Page 12 of All You Need Is Love

“Oh, this isn’t a date.” Shannon fisted her hands together under the table. “That’s Marshall, Quinn’s boyfriend from New York.”

Jenna gave a low whistle. “She’s got good taste.”

Shannon swallowed. “Yeah.”

Jenna’s dark eyes took her in for a moment, her brow raised. Then she shook her head. “Sorry to interrupt your planning, but I saw you across the room and wanted to ask you if the rumor I heard was true.”

“What rumor?”

“About you adopting Noah Robinson.”

She sighed. Once a few people knew something in Walker Beach, pretty much everyone did. “Yes, it’s true.”

Placing a hand on Shannon’s shoulder, Jenna smiled. “I think that’s great. Not going to lie. Being a single mom is hard.” Her ten-year-old son Liam was quiet, but he was a good kid. “If you need any tips about boy mom life or ever just want to commiserate, I’m totally available.”

Tears pricked the corners of Shannon’s eyes. “Really? Thank you.”

“Of course.” Jenna’s eyes shifted toward the front, where Marshall was headed back, two mugs in hand and a pastry bag tucked beneath his arm. “I’ll leave you to your handsome non-date.” With a wink, the artsy beauty floated away.

Marshall set the mugs on the table and sat, his nose scrunched. “The owner didn’t charge me for any of this.”

His incredulous tone made Shannon laugh. “That’s Miss Josephine for you.” The woman was like a regular Santa Claus, always giving to others with a twinkle in her eye.

“That wouldn’t happen back home.”

“It’s one of the positives of living in a small town.”

He took a sip of his tea, the dangling tag declaring it Darjeeling. “One of the only, I imagine.”

“What do you have against small towns?”

“Let’s just say that I prefer the big city.” Cocking his head, he arched an eyebrow. “Have you lived here your whole life?”

“Guilty as charged.”

“Then it’s hard to explain, but New York has a certain movement to it. It’s always awake, always alive. And there, you can be anyone you want to be. People aren’t judging you on your family or your past. Just on who you are now. On what you achieve. And you have every opportunity to succeed at the things that you choose to make a priority.”

“That does sound nice.” She tapped the rim of her mug as she cradled it between her hands. “I sometimes dream of moving, of experiencing something different. Being somewhere more cultured, where I could take in art shows and musicals and the opera. And much as I love Miss Josephine’s cooking, I’ve heard the restaurants in New York are to die for.”

“Oh man. Yes. And so much variety too. Sushi, Thai, Puerto Rican. I eat a different kind of food every night.”

“That would be amazing.” And yet … “I could never leave Walker Beach though. My whole family is here.”

“Well, not your whole family.”

Right. Because Quinn lived across the country. But they hadn’t been close in … well, had they ever, really?

What was she thinking, being this open with Quinn’s boyfriend? For all she knew, he’d go back to her sister and spill everything she’d shared, and they’d both have a good laugh over pathetic Shannon Baker and her simple dreams.

The table vibrated and her cousin Ashley’s face appeared on the screen of her phone. Probably checking on the status of everything with the reunion. Shannon would call her back later.

She coughed. “Speaking of family, I guess we should get to planning this event.”

“Okay, shoot.”

And here they were, right back to staring at each other. What was this feeling winding its way up her whole body, tightening her chest, fusing her heart to her ribs, making them ache?

Why, oh why, had Quinn suggested they work together? And why was it so difficult to do? Shannon didn’t know this man. Not really.

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