See Megan Run (10 page)

"I do get lunch breaks." Jane sat down beside
Megan and laid the flowers near the headstone.

Megan knew she was lying. By now Jane would
have been prepping for lunch and thawing out dinner. She never left
until her job was done. Megan clasped her hands together. "How did
you know?"

"I may not be your mother, but I still have
the instincts." Jane reached over and touched Megan’s hand. Megan
hesitated a moment, then took it.

"Does Nicole ever come here any more?" Megan
asked without looking at her surrogate mother.

Jane made a noncommittal noise, then said,
"Maybe you should ask her?"

The knot in her stomach loosened and Megan
shook her head. "You won’t let that one go, will you?"

"Why should I?" Jane said softly.

Megan didn’t have an answer. "I was about to
leave. My butt is getting wet from sitting on the ground."

"I’d feel better," Jane stated, "If I had
some company while sitting here."

"Oh," Megan bit her lip and nodded. "Um, you
know, I can stay until you are ready to go. I’m not in any hurry to
get back to Nicole." Or Aiden. Dear God, or even work. Staying in
Riverbed was already starting to change her, but right that second
Megan couldn’t find the strength to fight it. "Really, it won’t be
a hardship."

Jane smiled and turned back to the headstone.
"Dan, Megan can still cook. I wasn’t sure, if she was living off
fast food all these years, if she forgot how." Jane squeezed
Megan’s hand and kept talking. "She still needs work on her
manners, though. Considering she is your child, I can’t put too
much blame on her."

Megan sat beside Jane and just listened.

Chapter 9

For Megan, the week that passed could have
been two minutes, and still it wouldn’t have gone by fast enough.
What was the phrase? Ah, yes, waiting on pins and needles. Now she
knew what the cliché meant.

Each dinner, each time the phone buzzed, each
time the doorbell rang she expected it to be Aiden. Her mind
refused to wrap around what had happened at Tessa’s. It had been
one of those moments in life where you could swear it lasted for
more than a few minutes.

No man had ever held her that way, not even
Aiden in his youth. She needed an explanation of what it was about,
that moment that stayed with her and refused to let her sleep. If
this kept up, nineteen days from now she’d look ghoulish next to
the rich color of her bridal gown.

Oh, and she wasn’t even going to touch what
happened at the cemetery with a ten-foot pole. Jane didn’t bring it
up and neither did Megan. Nope, not touching it in this
lifetime.

"What’s wrong, dear?" Nicole, on the couch,
crossed her legs.

Her mother’s question grounded her. Megan
shifted in her chair and looked at Nicole. This woman could sleep
through a hurricane and still look fresh and ready.

"Why did you say ‘yes’ to Shep’s proposal?"
She’d blame her abruptness on lack of sleep.

Nicole placed the cup back on the saucer. "It
just felt right."

"Felt right?" Where had she heard those words
before? Ah, yes, her betraying conscience. If it were only
plausible to buy a new one.

"I’ve known Shep forever, but then one day
things changed. I looked at him and he was right there. It was
almost like I could see in Technicolor for the first time. The
answer I’d been searching for was staring me in my face, and all I
had to do was reach out and grab it." This sounded deep, coming
from her mother. "Why do you ask?"

Nicole sat forward. If she hadn’t been paying
attention, Megan might have missed the calculating look in Nicole’s
eyes. Instead of pointing it out, Megan crossed her arms,
forgetting her coffee. "It could be I haven’t been here in years,
but the whole proposal seems abrupt. I mean, you and Shep. You guys
seem from two different worlds."

"Don’t you believe in true love?"

A nameless emotion gripped around her heart.
"Dad wasn’t your true love?"

"For the old me, yes, he was. Your father was
perfect in every way. If he hadn’t died, I wouldn’t be who I am
today. I still might think the outside world could never touch me.
Now I don’t. Too much of my time was spent worrying about things
that were beyond my control." She picked up her coffee cup and
Megan had to give it to her mother, Nicole’s hand was steady. "Yet,
for some people they’re meant."

"It’s not going to happen, Nicole."
Apparently being subtle wasn’t her mother’s strong suit. "I’m here
for the house."

"And the wedding?"

"Those were your conditions. Are you changing
them?"

Nicole rolled her eyes. "I’ve told you. If
you stay for the wedding, the house is yours. I’m not going to take
that away from you. The only person who can screw this up is you."
The china clinked when Nicole set her cup back down on the saucer.
"I need to finalize the flower arrangements. Do you want to ride
with me?"

There was the old bite of the Nicole before
she was abducted by aliens. Call Megan perverse, but now she felt
back on kilter. "What flowers have you chosen?"

"I’ll never get you, will I?"

"I can at least enjoy watching you try."

Nicole shook her head. "Megan, I love that
about you." As if the comment didn’t change their relationship, she
said, "Can you live with yourself for leaving the house in
jeans?"

"Jane is usually the one to hogtie me into
the proper wear around here."

Nicole stood. "Well, at least I’m not the
only one she does that to. I swear, if she didn’t feel like a
mother instead of an employee I would have fired her long ago for
being too bossy."

Megan relaxed with the laugh. She’d always
thought of her mother as formidable. To be honest, even if this new
personality was an act Megan had to admit she liked this woman.
This carefree woman she’d have told secrets to, enjoyed pizza and
movie nights with. The pang reminded her that this wasn’t the woman
who’d kicked her out of the house. Megan wished she could let that
fact go, but it had to stay in the forefront of her mind until the
deed was in her hands. Until then she’d have to trust this woman
cautiously. "I’m ready to go, if you are."

*****

"I didn’t know we’d opened a daycare center,
where naps are mandatory," Shep said.

Aiden kept his arms crossed and eyes closed.
"Shouldn’t you be getting measured for your suit? I don’t think the
old standby is going to pass inspection by either Nicole or Jane
for this occasion." His lips pulled into a smile at Shep’s grumble,
before he continued, "I mean, do they know the same suit you’ve
worn to every funeral since 1998 is the only suit you own? It might
be worth bringing to Jane’s attention. She might be able to help."
He almost fell out of his chair when Shep knocked his feet off the
desk.

"And I’ll also remind her that you," Shep
emphasized with a pointed finger, "don’t have a suit."

This was a big enough occasion for Jane to
care, and to beat him with a rolling pin if he showed up in his
uniform—or worse, jeans and shirt. "Which one of your relatives is
blowing into town first?" Aiden said to change the subject.

"Your Uncle William."

"You know he hates that name." Aiden placed
his feet back on his desk and closed his eyes. "How has Uncle Bob
been doing?"

"You should know. He’s your uncle."

Yeah, the same people who checked up on me
once a year after my father died
, Aiden thought sourly. Most
times, for some members of his family, if you still had a pulse
then you were okay. "Everyone else?"

"The week of the wedding." Shep paused. "I
was thinking of getting extra help."

Aiden opened his eyes. "If you feel it’s
necessary."

Shep stuck his thumb in his belt buckle. "I
wasn’t sure if you planned to stay sober the whole weekend. We
can’t be drinking and protecting the peace at the same time."

Aiden frowned. "What am I expected to do for
this thing?"

Shep grimaced. "William is the main one
pushing for a bachelor party."

"We have strippers in a twenty-mile radius of
here?"

"No. It’s going to be at Tessa’s."

Aiden closed his eyes again. He was tired of
hearing about the wedding. The wedding reminded him of Megan’s
presence. And Megan seemed to be the only thing his mind strayed to
without too much provocation.

"Again, if you feel it’s necessary." He
should have known better when the silence stretched.

"Tessa told me Megan and you were hugged up
about a week ago. I thought you’d have said something by now." Shep
sighed. "I don’t have to tell you how much trouble this is."

The conversation didn’t warrant opening his
eyes. "I’ve heard about the birds and bees before, but thanks."

"I’m talking about when she leaves again,
because she will. This town was never big enough nor exciting
enough for her."

Aiden sighed and let his feet slide down to
the floor. This was the same lecture he’d been giving himself for
the past week. Now at least Aiden admitted to himself she wasn’t
going to be out of his system, no matter what he did. "I know.
She’s here for the house, and then she’ll leave. I know that."

And, really, there was a sense of relief in
knowing it. At least he’d know when, how, and why she was leaving
this time. Had it not crossed his mind a million times, this would
be the perfect time to start things with her? He’d be prepared.

Yet his uncle wasn’t talking about how to get
her alone at least one time. "It’s nothing for you to worry about.
I’ve got it under control."

Shep shook his head, giving up. "Y’all both
are hardheaded."

From the comment, Aiden guessed Nicole and
Shep had talked about their situation. "You should tell Nicole she
can’t make her stay. Giving Megan her father’s house won’t perform
that miracle."

"Yeah, well, at least she’s fighting for what
she wants." Shep turned his back to him.

Again Shep had a point. Aiden took his coat
and left the office.

*****

"Look what we have here." Lettie placed her
hands on the sides of Megan’s face. For a moment Megan feared the
woman would pinch her cheeks. Thankfully, Lettie took her wide
palms with her to rearrange the bouquet in the vase. "I haven’t
seen you since, well, hell, I think you still had B cups."

Megan crossed her arms. Nicole cleared her
throat. "Are those mine?"

Lettie waved a hand at her. "Go ahead. What
do you think?"

The orange blush tulips surrounded pink roses
in perfect bloom. Her mother’s taste was still impeccable. "Simple
and elegant like I wanted. You’ve done a good job. Now, Megan’s
bouquet shouldn’t be any less elegant. I’m thinking white and pink
roses only."

Megan zoned her mother out and moved toward
the other displays of flowers. Lettie had filled the shop with
ready-made arrangements. She wondered how cost effective that was
and whether there was a floral shop near The Boutique where she
herself could get the same type of arrangements. She wandered
outside with every intention to stay there until her mother
finished. She smiled at Lettie’s attempt to draw customers in. At
least ten more flower arrangements sat out front under the
window.

A display of baby’s breath and crimson roses
caught her eye. Megan barely stopped herself from burying her face
in the flowers. She pulled out her cell phone and crooked it
between her shoulder and ear.

"Hi, Megan." Lynne’s voice was loud and
clear.

Megan’s hands paused on the crystal vase.
"How did you know it was me?"

"You didn’t call this morning, and actually I
was expecting you on the doorstep."

"I have an idea."

"To stop obsessing."

"No."

Lynne sighed. "One can always hope."

"I am the owner, and you treat me like a
redheaded stepchild."

"It’s for your own good. You haven’t had a
vacation in six years, yet you call me every day. The definition of
vacation is to relax and not worry about the responsibilities you
left behind. Calling me every day, getting a twenty-four-hour
update, is not in that definition. Now that’s off my chest, what’s
going on?"

"I want you to call around and see who can
deliver flowers to the business once a week. I’ll leave the
arrangements up to you, but I think it would spruce up the place if
we had some." She lifted the vase, turned and almost ran into
Aiden’s solid chest.

"Looks like you need some help." His
fingertips brushed against her skin as he took the vase with the
roses and baby’s breath from her hands. "I’ll take this inside so
you can finish your call."

"Is that him?"

Megan laughed at the envy laced through
Lynne’s tone. "That was him."

She watched him through the window. The
uniform stretched across his broad shoulders as he leaned on the
counter. From her vantage point, it was clear the material
stretched just as well over his rear. Also from her vantage point
she could see Lettie’s lashes fluttering at the speed of light.

"I may have to come down for the
wedding."

Lynne’s words got Megan’s attention.

"What about—"

"The horror of closing the business for a few
hours. How dare I suggest such a thing?"

Megan smiled. "I’m going to fire you one of
these days."

"Enjoy your vacation first. Anyway, I’ll call
you to let you know the price range, once I get it."

Megan hung up the phone and glanced inside.
Nicole was now fluttering her lashes, too. What was it about Aiden
that made women want to melt at his feet in adoration? Okay, Aiden
had handsome stamped on his features. The pointed chin, the eyes as
amber as perfectly aged whiskey, and the way his mouth quirked to
one side could, if that was your thing, make your heart speed up,
leave your palms damp, make you want things that you shouldn’t.