Longing for Home by Kathryn Springer

Thunderbird, was holding court in Happy’s Garage until Monday, leaving Kate with no choice but to punch in Doug’s number and offer a bribe. Retrieve the chicken and he had access to all the pie he could eat. For an entire month. Kate only hoped she wouldn’t live to regret the offer.
    Doug had come through. He’d dropped off the order only minutes before, giving Kate enough time to speed shower and change into a dress for the rehearsal dinner.
    Abby had granted her full access to the inn’s gourmet kitchen the next morning. With the ceremony taking place midafternoon, Kate would have plenty of time to prepare the meal and still be on hand to help Emma and Zoey with any last-minute details.
    So, take that, Alex Porter …
    “Acckk!”
    The bike and the rake suddenly parted company and Kate stumbled backward, tripping over the friendly garden gnome one of her teenage waitresses had made in senior pottery class. She landed on her backside in the alley. Hard.
    “Are you and Penelope having a disagreement?”
    A tall, Alex Porter-shaped shadow momentarily blotted out the sun.
    And just when her day had been looking a little brighter, too.
    Kate winced. “How did you know her name?”
    “Like someone once told me, it’s a very small town.”
    “You did a background check, didn’t you?”
    “Don’t be ridiculous. No one does a background check on a bicycle.” Alex reached out a hand.
    Choosing practicality over pride, Kate grabbed hold of it and let Alex draw her to her feet.
    “Thanks.” Even to her own ears, she sounded a little breathless. That had to have something to do with the fall and not because even the briefest touch of Alex’s hand sent her pulse skipping like a rock over the surface of the water.
    Kate shook the gravel off her skirt and spun around several times, peering over her shoulder in a vain attempt to assess the damage. A bit dusty, but it could have been much worse…
    “You look like a kitten chasing its tail.”
    Kate stopped midtwirl and parked her hands on her hips. “Why aren’t you at the rehearsal dinner?” The question came out a little less grateful than it probably should have, given the fact that Alex had offered his assistance.
    “I had to make a stop first. Abby mentioned you had a transportation problem.”
    It took Kate a moment to connect the dots.
    She was the stop.
    The gesture would have been sweet…if it had been from anyone but Alex. He was a spy, not a knight in shining armor coming to her rescue.
    Alex bent down to pick up her bicycle. The wicker basket attached to the front handlebars was askew and one of the plastic daisies had fallen off. Without asking permission, he wheeled the bicycle back into the storage shed behind the café and closed the door.
    “Ready?”
    To get into a car—alone—with Alex Porter? Not in this lifetime. But unless she wanted to hold up the rehearsal dinner any longer than she already had, Kate didn’t see she had much choice in the matter.
    “I parked in front,” Alex said.
    As Kate took a step forward, the heel of her shoe twisted and sank into the loose gravel.
    Ordinarily she avoided wearing heels, but certain situations—like rehearsal dinners or times when she needed the advantage gained by adding a few inches to her diminutive height—called for them.
    Glancing down, she saw that one of the straps had broken.
    Drat. She’d have to switch them out for another pair.
    “I’ll be right back.” Kate changed directions and began to hobble toward the café.
    “What’s wrong now?”
    Kate didn’t miss the emphasis on the last word. “My shoe broke.”
    “Does catastrophe follow you wherever you go?”
    Kate whirled around and went up on her tiptoes, which put the top of her head level with Alex’s chin. She looked him straight in the eye.
    “Apparently so.”
    A split second of silence followed her statement.
    Oh, no. Now she’d done it. Kate was never rude to people. Never. But Alex Porter brought out a snarky side