“It seems to work,” Dave said. “I love seeing those T-shirts around town.”

“We’ve got a new design,” Jordan offered. “Fat Larry is still the same, of course, but with a new background.”

Annie noticed the expression on Loraine’s face and quickly added, “I think you’ll love it. I know Matt would have.”

Jordan gave her a nod and a subtle smile—a silent thank-you.

Loraine’s expression softened a bit. “I know we said for you to run the store as you wanted,” she said. “I just don’t want to change up too much. Matt had everything running smoothly.”

“I’m not changing stuff, Mom. A few tweaks here and there, that’s all.”

“She can handle it,” Dave said. “I have to agree. Matt was a little lax sometimes with his employees. There has to be accountability. You know that from the restaurant.”

Loraine nodded but didn’t reply. There seemed to be a little tension in the air, and Annie assumed it was because they were discussing Matt as much as they were.

“I should get the steaks going,” Jordan said. “Want another beer, Dad?”

“Thanks.”

“Mom?”

“I’ll take another glass of wine.”

Annie stood quickly. “I’ll get it.”

She followed Jordan back inside, through the living room and into the kitchen. Their eyes met and Annie felt a little relief.

“I guess talking about Matt…”

“Yes, Mom still has her moments. But she’s a lot better.”

“Right before you came in earlier, she asked me if Matt and I were close,” Annie said. “I nearly panicked. Should I lie? Should I tell her we were dating?”

“I don’t think you have to lie, Annie.”

“So I either lie to her or she thinks I’m a slut.” She covered her face with her hands. “God, she’s going to hate me.”

She felt Jordan move closer, and she let her take her hands from her face.

“It’ll be okay.”

“You keep saying that. I’m not sure I believe you.”

Jordan’s fingers tightened around her own. “Trust me.”

Annie nodded. “I will. But there’s no easy way to tell them. Before dinner? During? After? Regardless of when, it’ll still ruin dinner.”

Jordan smiled at her. “Let’s make it after dinner. Don’t want to waste those expensive fillets.”



Chapter Eighteen

For all her brave words, Jordan was actually nervous. Of course, she knew Annie was as well. They’d had a nice dinner with pleasant conversation, and she and her mother had finished off the bottle of wine. She could tell by her father’s demeanor that he was now ready to go home. She glanced over at Annie and raised her eyebrows. In return, Annie blew out a nervous breath and nodded. But before Annie could speak, Jordan decided to take the lead.

“Mom…Dad…there’s something we need to tell you,” she said. “Well, Annie…but still.”

Her mother frowned and glanced between the two of them. “What’s wrong?”

Annie stood up, twisting her hands together nervously. “There’s no easy way,” she said. “And I so wish there was.”

“Okay, girls, you’re scaring me,” her mother said. “What is it?”

Annie looked over at her and Jordan nodded.

“As you know, I’m pregnant,” Annie said. “What you don’t know is that…Matt is the father.”

Her mother’s face turned ashen. “What?”

“I’m so sorry,” Annie said immediately.

Jordan stood up. “Don’t say you’re sorry,” she said. “It took two. It wasn’t just you.”

Her mother held both hands up. “Okay…stop. Now…what?”

Jordan walked in front of her mother. “Annie and Matt…were…”

“Dating?”

“Not exactly,” Annie said.

“Then what?”

“Mom…let’s don’t go into details,” Jordan said.

“Of course I want details,” she said. “You’re telling me that Matt fathered a child?”

“I know you’ll want to do paternity tests and all,” Annie said. “And that’s fine. I just thought you should know.”

Her mother leaned back in her chair. “You’re pregnant with Matt’s baby?”

Annie nodded. “Yes.”

Her mother turned her gaze to Jordan. “And you knew?”

Jordan nodded. “Yes. She told me a few weeks ago.”

Her mother looked back at Annie. “I had no idea that you two were involved. I mean, I’m glad to know that he had someone, but I wish he’d shared that with me.”

Annie looked at her helplessly, and Jordan gave a slight shrug. Was it so bad to let her mother think that Matt had a love in his life?

Her father finally stirred and she recognized the shock on his face. Shock…and something else.

“Matt’s baby?”

Annie simply nodded and that nod brought a smile to her father’s face. “Wow,” was all he said.

Her mother got up and went to Annie, wrapping her arms around her. Annie looked at Jordan over her mother’s shoulder and Jordan saw the relieved look in her eyes. She smiled at her and Annie seemed to relax into her mother’s hug.

“A baby,” her mother said. “We’re going to have a baby.” She pulled away from Annie, her smile big. “That’s wonderful news, dear. We, of course, will help you in any way you need.”

“I’m glad you’re living here with Jordan,” her father said. He looked at her. “You’re not charging her rent, are you?”

“No, Dad.”

Annie held her hands up. “Look, I didn’t tell you this because I wanted anything from you. I don’t. But you deserved to know that Matt…well, that Matt—”

“Annie, it’s only right that we support this child, that we support you,” her mother said.

Jordan stepped forward. “Mom, let’s give it time to sink in, okay. Right now, Annie is fine living here. And there’s a lot of time to go.”

“When are you due?” her mother asked.

“The end of January,” Annie said.

“Matt was born in January.” Tears gathered in her mother’s eyes, and Annie was again engulfed in a hug. “That’s wonderful.” Then she pulled back and studied Annie. “You’re not even showing yet.”

Jordan watched as Annie’s hand went to her abdomen. “My clothes are getting a little tight,” she said.

“It’ll happen soon enough.”

Her mother then went over to her father and hugged him. “Isn’t this wonderful news, Dave?”

“It sure is.”

Annie glanced over at her with a smile, then took a step in her direction. Jordan walked closer too, letting their shoulders touch. Annie leaned into her.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“Told you,” Jordan whispered back.



Chapter Nineteen

“How do you want to work the festival?” Annie asked as soon as Jordan walked into the office.

Jordan raised her eyebrows. “What festival?”

“On the Fourth of July,” she said. “Everyone will want to go.”

Jordan sank down onto the sofa and took a sip from her coffee cup. “There’s a festival?”

“Oh, Jordan, there’s been a festival on the Fourth of July since we were kids. How can you not remember?”

Jordan shrugged. “I forgot a lot of stuff,” she said. “So will we be busy here?”

“There’ll be more people in town than normal, but most of them will be at the festival. We rent a booth there so we’ll have to have someone work it too.”

“We do?”

“I guess I didn’t think to mention it to you. Matt always handled all of that,” she said. “We take mostly T-shirts and a few things that are unbreakable.”

“Okay. Well, that shouldn’t be too hard, right?”

“We’ve got to have the store covered, the booth covered, and give them all an opportunity to go to the festival itself,” she explained.

“What did you do last year?”

“Matt took the booth. Everyone else took short shifts here.”

Jordan groaned. “I’m not crazy about the idea of working the booth.”

Annie smiled at her. “Too many people for your liking?”

“If they all want to go to the festival, wouldn’t it be easier to split the shifts at the booth?”

“And you’ll work the store?”

“You and me?” Jordan asked hopefully.

Annie shook her head. Jordan still didn’t like to be left at the store alone. What she was afraid of, Annie had no idea.

“How about we call a staff meeting and get their opinions?” Annie suggested.

“Okay. You’re the manager. You call it.” Jordan leaned forward, grabbing her reading glasses and the latest T-shirt catalog from the desk. “Have you looked at this yet?”

“Not really. I flipped through it is all,” she said.

She pulled up the inventory, wondering if she should order more shirts before the festival. Certainly more of the Fat Larry T-shirts. Brandon was giving them away at a record pace. Matt would be proud. She glanced over at Jordan, watching her as she studied the catalog. She looked adorable with her reading glasses low on her nose.

“Do you know how cute you look in those glasses?” The words were out before Annie could stop them and she felt a slight blush on her face.

Jordan looked up, her eyes meeting Annie’s over the top of her glasses. “Yeah. They make me look super-smart.”

Annie leaned her elbows on the desk and rested her chin on her hands. “Why are you single?” When Jordan raised her eyebrows questioningly, Annie continued. “And don’t say it’s because you used to work sixty or seventy hours a week. That’s just an excuse.”

Jordan put the catalog down beside her on the sofa and tossed her glasses on top of it. “No, it’s not really an excuse,” Jordan said. “I had goals—professional goals—and priorities and my love life was never at the top of the list. It wasn’t even near the top. And like a lot of things, the years kinda went by without me knowing it.”

“So what’s the longest relationship you’ve ever been in?”

Jordan laughed. “Does three dates constitute a relationship?”

“Oh, come on. Surely you’ve been out with someone more than three times.”

Jordan leaned back on the sofa and crossed her legs, resting one ankle across her knee. “Well, there was Debra. We hung out for a while. Debra was an investment broker, so we had things in common. But she was very competitive, and it was always a power struggle with us.” She grinned. “The sex was great.”

“But?” Annie prompted.

Jordan shrugged. “We both knew it wasn’t going anywhere. I think we were too much alike.”

“Are you that competitive?”

Jordan nodded. “At work, yes.” Before Annie could ask another question, Jordan asked one of her. “Why are you single?”

“Me?” Annie reached for her coffee cup, perhaps stalling for time. Why was she still single? “Well, the first time around was so disastrous, I was afraid to even consider dating again,” she said. She looked over at Jordan, holding her gaze. “Truthfully, there never was anyone…well, I guess I learned from Derrick…our relationship was nothing more than high school crap,” she said with a smile. “He was familiar, he was who my parents loved, our friends were all getting married, so I simply followed suit. But I never…I never felt for Derrick what you need for a marriage. I knew that. I knew that six months after we got married. I probably knew it before we got married.”

“You’ve been divorced…what? Four years or so?”

“Yes. I guess I just haven’t met anyone who…well, who…” She stared at Jordan, feeling a connection with her that she couldn’t quite understand. Jordan’s eyes were gentle and Annie didn’t want to pull away. “Maybe…someday,” she said quietly.

Jordan nodded. “Yeah. Me too.”

Annie smiled and finally pulled her gaze away. “I guess I should get back to my inventory.”

Jordan stood. “I’ll go cover the store if you want to get a vote on the festival.”

“Okay, thanks. Jessica and Staci aren’t working today, but I’ll get their take tomorrow,” Annie said.

Jordan paused at the door. “I’ve also been thinking about this office party you want me to have.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Mid-July work for you?”

“Sure. I don’t know that I’ll fit into a swimsuit by then, though,” she said. “My clothes are starting to get a little tight.”

“You can’t tell.”

“When I’m naked looking in the mirror, I can tell,” she said.

A smile touched Jordan’s face and she looked like she wanted to say something but didn’t. Annie smiled too.

“Whatever it is you’re thinking…”

Jordan laughed. “Not going to say.” She took a step back into the office. “But when will you tell the others?”

“I don’t know. Part of me wants to wait until it’s obvious. Maybe they’ll just think I’m getting fat,” she said.

“Think you’ll be embarrassed by what they think?”

“Yes. Especially when they find out it’s Matt’s,” she said. “They’ll assume we were having this clandestine affair right under their noses.”

Jordan shrugged. “Doesn’t matter, does it?”