“Well . . .”
His eyebrow arched. He folded bulky arms across his broad chest in a steady, daring challenge. Could she really lie and say she hadn’t enjoyed it?
“Well?” Colin pressed.
“You’re lucky you kiss way, way better than you cook.” She tugged his sleeve. “Come on. We have a reception to set up for and cater in two hours, and the venue is ten minutes of congested traffic away.”
“Heard the wedding reception was a hit,” Del said the next morning when Colin arrived at the hospital with breakfast and intent to visit. She’d tolerated solid food for two days.
“Went well considering I was there and you weren’t.”
She chuckled. “I’m sure you did fine. How’re other things coming along?”
He unfolded his breakfast biscuit packaging since Del scolded him yesterday for not eating with her. “Roof and ceiling’s fixed but trim’s on hold. Lumber yard owner’s on vacation.”
Del chewed her biscuit with ham slowly, hoping her doctor wouldn’t find out what she was eating. “I meant the other renovation.”
Hand paused midway to his mouth, Colin shrugged.
One good thing was that, while praying on his morning run, God had granted peaceful assurance that Colin wasn’t mismanaging his motives.
“How’d you know?”
“What, that you’re falling in love with her? Colin, come on. Anyone can see how much you care about her by the way you talk about her. She talks nonstop about you too.”
They were silent as they finished their biscuits, and then Colin tossed their wrappers in the trash can. “Define ‘talk,’ ” he finally said. His confidence that Meadow reciprocated his feelings was shaky.
“Good things. Mostly,” Del teased.
“I’m crazy about her. So that leads to my next question. Will you help me plan a surprise birthday party for her?”
Del clapped. “Fantastic idea! I’m glad to help.”
“Sure you feel up to it?”
“Are you kidding me? Blowing Meadow’s mind is just what the doctor ordered.”
“You know how to reach her siblings? I guess they are staying with Flora.”
“Yes. I’ll invite them for you, if you want.”
“I appreciate the offer, but contacting them is something I need to do.” For reasons beyond a birthday party. He needed to personally apologize to each of them for his part in their sister’s pain and malformed identity.
A knock sounded, and then the doctor entered. “Ready to skedaddle?”
Del flipped her covers back. “Yes, and I have a chauffeur right here. Colin, you got time to drive me home?”
“Absolutely. I just have to pick up Meadow’s brother at the airport later today.”
“Lake? The big, muscle-bound Coast Guard captain?”
“Yep. That would be the one.”
She grimaced. “Painful.”
“Yeah.”
An urgent text came in from his dad’s secretary. A complaint with threats of litigation for a job his dad had allegedly botched. Worse, it said a very influential customer. He texted her back to ask who, then waited for the answering text while nurses provided discharge instructions to Del.
She flagged her doctor down as he passed by her room. “Don’t forget to gimme all my pieces and parts, Doc.”
The doctor handed Del a container of gray rocks. “I forgot. Your royal gems, madam.”
Colin would laugh if he could. Only Del would want her own gallstones. He was too troubled by the new text to let humor seep in. Colin grew wearier when he recognized the address on the text.
The mayor’s mansion. Blythe’s house. Did she still live there? Colin hoped not.
He really could stand to go the rest of his life without seeing her again.
After settling Del in at her home, Colin checked when he had to be at the airport against the current time. Plenty of margin. He drove to Mayor Matthews’s mansion.
He pulled in the circle drive and got out of his truck. Took the steps two at a time and had raised a fist to knock when the door swung open.
Blythe stood on the other side of the doorway. “Colin! Wondered when you’d stop by.” She launched into his arms. He caught her simply to keep from landing in the yard. He set her down so quickly she almost landed on her caboose.
He ignored her pout. “I came to talk to your father. He home?”
“No, the golf course. Can you run me to town, darling? It’s urgent and my car is in the shop.”
Colin gritted his teeth at the endearment, but she said it was an emergency. Town was on the way to the airport, so he nodded curtly to his truck. “Get in.”
“Where to?” he cut through her incessant self-centered chatter two miles later to ask.
“Oh, the mall. Next stoplight.”
His jaw clenched. “Really, Blythe? You have an emergency at the mall?”
She raised her pinky. “Yes! Broke a nail, and I’m attending an engagement party Thursday.”