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“Yes, you sure did,” Felicia confirmed.
“Tell her what?” Lauren asked.
“Oh, sweetie, it was so evident from the first moment that the poor man was smitten with you. And who can blame him? I told Felicia, you just watch and see. Before you know it, those two will be dating and then it won’t be long before—”
“Before nothing,” Lauren said firmly. “We’re just dating, Momma. Very casually, I might add. So please, don’t make a big deal of this. Promise?”
Momma made a big show of crossing her finger over her heart. “Promise. I won’t make a big deal. But that doesn’t mean I can’t make a little deal of it.” Lauren sighed. Her mother’s idea of a little deal was fireworks in Central Park.
Henry, it seemed, wasn’t surprised one bit by the news. “Yeah, I figured you two were dating. Dad already talked to me about it.”
“Oh? What did your dad say?”
“He said that you’d probably start dating again and maybe even get married one day, but I wasn’t to worry because you were the wisest person he knew, so anyone you married would be a good guy.”
“Your dad said I’m wise?”
“Yeah.”
“I had no idea he was so smart.”
“I think you both get it from me,” Henry said.
Lauren grinned at her smart, wise, beautiful son. “Agreed.”
The weather channel’s glorious Saturday forecast for this year’s Spring Into Summer festival was pretty much on target. The day started off bright and early at seven a.m. with the 10K run. Temperatures were in the low seventies with the promise of a clear blue sky. The looped race course began at festival headquarters located in the town square and ran through the small downtown area up through Beach Street, then circled back to the start line.
As the town’s mayor, Bruce Bailey made an opening speech, in which he talked mostly about himself. Mimi had stood there listening politely, but the rest of the Bunco Babes, Lauren included, had trouble keeping their eyes from rolling.
Almost all of Whispering Bay had come out to cheer on the runners. This year’s proceeds from the run was slated for Breast Cancer research. Momma was already the designated chairwoman of next year’s committee. She had a steno pad and was frantically taking notes on what not to do, because naturally, of course, her idea for the whole thing was much better.
Lauren had secretly (or not so secretly) blown Nate a kiss while he’d been waiting at the starting gate. He’d seen it and waved to her. There had been a thousand runners participating and he’d placed first in his age group.
Afterward, he came up to her, all sweaty and hot looking, and in front of everyone, he’d kissed her. It wasn’t a long kiss, but it had been on the lips, and if anyone wondered about the nature of their relationship before, that kiss left no doubt that it went way past just friendship.
After the run, Nate had gone home to shower but he’d returned with Hector, who looked adorably innocent on his leash, sniffing the ground for any traces of fallen festival food. Nate and his sister and his mother were strolling through the arts and crafts section of the booths. Lauren already knew Lanie, but she felt a little shy being introduced to Nate’s mom. She was an attractive woman in her mid-fifties, tall like Nate, with similar coloring.
“Did you really design and make this all by this yourself?” Connie Miller asked. She was inspecting one of the dresses Lauren had on display for her new maternity line. “I used to sew when the kids were little, but mostly costumes and dresses for Lanie, that kind of stuff. Your seams are flawless.”
“Thank you,” Lauren said, feeling a flush of warmth. It occurred to her suddenly that it was vital that this woman like her. “My grandmother taught me to sew when I was little.”
“It’s practically a forgotten art,” Connie said. “My son tells me you’re hoping to put out your own line. Maybe even do Internet sales?”
“That’s the goal.”
Connie smiled at her and Lauren noticed she had the same dimples Nate did. Or rather, Nate had her dimples. It was interesting seeing him with his mother and his sister. He seemed patient and protective of Lanie, and overly solicitous of his mother. It boded well for his future wife. Momma always said you could tell how a man was going to treat his wife based on the way he treated his mother. Lauren found herself feeling mighty envious of the future Mrs. Nate Miller. Whoever that might happen to be.
Her stomach flip flopped. Who was she kidding? She was envisioning herself in that role. If Lauren didn’t watch herself, she was going to get way too involved, way too fast. Slow down, girl.
“Do you have a catalog? Or a website?” Connie asked. “I work with a lot of nurses and they seem to always be getting pregnant. I bet they might be interested.”
Dhara, who was helping man the booth, came forward to give Connie a business card. “Yep, we have a website. It officially went live this morning. There’s just a few preliminary designs on it right now but there’s a link for orders and we’ll be putting more inventory up as we develop.” She handed a card to Lanie as well.
“Baby Got Bump.” Lanie looked surprised as she read the card out loud.
“I thought of that name myself,” Dhara said.
“Really?” Lanie raised a brow. “That’s…very clever.”
