All of Me: A Small Town Romance (The Bridesmaids Club Book 1)

Chapter 7

Logan dug deep, pushing himself hard on his early morning run. He hadn't slept and didn't feel like facing the day. His breath came in short, sharp gasps as he ran along Main Street.

Usually, a long run cleared his head, put his life into perspective. But it wasn't working this morning.

The glow of lights from inside Angel Wings Café sent shafts of light across the sidewalk. He glanced at his watch. Five-fifteen. Tess was on time.

She would be in the kitchen, mixing cookie dough and making pie crusts. If the café was open, he might have called in and ordered a stack of pancakes. He would even have offered to make them.

He still couldn't believe he'd made blueberry pancakes from scratch. He'd never been much of a cook, but he liked good food. Which was part of the reason he was a regular at Angel Wings Café. The other part wasn't worth thinking about.

He slowed down as he ran past the café, then stopped completely.

Tess had strung a brown paper bag over the door handle. His name was written across the front in big, bold letters.

Lifting the bag off the handle, he looked inside. Two fresh blueberry muffins were sitting on a napkin. The smell made his stomach rumble, made him remember that he hadn't eaten anything since lunch at Pastor Steven's home yesterday.

He wiped his face on the bottom of his T-shirt and wondered what he should do. He was sweaty and tired, not a good combination this early in the morning. But he wasn't much better last Saturday, and Tess had still hauled him inside the café.

Before he changed his mind, he knocked loudly on the front door. Tess walked out of the kitchen and smiled. He waited for her to unlock the door. He'd say thank you, leave her to her baking and try to get past what was eating him up.

"You got the muffins?"

"Thanks. What are they for?"

Tess' cheeks turned red. She looked too good for this early in the morning. Her blond hair was caught in a ponytail and soft strands had worked their way loose over her shoulders. She leaned against the door and looked up at him with a gleam in her eyes. "I appreciated your help yesterday. Especially after you saw everyone in my car."

"Did you work out what you're doing next?"

"We've got a plan. Yesterday we visited a couple of stationery stores. Sally and Annie called all the Thompsons and Browns in the phone directory. I'm visiting the last few stationery stores this afternoon."

He held back from asking her if she wanted company.

She turned toward a beeping noise coming from the kitchen. "My pies have finished cooking. You can come and talk to me for a few minutes, if you like?"

Logan looked down at his shirt.

"Yeah, I know. You're hot and sweaty. I don't care if you don't."

"I might have to invest in a can of men's deodorant for your café."

Tess smiled as they walked into the kitchen.

If he thought his stomach had rumbled when he'd smelled the muffins, he was practically drooling on the spot now. Tess pulled the pies out of the oven. They smelled amazing.

"Beef, mushroom, and onion. Do you want one?"

"I didn't bring my wallet."

"I don't want your money." Taking a plate from the pantry, she slid a pie onto it. "Sit at the counter and tell me why you look as though you haven't slept in a few days."