Chapter 25 Worth Fighting For #3
Lance schooled his face to keep the glare from settling.
The accusation was unfounded, but objectively, he could respect where it came from.
“We did meet only recently. I never denied that. But how long, really, does it take for a man who’s learned to pay attention to recognize when he’s met the right woman?
Lynn’s it for me. Pure and simple.” When Daniel still looked like he’d rather pull the trigger, Lance opted to spell it out for the man.
“I’m asking today, and I will come back and ask repeatedly no matter how long it takes, because Lynnette is my reason now.
Nothing and no one is more worth fighting for than her. ”
Daniel had stared at him like he’d grown a second head for a solid minute after that, then quietly set the gun down and excused himself.
In the morning he’d met Lance beside the car and slipped him a box.
“I’ve kept it clean, but it might need to be adjusted.
If you’re going to marry my daughter … give her that ring. Give her that, and she’ll understand.”
The ring in question had been her mother’s, and when Lynnette saw it, she’d burst into tears like Lance had never seen.
But from her flurry of kisses and the way she proceeded to cling to him, he’d wagered they weren’t the kind he needed to kick himself for.
Three business days later her ring was resized, detailed, and telling all the world that she was off the goddamn market.
It was downright poetic that the first outing they did after picking it up was to return to the bakery where Lance’s time in Misty Glades had started, but this time, to put it back together.
Jon and Lance did most of the blood cleanup from the parking lot, because even though Jenna had caved and opted to have the asphalt redone, that wasn’t scheduled for three more weeks.
And she was freaking out about the type of message it might send to even be suggesting for people to drive over the bloodstains.
The main windows were all replaced by noon.
The broken glass swept up and, along with the old busted up furniture, rotted and repulsive food, and ruined display case that Jenna was literally in tears over, went into the big dumpster bin Jon had rented.
The women—and Eric—focused on cleaning, touching up décor, replacing lightbulbs and restocking things they could easily reach or handle.
Another employee had been sent into town with a large shopping list. Jon and Lance busted out some old, never perfected carpentry skills in an attempt to make a new, at least temporary display unit.
It was a long fucking day. By the time they were closing up the sun had mostly disappeared, the evidence of chaos was long-gone, and except for the lack of available goodies, the bakery looked okay.
To Lance’s estimation. Granted, all he really knew about bakeries was that they held delicious food he then had to work off.
Jenna breathed out a heavy, tired, but somehow bright sigh as she stepped back from locking the front door. “Most of the hard work is finally done. It looks so much better.” She turned to face them all, managing to beam despite having worked as hard as any of them. “Thank you all so much.”
“Are you kidding?” the girl who’d done the shopping run said. “I can’t wait to get back to work.”
Eric bobbed his head. “Same. Today was great, Ms. Hodge.”
Jenna laughed. “You really have to get used to ‘Jenna’. I’m getting married, you know.”
Jon moved in and looped an arm around her shoulders. “They could call you ‘Mrs. Johnson’ if they’d prefer.”
Her employees laughed. Lynn laughed.
Lance grinned, but pointedly reached over and hooked his arm around Lynn’s waist anyway. “We were happy to help, but unless you’re about to re-open with dinner pre-made, we need food. I worked up an appetite.”
“Bakeries don’t serve dinner, baby,” Lynn teased. “Did they not teach you that in Marine School?”
Lance ginned wider. “As a matter of fact, they did not.”
“If you don’t mind all convening on LeeLee’s,” Jenna said, “I’m happy to treat everyone to something. As a thank you.”
Jon cleared his throat. “I’ll be doing the treating.” He looked toward Eric. “Bring your boyfriend. We wouldn’t want him feeling forgotten, and I should meet him.”
“Oh wow, that’s so sweet. Yeah, I’ll just call him up real quick,” Eric said, practically running toward his car.
Lynn curled her own arm around Lance’s waist, mimicking his hold on her, and asked, “Okay, but you never answered me earlier, Jen. When do you think you’ll actually re-open?”
“Oh.” Jenna blinked at them, then turned to glance back at the darkened building they’d spent all day working in. She chewed on her lip for a beat before saying, “It’ll take two or three days before I have a good supply of pastries to offer, I think. So, I’m hoping for Monday.”
“Because she’s not going to be baking like a robot in between sleep cycles,” Jon clarified.
Lance grinned as Lynn said, “Good. She has a habit.”
Jenna flushed.
“Ms. Ho—Jenna,” the girl said, “I’d be happy to help with spreading word about Monday’s re-opening. Maybe I could come in over the weekend and take some pictures of the progress for social media?”
“Are we talking about the re-opening?” Eric called, rushing back to them like he’d run a marathon. “I can help. That’s way too much to bake all by yourself. At least let me help with the decorations?”
Jenna’s mouth opened, but she looked stunned speechless.
Jon chuckled. “That all sounds good,” he said. “We’ll talk schedules over food. Anyone need a ride?”
Lance raised a hand—mostly just to make Jon’s eyebrow twitch—and said, “We’re good. Might be a minute or two late, so leave room for us.”
“Lance!” Lynn hissed.
He grinned wider and turned them toward his car, not bothering to modulate his voice. “I want to kiss my fiancée, is that such a crime?”
Lynn released an exaggerated sigh and let him take her weight while he walked. “You’re lucky I love you. But we are not making out in your car like teenagers.”
He chuckled. “We could do other things in the car…”
She pulled her arm away and poked him firmly in the chest. “I’m hungry.
If you want to do those other things tonight, anywhere, you’re going to make sure we’re not late for dinner.
And if you want to make out in the car afterward, maybe you can persuade me.
” The mischievous lift to her lips as she turned away to stride around to the passenger door assured him she’d already made her decision on the matter, and Lance bit back his laugh.
She was right. He really was a lucky bastard.