Loving You (The Bridesmaids Club Book 2) (29 page)

“You were daydreaming. I hope they were good thoughts?”

Annie picked up the box of plates and herbs. “I’ve had better. Is your car unlocked?”

“It is. Your box can go on the back seat.”

They worked quickly, moving all of the boxes from the kitchen to Molly’s car. They’d carefully thought about what they’d need to take with them to make the photos look amazing. Molly had raided the props her sister used in her florist store. Extra vases, fairy lights, candelabras and candles in all shapes and sizes had been carefully packed.

Annie had prepared all of the meals in her own kitchen. It wasn’t ideal, but it had worked. She’d left all of the sauces and garnishes off the dishes, kept everything in separate bowls, ready to arrange on plates when they got to Jackie’s kitchen. These photos were important. They’d sell her business, make customers want to eat her meals.

“Where’s your camera gear?” Annie asked.

“It’s set up and ready to go. All we have to do is stage the photos.”

“It was good of Jackie to let us use her kitchen.”

Molly nodded and reversed out of the driveway. Annie’s neighbor, Mrs. MacNamara, was in her garden, fussing with the plants that always looked so perfect. She wound her window down and waved at her elderly friend.

As drove toward Jackie’s home, Molly carefully negotiated traffic lights and corners just in case the fragile cargo in her car fell everywhere.

Annie felt some of the tension in her shoulders disappear. It was such a great afternoon. The sun was shining and the streets were relatively quiet. After the chaos in her kitchen, she was going to make the most of the drive.

Molly turned down Sourdough Road. Annie looked at the street signs and frowned. “I thought Jackie lived a few more streets east of here?”

“She does. There’s been a change of plans.” Molly kept her gaze on the road. “Jackie had a house emergency, so I had to find another kitchen.”

“Is everything okay?”

“It will be, but in the meantime we’re going back to plan A.”

Annie hadn’t known they were on plan B. “What do you mean?”

“We’re going to use Dylan’s kitchen.”

Annie felt as though someone had zapped her with a stun gun. “No, we’re not. Dylan and I aren’t talking to each other. If he doesn’t want me in his life, he won’t want me in his kitchen. I thought you preferred Jackie’s home?”

“I was being a kind and considerate friend. Tess told me what happened in Boulder. I didn’t think you’d be happy using Dylan’s home as our photo location, so I asked Jackie if we could use hers.”

“And now we can’t. Does Dylan know we’re using his kitchen?”

“I called him as soon as I heard from Jackie. He doesn’t mind us being there.”

Annie crossed her arms in front of her chest. “You bribed him, didn’t you?”

“I did nothing of the sort.” Molly glanced at Annie before looking back at the road. “I might have given him a good deal on some publicity photos for his warehouse, though.”

“He doesn’t want me near him.”

“He told me where his spare key is kept, so he can’t be that worried. Besides, I don’t think he’s going to be home until much later. He said something about a doctor’s appointment.”

“Is he all right?”

“I suppose so.” Molly pointed to the entrance of Montana State University. “If we targeted some of your advertising budget on the staff and students, you could end up with more customers than you want.”

“I’m not sure about the students, but the staff are a good idea. Has Logan said anything about Dylan?”

“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask Tess.”

Annie wouldn’t be doing that. Tess had enough on her mind without adding Annie’s issues to the drama in her life. As they drove closer to Dylan’s home, Annie didn’t know what to do. They had a car full of food and all of the paraphernalia that went into making a photo shoot successful. She needed images for her posters, menu, flyers and website. If they didn’t take the photos today, it could be another week before everything came together.

She could go into Dylan’s home, help set up the photos, then leave Molly to do her job. Or she could stay and risk bumping into Dylan. Except Dylan didn’t like bumping into anyone, especially someone that scared the living daylights out of him.

Molly glanced across at Annie. “You’re awfully quiet.”

“I’m not sure using Dylan’s home is a good idea.”

“Bozeman’s a small town. You’re going to have to get used to the possibility that you’ll see him sometime.”

“I’m happy with sometime,” Annie sighed. “It’s just today that’s the problem.”

“He might not even be there.” Molly’s reasonable tone was more annoying than comforting. “It shouldn’t take me more than two hours to take the photos. Dylan didn’t think he’d be home until after six-thirty, so we’re fine.”

Annie looked down at her watch. Dylan’s kitchen was lovely, and depending on how many boxes he still had to unpack, it would look so much better than the poky little kitchen in her apartment.

The only good thing about using Dylan’s home were the kittens. At least Blinky, Boxer, and Boots would be happy to see her. “Okay, Dylan’s home it is.”

“Wise decision,” Molly said with a smile. “It’s going to be fine, just wait and see.”

Annie hoped so. Otherwise, she’d have more than a bruised heart to deal with.

***

Dylan opened the door to Pastor Steven’s home and listened to the noise coming from the living room. It sounded as though a party was going on. Jeremy’s voice boomed across the top of some awful music, cutting through the quiet Saturday afternoon that the rest of the neighborhood was enjoying. Dylan wasn’t sure what was going on, but it definitely wasn’t anything therapeutic like eating.

He walked toward the noise and only just managed to avoid a skateboard flying through the air. Within seconds, a pair of jean-clad legs landed on the floor, blocking the entrance to the room and giving Dylan something to smile about. When more body parts didn’t appear, he moved forward and stared at the idiot lying on the ground.

“What are you doing down there?”

William looked up at him with a grim smile on his face. “I’m getting old.”

“Or stupid,” Jeremy yelled from beside one of the sofas in the living room.

William groaned and grabbed hold of the hand Dylan held out to him. “Thanks. Goes to show that an old dog can forget every trick he’s ever learned.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.” Dylan picked up the skateboard and handed it back to William. “You’re only as old as you feel.”

“And right at the moment I feel ninety. Twenty years ago I had that spin perfected.”

“So you weren’t trying to end up in the Emergency Room at the hospital?”

Dylan heard Jeremy hoot with laughter.

William rubbed the back of his head. “We’re planning Frankie’s birthday. Pastor Steven and Jeremy bought him a skateboard, so I thought I’d give it a test run for old times’ sake. I should have left my moves in the past.”

Dylan tried to imagine what those moves might have involved, but decided not to ask. “Maybe you should practice before you throw yourself through a doorframe?”

William snorted. “Practicing isn’t going to make my body move faster or alter my center of gravity. My days of being an adrenaline junkie are officially over.”

Dylan used to be a daredevil, too, but he wasn’t going to risk his dignity by throwing himself at the mercy of a skateboard. After the crappy week he’d had, the last thing he needed was another lecture from his doctor. “You’d be safer sticking with your daughter’s Barbie dolls and girly toys.”

Jeremy wandered into the hallway. “What’s that about Barbie dolls?”

William shook his head, then winced something fierce. “You need to get out more. Take this and put it back in its box before someone else breaks their neck.”

Jeremy held the skateboard in his hand and smiled. “It’s just as well Pastor Steven’s got more common sense than all of us.”

William snorted. “Just because he bought Frankie a helmet and knee pads doesn’t mean he’s got more common sense. It just means he’s more cautious.”

“A helmet might have saved your head, big guy,” yelled Todd from inside the living room.

William muttered something under his breath before hauling Dylan into the living room. “You gotta see this mess. If Frankie turns up, we’re in trouble.”

Dylan’s internal alarm clock pricked to attention. “Has he been doing a lot of that lately?”

William knew exactly where Dylan was going. Six months ago, Frankie had started showing up at Pastor Steven’s home. He’d stay for a meal then go home with enough leftovers for the rest of his family. That’s when Pastor Steven realized things were getting pretty bad in Frankie’s home. With more pride than was healthy, Frankie’s dad had let them know that he didn’t do hand-outs. So they’d worked carefully behind the scenes, scouting out any jobs that could help him get back on his feet.

Dylan thought things had gotten better, but maybe not.

“It’s not a full belly that he’s looking for, it’s company. I think he’s fallen for Pastor Steven’s new puppy.”

Dylan relaxed. “Did Sally Gray strike again?”

William grinned. “Yep. She’s still trying to track down Todd, but he keeps putting her off.”

Todd looked up from the parcel he was wrapping. “She’s left three messages for me.”

“Might help if you called her back,” Dylan said. “Max is a great dog.”

“Great being the key word. He’s huge. I haven’t been home enough to think about where I’m going to put him.”

“You’ve got five bedrooms in that deathtrap you call a home. You could easily fit Max into one of those.”

Todd didn’t take offense at Dylan’s description of his home. “It’s a work in progress. As long as I’ve got a kitchen and bathroom, I’m happy.”

Dylan had visited Todd a few weeks ago. It was just as well his friend had low expectations about his living conditions. Three of his bedrooms had been turned into storage rooms. Planks of recycled wooden flooring, bathroom sinks, replacement toilets, wiring and cans of paint littered each room. There didn’t seem to be any organization to the chaos, just a willingness to buy whatever came on sale.

Todd frowned at the roll of tape in front of him. “I’ll call Sally tomorrow.”

“You’ve met Max. He’s a great dog.”

Todd grunted. “I’ve got to be home to look after him.”

Dylan scrunched some discarded wrapping paper into a ball and threw it at Todd’s head. “Could be a reason for staying put, then.”

Todd didn’t seem impressed. “Maybe.”

Dylan ignored the scowl on his friend’s face and looked around the room. Wrapping paper, ribbon and empty shopping bags littered the floor. “Looks like Frankie’s getting more than a skateboard for his birthday?”

“We went shopping,” Pastor Steven said from the doorway that lead to the kitchen. “We’ve still got to fine tune the last of the plans for the pool party. After Tess arrives with lunch, we can get started. How do you feel?”

Dylan had never been comfortable talking about himself, but in this group, everyone had a way of asking without it sounding as though it was a big deal. The day after he’d arrived home from Boulder, all of his friends had descended on his house, wanting to know what had happened. He’d told them, so he figured an updated edition of his last doctor’s appointment was all they needed.

After a two minute summary, everyone went back to what they’d been doing. Jeremy passed him a baseball and he set to work covering it in wrapping paper. When he’d finished, he admired his handiwork. “I’ve missed my calling. I should have been one of Santa’s little helpers.”

Todd looked up from the opposite end of the table. “Seems to me that ‘little’ is the important word. A six-foot-five security expert might be somewhat overqualified for the role.”

“Unless Santa has a twenty-three-year-old daughter who needs a bodyguard,” Jeremy added. “Then I’m applying for the job, too.”

“Why twenty-three?” Dylan put the baseball on the growing pile of presents.

“He’s got someone in mind for Santa’s daughter.” Todd sounded so matter-of-fact that Dylan nearly missed the blush on Jeremy’s face.

“I’m not talking about her.” Jeremy glared daggers at Todd. “Someone change the subject.”

In all the time Dylan had been coming to the support group, Jeremy had never gotten annoyed about anything. But he guessed given the right motivation, it happened to everyone.

“I’ve got a question that doesn’t involve a twenty-three year old.” Dylan flicked a quick glance at Jeremy. The poor guy looked so relieved that Dylan began to wonder what was going on. “How did you convince Frankie’s dad to have a party at the pool? The birthday must be costing more than they can afford?”

It was Pastor Steven’s turn to look a little hot under the collar. “It wasn’t a big, in-your-face fib, but it got close. Each year we organize a couple of events for our youth group and their families. This year we’re having a pool party. It just happened that it’s on the same day as Frankie’s birthday.”

Dylan smiled. “Clever. And Frankie’s got no idea?”