My Ex's Baby (Crescent Cove 8)

I rushed after them, the thermos and its icy contents slushing the whole way. I laughed and hooked my arm through Ivy’s. “She’s crazy, but I really kinda love her.”

“She’s so happy

for Macy. And relieved that this is all over like the rest of us. We need a little break from all the planning. Even my planner is tired.”

“I hear that.” I hugged her arm. My bestie and her perpetual planner. She and Kelsey had tried to convert all of us. I’d actually been enjoying the traveler’s notebook she’d gotten me for Christmas. I liked the feel of paper over the endless spreadsheets I had to deal with for the shop.

I’d even found some cool vintage papers to use in one of the estate sales I’d sneaked away to yesterday. When I was overwhelmed, I went shopping. It calmed my crazy and streamlined it into about a truck bed’s worth of new stuff for the shop.

Including a beat to hell Art Deco chair and stand I’d be working on as soon as all the wedding festivities were over.

Ivy clasped my hand and we danced our way around the line of cars that had been parked in front of The Haunt. People were loitering out front and down near the café where the tables were being used even on this cold night.

Plates of finger food were being passed around by a few of Macy’s waiters and waitresses, as well as some other people I didn’t know. Probably temps for the occasion.

I grabbed a crescent roll wrapped something or other from a tall guy who might’ve been out of his teens. Maybe. I suddenly felt very old, but I enjoyed the fluffy, salty buttery treat.

In fact, I’d waved Ivy ahead and gone to chase him down for another when I bumped into August.

“Hey, watch it.”

“You keep saving me from my clumsiness today.” I laughed up at him and slipped my hand into the warmth of his jacket. “Gonna wonder if you’re following me.”

His fingers curled around my elbow to tug me more into his heat. “You’re freezing.” He peered down at me. “Or are you not feeling the cold?”

I shrugged. “Maybe not.” I swayed toward him. “Rylee was pretty heavy-handed with her Sunrise of tequila.”

“Tequila Sunrise?” he asked with a laugh.

“Right. That. She used that Cabo Wabo tequila, and whew, that Sammy Hagar dude is no joke with that stuff.”

“Evidently.” His eyebrow rose.

“Is that judgement? It’s a party, you know. Everyone is having some.” I waved my hand toward the couple at the table near us. “Okay, maybe not her. Another baby on board,” I sang out. “Congrats.”

The woman laughed. “Thanks.”

He steered me over to one of the covered tables full of food. “Let’s get some of this into you.”

“No fun.”

“Better than you not having any fun because you pass out in the corner.”

I sighed. “Fair point. I really didn’t eat today. I was too busy sewing things. I love to sew, did you know that?”

“Is that a fact?”

I narrowed my gaze at him as another flood of people came out of the restaurant. I had no choice but to crowd into him. “Sarcasm isn’t a good color on you. Green is though. Really nice.” I flipped the end of his tie up.

He gave me a half smile, then went back to building me a plate heavy on the carbs. Really heavy. How much did he think I could pack away? Then again, all I wanted to do was eat when I had alcohol in me. Did he know that?

Probably did. Ivy was always blathering about everyone’s secrets. At least the secrets she knew about me anyway.

He reached back and took my hand, leading me to the quieter part of the sidewalk and across the pavement between the buildings to the café. He held out a chair for me. “Here you go.”

I looked down at our joined hands and gently twisted out of his hold. “Thanks. You don’t have to take care of me though. I’m a big girl.” I dug into the pile of stuff and found pepperoni and cheese bread. “So good.”

“I know. I like it.”