The Dream - Whitney Dineen Page 0,89
your dad and ask him to pick one up on his way home from work.”
They run off, and I pick up an old-fashioned pink phone hanging on the wall. I punch in a number and say, “Honey, I’m making your favorite cookies.” Then I tease, “Maybe you should grab a bottle of champagne while you’re out. It might be your lucky night.”
“I’ll get beer for me and sparkling cider for you. How’s that?”
“Yuck,” I tell him. “I don’t want sparkling cider. I’ll have some of your beer.”
“Do you think that’s a good idea?” he asks.
“Yes, I think it’s a good idea.” I’m starting to get annoyed.
“Even in your condition?”
That’s when I look down and watch my stomach grow right before my eyes. “I’m pregnant,” I say, clearly stating the obvious.
The oven timer rings, so I blow a kiss and hang up the phone. I turn around to find Davis’s grandmother sitting at the kitchen table ripping the legs off a bucket of frogs that’s sitting at her feet. “What did I tell you?” she asks.
I have no idea. When I don’t answer right away, she says, “A couple in love owe it to the world to have a lot of babies. Do you remember why?”
“Because a child created in love will bring love to everything they do,” I recite her words back to her.
My mom suddenly shows up wearing my work uniform. She picks up the bucket of frog legs and says, “Come on, Mrs. Frothingham; it’s time to go.”
“Why don’t you stay and have some cookies first?” I ask her.
“No, baby, we have to go. You have to wake up and get your life organized.”
Chapter Fifty-Two
Buck and Jessica spend two nights at the iris festival instead of one, so when my friend knocks on my door tonight, the first words out of my mouth are, “Did you use both rooms at the B&B?”
“Nice to see you, too,” he says. “We had a lovely time, thanks for asking. Did you know that Tennessee has three state flowers? The iris is their cultivated choice, but the coneflower and the passionflower are also considered state flowers.”
“Who cares?”
He smiles brightly. “I learned a lot during my time away.”
“Did you learn that you overbooked your rooms?” I persist.
“Ashley Alice, you’re being nosy.”
“I’m sorry, have we met?” I reach out my hand to shake his. “Ashley Monroe, your best friend.”
“I don’t kiss and tell,” Buck says primly.
“So, there was kissing?” I push.
He hands me a brown paper bag and says, “I bought you a present. Bearded iris bulbs for your new house. Jessica helped me pick out the colors she thought would look best.” Then he adds, “She’s very opinionated.”
“Is that a good thing?” I cannot get a bead on what’s going through Buck’s mind regarding Jessica Holt.
“It’s nice to meet a lady who knows her own mind.”
I demand, “Did you bump boots or not?”
Before he can answer, Jessica peeks her head through the door. “Hey,” she says.
I’m sure my face is turning bright red. Lord knows I can feel the heat like I just stuck my head in a hot oven. “Did you hear any of that?” I ask while cringing in mortification.
“It’s bumpin’ uglies or knocking boots,” she tells me with a smile on her face.
“I’m so sorry,” I say. “I thought he was alone.” Then I punch Buck in the arm for not telling me Jessica was with him.
“Ouch!” he says.
“Don’t be such a wuss.” Then under my breath, I hiss, “You should have told me you weren’t alone.”
“What, and wreck your interrogation efforts?”
Jessica comes to his rescue by explaining, “We used both rooms at different times.” Then with a wink, she adds, “We knocked in one of them and bumped in the other.”
I take a moment to see if that news makes me jealous and find that it doesn’t. I tease her, “I bet you never had so much fun at that iris festival.”
She smiles at Buck like they’re sharing a private moment when she answers, “I never did.”
Buck adds, “Who knew flower festivals could be so entertaining?”
“Can I get you both something to drink?” My manners suddenly resurface.
“I’ll take a raincheck if you don’t mind,” Jessica says. “I’d like to hit the hay early tonight.”
“How ’bout you, Buck? You want a beer or a cider?”
He shakes his head while staring at Jessica. “I’m pretty beat, too. I better call it an early night, as well.”
Oh, for Pete’s sake. They’re both going to bed together. I should have seen that coming.
“Thank