Page 23 of All Inn Thyme
“Hey, Mel, Ty’s here,” Logan says, nodding to me and reaching over for a brownie and probably trying to address the elephant in the room: me.
Evan puts his arms around Beth from behind, cradling her baby bump. I feel a pang of jealousy, and I wonder if he realizes how lucky he is.
My eyes drift over to Mellie, catching her watching me, and her eyes cut away quickly as if she’s embarrassed. Beth says something quietly to her, and Mellie rolls her eyes as Beth and Allie giggle.
“What?” Logan looks back and forth between them.
“Oh, nothing. Mellie just needs someone to work on her… engine,” Beth says. Mellie glares at Beth.
Evan looks confused. “What engine?”
Allie cuts in quickly. “The ATV.”
“I can take a look.” I shrug. I’m thankful that they’ve included me in their friend group, and I am a mechanic after all, it’s the least I can do to offer to help them. Something tells me that engine is a metaphor for something else, but I’ll play along.
“You really don’t have to do that. My… engine is just fine,” Mellie says, unable to look at me.
Allie and Beth look like they’re struggling to breathe trying to hold back laughter. It’s not working.
“What is wrong with you two?” Logan asks again.
They snort laugh, tears welling up in their eyes. Mellie isn’t laughing. She just looks up at the ceiling and shakes her head.
Evan says, “Okay—” but he’s unable to finish what he wants to say as his phone rings in his pocket. He pulls it out to answer it.
“What’s up, Sash?” he asks as he heads into the other room to take his call.
“Okay, okay, let’s be serious. It’s tasting time,” Allie says. “Is there anything you absolutely don’t like?”
“I like mostly everything,” I tell her.
“I need your honest feedback. Do you promise to givehonestfeedback?” She emphasizes the word “honest” and tilts her head at me, her piercing green eyes boring into mine.
Okay, so both of the Harpers are intimidating. Those green eyes they have make you feel like they can see into your soul. But she doesn’t have to know how I feel about that.
“Absolutely,” I say confidently.
“Okay, first, we have lavender lemon scones with vanilla bean icing.” She cuts the treat into pieces and offers one to me.
One bite into it and it tastes like soap.
“Well?” she asks, hands on her hips.
Not wanting to offend her, I grapple with the right words.
“Ummm, it’s… not my favorite. I don’t think I’m a lavender guy, but I really like the lemon and the frosting part.”
“Okay, try this one. A blueberry lemon muffin top.” She cuts me another piece.
Nervous it might taste like soap, too, I bite into that one and feel relief when it doesn’t. “This one is really, really good,” I say, reaching for one more small piece.
Her eyes shine. “Thank you, I think so, too. I know lavender isn’t for everyone, but some really like it.”
Beth and Logan each reach for a piece and try one, nodding to each other. Logan says, “This is great, Ace. Going to be a total hit.”
Mellie takes a muffin top and cuts it in half for the boys at the table.
Just then, Evan returns and says, “We have to go. All hands on deck at the inn.”
