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“What?”
“That’s like this code for taking forever to do stuff. You look pretty all the time, Mom. You don’t need to take ages getting ready.”
“Awww, thank you, sweetie, and I promise I won’t be long.” Looking at Ritchie reinforced what she already knew. She had her boy and didn’t need a big strong man at her side. Not even one who melted her with just a touch and had a protective streak a mile wide.
The rain had eased, although the day was still gray when she looked out the window.
“Can I scooter, Mom?”
“Sure, but you probably need your rain jacket.”
“Sweet!” He ran to his room and grabbed it.
Autumn pulled on hers, and they left the house. It was still early, but there were already plenty of people about. It surprised her how many faces she knew.
“Hey there, Albert.”
He stood in the doorway of The Chocolate Place. “Hi, Autumn. Hello, Ritchie. Are you going to Tea Total for story time?”
“We are,” Ritchie said.
Albert waved them on, and they crossed the street to the tea shop. It had two rooms, one where the counter and cabinets were and the other for books and story time. As usual, the smell of fresh baked goods and coffee made her mouth water.
Ritchie ran to where the Trainer kids sat waiting for story time. She found Rory drinking coffee with Jack and Joe Trainer at a table by the window.
“Good morning.”
“Morning, Autumn.” Jack was knitting.
She looked at Joe.
“You’re wondering how it is a big hunk of man like me has a brother like him? I mean, who knits in public and is proud of it?”
“That’s very sexist of you.” Rory punched him in the arm. “I know plenty of women who knit in public and love it. I don’t knit, so someone in our family needs to make sure our kids stay warm.”
“You don’t have any kids,” Ted Hosking said, arriving with a coffee.
He owned the lodge, and his partner Mandy co-owned Tea Total with her aunts, the Robbins sisters.
“Do you have something to tell me?” Joe demanded.
He was looking at his brother, but Autumn was looking at Rory. Her cheeks were pink.
“We’re having a baby,” Jack said, still knitting.
“I’m going to be an uncle again?” The delight on Joe’s face was real. He grabbed Rory, hugged her gently, then slapped his brother hard on the back in a man hug.
“You got plenty of wool, bud?” Ted said, going for the chest bounce with Jack.
“Just ordered some more.” Jack’s grin was huge. “Cream seeing as we don’t know what flavor we’re having.”
“Congratulations, Rory,” Autumn said.
“If I’m honest, the prospect terrifies me,” she said. “There is so much I don’t know.”
“And that’s natural, but you have a huge network of women around you who have had children, and I’m here too if you need backup.”
“Thanks.” Rory hugged Autumn, holding her tighter when she tried to ease back.
