Chapter Fifty-Six
Jessica
I got to the bakery a half hour earlier than normal. I loved that once Ruthie and I were ready, I could just leave—no having to wait around for a ride.
My work hours were going to be lean this week, since all my appointments for the wedding were in the afternoons.
Lainey said I could come back and work on scanning recipes in the evening while she and Kristy baked croissants, those beautiful, delicious tulip cookies, and other items I hadn’t attempted yet. I decided since I wouldn’t need someone to pick me up, that I’d take her up on that.
I didn’t even ask my parents.
I wanted to be able to financially contribute to the wedding costs—even if it was miniscule compared to what Alan was paying. I wasn’t going to be able to do that without working.
As I got started on a batch of cinnamon rolls, I realized how much I missed Alan. Not that I didn’t like my job—I loved my job, but it wasn’t the same without him here.
I’d actually cried before I left him at Brian’s house last night. He’d brushed my tears away with his thumbs and kissed my forehead before promising, “I’ll be back before you know it. And we’ll video chat every day.”
As I sat down to nurse Ruthie, my phone rang with the video call ringtone, and I broke out with a wide smile.
“Hey,” I said softly when I answered and set the phone on the side table.
He looked like he was walking through a parking lot. “Hi, beautiful! I just got my rental car, but I thought you’d be feeding Ruthie around now, so I wanted to call and tell you good morning.”
I giggled. “You already told me good morning with your text.”
“Well, I wanted to see for myself how my girls are doing.”
I lifted the blanket to glance at Ruthie, contentedly suckling against my breast.
“We’re good. We’re going to try a bottle around noon before we head to the appointment with the flower shop.”
He got inside a car but didn’t drive off.
“Is Lainey going to help you with that?”
“The appointment or the bottle?”
“Both.”
I shook my head. “Just the appointment. Your mom texted and asked if she could help feed her and offered to watch her while I’m gone.”
“She’s not overstepping, is she? Let me know, and I’ll tell her to back off.”
“Oh my god, no! I love that she wants to be involved. I also love that the competition seems to have spurred my mom into being more helpful. She even volunteered to go to Ruthie’s doctor’s appointment with me tomorrow.”
He frowned. “Dammit, that’s tomorrow? I wanted to go to that.”
“I’d offer to reschedule, but I don’t think they could get us in right away, and I want to make sure she gets her shots. She’s being exposed to a lot of new people, and with the wedding, there will be even more.”
“I agree, baby. She needs to be protected. Keep the appointment. I’ll go to the next one.”
“How was your flight?”
“Uneventful.”
“That’s a good thing, right?”
“Absolutely. I hope my drive to Lancastle is equally uneventful, but with Boston traffic, I’m not optimistic.”
“That’s one thing I love about living in a small town. A traffic jam here is when Mr. Sackett’s harvester is hogging the road.”
“Lancastle must be a little more urban because I have no idea what a harvester is. Although, I think I can use my context clues and figure it out.”
“It’s a reaaaally big piece of farming equipment that harvests crops. It’s also known as a combine.”
He smiled. “I can’t wait to get stuck behind one this fall.”
I smirked in reply. “You say that now…”
“Any problems with the minivan this morning?”
“No, not at all. The car seat worked great. I was able to easily take it out, and I snapped it back in just to see if I could do it, and it was a piece of cake.”
“I’m glad.”
“Thank you again.”
“You don’t have to keep thanking me, babe. That’s what husbands are supposed to do.”
I thought about my parents’ roles. My dad was the provider and protector, and my mom was the one who kept things running smoothly.
Alan had definitely assumed the provider and protector roles, but I was a far cry from keeping things running—smoothly or otherwise.
For the umpteenth time, I wondered what the heck he was doing with me.
I didn’t voice that, though. I just replied, “Well, I can still let you know I appreciate it.”
He smiled and winked at me before pulling the seatbelt across his body. “I miss you, babe. I’ll be back soon. You’re still picking me up from the airport Wednesday night?”
“I’ll be there.”
“Call me after your appointment with the florist.”
“Okay. Will you be available if I need your opinion on arrangements?”
“Whatever you need. My meetings aren’t until tomorrow.”
“Drive safely.”
“You, too. Don’t be the hot-rodding mama in the minivan.”
“No promises.”
“I know,” he teased. “I rode with you yesterday. Don’t think just because he’s going to be your brother-in-law that Adam won’t give you a ticket.”
“He wouldn’t dare if Lainey is in the car!”
“How about you don’t find out.”
“Fair enough.”
“Bye, babe. Love you.”
A panicked expression crossed his features when he realized what he’d just said, so there was no way I was going to return the sentiment.
Even though I was pretty sure I did.
But obviously he didn’t feel the same.
“Talk soon,” I said and ended the call.
Then I sat and fretted about what I was feeling.
****
Alan
Love you?
Love you?!?
What the fuck was I thinking?
She was probably running for the hills as I sat in traffic on my way to Lancastle.