I leaned away to see her face better. “But this event was your idea. You told me I should set up something like this to bring in sales.”
“Well, yeah.” She grinned. “I’m a genius.”
I laughed and squeezed her one more time because I was so grateful for her friendship. Finding Bonnie like I had—completely by chance and right when I needed her—had been one of the best things about coming back to Kirby Falls.
“Come meet everyone,” she said.
Turned out Bonnie had brought a teacher friend from the elementary school along with her own mom, Patty, and her aunt, Maggie. I remembered Miss Maggie from the bakery over at Grandpappy’s. She ran things over there and made beautiful cakes. I didn’t realize she’d hired an assistant, but Chloe seemed really nice. She’d hugged me too, and I could smell the vanilla and sugar lingering on her skin. Chloe had introduced me to her friend Andie, who was pretty excited to be out for a kid-free evening.
Laramie Burke had graduated with me. I’d always liked her, and it was nice to see her now. I’d been meaning to try to catch up with her. She’d brought her best friend, Kayla, who I’d also shared some classes with. I welcomed them and pointed them in the direction of the picnic tables we’d be using tonight.
MacKenzie Clark was the next one to emerge from her vehicle. She hugged me and introduced me to the pretty blond woman climbing out of her passenger seat. Becca Kernsy was on vacation, but, apparently, it was an extended one, and the Clark family had absorbed her into their fold. I didn’t have the whole story there, but she was as sweet as pie. She’d also been the friendly volunteer who’d assisted with setup during the Orchard Fest. It was a fun coincidence meeting her for real and having her at the orchard.
“Have you recovered from the hot-wing challenge,” I asked Mac as we trailed the others.
She groaned. “Don’t remind me. I had to cancel a date that night. Being doubled over with stomach pain isn’t sexy.”
I laughed, feeling so light and buoyed by gratitude that I thought I might float away.
“This looks great,” Bonnie called to me when she reached the decorated picnic tables.
I took in the scene. Itdidlook nice. With the sun setting in the distance, the sky was streaked with lavender and a pink so pale it should have been on a nursery wall. The hills were topped with gold and copper as autumn did its thing. And the farm only accentuated the natural beauty around us.
My guests were fawning over the setup and the pumpkins—the tiny palettes, paint sets, and water cups at each station. There were stencils for outlining and a cheese board to accompany the six bottles of wine I’d brought over from Lonely Mountain.
“You work magic, I swear,” Bonnie added when Mac and I finally joined her.
“Thanks. Mark helped a lot actually,” I finally replied.
All at once, I realized I’d walked off from him without a backward glance when the first car came into sight. My head swiveled, trying to find Mark among Bonnie’s friends and family, but he wasn’t there.
I’d been so relieved to see folks arriving, and then I’d been straight-up surprised to glimpse Bonnie’s car as well as the others. I’d gone to welcome them, and in doing so, I’d left Mark behind. I needed to thank him for his help. Guilt hollowed my stomach at what I’d done.
My gaze strayed upward to where I felt warmth blanketing my skin. He’d turned on the propane and set all the heaters on low for us.
Instinctively, I took a step away to search for him in the Apple House, but Laramie called my name.
“Candace! I want to see Lance Bass. Bonnie told me about the fish in your office, and I almost died. I’m an NSYNC superfan. I need to see it.”
But before I could answer her, Mac hoisted a bottle of Lonely Mountain pinot grigio and hollered, “You can have your picture made with Lance Bass later, Larry. Let’s get these bottles open.”
I glanced between the Apple House where Mark might be and all these women waiting on me to do my job. I felt pulled in too many directions.
I pasted on a smile and went to grab the corkscrew.
When I’d finished uncorking a bottle of Gandalf the Blanc, I passed the opener to MacKenzie who was waiting to open the second bottle. Just then, my brother came strolling across the grass from the direction of the parking lot.
He caught sight of Mac and stopped in his tracks. “Are you sure it’s a good idea to arm her?”
I heard a low growl emanate from my side.
“And you’re giving her wine?” he added helpfully. “Wow, sis. No self-preservation instinct in you at all. She’s probably using her access tonight to case the joint.”
“I’ve told you a hundred times, Brady Judd. I did not vandalize your property. It was probably someone else who finds you painfully annoying,” Mac stated matter-of-factly.
“Oh yeah?” He smirked and crossed his arms over his flannel-covered chest.
“Yeah. We have a club and everything. We meet on Tuesdays down at the library. Only room big enough to hold us all.”
