“I like them.” He admired the General, enjoyed the quirky companionship of the man’s five daughters and the camaraderie of the men they’d married. But he liked Wye even more, and he was too aware she could leave at any time. It was obvious Cass wanted her to stay awhile but just as clear Wye found it embarrassing not to be working. Emerson wasn’t sure how it would play out.
He needed to make the most of every day he had with her.
“You’ll be run off your feet today helping Cass.” Alice was marrying Jack Sanders this afternoon, and Cass was serving up a Thanksgiving-style dinner to all their guests. There would be a lot of them. “You let me know where I can lend a hand, all right? Think of me as backup.”
Wye smiled gratefully. “That would be awesome. Cass was such a wreck last night, I’m not sure she slept. She wants the wedding to be perfect, since it will be the last one here.”
Emerson swallowed a pang. He hoped it wasn’t the last one at Two Willows. Maybe Cass and all her sisters would be married as of tonight, but he wouldn’t be.
Neither would Wye.
He supposed it was much too early to consider marrying her, but something clicked in his heart the first time he’d laid eyes on Wye. Some instinct in him recognized her immediately: the one for him. Everything he’d seen in the past few weeks confirmed it. Wye was… special. Kind. Caring. Attentive to the ones she loved. Always looking for the thing that needed doing and doing it. Her sensible attributes aligned with the way he’d been raised, but that wasn’t why he was attracted to her.
Wye… fit him.
He couldn’t quite put what he meant by that into words, but his body understood it perfectly. He hadn’t held her yet, but he knew with all his heart when he did it would feel right. He ached to get close to her and try it out, but he didn’t need to perform the act physically to confirm his suspicion. He’d always thought the phrase “meant for each other” was silly, but now he understood why people used it. He was meant for Wye, even if she hadn’t noticed it yet.
She was noticing him now, though.
She stood with her face tilted up toward him, her gaze scanning his as if searching to understand something. Could she tell what he was thinking?
A faint flush of color on her cheeks led him to believe she just might.
“There will be more weddings at Two Willows,” he predicted.
Wye’s eyes widened for a moment, and her lips parted, but she didn’t say anything. Did she know he wished he could walk her down the aisle, even if that was putting the proverbial cart way before the horse?
“Cass is pregnant,” he pointed out. “Someday her children will marry here, I would think.”
“Oh… of course.” Wye’s flush deepened.
Interesting.
Had she hoped he was thinking of a different marriage? One between two people who were almost strangers but not quite?
“Wye—” He wasn’t sure what he meant to ask her, but he needed to ask her something—anything—to get their relationship going.
She waited for him to continue, brows raised a fraction of an inch.
“I was wondering if—”
“Wye, are you down there?” Cass called from the top of the stairs. “I have a list a mile long, and I keep thinking of more things to do, and I’m losing my mind!”
“Be right there!” Wye called. “What were you wondering?” she prompted Emerson, moving an inch closer.
Her proximity increased the tug toward her he’d felt for weeks. Wherever she was, his body was painfully aware of her.
“I was wondering if you’d like to—”
“We’d better start with breakfast,” Cass called down. “Is Emerson with you? Tell him I’m about to put the coffee on.”
Hell. That was his cue. The General was very particular about his coffee. If he didn’t get up there before Cass got going with the coffee maker, there would be hell to pay.
“I was wondering…” Hell, he didn’t have time to spell it out. Before he could overanalyze his impulse, Emerson bent down and stole a quick kiss.
Wye sucked in a surprised breath, but she didn’t pull away. Quite the opposite, actually. She put out a hand to brace herself against his chest. “Emerson?”
He couldn’t help himself. He kissed her again, a kiss that lasted a fraction of a second longer. “Save me a dance later,” he told her. “At the reception. And remember, I’m your backup today.”
“O-okay,” she said.
He covered her hand with his and shifted it so it lay over his heart. Could she feel it beating strong and loud—for her?
Lifting it high, he pressed a last kiss into her palm. He hadn’t planned any of this. Had figured he needed to take his time to get to know Wye—to woo her.
Well, she knew where he stood now.
“See you later. Gotta get the General his coffee.”
“Of course.” Wye didn’t move.
“Wye? Where are you?” Cass called plaintively from the top of the stairs.
“Coming.”
Emerson, already turned toward the steps, grinned over his shoulder at her. “Let’s go.” He offered his hand.
She grinned shyly and took it. Heat—and hope—surged through him.
Things were looking up.
“Wye? You okay? You’re not getting sick, are you?” Cass asked after breakfast as the two of them washed the dishes and got them put away.
“I’m fine. Just… woolgathering, I guess. I’m happy for Alice.” Wye busied herself getting the last of the plates stacked in the cupboard. They needed a clean kitchen in order to take on the dinner they’d be serving in twelve hours or so.
Cass’s expression softened. “I’m happy for her, too. All my sisters safely married and settled. Who would have thought it could happen so fast?”
“Who would have thought the General would turn matchmaker?”
Cass laughed. “Right? You’re the only one left, you know.” She set a clean frying pan in the dishrack.
“Me?” Wye squeaked. “I’m not getting married.” She couldn’t help but think of Emerson’s kiss brushing her lips. She hadn’t been able to get her mind off it since it happened. Sitting across the breakfast table from him had been torture. She was sure everyone could see what had happened between them in the basement, even if she wasn’t sure exactly what that was. Why had Emerson kissed her—three times?
“I’ve seen the way Emerson looks at you.” Cass plunged her hands back into the soapy water and pulled out a spatula. She got to work scrubbing it. “Have you ever considered him?”
“For marriage?” Wye fought to control her voice. “I haven’t considered marriage at all. You know that.”
Cass rolled her eyes. “I know your parents didn’t have the best relationship.”
Wye snorted. That was the understatement of the year.
“That doesn’t mean you should stay single all your life.”
“It doesn’t mean I should go rushing into things, either.”
“You could go on a date with Emerson. See what happens.”
“He hasn’t asked me,” Wye said primly, wishing Cass would drop the subject. During the whole meal, Emerson had watched her with a look on his face she couldn’t quite decipher. It wasn’t triumphant or anything galling like that. It was… determined.