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“Sure.”
Lucas waited. Colleen raised her eyebrows, looking at him and not Bryce.
Ah. He got it.
“Bryce, go get a cookie,” he said. When Bryce was out of hearing range, he turned back to Colleen. “What will it cost me?” he asked.
“You agree not to meddle with him and Paulie.”
“Are we going to have this argument again?”
“No.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. Waited.
She raised an eyebrow.
“Fine. It’s a deal,” he said. At least he could tell Joe his son had a job, and that was something.
“Okay, Bryce,” Colleen said. “Come with me. Faith, back in ten minutes, hon.”
She took Bryce by the arm and towed him out of the shop. Lucas followed. A couple was approaching the bakery, a little baby strapped to the woman’s chest in a complicated harness.
“Colleen!” the woman cried. “How are you?”
“Oh, hi, guys! Look at her! She’s so beautiful!” Colleen peered at the baby. Lucas did, too. Cute little bugger, a tuft of black hair on the tiny head, perfect little ears. Colleen let go of Bryce, and he wandered a bit down the street, eating his cookie.
Colleen turned to Lucas. “Lucas, meet Jordan and Tate Lawrence, and their beautiful little girl, Colleen.”
“We named her after Colleen,” the guy explained, grinning. “Since she fixed us up.”
“There’d be no little Colleen withoutthisColleen,” the woman added. As if on cue, she reached for her husband’s hand.
“You two are so cute together!” Colleen gushed with a significant look at Lucas. “Have a great day!”
She waited until the little family went inside. “Anothercouple I can claim. I should be a professional. Want me to find someone for you, Lucas, dear?”
“Pass.”
“You know how many babies there are in Manningsport named Colleen?” she asked smugly. “Seven.Seven,Lucas. That’s one one-hundredth of the population, named after me with joy and gratitude because I fixed up Mommy and Daddy, and that even includes two boys.”
“Boys named Colleen?” Bryce asked.
“No. One is Colin, the other is Cole, but we all know who they’re talking about. Me. Come on. Bryce! Come! Over here, across the street. In we go.”
Window boxes, which seemed required if you were a shopkeeper in Manningsport, spilled over with blue and orange flowers. The pink-and-gold sign said Happily Ever After.“To the dress store?” Bryce asked.
“Yep.” She opened the door and ushered them in. White dresses. Pink couches. More white dresses. Lots of sparkle.
A woman about their age came into the foyer, and her face lit up. “Colleen! How are you?”
“Hi, Gwen! How’s it going?”
“Fantastic,” the woman said. “Can I get you some wine? Coffee? A foot rub? Clean your house for you?” She and Colleen laughed merrily.
Colleen gave Lucas a smug smile. “I’ve sent a bride or two Gwen’s way,” she said.
“Or two? Or a dozen, more like it! Honestly, your dress is going to be free when the day comes.”
