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“Tell me about it,” Chase muttered feelingly.
“She wanted to see my place before she made a decision, so I offered her dinner at mine so she could have a look around.”
“Food,” his brother said with the air of someone with a great deal of experience. “If you want to convince a woman of something, good food is vital. Cook her a meal she likes, offer her cheese or chocolate, or both, the works. I can pretty much guarantee you’ll get a good result.”
Finn thought about the chicken soup he’d made Beth and how hungrily she’d eaten it.
“Hmmm,” he said. “Sounds like good advice for once.”
“Hey,” Chase protested, looking offended.
Finn pointed his beer bottle at him in a sudden fit of inspiration. “Sausage rolls.”
Chase blinked. “Sausage rolls? Is that some kind of code for—”
“Relax, Beth likes them.” His brain was already thinking of possibilities, ways he might be able to win her over. “I might have to pay a visit to Bill’s tomorrow.”
“Go early,” Chase advised unnecessarily, since everyone who lived in Brightwater knew that if you wanted some of Bill’s baking, you had to be early. “And if he tells you he doesn’t have any scones left, don’t listen. He always keeps a batch in the back for emergencies.”
“Not sure about scones.”
“If you want to propose to her, which I’m assuming you’re going to do, then you’ll need all the help you can get.” Chase got a distant look in his eye. “Oh, and if you’re very lucky, he might do some eclairs. Got one for Izzy a couple of days and she was…uh…let’s just say she was very grateful.”
“Noted,” Finn murmured, deciding that the visit to Bill’s wouldn’t just include a tour of the baking cabinet; it would also involve some discussion.
Because he couldn’t leave anything to chance, not with this.
Bethany Grant was going to marry him. All she had to do was say yes.
Chapter 11
Beth spent the following morning in the gallery with Izzy and Indigo, looking over Teddy Grange’s latest batch of goods. Teddy was tall, slender, and pretty, in her early sixties and with still-bright blond hair in a long braid down her back. She wore jeans, a plain white linen button-down shirt, and some expensive-looking rubber rain boots and somehow managed to look effortlessly elegant as well as practical.
She had an olive grove at the vineyard and was doing a range of flavored olive oils, as well as branching out into skincare. There were also jams, jellies, and a new product Beth was especially intrigued about: olive marmalade.
Teddy had spread some on a couple of crackers with some nice cheese to try, and Beth had wondered whether she’d feel too sick to be able to stomach it. Plus cheese could be problematic for pregnant women. However, the cheese was a smoky cheddar, so not one of the forbidden cheeses; also the olive marmalade smelled divine enough that she hadn’t been able to resist.
It turned out to be delicious, salty and a little sweet and perfect with the cheese, and she was disappointed there weren’t more jars available. Izzy was a stickler for making sure there was enough stock in the gallery.
“How are you feeling today?” Izzy asked after Teddy had left. “Indigo said you weren’t well yesterday.”
“She really wasn’t,” Indigo, who was sitting on the counter knitting, confirmed.
Izzy finished with the display she was fussing with and frowned at Indigo. “Must you sit on the counter?”
“Yes.” Indigo didn’t look up from her knitting. “Indeed, I must.”
Izzy sighed and looked back at Beth, who’d brought along a couple of pairs of earrings she’d just finished and was now adding them to the list of stock. “You’re okay though?”
Beth tried to ignore the little pulse of guilt that went through her, shoving it away and giving Izzy a big smile instead. “Yeah, much better today, thanks.”
“Good.” Izzy came over to the counter and examined her thoroughly. “You’re still looking tired though. Are you getting enough sleep?”
Beth gave a sigh. God save her from overly invested friends concerned for her well-being.
If this morning sickness kept up, she wasn’t going to be able to hide being pregnant for long, not when she saw Izzy and Indigo every day. Not to mention every other person in Brightwater. And yeah, she did feel guilty about hiding it from them.
But while things were still uncertain, she didn’t see another choice. Finn might have no doubt whatsoever about her pregnancy being fine, but she was still on the fence. Plus there were their living arrangements still to get sorted out.
