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“Can we talk after the meal, Shane? There’s too much on my mind right now. Gretchen and Ethel assigned me to the team on stuffing. I’ve never made stuffing in my life.”
“Sure. After is fine.”
She sighed. “I have something I want to tell you, too.”
He didn’t like the sound of that one bit. “It can wait. Like you said. After the meal.”
She smiled weakly.
Watching the little, subtle changes on her pretty face told him all he needed to know. She meant to break up with him today. With him and Corey. Fuck.
He squeezed her thigh. He wasn’t about to lose her. They’d only begun dating, but he knew in his heart that she was the one for him. How she was with Juan and the other boys, hell, how she was with everyone floored him. She was kind and warm, loving and charming. He loved her sass and strength.
She leaned her head into his shoulder, and he could sense the turmoil underneath her surface.
Turning left onto The Narrows, he inhaled her scent of lilacs, or was it roses? Hell, he didn’t know, he just knew she smelled terrific.
Whatever it took to make sure she remained right here next to him he would do.
Chapter Six
Belle looked around the packed banquet room of the Dream Hotel. After eating the donuts, everyone had worked very hard on the finishing touches of the big meal. Now, the crowd was enjoying all the delicious offerings.
“This dressing is amazing.” Shane sat to her left, already on his second helping.
“You sure can pack it away.” She was only halfway through her first plate and was already quite full.
Alice sat across the table from Belle, between her two husbands. “Both my boys are like their dads, sweetheart. They have quite the appetites.”
“Yes, we do.” Curtis leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Or were you talking about the food?”
Eddie laughed and put his arm around Alice. “Honey, you outdid yourself this year. This stuffing is the best ever.”
“I had help. It wasn’t all me.”
“But you were the one in charge.” Belle had been amazed at the coordination and bonding that had gone on between all the women in town making the meal. She’d never felt closer to a group of ladies than she did in Destiny.
Shane grabbed her hand. “Would you like some dessert, sweetheart?”
“I couldn’t. Not for a while.”
“How about we go for a drive? There’s something I want to show you. When we come back, I bet you’ll be ready for some.” He squeezed her hand. “I can’t wait to try a slice of your apple pie.”
Looking into his gorgeous blue eyes, she felt her insides quake. A drive might be the perfect opportunity to do what she had to do, to tell him what she had to say, to end what should’ve been ended days ago.
“Maybe I should stay and help serve.” I’m not ready. Not yet. Just a few more hours are all I need. But she knew no matter how long she delayed, it wouldn’t make the moment any less difficult and sad.
“Honey, there’s plenty of us to handle that.” Alice’s face lit up.
Belle imagined how wonderful it would be to have her as a mother-in-law. But that can never be. I can never give her grandchildren. It wouldn’t be right.
“Belle, let our boy take you on a drive. If the ladies need help, Curtis and I can pitch in.” Eddie winked. “We know a thing or two about kitchens. We do run the diner, you know.”
“I surrender. I’ll go on a drive with your son.”
Shane stood and offered her his hand. “We won’t be gone too long.”
They walked to the pickup and he opened the door for her. He got in on the driver’s side and pulled her in close to him. His arm remained around her shoulders. The feeling of his warm body next to hers gave her tingles.
