he jumped, it hadn’t been gentle.
Mo grabbed Meredith’s hand when she went to pinch him again, and for a brief moment, they were all ten again. Mo and Meredith were squabbling over something while Bronwyn and Cal looked on and waited for them to work it out.
And like they had as children, they resolved the fight almost as soon as it began. Mo pulled Meredith into him and hugged her close. He whispered something that sounded like, “You need to back off.”
Meredith replied, “Not until you two are married.”
Bronwyn choked on air. She tried not to make any noise as she coughed and attempted to regain her composure.
Married? To Mo? What was Meredith thinking? Maybe that had been their future at one time.
Not anymore.
The door to Connor’s office opened, and Carla stepped in. “Your mother is in Cal’s office. She declined to tell me why she wanted to speak with him. He’ll text later. Go!”
Mo handed the office keys to Carla and led the way. Bronwyn followed him out into the reception area. A few minutes later, she and Meredith were seated in Mountain Brew, Gossamer Falls’ best and only coffee spot. Mo was at the counter.
“It’s going to look weird if we don’t have any coffee,” Bronwyn pointed out to Meredith.
“Mo will get us some. Sit tight and act like you’ve been here for hours. Breathe in the aroma of dark roast. Inhale the doughy scents of freshly made pastries. Savor the unique energy of a room full of people in varying degrees of caffeination who should be drinking water and going for long walks in the woods. But are they? No. They’re here. Filling their bodies with stimulants and hoping that helps.”
“You can’t be serious.” Bronwyn pointed to the seat Meredith occupied. “You’re here so much, you have your own chair. I tried to sit in it one time and one of the baristas told me that if you came in, I would have to move.”
“What can I say? I’m a woman of the people.” Meredith tossed her hair and looked around the room. “Also, why were you here without me? Friends don’t drink coffee alone. They call their besties and say, ‘Hey, I’m in town. Want to meet me for coffee?’”
“I did call you. And you were up to your elbows in a root canal.”
Meredith grimaced. “Okay. You’re forgiven.”
“Forgiven for what?” Mo set a large iced coffee with some kindof cream in it in front of Meredith. And then he set a medium hot coffee in front of Bronwyn.
Meredith eyed it. “Ooh, what did you order for Beep?”
“A mocha. Extra shot. Two pumps. No whip.”
Bronwyn’s heart nearly flatlined, then raced for the fences. Was that vein in her neck pulsing as fast as she thought it was? Could anyone see it? She managed to pick up the cup and take a tiny sip. “It’s perfect. Th—”
“Bronwyn?” Her mother’s voice had a unique pitch. Some people said it was soft and girlish. Others said it was like nails on a chalkboard. Regardless, she’d silenced the entire room with one word.
A sip for luck. “Mother. Good morning. What brings you into town?” Another sip because it was delicious, because it was warm, and because Mo had remembered her favorite.
“I would like to have a word.” How many times had Bronwyn heard that phrase from her mother?
“Good morning, Mrs. Pierce.” Mo extended his hand, and Bronwyn’s heart launched back into a chaotic rhythm that couldn’t possibly be healthy. “Good to see you. It’s been too long.”
Her mother looked at Mo’s outstretched hand and then took it for the shortest handshake in human history. “Montgomery.” She said Mo’s name like someone might say “pond scum” or “phlegm,” and if Mo hadn’t bought the coffee for her, Bronwyn would have spilled it on her mother’s new pumps. Accidentally, of course.
Meredith grabbed her iced coffee and took a long sip. Then another. Bronwyn knew that maneuver. Meredith would either burst out in laughter or say something she shouldn’t, so she shut herself up.
