“Just break off little chunks of butter, and squeeze the flour and butter between your fingers. It’s a trick I learned from the Baking Channel and it works every time,” Chelsea said to Erin as they stood next to each other in Chelsea’s kitchen. It was the day before Thanksgiving and Erin was here to help bake the pies for the Cattleman’s Club dinner. “The pie crust always comes out really tender that way.”
“For you, maybe,” Erin said. “I’ve never baked a pie from scratch before. My expertise is sticking a frozen pie in the oven and hoping the crust doesn’t burn.”
Chelsea laughed. “You’re doing great, Erin. And I’ll show you a trick later and you’ll never burn another crust.”
“From your lips to God’s ears.”
“I’m glad you decided to come over this morning and help me make these pies. It’s more fun doing this with a friend.”
Erin blew a wayward strand of hair off her face. “Just how many are we making?”
“Six.”
“Six? Oh my goodness. That’s enough to feed the entire town.”
“Yeah, something like that. I was elected to bake the pies for TCC’s Thanksgiving dinner. And we’re making cookies too. I hope you didn’t have hot and heavy plans with my brother today.”
“Nope. Not a one. Today is a good day to wrangle me into baking with you.”
“Is that so? So what’s my brother up to today?”
“He texted he had a pile of work to catch up on today. I probably won’t be seeing him.”
“Really? Hmm.”
“What?”
“It’s just that you two are sorta perfect together.”
“Sorta perfect? What does that mean, Chelsea?”
“It’s just that Dan’s been happy lately. Happier than I’ve seen him in a long time. He doesn’t tell me much, but I can hear it in his voice. And when he mentions your name, his voice goes gooey soft.”
“Nothing on Dan is gooey soft,” she blurted, then slapped her hand to her mouth. “I didn’t mean...”
Chelsea threw her head back and laughed. “TMI, Erin.”
“I know, I’m sorry. I keep forgetting he’s your brother.”
“But you do like him?”
“Yeah, I do. He’s an amazing man. But—”
“I know. He can be attentive and aloof all at the same time.”
“You got that right, sister.” Erin put both hands into the bowl and squeezed and molded the pie dough. “So what kind of pies are we making?”
“Cherry, apple, pumpkin, of course. And pecan. It isn’t Texas if we don’t have pecan pie. It’s Dan’s favorite.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“We grew up on pecan pie. Of course, ours were store-bought. We didn’t have a mother around to do any baking for us. But Dad tried his best. And we managed okay.”
“So now you’re making up for it, right, Chels?”
“Yep, six pies for our TCC family. But you’re gonna make Dan his favorite.”
“No way. What if I screw it up?”
“You won’t. I’ll be instructing you all the way. And Dan will enjoy it all the more knowing you made it for him.”
She didn’t have the heart to refuse Chelsea. She’d been such a good friend to her and she loved being included in the Thanksgiving festivities.
“Trust me, you’ll do fine,” Chelsea added. “Look at that dough you just made. It’s perfect. Now gather it all up and roll it out.”
Erin wielded the rolling pin, getting better and better at smoothing out the dough to an eighth of an inch thickness, all the while copying what Chelsea was doing beside her. They made a good team, cutting up apples, making cherry filling, opening a can of pumpkin and finally lightly roasting pecans. When they were through, hours had passed and both of them were dotted in flour and slightly exhausted.
“That’s hard work,” Erin said, slashing her arm across her brow.
“Yes, but look at the gorgeousness of our pies.”
“I have to admit, they are pretty, all golden brown and sweet smelling.”
“We done good.”
“Yes, and it was fun,” Erin admitted.
“It’s past time for lunch. I’m starving,” Chelsea said.
“I wish I was. I taste-tested all the pie fillings.”
“You need to eat, my friend. Don’t forget, we have cookies to bake this afternoon.”
“Okay, nourish me,” she said. “I should eat something that’s not full of sugar.”
“I’ve got chicken salad in the fridge.”
“Sounds good to me. So what kind of cookies are we baking later?”
“Chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and snickerdoodles.”
“Is that all? Piece of cake,” Erin said.
Chelsea grinned at her snarky comment. “Oh, and I almost forgot, chocolate fudge macadamia nut.”
“I know, Dan’s favorite, right?”
“Well, honestly that guy can pack it in. He loves them all.”
“Well, at least he loves something,” Erin muttered under her breath and slanted Chelsea a look, hoping she hadn’t heard her comment.
“I hear you. Dan’s a bit of a hard case. But I know he cares deeply for you.”
Erin dropped the pretense. Chelsea was fast becoming one of her best friends and she couldn’t stand not being open with her. “Sure, he cares for me, Chels, but that doesn’t make my world go round.”
“What would?” she asked, softness entering her eyes.
“I’ve fallen for him.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize it’s gone that far.”
“He pretty much told me from the beginning he’s not into permanent relationships. So doesn’t that make me a dope for not listening to him?”
“No, it makes you human.” Chelsea took her hand and squeezed gently. “Dan’s a great guy and I love my brother dearly, but he has hang-ups. Rightfully so, since after my mom left and Dad died, Dan took the reins and practically raised us. It was a lot for him, and he never faltered on his duties at Hunt and Company, either.”
“He’s got all he needs,” Erin said, wistfully.
“I don’t think so. He needs more in his life. Like I told you earlier, you two are perfect together.”
Chelsea gave her a hug she sorely needed. Chelsea didn’t know about the non-pregnancy, but Erin was still smarting about it. A part of her would’ve loved having Dan’s child. The realization of how disappointed she was had dawned on her the second Dan walked out her door yesterday. She’d shed tears, her heart breaking at what could have been. An unwanted pregnancy wasn’t ideal in any case, but that was the thing. She would’ve welcomed the news, had she been carrying his child. “Obviously we’re not.”
“Obviously, my brother needs a swift kick in the ass. As do others.”
“You’re talking about Maverick.”
Chelsea nodded, a somber look on her face. “Yeah, him.”
“A kick in the ass is way too easy for him,” Erin said.
“I’d like to see him with a permanent place in prison.”
“It’s hard to get over, isn’t it, Chels?” Erin asked. Though she’d been violated too, by a man who lied and betrayed her, Chelsea’s ordeal seemed more painful. To have her privacy invaded like that for all the world to see?
“I can’t even begin to tell you what goes through my mind sometimes. I feel like I’ve been personally assaulted. It’s almost physical. Even though I put up a brave front, it still hurts. But you know, it’s Thanksgiving and I don’t want to let him ruin my holiday.”
“You’re absolutely right. Let’s not give him another thought. Besides, you mentioned you were going to feed me.”
“I most certainly am. I need to fuel you up for cookie making.” Chelsea opened the fridge and pulled out a bowl of chicken salad, her mood lightening up a bit.
“I’m only slightly better at baking cookies, than making pies. Fair warning.”
“I’m so not worried.” Chelsea filled two plates with chicken salad and sourdough rolls and brought them over to the table. “You’re good at everything you do.”
“Thanks and I mean that.”
“You’re welcome. Now let’s have a seat, take a load off and eat our lunch.”
Erin was grateful for the distraction, the friendship and the meal.
* * *
Six pies and eight dozen cookies later, Erin plunked down on Chelsea’s sofa, almost too exhausted to put pizza to mouth, but the scent of garlic and pepperoni tempted her growling stomach enough for her to lift a piece out of the box and take a bite. “Oh, yum,” she said.
Chelsea sat on the other end of the sofa, facing the flat screen television flashing a scene from the iconic holiday movie, Miracle on 34th Street. “Oh, that’s good,” she said, chewing her own cheesy piece of pizza. “Nothing like pizza and a Christmas movie to relax you.”
“I know, right?”
“Thanks again for all your help. It’s a daunting job but—”
“Somebody’s got to do it.”
She chuckled along with Chelsea. “I can’t imagine all those desserts going after eating a big turkey meal.”
“Believe me, they’ll go. The club gets a big crowd on Thanksgiving. I’m sorta wondering if we shouldn’t have more.”
“More what?”
She gestured with her palms up. “Everything.”
“Bite your tongue, Chelsea.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll shut up now and watch the movie.”
Two bites later, Chelsea’s phone chimed. “I bet it’s Brandee. We text wedding stuff all the time,” she said. “Excuse me a sec.”
Chelsea was going to be Brandee’s maid of honor. She’d talked about the Christmas wedding on Brandee’s Hope Springs Ranch as they’d baked this morning. According to Chelsea, Shane Delgado, the groom, was a dreamboat. It all sounded so romantic and sweet.
But as Chelsea looked at the screen, reading the text, she shook her head. “It’s not Brandee, after all. It’s Dan. My brother’s on his way over. He says he needs to speak to me about the case.”
“Really? Maybe he’s on to something.” Erin sat upright and grabbed her purse. “I should go.”
“No way. You’re a part of this too. You don’t have to run off. Dan won’t mind you being here.”
But she did. After last night, she found she needed time to sort out her feelings. Whenever Dan was around, her thought process faltered. She stood up. “But it’s getting late. I really should be going.”
There was a brisk knock on her door. “That was fast,” Chelsea said, glancing toward the front door. “And please don’t rush off. Dan will be glad to see you.”
It would look weird if she chose to leave the second Dan arrived. Not that he’d given his sister much notice. She figured siblings could do that to each other, not stand on ceremony and show up at a moment’s notice. “Here, please pause the movie,” she said, handing Erin the remote. Erin sank back down on the sofa, pushed the button and froze an image on the screen of a department store Santa talking to a little girl.
“Something smells good in here,” Dan said, his voice carrying into the room.
“Cookies, pies and pizza. Take your pick,” Chelsea said.
Erin stood up and turned to give him a smile. “Hello, Dan.”
“Hey, Erin,” he said in that deep baritone, and her heart did a little flip. He looked good, as always, but his eyes were rimmed with red, as if he really had worked his butt off today. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“Chelsea invited me this morning.”
“You mean, she conned you into baking with her?”
“Erin helped me make every single pie and all the cookies today,” Chelsea said. “She made you pecan pie, bro. But you don’t get to taste it until tomorrow.”
“Mean woman.”
Chelsea gave her brother a grin. He made a face, and then turned to Erin, his eyes softening. “You made me pecan pie?”
“I tried.”
“She did a great job. The pies are beautiful and I know they’ll taste great.”
“I’m sure they will,” he said.
“Hey, Dan, we have plenty of pizza. Have some, if you’re hungry.”
“I think I will. Didn’t have much time to eat today.”
He walked over to a chair, and waited for Erin and Chelsea to sit down before he sat down adjacent to them.
“So what’s up, big brother?”
He glanced at Erin and then focused back to Chelsea. “I stumbled upon something today regarding the investigation I thought had merit. I was speaking to a business associate today, you know Thomas Worley, right?”
“Yes, I know him. He’s an attorney and a member of TCC.”
“Yep, and as we got to talking he mentioned a man from a few years ago who’d been tossed out of the club for unruly conduct. Apparently, this guy was foulmouthed and verbally abusive to some of the women workers. One waitress filed a harassment claim against him, but it turned out he was Brentley Jamison, the son of a US congressman, so he was quietly ejected from the club and his records were wiped clean. Tom doesn’t know what happened to the guy and he didn’t represent either party so he was free to tell me about it. It could lead somewhere, so I gave all the information I had to Royal PD and ran it by Gabe Walsh.”
Dan explained to Erin that Gabe, being ex-FBI and owner of his own personal security firm, The Walsh Group, was more than capable of getting to the bottom of this.
“Chels, I thought maybe you might know something about this guy? Have you ever met Brentley Jamison?”
“No,” Chelsea said. “I’ve heard the name, of course. His father was in Congress a long time, but I never met either one of them before. Still, it’s worth a try.”
Dan began nodding. “This guy’s under the radar and it’s worth checking into. They should know something in a day or two. He can’t be hard to track down.”
“Thanks, Dan,” Chelsea said. “I know you both have tried hard to find the jerk.”
Erin nodded. “I hope it’s sooner rather than later.”
“Yeah, me too,” she said.
Dan reached over to pluck up a piece of pizza and took three bites, nearly inhaling the food and chewing hard. It made her smile, seeing him enjoying the pizza so much. He polished off another piece quickly and then stood. “I should go. Let you two ladies get back to whatever you were watching on TV.”
“Won’t you stay?” Chelsea asked.
“I’m beat, sis.”
“But you’ll be missing out on Miracle on 34th Street.”
He crinkled his nose. “Say no more, I’m outta here.” He gave Chelsea a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for pizza.” Then he swung around to stare into Erin’s eyes. “Walk me out?”
Erin rose from her seat. “Of course.”
She followed behind him, noting his amazing backside. Dan was built solid but all his pieces were beautifully placed and she’d been privy to touching every inch of him. She wanted to do it again and again, but she couldn’t think past the next month, because unless things changed drastically, which was highly unlikely, she’d be gone.
Dan took his soft suede jacket from the coat closet and put his arms through the sleeves. Straightening the collar, he walked to the front door. “You don’t have to go outside. It’s cold out there.”
The wind howled just at the moment as if giving Dan’s comment legitimacy. It was cold and late, but she wasn’t planning on going home just yet. She was looking forward to watching the movie with Chelsea.
Dan wound his arms around Erin’s waist, bringing her up against him, and she glanced behind her to see where Chelsea was. She was discreet enough to keep out of sight.
“I’ll pick you up tomorrow at four,” Dan said.
She nodded. “Thank you.” She put her hands on the lapels of his fur-lined jacket and stared into his eyes, and a moment later his mouth came down on hers. The kiss brought warmth and tingles, but it ended far too soon. Was it because his sister was in the other room? Or was Dan finally realizing that she wanted more from him than he was willing to give? She was too tired to dwell.
“Good night, sweetness,” he said, and he walked out the door. She watched him saunter to his car and then turn, giving her a look of longing and maybe regret, it was hard to tell. When he put up his hand she waved back and then closed the door.
She blinked several times, noting something different in Dan tonight. A knot formed in her stomach and once again her heart ached, even though having Dan’s baby would’ve been beyond complicated and blown up her list of Never Do’s while in Texas.
“Hey, you alright in there?” Chelsea asked, coming around the corner to face her.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Are you ready to finish the movie?”
“Are you?” Chelsea pinned her with a curious look.
She put on a smile. “Sure, I’m ready for a little holiday cheer.”
* * *
“Happy Thanksgiving, Mom.”
“Same to you, honey. Oh, we miss you dearly.” Erin loved hearing the sweet lilt in her mother’s voice. It was hard being separated from her family during the holidays. “Tell me you’ve got wonderful plans for Thanksgiving, sweetheart.”
Wonderful? She didn’t know how wonderful it’d be if her instincts were right and Dan was truly backing away from her. But her mom didn’t know anything about Dan yet. And she felt guilty about that. “I think it’ll be a nice day. Yesterday, I helped my friend Chelsea make pies and cookies at her house. Chelsea, her brother Dan, and I are all going over to the Texas Cattleman’s Club for a Thanksgiving feast later this afternoon. Will and Faye will be there, and Will’s new girlfriend too. I think it’s going to be a large gathering.”
“That sounds lovely, but next year, I hope we’ll spend the holiday together.”
“I’d like that. Remember, I’m going to see you right after the first of the year.”
“That’s right. Your dad and I can’t wait.”
“So where are you having dinner tonight?”
“Sonya and Adam Marino invited us over to their house. They’re marvelous cooks as you know, and we always have a pleasant time with them.”
“Pleasant?” She lowered her voice. “You mean until Dad gets grumpy with all of their grandchildren running around, getting underfoot.”
“I heard that,” her father chimed in.
“Your father’s right here listening in, and they have five little ones,” her mom answered.
She smiled. “Hi, Dad.”
“Hi, sweetheart. And I’ll have you know I love children, but five under age five, gets a bit crazy. Even your mother admits that. Right, Eloise?”
“Well...now that you mention it, Chuck,” she heard her mom say. “It’s a bit chaotic at times. Not enough to stay away from our good friends though.”
“You’ll have a great time.”
“We hope you do too,” her father said. “Love you to pieces.”
“Me too,” she told them. “Have a great day and we’ll talk soon.”
After the phone call, Erin couldn’t stop thinking about how much in love her parents were. Their love filtered down to her, making her feel special and honored and humbled all at the same time. She’d really been lucky having two great parents and she never begrudged them their retirement time together. It gave Erin some freedom to seek her own dreams.
At least she’d mentioned Dan to her parents, though in a way that wouldn’t brook any inquisition. She didn’t know what she’d tell them about Dan. She’d picked up this amazing guy one night at a saloon and they were having a month long fling?
No, that wouldn’t wash.
So she’d kept them in the dark about a man she had come to love. A really great guy who’d been terribly hurt as a boy and sadly whose scars ran deep. Maybe too deep for her to break through.
Erin moved to the closet and perused her wardrobe. She hadn’t done a lot of shopping in Texas, and now she was kicking herself about that. She had no clue how to dress for a Thanksgiving dinner at an elite club. Was it formal, semiformal or casual?
She made a quick call to Chelsea to get some advice on what to wear to a Cattleman’s Club holiday shindig and after her conversation, Erin felt better about her choices.
She hung up the phone and showered, washed and styled her hair, leaving it down and using the curling iron to make big barrel curls. She gave her hair a fluff and looked in the mirror, satisfied with the results, and then walked to her closet and picked out the one little black dress in her closet, that worked for special occasions like this. She selected her jewelry, a single long strand of silver loops with matching earrings, and set it all out on her bed. Done.
The weather was chilly so she hadn’t gone for a run this morning, but now she wished she had. She had two hours to kill before Dan picked her up, so she donned her pink chenille robe, grabbed her iPad Mini and curled up on the chair near the fireplace to finish the mystery she’d started before she’d met Dan. She hadn’t been sleeping well lately and soon her eyes grew heavy and she closed them, resting her head against the back of the chair.
Loud pounding startled her right out of the nice dream she was having. Her eyes opened and it took her a few seconds to finally get her bearings. “Oh no,” she said, her head coming out of a fog.
The knocking now came with Dan calling her name. “Erin?”
She rose from the chair and walked over to the door, yanking it open. “Dan, I’m so sorry. Have you been out there long?”
“A while,” he said, taking in her robe and disheveled appearance.
Self-conscious, she tightened the lapels on her robe and stroked a hand through her hair. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened, I was reading and I must’ve dozed off.”
“No problem,” he said, stepping through the doorway. “There’s no rush.”
And she was finally able to gawk at him, dressed in crisp dark slacks and a silver-gray shirt covered by a black Western sports jacket, a black felt hat on his head and polished-to-a-shine snakeskin boots. “You look...yummy.”
He grinned, eyeing the ties on her robe. “Get dressed, before I make us really late.”
“Aye, aye,” she said, saluting. “I’ll be just a few minutes.” Yet, a big fat thrill ran through her system at his suggestive comment.
She rushed into her bedroom, glad she had the foresight to pick out her clothes in advance. She slipped her robe off, put her bra on and turned around to pick up her dress. Dan called from behind the door, “You need help with the zipper, I’m on it.”
She chuckled and a flash of heat rose up her throat. “I’ll let you know.”
She shimmied into her dress and reached up, reached down, and couldn’t quite get to the middle of her back. Darn it. She really did need help with the long chic zipper doubling as an embellishment for the dress.
“Uh, Dan?”
The door opened and he faced her, her hands lifting her hair up and out of the way, and she turned around to give him access to the zipper. “Guess I do need help.”
He came up behind her and she sniffed the very subtle, very masculine scent of his cologne. It was unique to him, probably something only rugged manly men wore, and it did things to her immediately.
Dan took his time zipping her up, inch by inch, careful with the lacy material, but he didn’t touch any other part of her body, he didn’t nibble on her throat, didn’t kiss her at all, instead he backed away as soon as he was through. “There you go.”
A sliver of disappointment wormed into her belly. Was it because they were running late? She was getting a weird vibe from him lately and it worried her.
“Thanks.”
She slipped her feet into black heels and added the silver necklace she’d picked out.
“Do you have a coat?” he asked.
“I do.” She grabbed her fur-trimmed coat, and slung her purse over her shoulder. “I’m ready.”
“You look beautiful,” he said.
He was saying all the right things, but...
“We should head out now. After you.” He gestured with a sweep of his hand and she walked out of the cabin, Dan following behind.
* * *
As soon as Erin stepped foot inside the Cattleman’s Club, she was in awe of the decorations. The entire place spoke of Thanksgiving. Autumn color wreaths decked with burnt orange, gold and purple leaves hung on the walls, plump ripe pumpkins sat on hay bales, fresh herbs flavored the air and overflowing cornucopia occupied the tables in the lobby area. As they walked farther inside, the waitstaff offered tumblers of mulled wine and Dan promptly grabbed two and handed her one.
She sipped gently, enjoying the new taste. They pressed on to the dining area, which was a whole new experience, from the golden candles casting the room in beautiful light to the fireplace crackling in cozy warmth. The tables were set with fresh autumn flower centerpieces and decorated with little touches adding to the holiday ambience. Christmas music played in the background.
“Wow, if the food’s half as good as the decor, I’m gonna gain weight today.”
Dan smiled. “It is. The staff prides themselves on their Thanksgiving meal. It’s become a tradition at the club.”
There were long tables as well as round tables, and they found Chelsea seated at one of the round tables with Will and Amberley and adorable Faye. Brandee was there too with her fiancé, Shane Delgado, and all of them rose as she and Dan approached. Being a part of their Thanksgiving dinner gave her a sense of belonging, a nice way to get to know some of them better.
Amberley held Faye, the baby still wearing a little overcoat, a bubbly pink hooded jacket that made her look exceedingly warm, especially in a room with the fireplace blasting. Will, Amberley and Chelsea each gave her a welcoming kiss on the cheek and introductions were made all around. She chose to sit between Will and Dan, with Chelsea on her brother’s side. It was a lively group of people and as others filed in and took their seats, the room grew a bit noisy.
The event coordinator took the microphone at the head of the room. “Welcome everyone. It’s our hope here at TCC that all of you will enjoy our abundant Thanksgiving feast and the fantastic desserts made by member Chelsea Hunt and guest Erin Sinclair.”
All eyes turned to their table and a round of applause broke out. Erin loved being included, although it was totally unwarranted since Chelsea did all the hard work, yet she was grateful for the acknowledgment. She flashed Chelsea a big smile which was readily returned.
“So eat up everyone and from the staff and administration here at the Cattleman’s Club, we wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving.”
The room quieted after the announcement and finally Amberley looked at the baby. “Will, I think she’s warm enough, she doesn’t need the jacket anymore.”
“Fine with me,” he said, shrugging a shoulder and giving Erin a quick glance.
Hmm, something was up with him.
Amberley unzipped the baby’s jacket and removed it down to the onesie the baby was wearing underneath and her eyes immediately teared up, her voice cracking. “Oh, Will.”
Everyone turned their attention to the scene, as Amberley’s hands began to shake and Will quickly took the baby from her. As he turned the baby onto his lap, everyone was privy to the message printed on Faye’s onesie. “Amberley, will you marry my daddy please and be my new mommy?”
Will handed Faye to her. “Watch her a second for me, Erin.”
“Certainly,” she replied, and Faye fell into her arms and cuddled her neck. Immediately Erin began bouncing the baby on her lap.
Will rose from his seat and then got down on one knee, now garnering the attention of many in the dining room. “Amberley, I love you with all my heart and will until the end of time. Please be my wife, and mother to Faye. We both love you.”
He opened a box and presented Amberley with a sparkling diamond ring.
Amberley was nodding her head, tears streaming down her face. “Yes. Yes.”
Will placed the ring on her left hand and then rose, taking her along with him, and kissed her for all he was worth, for all the club to see.
Erin’s eyes misted up as she rocked the baby. She gave Dan a glance, her heart so open, so ready for this kind of love.
Dan could barely meet her eyes, his filling with regret and a stony resolve that almost sported a frown. He watched her holding Faye, bouncing her, snuggling her up tight and then he glanced away, staring off at some obscure point in the room.
The room exploded in oohs and aahs and a big round of applause. Everyone at the table rose to give Amberley and Will their congratulations. Dan also stood and put out his hand to Will. “Congratulations to both of you,” he said. Dan always said the right thing, but Erin would never ever forget the look on his face as fear entered his eyes watching Erin’s reaction to the whole scene.
The meal was served and joy abounded around the table for Amberley and Will. Despite Dan’s sour mood, Erin couldn’t contain her happiness. Little Faye would have a mother and father now to raise and love her, and what a wonderful thing that was. Soon talk of weddings dominated the conversation. Brandee was excited to explain the details to her own wedding plans to a very overwhelmed and thrilled Amberley. “And the reception is going to be in a converted barn on the ranch. We’re doing it all up with lights and flowers.”
“Sounds amazing,” Erin said, finding her excitement contagious.
A moment later, Dan excused himself to get some air and Chelsea gave her a sympathetic look and shrugged.
Erin bit back sweeping sadness, vowing not to allow Dan to ruin her festive mood. But it clung to her anyway, like a spider’s web that couldn’t be pulled free. She had so little time left with Dan. Would she be able to go another month like this, loving him and not having it returned?
Chelsea slid over to Dan’s seat. She gave her a smile and whispered, “Don’t give up on him.”
Had Chelsea read her thoughts?
“I...won’t.”
“Good,” Chelsea said.
“I’m thrilled for Will and Faye. They both deserve happiness.”
“So do you, Erin.” Chelsea squeezed her hand.
Dan returned, his face more composed, his eyes unreadable, and Chelsea slid back to her seat and he sat down just as the trays of desserts were being brought around.
“Now you get to try some of everything,” Erin said in good cheer, trying to ignore what was happening between them, the sense of dread curling her stomach right then.
Dan nodded, but his eyes were downcast, laden with regret. “I’m sorry, Erin.”
She didn’t ask for what. She knew why he was sorry. He couldn’t, wouldn’t, be making any kind of commitment to her. She shouldn’t have gotten so heavily involved with him. The heartache wouldn’t be worth the memories and she’d been foolish to think she could go into this situation lightly.
And when offered, neither one of them had the stomach to try any of the desserts.