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“So could you.” Meg took the top off the cup and breathed in the goodness. God bless her friend. “You run a successful business, raise a son, and”—she gave her friend a nudge—“keep the home fires burning with a superhot professional baseball player.”
Baylee blushed crimson. “Stop it.”
Meg laughed.
“You’re certainly in a good mood,” Baylee said.
“What? I’m always in a good mood!”
Baylee rolled her eyes. “Let me rephrase that. You’re…relaxed. I don’t see that in you very often. What gives?”
Meg took a sip of her coffee and thought about it. “I don’t know. I guess things are just…good.”
“Would a superhot fireman have anything to do with that?” Baylee leaned away in case Meg decided to swat her.
“Stop it.” Meg laughed. “I’m not going to hit you.”
“Just being careful. Although I noticed that you aren’t protesting the fireman comment.”
Meg shrugged, hoping her smile didn’t give away too much.
“Meghan Malone!” Baylee’s eyes widened. “You’d best start talking!”
Just then Hannah came up with Rachel, a handful of volunteers trailing behind them. They sat at the picnic table and Hannah started the meeting.
“Don’t think for a second,” Baylee whispered behind her cup of tea “that you are getting out of telling me everything, my friend.”
Meg pretended to ignore her. It felt good to keep something from Baylee for fun rather than from fear of sharing.
Hannah was making her way around the table, ensuring that Baylee’s baking booth was set, verifying that Franklin had everything he needed for the diner’s booth, and checking all the boxes on her clipboard.
“Thanks everyone for coming. I’ll see you on the thirty-first for the big event! Text or call me with any last-minute items.” Hannah waved her cell phone in the air.
“I need to get back to the bakery,” Baylee told Meg as they got up to leave, “but come by my house later tonight. Drew is doing a guys’ night with Casey so we’ll have time to chat.”
“Sounds good.”
After a quick hug, Baylee left. Meg spotted Rachel chatting with a few volunteers and walked over to her.
Rachel said good-bye to the woman she’d been talking to and turned to Meg. “Hi, Meg. It’s good to see you.”
Everything about the woman was welcoming. Her smile, the sparkle in her eyes. When she said she was glad to see you, it didn’t feel like a hollow, common greeting. Rachel meant it.
“It’s good to see you, too.” Meg tucked her hands inside her coat pockets and looked at her boots. She thought she’d be embarrassed after unloading as she had, but she wasn’t. She’d revealed a very private part of her life, and yes, it had been deeply uncomfortable, but she felt oddly stronger now for it. Rachel made her feel safe.
“How is the running going? I talked to Chet the other day and he said you two had a goal of seven miles a day.” She chuckled. “I can’t even imagine that.”
Meg smiled and looked up, meeting Rachel’s eyes. “I guess so. We’ve had to back down a bit. I had some trouble with my ankle.” Her old injury was something she didn’t talk about. But Rachel’s demeanor was so…patient. So safe. A lot like Chet.
“Oh no. I hope you are okay.”
“I’m fine.” Meg waved a hand then put it back in her pocket. “A work injury from years ago that got irritated.”
Rachel frowned; her concern sincere. “Well, this fundraiser is about promoting physical and mental health. The last thing I want is for you to push yourself and make an injury worse.”
“I’m good. I promise.”
Rachel smiled again. “Okay. Good.”
