Eric bobbed his head. “Same. Today was great, Ms. Hodge.”
Jenna laughed. “You really have to get used to ‘Jenna’. I’m getting married, you know.”
Jon moved in and looped an arm around her shoulders. “They could call you ‘Mrs. Johnson’ if they’d prefer.”
Her employees laughed. Lynn laughed.
Lance grinned, but pointedly reached over and hooked his arm around Lynn’s waist anyway. “We were happy to help, but unless you’re about to re-open with dinner pre-made, we need food. I worked up an appetite.”
“Bakeries don’t serve dinner, baby,” Lynn teased. “Did they not teach you that in Marine School?”
Lance ginned wider. “As a matter of fact, they did not.”
“If you don’t mind all convening on LeeLee’s,” Jenna said, “I’m happy to treat everyone to something. As a thank you.”
Jon cleared his throat. “I’llbe doing the treating.” He looked toward Eric. “Bring your boyfriend. We wouldn’t want him feeling forgotten, and I should meet him.”
“Oh wow, that’s so sweet. Yeah, I’ll just call him up real quick,” Eric said, practically running toward his car.
Lynn curled her own arm around Lance’s waist, mimicking his hold on her, and asked, “Okay, but you never answered me earlier, Jen. When do you think you’ll actually re-open?”
“Oh.” Jenna blinked at them, then turned to glance back at the darkened building they’d spent all day working in. She chewed on her lip for a beat before saying, “It’ll take two or three days before I have a good supply of pastries to offer, I think. So, I’m hoping for Monday.”
“Because she’s not going to be baking like a robot in between sleep cycles,” Jon clarified.
Lance grinned as Lynn said, “Good. She has a habit.”
Jenna flushed.
“Ms. Ho—Jenna,” the girl said, “I’d be happy to help with spreading word about Monday’s re-opening. Maybe I could come in over the weekend and take some pictures of the progress for social media?”
“Are we talking about the re-opening?” Eric called, rushing back to them like he’d run a marathon. “I can help. That’s way too much to bake all by yourself. At least let me help with the decorations?”
Jenna’s mouth opened, but she looked stunned speechless.
Jon chuckled. “That all sounds good,” he said. “We’ll talk schedules over food. Anyone need a ride?”
Lance raised a hand—mostly just to make Jon’s eyebrow twitch—and said, “We’re good. Might be a minute or two late, so leave room for us.”
“Lance!” Lynn hissed.
He grinned wider and turned them toward his car, not bothering to modulate his voice. “I want to kiss my fiancée, is that such a crime?”
Lynn released an exaggerated sigh and let him take her weight while he walked. “You’re lucky I love you. But we are not making out in your car like teenagers.”
He chuckled. “We could do other things in the car…”
She pulled her arm away and poked him firmly in the chest. “I’m hungry. If you want to do those other things tonight, anywhere, you’re going to make sure we’re not late for dinner. And if you want to make out in the car afterward, maybe you can persuade me.” The mischievous lift to her lips as she turned away to stride around to the passenger door assured him she’d already made her decision on the matter, and Lance bit back his laugh.
She was right. He really was a lucky bastard.
Epilogue
Three Years Later
Lynnette hooked her patient’sarm around her shoulder and helped the barely legal young man upright. “There you go,” she said, putting an encouraging smile into her voice. “Now let’s get you loaded up into the truck out front and safely off to a proper hospital, okay?”
The teenager groaned but limped apace with her. “Thanks for not insisting on the ambulance, Nurse B.”
