wondered if Dex was short for Dexter, the name that Ted’s love nest at the inn had been registered under.
Ted leaned against the wall. “As soon as I got wind of Torie’s plan to fill out our foursome, I made Dad fly back from New York.”
“That’ll definitely pump up Spence’s ego. Playing with the great Dallas Beaudine.” Meg detected a trace of petulance in Kenny’s tone, and apparently Ted did, too.
“Stop acting like a girl. You’re almost as famous as Dad.” Ted’s smile faded, and he dropped his hands between his bent knees. “If we don’t pull this off, the town’s going to suffer in more ways than I want to think about.”
“It’s time you let people know exactly how serious the situation is.”
“They already do. But for now, I don’t want anybody saying it out loud.”
Another silence fell as the men finished their beers. Finally, Kenny stood to leave. “This isn’t your fault, Ted. Things were already in the crapper before you let yourself get elected mayor.”
“I know that.”
“You’re not a miracle worker. All you can do is give it your best effort.”
“You’ve been married to Lady Emma too long,” Ted grumbled. “You sound just like her. Next thing, you’ll be inviting me to join your damn book club.”
The men kept on like that, jabbing at each other as they made their way outside. Their voices faded. A car engine roared to life. Meg sagged back on her heels and let herself breathe.
And then she realized the lights were still on.
The door opened again, and a single set of footsteps echoed on the pine floors. She peered down. Ted stood in the middle of the room, his thumbs tucked in the back pockets of his jeans. He gazed toward the place where the altar had been, but this time his shoulders sagged ever so slightly, offering her a rare glimpse of the unguarded man beneath the self-possessed exterior.
The moment passed quickly. He moved toward the door that led to the kitchen. Her stomach tightened with dread. A moment later, she heard a very loud, very angry curse.
She ducked her head and buried her face in her hands. The angry thud of feet echoed through the church. Maybe, if she stayed very quiet . . .
“Meg!”
Chapter Seven
M eg dashed toward the futon. “I’m trying to sleep up here,” she shouted, girding herself for battle. “Do you mind?”
Ted thundered up the steps to the loft, the floor trembling under his feet. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
She sat on the edge of the futon and tried to look as though she’d just awakened. “Obviously, not sleeping. What’s up with you, anyway? Barging in here in the middle of the night . . . And you shouldn’t curse in church.”
“How long have you been staying here?”
She stretched and yawned, trying to pull off her cool act. It would have been easier to do if she were wearing something more impressive than pirate-skull panties and the happy printing company T-shirt left behind by one of the guests. “Do you have to yell so loud?” she said. “You’re disturbing the neighbors. And they’re dead.”
“How long?”
“I’m not sure. Some of those headstones date all the way back to the 1840s.”
“I’m talking about you. ”
“Oh. I’ve been here for a while. Where did you think I’d been staying?”
“I didn’t think about it at all. And you know why? Because I didn’t give a damn. I want you out of here.”
“I believe you, but this is Lucy’s church, and she told me I could stay as long as I want.” At least she would have if Meg had ever asked her.
“Wrong. This is my church, and you’re leaving here first thing tomorrow and not coming back.”
“Hold on. You gave this church to Lucy.”
“A wedding present. No wedding. No present.”
“I don’t think that will hold up in a court of law.”
“There wasn’t a legal contract!”
“You’re either a person who stands by his word or you’re not. Frankly, I’m beginning to think
Ted leaned against the wall. “As soon as I got wind of Torie’s plan to fill out our foursome, I made Dad fly back from New York.”
“That’ll definitely pump up Spence’s ego. Playing with the great Dallas Beaudine.” Meg detected a trace of petulance in Kenny’s tone, and apparently Ted did, too.
“Stop acting like a girl. You’re almost as famous as Dad.” Ted’s smile faded, and he dropped his hands between his bent knees. “If we don’t pull this off, the town’s going to suffer in more ways than I want to think about.”
“It’s time you let people know exactly how serious the situation is.”
“They already do. But for now, I don’t want anybody saying it out loud.”
Another silence fell as the men finished their beers. Finally, Kenny stood to leave. “This isn’t your fault, Ted. Things were already in the crapper before you let yourself get elected mayor.”
“I know that.”
“You’re not a miracle worker. All you can do is give it your best effort.”
“You’ve been married to Lady Emma too long,” Ted grumbled. “You sound just like her. Next thing, you’ll be inviting me to join your damn book club.”
The men kept on like that, jabbing at each other as they made their way outside. Their voices faded. A car engine roared to life. Meg sagged back on her heels and let herself breathe.
And then she realized the lights were still on.
The door opened again, and a single set of footsteps echoed on the pine floors. She peered down. Ted stood in the middle of the room, his thumbs tucked in the back pockets of his jeans. He gazed toward the place where the altar had been, but this time his shoulders sagged ever so slightly, offering her a rare glimpse of the unguarded man beneath the self-possessed exterior.
The moment passed quickly. He moved toward the door that led to the kitchen. Her stomach tightened with dread. A moment later, she heard a very loud, very angry curse.
She ducked her head and buried her face in her hands. The angry thud of feet echoed through the church. Maybe, if she stayed very quiet . . .
“Meg!”
Chapter Seven
M eg dashed toward the futon. “I’m trying to sleep up here,” she shouted, girding herself for battle. “Do you mind?”
Ted thundered up the steps to the loft, the floor trembling under his feet. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
She sat on the edge of the futon and tried to look as though she’d just awakened. “Obviously, not sleeping. What’s up with you, anyway? Barging in here in the middle of the night . . . And you shouldn’t curse in church.”
“How long have you been staying here?”
She stretched and yawned, trying to pull off her cool act. It would have been easier to do if she were wearing something more impressive than pirate-skull panties and the happy printing company T-shirt left behind by one of the guests. “Do you have to yell so loud?” she said. “You’re disturbing the neighbors. And they’re dead.”
“How long?”
“I’m not sure. Some of those headstones date all the way back to the 1840s.”
“I’m talking about you. ”
“Oh. I’ve been here for a while. Where did you think I’d been staying?”
“I didn’t think about it at all. And you know why? Because I didn’t give a damn. I want you out of here.”
“I believe you, but this is Lucy’s church, and she told me I could stay as long as I want.” At least she would have if Meg had ever asked her.
“Wrong. This is my church, and you’re leaving here first thing tomorrow and not coming back.”
“Hold on. You gave this church to Lucy.”
“A wedding present. No wedding. No present.”
“I don’t think that will hold up in a court of law.”
“There wasn’t a legal contract!”
“You’re either a person who stands by his word or you’re not. Frankly, I’m beginning to think
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