The Strawberry Hearts Diner(71)

“For what?” Vicky asked.

Jancy started arranging tarts on the cake stands. “Darlin’ Vicky, Andy really likes you, and that’s the reason she’s sayin’ thank you.”

“But . . . ,” Vicky stammered.

“Hello.” Woody pushed into the diner early. “Couldn’t sleep. Coffee brewin’ yet?”

“It’ll be ready in about two minutes,” Jancy answered. “Want a tart while you wait on Nettie to get your breakfast ready?”

“That would be great,” Woody said.

“You and Mama both need to open your eyes.” Emily took time to hug Nettie.

“How would you feel about her dating Andy?” Jancy asked.

“Wonderful. She needs someone in her life. Has for years,” Emily said. “And so do you, Jancy.”

“Maybe, but . . .”

Emily shushed her with a shake of the head. “When things are right, there won’t be any buts.”

“But”—Jancy emphasized the word with a smile—“we’ve got to get y’all two ridin’ off into the sunset before we think about our future.”

“Then it’s a good thing that my wedding is comin’ up fast.”

“Yep, now let’s get busy.” Jancy hugged Emily.



Andy waited at a table with a big book of wedding cakes in front of him when they arrived that evening. He stood up, shook the legs of his jeans down over his boots, and motioned them inside the well-lit shop. The place smelled like a mixture of freshly baked cookies and Andy’s cologne. He smiled as they entered the store, but his eyes locked on Vicky’s and held for several moments before he winked.

“I’ve got coffee and iced tea and cookies for y’all while you choose a cake,” Andy said. “Help yourselves. You and Ryder sit down and flip through the pictures, Emily. Tell me if you see something that you like, or we can design one special if you don’t.”

Ryder opened the book and waited until Emily told him she was ready before he turned to the next page. Part of the anger fell away from Vicky’s heart as she looked at big old tough Ryder watching Emily’s expressions rather than the pictures. If she liked it, then he was going to be fine with it. That said a lot about him.

“We can make adjustments to the size of the cake, but we will need to know how many folks it will need to feed,” Andy said. “How many from your family, Ryder?”

“You’re lookin’ at it. And Shane,” Ryder said.

“Just think about most of the people in Pick and add in a few friends that we’ll invite from our colleges and workplaces. Probably not more than twenty combined, right?” Emily looked at Ryder.

“That’s about right. Our family and friends kind of get all tangled up together.” He grinned.

“Let me show you around while they pick out something.” Andy took Vicky by the arm and led her into the kitchen area. “What’s wrong?”

“I didn’t think about outsiders coming to Pick for the wedding, Andy.”

“And now you are worried about what they’ll think, right?”

She gulped. Was it that obvious?

“It’s Emily’s wedding. If she wants to get married in a cow pasture with everyone sitting on bales of hay while country music blares in the background and beer cools in cattle watering tanks, that’s what she should have,” Andy said.

“How can you know exactly what to say?”

“I say what I think. I’m glad that it’s the right thing tonight. If I’d had a daughter, I’d have wanted one like Emily, who knows what she wants.”

With that attitude, Andy would have made a terrific father. “So do you regret—”

He put his finger over her lips. “Not in the least. I married my career. Sometimes it’s been a lonely partner. Here lately, a little more than ever. I like having you for a friend, Vicky. Shall we go see what those kids have picked out?”

“You mean what Emily chose. Ryder’s so much in love that she could ask for an armadillo cake and he’d love it,” Vicky said.

“This one, Mama.” Emily’s sunny voice interrupted them. “It’s heart shaped, like the tarts. Hearts and roses is going to be the theme of our wedding. Look, there’s even a groom’s cake in that shape.”

“That wedding cake will feed about a hundred and fifty. If you’re going to have tarts also, that might be enough, but how about I throw in fifty heart-shaped cupcakes in case you need them?” Andy picked up a notebook. “I’d suggest an all-white cake with a tiny replica of your bouquet on the top. Maybe with ribbon streamers flowing down the front.”

Vicky stood to the side and listened to Emily and Andy discuss the details and wondered what life would have been like if Andy had been Emily’s father. It was insane to even think like that, because at the time Emily was conceived, Vicky wouldn’t have given a man who wanted to grow up and be a pastry chef a second glance. Still, he and her daughter were popping ideas around like fireworks. He was writing in his notebook so fast that his hand had to ache.

Arms folded over his chest and wearing a big grin, Ryder’s eyes twinkled at her excitement. Each time she realized how much he really did love Emily, a little piece of her disappointment fell away from Vicky’s heart and soul.