Page 94 of Forgotten Romance

“Well, hello …”

He laughs. “Hello and goodbye.”

“Excuse me?”

“I love you, but you need to get out.”

“Ah …” Part of me wonders if he’s had enough and wants me out of the house for good, but as we reach the front door and he lets go of me to shove my coat in my arms, there’s a spark in his eyes that I’ve missed. “What’s going o?—”

He lets out a warning sound and mimes zipping his lips. “No questions, remember?”

Okay, so definitely not kicking me out, then. “Can I ask where I’m going?”

“Yup. Your first clue is sitting in the car parked on the curb.”

I open the door to find Orson and Ford. They give me creepily matching waves. “I don’t get it.”

“You need to find the kids. It should take you a good hour or so. Get to it.”

“You’ve lost our kids?”

“Hidden. I’ve hidden our kids. Damn, what kind of dad do you think I am?”

“I’m not taking that bait.” I glance at Ford and Orson again. “Am I going with them?”

“Nope. They’re your clue.”

“Clue? Right. Ah … Ford’s Garage …?”

“Bingo!” Mack slaps my ass. “Now get moving before, umm, the person they’re with hops them up on too much sugar.”

“They’re with Art, aren’t they?”

“Goddamn it, just play the game.”

I have no fucking clue what he’s up to, but this is fun and different and exactly the Mack I fell in love with. Ford and Orson give me another matching wave as I climb into my car, their grins like something out of a horror show. If I hadn’t known them for years, I’d be concerned they were about to murder my husband, but Ford loves a good plot, and I guess that’s what they’ve rustled up here.

My first stop is at Ford’s Garage, where Taylor has a clue waiting for me.

“You’re in on it too?” I ask.

They shrug and pass over a magnolia. “It’s kind of romantic, isn’t it?”

“Searching for my kids on Christmas Eve? We have very different ideas of what that word means.”

They roll their glossy lips in, holding back a smile and obviously in the know for whatever is going on.

“Maybe just a hint?”

Taylor shakes their head. “No chance. Get on with it.”

“A magnolia? The florist, maybe?”

They point toward the front windows, and I turn to look in that direction. What the hell is …

“Magnolia Ridge?”

Taylor’s smile breaks free. “Good luck!”

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