The Strawberry Hearts Diner(63)

“But why so fast? Can’t we . . . ,” Vicky started.

“The baby is due Christmas Day, Mama.”

“But I proposed long before we got pregnant,” Ryder said quickly.





CHAPTER SIXTEEN


That is a lot to spring on a woman in one night,” Nettie scolded.

“I’m going to be a grandmother?” Vicky whispered.

“Yes, you are, and Nettie is going to be a great-grandmother,” Emily said.

Vicky’s head swam with information overkill. Nettie was speechless. Emily looked as if she was about to burst into tears. Ryder’s nervousness filled the whole area. Something had to be done to ease the emotions, to get things going in the right direction rather than stalling out on the worries of putting together a wedding.

Jancy squeezed Shane’s hand and said, “I’m butting in where it’s none of my business, but there’s going to be a wedding and a baby. Might as well get the first over with so we can all look forward to the second. Emily and Ryder have things under control, Vicky. Everyone in town will attend the wedding, and every chair will be filled. Folks can park their cars over on the north forty.” She grinned. “I’ve always wanted to use that phrase. One church couldn’t hold everyone, anyway. Ryder has promised to be a good husband and father, and if he’s not, I’ll take care of his dead body. Nettie will help me dig.”

“Yes, I will,” Nettie said with a nod.

Jancy put her hand on Shane’s shoulder. “Let’s take a walk, Shane, and let the family have some alone time.”

They were all the way to the diner when Shane stopped and drew her into his arms. “That w-was brilliant, darlin’.”

“Women need to talk things through, Shane. It’s the way we’re made. Sometimes it’s best to boil it down to a few words that can be easily digested and then move on.”

“I love that you see things so clear.” He sank his face into her hair. “And I love the smell of your hair. Coconut, right?”

“That’s right.” Her hands flattened out on his wide, muscular chest.

His thick lashes fluttered and then rested on his high cheekbones. She barely had time to moisten her lips before his met them. Everything that was going on back at the house faded away. When he took a step back, she leaned into him so hard that she had to rush to right herself.

“I like the way you fit in my arms,” he chuckled and then got serious. “You have a big heart that doesn’t even hear m-my stutter. Your beauty comes from the light inside you. It’s brighter than that m-moon hangin’ up there in the sky.”

Jancy’s eyes filled, and she had to blink fast to keep them from spilling over. There wasn’t a pickup line in the world that was more romantic than what Shane had said. She’d thought that she was in love before, but those relationships couldn’t even compare to what was slowly developing with Shane.

Maybe that was the secret to happiness—patience and waiting instead of jumping in with both feet and immediately having regrets.



Nettie had gone to the church to meet with her ladies’ group that Wednesday evening. The discussion on the agenda was who would donate what to the church bazaar that fall. That would take about three minutes, because each of them donated the same thing every year. The next hour would be dedicated to the newest gossip—the upcoming wedding.

Ryder and Shane had picked Jancy and Emily up at the diner as soon as it closed that evening at eight o’clock. With Nettie gone, Vicky had the too-big, too-quiet house to herself. So she carried a bottle of water to the front porch and sat down in the swing.

Back when Emily was first born and wouldn’t sleep at night, she’d spent hours on that swing, hoping that the motion would make her baby sleepy. Then when she was a little girl, they’d talked out all kinds of problems to the squeak of the old chains. As a teenager Emily and her friends giggled about boys, makeup, and clothes in the same old red swing. And now Vicky had it all to herself with nothing but memories.

The ringing of her phone brought her back to the present with a jar. She grabbed it up from beside her on the swing, saw that it was Andy, and answered on the third ring.

“Hey, how’s Nettie? Been meanin’ to call all day but got tied up in Frankston with a new oven that we’re having put in,” he said.

Vicky’s heart did a little flutter when she heard his deep drawl. Nettie had teased about her dating him—the timing was all wrong with this wedding business and a new baby on the way. It was still too much for Vicky to take in, but his voice brought a little calm into her world.

“She’s pretty much back to normal. We’re letting her make tarts, but I’m helping so that she doesn’t overdo.” Looking back, it had been like that in the hospital, too. When he was in the room, she wasn’t nearly so anxious about Nettie.

“I’m about half a mile from Pick. Want to get an ice cream at that convenience store down the road from you?”

“Not really, but you could sit on the porch with me if you’ve got time. I could use a friend tonight.” It wasn’t an all-consuming thing like she’d felt when she and Creed was together, so maybe it wasn’t anything but friendship after all.

“Be there in a few minutes.”

He was gone before she could ask if he wanted a glass of tea or a beer, so she took a chance on the latter. She’d just set a pair on the porch rail when she heard tires crunching on gravel as Andy’s truck slowly moved from the diner toward the house. She squinted against the setting sun to see Andy’s broad shoulders. In a few long strides he was at the bottom of the porch steps.