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His mother’s eyes lit up. A good sign, yes, if he wanted her approval. A bad sign if he didn’t want her meddling and playing matchmaker.
“I know Baylee! She’s lovely. And, man, can that woman bake.” She patted her middle. “Our bible study group at church gets treats from her bakery for our meetings. I have to keep myself to only indulging in them on that day. Any more and I’d gain a hundred pounds.”
Rose MacIntire weighed barely a hundred pounds soaking wet. Petite and feminine in every way.
“I think you could indulge a bit more if you wanted to, Mom.” He smiled, earning him a swat on the arm.
“Oh, stop. But, really. I like Baylee. I’m glad you’re taking her out. She has so much on her plate with running the bakery and raising her boy by herself. Her mother is a godsend to help her, but still…”
Drew’s mother had more information about Baylee than he did, which made sense since she lived there and he didn’t. His curiosity toyed with the idea of asking his mom more but, instead, he chose to wait. Getting to know Baylee via spending time with her was what he intended, not hearing it through his mom.
“I’m taking her and her son on a picnic.”
“Well, that’s a lovely idea.” She patted his knee. “If you’d like, I can recommend the perfect spot for it. Help you put together some lunch.”
He’d thought about that late last night when he couldn’t sleep. He’d offered a picnic to Baylee before thinking through the fact that he didn’t live in Silver Bay and had no clue where a good spot was to do so. His mother’s offer to help was exactly what he needed. He was struggling to dress himself, for crying out loud. Putting together a picnic might send him over the edge.
“That’s sounds great. Thanks, Mom.” He put an arm around her and kissed her cheek.
She stood and headed towards the kitchen, talking to herself. “Not sandwiches. That’s too common. Something fun like crackers, cheese, meats…” She tapped a finger to coincide with each item she ticked off verbally and left the room.
Drew leaned his elbows on his knees and linked his fingers together. What was he doing? Taking a woman with a kid out to lunch in a town he didn’t live in and only planned on staying for… hell, he didn’t even know how long. His future was unknown and his career teetered on the edge of a cliff. His gut said to cancel plans and go back to brooding in his mother’s living room. But something else pushed aside that thought and pulled him towards the blonde baker.
He stood and rolled his shoulders back. Unknown future be damned. Never one to break a date, he wasn’t about to start now.
*
Drew parked hisrental can and entered Baylee’s Bakery. His heart pounded in his chest like it was the beginning of a game on opening day. Why was he so nervous? His mother had packed a gourmet feast, told him the exact spot to take Baylee, and he even brought his glove and a baseball in case her son wanted to play catch. He wasn’t even sure how old her son was, but Baylee couldn’t be older than himself so definitely young. But old enough to throw a baseball?
“Hey stranger.”
Baylee’s voice brought him from the rambling he was doing in his head. He’d been standing just inside the door of the bakery, hands in his pockets, trying to calm himself down. Baylee had walked right up to him and he hadn’t noticed until she said something. How was that possible? He looked at her now, her hair in loose curls around her face, little to no makeup as far as he could tell, and those perfect lips curved into a smile as she looked up at him. He kept his hands deep in his pockets, afraid he’d wrap his arms around her and kiss her if he didn’t.
“Hey.”
“You okay?”
He blinked.
Her smiled faded a bit. “You still up for a picnic today? I was able to get Eva to cover for me until closing.” She pointed a thumb over her shoulder to the young woman he’d seen working behind the counter the day before.
Picnic. Picnic. Picnic. Right!
It took his brain a moment to register everything, his senses lost in those green depths of hers. “Yes! Of course. I’m ready if you are.”
She nodded. “I am.”
He pushed the door open and held it for her. As they walked down the sidewalk toward his car it hit him that something was off. “Wait. Where’s your son?”
“Oh! I hope you don’t mind, but I decided to leave him at home with my mom. He’s… not that good with new people.” She shrugged. “And I thought it would be nice to have an afternoon off.”
They reached his car and Drew opened the passenger side door for her. “Nothing wrong with an afternoon off.”
She smiled as she touched his arm then got into the car.
As he closed her door he thanked God again for the knack she had of always touching him– his hand, his arm.
He climbed in the driver’s side and started the car. “What?’ He looked at Baylee.
