Page 23 of The Gingerbread Bakery (Dream Harbor #5)

Chapter Twenty

Now

A nnie's hands were putting flowers on the tables, and her head was nodding at whatever it was Kira and Daisy were talking about, but her eyes were tracking Mac’s movement through the barn.

He’d put his brand-new kittens back in their box, tucking them in with an extra tablecloth when he went outside to help Bennett haul some fresh-cut Christmas trees, but now that the trees were in position and dried off from the snow, he had one kitten tucked in the crook of his arm and the other peeking out from his coat pocket.

It was absurd in its cuteness. He was up to something. That much was obvious.

Mac laughed at something Bennett said, the rich sound echoing through the barn.

He stopped his work on the lights to pet the head of the orange kitten, opening his pocket a little to check on it.

He was really laying it on thick today. First, insisting on driving her up here, and now adopting kittens?

! It was diabolical. Not to mention his threat about not leaving women unsatisfied.

The memory of the way he’d said that continued to send shivers through her body.

He’d nearly kissed her by the truck. She could still feel the imprint of his fingers on the back of her neck. Mac was making his move, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to stop him.

Even though she should. She definitely should.

‘Annie, you think that’s a good idea?’

‘Huh? What? Yeah, that's a great idea,’ Annie answered, her eyes still on Mac until she heard Kira and Daisy giggling beside her.

‘What?’ she snapped.

‘I asked you if you thought it was a good idea for us to cartwheel down the aisle tomorrow instead of walking,’ Kira said.

‘That was low.’

‘You've been stalking that man with your eyes all night. I feel like I'm watching a nature documentary and you’re about to pounce,’ Kira said with a laugh.

‘Oh, shut up,’ Annie said, giving her friend a playful shove. ‘It’s not my fault! The damn man has kittens in his pockets!’ Kira laughed harder and Annie snorted as she tried to stifle her own laughter. It didn’t work.

‘What is going on between you two?’ Daisy asked.

‘Nothing.’ Annie knew her answer was too quick and too sharp to be believable.

Daisy raised her eyebrows. ‘Really? Because we have a bet going at the flower shop and I would love to have the inside scoop.’

‘A bet? I want in on that action! I bet the whole farm that these two end up in bed together by the end of this wedding,’ Kira said.

Annie shook her head. ‘You're going to lose that one. There’s no way.’ Even as she said it, Mac’s words echoed in her ears. I don’t leave women unsatisfied . A threat and a promise all in one.

‘But seriously,’ Daisy said, ‘there’s history between you two, right?’

‘It’s all very mysterious,’ Kira said, arranging the plates on the table. ‘She doesn’t talk about it.’

‘It's not mysterious,’ Annie said with a huff. ‘It’s ancient history and it doesn't matter anymore.’

‘If it doesn't matter, then why is that man looking at you like he wouldn't mind being your prey?’ Kira asked with a grin.

Daisy sighed. ‘He really is. But that's the sort of look that's gotten me into trouble twice already. If I was you, I’d look away.’

‘You can’t give up on love forever,’ Kira said, her gaze lingering dreamily on Bennett across the room. He was currently explaining to Mac why it was impossible to have too many lights on a Christmas tree.

‘My attempts at love have hurt not only my heart but my business, so I’m done trying,’ Daisy said, thumping another arrangement of flowers on the table.

The cream and maroon flowers that Jeanie had picked were artfully arranged in low vases, so they didn’t obstruct conversation across the table. They were gorgeous.

Daisy was incredibly talented.

And a teensy bit cursed. Or at least according to the town she was. Annie happened to know, as did everyone else, that Daisy had not only an ex-husband but an ex-fiancé. It didn't help matters that the last three weddings she’d provided flowers for led to marriages that had ended within a year.

‘Are people still refusing to use your shop for weddings?’ Kira asked.

The three of them had moved on to the next table and were arranging tall white candles around the pine boughs and flowers.

Daisy let out another exhausted sigh. ‘It’s been only funerals for me for the past six months and frankly not enough people are dying around here.’

‘That’s ridiculous.’ Daisy lamenting the lack of death in Dream Harbor had Annie biting down on a smile, but it was obviously a serious problem if it was hurting her business.

The funny thing was, the woman looked perfectly suited for the funeral business.

Annie had never seen her in anything but black, even down to her fingernails.

It was like she was trying to appear as opposite from her sunshine-y name as possible.

Daisy shrugged. ‘I thought so at first, but I don’t know.

Maybe it’s true. Maybe I am cursed, and now it’s rubbing off on everybody else.

’ She glanced around the room, apparently remembering what they were in the middle of doing.

‘I’m sure it’s nothing, though. I mean, I’m sure Jeanie and Logan will be fine. ’

Annie rolled her eyes. ‘Those two are obsessed with each other. There’s no way even a curse would pull them apart. I'm not worried.’

Daisy gave her a weak smile. ‘Well, I do appreciate you recommending me to Jeanie.’

If Annie could help the fools in this town see that Daisy was talented and in no way responsible for the end of other people’s marriages, then she was happy to do it.

‘Of course! Your flower arrangements are the best. It’s silly to waste them on dead people.’ A laugh burst from Kira's lips at that remark and all three women were quickly giggling again.

‘What’s so funny over there?’ Bennett asked from across the barn.

‘Just the usual girl talk,’ Kira called back. ‘Nature documentaries and funerals.’

To his credit, Bennett didn’t even look surprised at that answer. ‘Come over here and let us know what you think.’

The three women finished up the last table and joined Bennett and Mac. They’d managed to arrange a half dozen fresh Christmas trees to create a backdrop for the ceremony. They’d covered them in white lights and, when Bennett flipped off the overhead lights, the effect was magical.

‘It’s beautiful,’ Daisy whispered.

It really was.

Annie looked around at the work they’d done tonight.

The wood rafters of the barn were covered in white, twinkle lights.

Annie was pretty sure there were even more than there had been the night before and they made the room glow with golden light.

White chairs stood in rows flanking the aisle and at the end of each was a white lantern with candles inside.

On the other side of the barn were a dozen round tables, each draped in a cream-colored tablecloth with Daisy's beautiful centerpieces in the middle, moody reds and dark greens; like Christmas but sexier.

The gingerbread house was on a table in the corner with a curtain in front of it, to keep it a surprise for the groom and the guests. Tomorrow, the table beside it would be filled with cookies and cupcakes fresh from the bakery.

Everything looked perfect.

Jeanie was going to love it. Annie wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

‘Crying already?’ Mac asked, appearing beside her.

Annie sniffled. ‘I can’t help it. It’s just… I love those two! And I’m really happy for them.’

‘So, are you ready to go?’ Mac’s voice was a low rumble in her ear. When had he gotten so close?

‘I should probably make sure Kira doesn’t need anything…’

‘Kira is just fine,’ Kira said, butting into the conversation. ‘You are free to go.’ She gave Annie a devious smile. Annie would remember this. She’d make sure Kira got stuck talking to whatever offensive relatives Jeanie and Bennett happen to have in attendance tomorrow.

‘See, there you go,’ Mac said. ‘We’re dismissed.’

And there was that hand again on the small of her back leading her toward the door. She should really tell him to knock that off. She wanted to protest but she also didn't want to inconvenience Bennett and Kira by sticking around.

‘Daisy, do you need a ride?’ she called, in a last-ditch effort to not be trapped alone with Mac.

‘No, I'm good. I drove my truck and I’m not far from here.’

Damn Daisy and her four-wheel drive. Mac was smirking at her when she caught a glimpse of him from the corner of her eye. Definitely up to something.

Bundled into the passenger seat with the box of kittens on her lap, Annie felt like when they were teenagers all over again. She felt out of control, her body feeling things she had never given it permission to feel.

But also like when they were teenagers, she felt ready to give into it all. Give it all up to Mac, consequences be damned.

‘I thought we could go to my place first and get the kittens settled in. It’s closer,’ he said, getting into the truck. It was a stupid excuse and made no sense, but Annie found herself agreeing. The kittens needed settling. Obviously. They’d had a traumatic few days.

She needed to go back to Mac’s for the kittens’ sake.