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The boy reached out a hesitant hand… and then giggled when Herc licked it.
The woman grinned as I stood back up. “Quinn Taffet, you are every bit as delightful as I’ve heard!”
I fought the urge to look behind me for a more delightful Quinn. “I… am?”
A familiar-looking older lady hurried out of the bakery with a baby in her arms, puffing slightly. “Ava, honey? Oh!” She stopped short when she saw me, and her face broke out in a grin at least as wide as the blonde’s. “Well, hey there, Quinn! Isn’t this a treat?”
I blinked. Even after my morning walk, I was never not going to find it weird when people I didn’t know seemed to know me. “Uh… hey.”
“I’m Cindy Ann Johnson,” the older woman said, pressing a hand to her chest. “You might recognize me from here and there since my Red’s been the mayor of Licking Thicket since you came here on your summer breaks, back when you were a teenager.”
“Right, yeah.” I nodded. “I remember now.”
“And this here is Ava,” she went on. “My almost-daughter-in-law. Well, I mean… she once dated my oldest son, and then she also dated the man that my oldest son fell in love with, so she’s as close to being my daughter-in-law as you can get without actual, you know, law. You understand?”
Weirdly, I was pretty sure I did.
“Cindy Ann, I think you’re scaring Quinn.” Ava laughed lightly. “We’re harmless, I promise. We’ve just been meaning to come over to your lovely, lovely shop for the longest while and introduce ourselves.”
“You have?”
“Ever since you moved in,” Cindy Ann agreed. “Those window displays of yours are gorgeous. Wish I had such artistic flair.”
“Oh. Well.” I felt my cheeks go hot. I took a lot of pride in those window-scapes. “Thank you.”
“And event planning,” Ava said, swaying a little when the baby in her arms began to fuss. “I’ve always been so fascinated by that career. Takes not only great taste but also real leadership skills. You’ve gotta be a people person.”
“I… I mean, yes. I like to think so,” I agreed.
“D’you know, Quinn, your aunt Cherry and I go way back,” Cindy Ann said. “I talk to her every month or two without fail. Plus, she made my wedding dress, and she was a member of the Beautification Corps before she retired. That practically makes you and me family.”
What the heck was happening here?
“I feel like I’ve been remiss in waiting so long to come and pay you a call,” Cindy Ann continued. “See how you’re settling in. Making new friends. All that.”
“Oh. Um. I’ve been busy,” I said apologetically. “My business keeps me on the road to Nashville, so—”
“But I know Quinn’s made at least one friend,” Ava interjected. “Just this morning, Vivian Phelan told me Lurlene Jackson told her that Vienna Goodley saw Champ sneak out of Quinn’s place early in the morning at least twenty-eight times in the last couple months.”
Damn it, I knew it had been more than twenty-seven.
Wait.
“Someone saw Champ sneak—er, leave—my house in the morning?” I demanded. “All those mornings?”
“Sure.” Cindy Ann blinked like she couldn’t imagine why I was surprised. “Ever since Tucker let her move in to the apartment above his medical office—” She pointed across the street at a diagonal, to the big old house on the same block as Taffet Events. “—Vienna Goodley’s been keeping an eye on the Main Street for us. To keep us safe.”
“Safe,” I repeated faintly. Strangely enough, knowing someone was watching me made me feel less safe.
“But I’m so excited you and Champ are an item!” Cindy Ann exclaimed. “He’s always seemed so sweet, hasn’t he, Ava? His mother, Bunny—well, she was Isobel Henderson back then, of course—went to school with me before she married Champ’s father and moved to Nashville. After Champ’s father died, she and Champ didn’t come back to visit much, but I always liked— Beau! Stop right there, mister, while I clean you up. Do not put that dog-slobber-covered hand in your mouth.”
“You always liked… what?” I prompted fake-casually. Champ never volunteered anything about his past, and I couldn’t deny I was thirsty for details.
But then Cindy Ann thrust a small, pink-clad baby at me, and I forgot about everything else as I scrambled to hold her securely under the armpits while Cindy Ann attacked the little boy with a wet wipe.
“Heyyy. Hey, there, baby girl.” The baby stared up at me with big blue eyes, looking just as uncertain as I felt.
I’d never held a baby before, and I couldn’t say I recommended the experience.
“So, Quinn, are you and Champ thinking about kids?” Ava went on.
“Oh, God, no. See, the thing is, we’re not actually in a relationship. We’re, uh…” I glanced down at the little boy. “We’re friends.” I gave Ava a significant look. “Friends who do sleepovers.”
