“I waaant …” Laney’s eyes traveled back to the display case. “Mermaid rocks!”
Presley, Michelle’s daughter and the artist behind the chocolate, laughed. Mermaid rocks were Laney’s name for seafoam candies. “I love that she calls them that. We should change the sign.” She slid the back door open and reached for a wax paper to fetch the treat.
“Me too. I don’t even know where she got it from.” Wynn dug through her purse for a credit card.
A hand touched her elbow, and she lifted her gaze to find the woman from church who had sat in front of them. “If it isn’t my new favorite family. Running into you is just wonderful. I didn’t catch your names on Sunday.” There wasn’t a white hair out of place on her head. They all laid smoothly in an onion shape around her long face.
Upon hearing her voice, Wynn was transported back to the predicament of mistaken identity—or mistaken family, as it were. She shook herself. “I’m Wynn, and this is Laney and Miles.”
The kids offered their hands to shake, and Wynn breathed a sigh of relief that they remembered some of the manners lessons she’d given. The woman introduced herself to them as Miss Kelly. Presley handed the mermaid rock to Laney and looked at Wynn.
“I’ll have a pumpkin cocoa.”
“You got it.” Presley moved to the side to start the drink.
“Where is that handsome husband of yours?” asked Miss Kelly.
Presley let out a small gasp, probably thinking that Miss Kelly asked about Thatcher. Wynn’s face heated as she searched for a way to explain the situation to Miss Kelly with Presley listening in. The whole thing was awkward at best. “Well, you see, we aren’t exactly …”
She glanced down to see Laney sucking on the seafoam, her eyes wide enough to take in every word of this conversation.
“Judd is my …” She didn’t want to call him her brother-in-law, because he didn’t feel like one anymore. He felt more like a boyfriend. Heaven help her,boyfriendwas not a word she could use right now—especially in front of the kids and Judd’s cousin.
Who, upon inspection, was listening with one ear while she mixed pumpkin spice.
Miss Kelly’s brow furrowed.
“We—” She gulped. “We’re best friends.”
Miss Kelly huffed like she thought that was the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard. “Do you live—”
Presley set a to-go cup on the counter between Wynn and Kelly, breaking up the conversation. “Sorry, but we need to keep the line moving. What about you, big guy? What would you like?” She directed her question to Miles but winked at Wynn to let her know she had her back.
Wynn nearly melted into a puddle of relief. She placed her hand on Miles’s back and focused on him as if she needed to in order to help him choose something. He knew the menu better than she did. Miss Kelly stepped back to let them finish their order.
Miles asked for a piece of the bark Michelle had just stacked, and Presley weighed it, chatting the whole time so Miss Kelly didn’t have a chance to jump back in. “Have you decided what you’re going to be for Halloween? Spider-Man? Really? What about you, Laney? I think you’ll make a great pumpkin. You have the most adorable dimples, and pumpkins with dimples are the cutest.”
Wynn laid her card across the reader and tucked it back in her purse. She turned to Kelly. “I’m sorry we can’t stay to chat. We have to meet someone at the park.”
“Of course. Have a wonderful day.” Her smile was strained, probably because she had more curiosity than a black cat on Halloween.
Wynn did her best to return the gesture, though her insides roiled with uncertainty. Setting Miss Kelly straight wouldn’t have been so difficult if she knew where she and Judd stood. They were at an in-between place—a super fun spot with lots of benefits, but nothing defined. Her grin dropped the second she turned around.
They were almost to the door—and to safety from prying church women—when Aunt Michelle flagged her down. She was cleaning off the tables near the window and had a solemn look on her face. Wynn gulped. What now?
“Hey, Michelle.” She greeted the shop owner with a hug. Her kids did the same, but they were quiet—as if they knew their mom wanted out of there.
Michelle stepped close and tipped her chin down as one does when they want the conversation to be private in a room full of people. “Listen, I don’t know what’s going on with you and—” Her eyes dropped to the two children listening in, and she amended whatever she’d been about to say. “—yourneighbor, but I overheard him and Wyatt arguing over his feelings for you.”
“His f-feelings for me?” Wynn’s throat constricted, and she ended up squeezing out the last word. “What feelings?”
Michelle cocked her head as if Wynn were daft. “Honey, you can’t miss the way he looks at you. We all see it.” She glanced down again. “And the way he cares for your littles as if they were his …”
Wynn reached for Laney’s hand, needing to feel something solid. “I’m confused.”
“You really don’t know?” Michelle lightly touched her shoulder, her eyes full of motherly knowledge and concern. “You really don’t know the way you look at him? Heaven knows I couldn’t marry any of Scott’s brothers, but it works for you two.”
Wynn’s head reeled, and she stepped back. Marriage! How had she come in for a treat and ended up in this conversation? She wasn’t getting married again, not ever. Her brain had one thought:Retreat!“We really have to go, Michelle. Thanks for the drink and stuff. I’ll see you later.”
