Page 33 of The Gingerbread Bakery
‘Oh, wonderful! I will see you there, then,’ she said with a smug smile at Mac before Elliot slipped away into the manager’s office once again.
Mac didn’t have time to dwell on that little interaction for too long before Annie had his hand and was tugging him down the hallway.
‘What—’
‘Shh…’ She took a hard left down the first hallway with guest rooms. ‘It’ll be easier for us to take a little look around ourselves,’ she whispered.
‘You know you’re insane, right?’
She stopped and turned to glare at him. ‘I just want everything to go right and— What was that?’
‘What was what?’
‘Shh!’
‘Annie, I swear to God if you shush me one more time?—’
Before he could finish his threat, Annie had his hand again and had pulled him into the closest utility closet. It was pitch-black inside and smelled like lemon Pledge.
‘Annie—’
A single finger met his lips but, to her credit, she didn’t shush him. And he was too distracted by the feel of her skin on his mouth to do anything but stand in shocked silence. He didn’t give a shit what was out in that hallway. If it kept him stuck in this dark closet with Annie, it could stay out there forever.
Voices drifted in through the doorway.
‘I’m just nervous about tomorrow.’
‘But you are head over heels for that man.’
‘I’m not worried about Logan or marriage. It’s theweddingpart. It’s a big event. I want it to go well and everyone to have a good time.’
Mac knew he recognized that voice. Jeanie was in the hall with someone, and Annie didn’t want her to know they were here looking for Estelle. Hence the closet hiding place.
‘You’re the bride. All you have to worry about is saying yes. Leave everything else to the rest of us.’
‘Thanks, Mom. Have you seen Aunt Dot? She’s supposed to have my something old…’
A door down the hall opened and the voices faded as they went into the room.
Annie was standing so close that he felt her sigh of relief on his cheek. She let her finger fall from his lips and he wanted to grab it and put it back.
‘Itoldyou,’ she hissed, snapping him out of his standing-too-close-to-Annie stupor.
‘You told me what?’
‘Jeanie is stressed about tomorrow and it’s our job to make sure that’s not the case.’
‘I don’t think her mom meant that we’re responsible for a missing-persons search. I think she was talking about wardrobe malfunctions and drunk-uncle situations.’
Annie huffed, and even though it was dark he could picture her rolling her eyes at him.
‘We need to go.’ She lifted a hand to find the doorknob but in the cramped space ended up fumbling against his arm and his stomach. He grabbed her wrist before she could grab anything more… personal.
‘Don’t you ever rest?’ he asked instead of dwelling on where he’d like Annie’s hands to wander.
‘I’ll rest when I’m dead.’
‘Annie.’
