I shrugged. “There was no name or return address. I have a hunch it was the Rogers sisters.”
“Well, that would explain it. Remember the petition they organized for a lower curfew because of the scandal surrounding Lexi?” Zoe’s daughter had been accused of spreading indecent pictures of herself around, but the rumors weren’t true.
“Yes, but the truth came out in the end, thank goodness, and the curfew didn’t stick.”
“True, but it wouldn’t surprise me if those old biddy hypochondriacs were up to their crazy antics again. That’s just so wrong. Not to mention unfair and not true. They shouldn’t get away with it.” Zoe shook her head. “What are you going to do?”
That seemed to be the question of my life lately. “Beat them at their own game.” I stared at the envelope on the table. “I have an idea. My Grammy always said, when life hands you lemons, make lemonade…with a splash of gin, of course.” I shrugged. “I just have to find my gin.”
Chapter Seven
The Fourth of July dawned sunny with the promise of a warm day. I taught a sensual massage session to a young couple in the morning, and then I headed to the park in the afternoon for the day’s festivities. There was a parade in the morning that ended in the park, followed by food trucks and live music. Half the town had closed shop early because Mayflower took their festivals seriously.
The fireworks would take place over Freedom Lake after it got dark. Harmony and Morticia waved, saving me a spot on a blanket in front of the gazebo. On a blanket next to them were Zoe, her children, and Chaz. I waved and made my way through the crowd until I reached them.
“I’m so hungry.” I sat on a blanket. “I’m seriously always so hungry.”
“Get used to it, babe.” Harmony chuckled. “Have you seen the size of your babies’ father?”
My gaze slid over to Matt, who was running his food truck while his cousin sang Irish music on the stage in the gazebo. As if drawn to me, Matt made eye contact and smiled wide as he waved. I swallowed hard, trying not to notice how big his biceps were. How big his entire body was. I waved back then looked away.
“I still can’t believe you’re having twins.” Morticia stared at my stomach in wonder. “The human body is miraculous. I mean, even with all your organs, it still finds room for two babies. Two! That’s insane.” Her eyes met my terrified ones, and her smile slipped. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to freak you out.” She bit her bottom lip.
“You’re not telling me anything I haven’t already thought about. How am I supposed to deliver two bear cubs?” I grumbled. “They’re literally going to be huge because of him. It’s all his fault. Everything is his fault.” I knew that wasn’t true, but I needed someone to blame for my stupidity in not using protection. We weren’t teenagers.
How could we both have been so foolish?
I had only cared that I was on the pill at the time, but obviously that hadn’t worked for me. I never gave a second thought as to why I should still use protection beyond the pregnancy risk. Matt didn’t seem like the kind of guy who slept around, but even I knew, it only took once of sleeping with the wrong person to contract a disease. I’d since then been tested, and I was clean, thank goodness. Still, I hadn’t been that reckless ever. It just proved how hard I had taken turning forty.
And now I was paying the consequences.
“Interesting brooch.” Zoe joined us on our blanket. “I see you found your gin.” She winked.
“Gin?” Morti looked back and forth between the two of us.
I touched the red ruby H gemstone with the solid gold cape draped behind it. “I sure did. I took the insulting design my secret admirer sent me and gave it to my jeweler to make into something complementary.” I winked. “She custom created this for me and put a rush on it. Don’t you just love it?”
“Secret admirer?” Harm raised both her eyebrows and also looked between Zoe and me. “What’s going on?”
“I think she means whoever sent her the red H for harlot,” Zoe clarified, adding, “but I don’t think it’s much of a secret.”
“Oh, yeah, duh.” Harm slapped her forehead.
Gerty and Gabby Rogers walked by at that moment and gaped at my chest, their jaws falling open as they stared at my brooch. Giving me a dirty look, they stuck their noses in the air and hurried their way over to Sister Mary Agnes and Father O’Dority.
I could only imagine the earful they were giving them.
I waved.
“I just love you.” Harm grinned while shaking her head. “You don’t care what anyone thinks, Tiff.”
“Actually, I do.” I sighed. “More so as I get older. And being pregnant is making it worse than ever. I feel like I’m on the verge of tears all the time or I’m laughing hysterically at nothing. I feel like a crazy person.”
“Pregnancy hormones are no joke,” Zoe said.
“Want some food?” Morticia asked. “I thought you said you were hungry.”
“I was, but I suddenly lost my appetite.” I had no sooner said the words than I saw Matthew McGinnis headed my way with a heaping plate in his hands.
“Well, isn’t that just the sweetest thing.” Zoe clapped.
“The sweetest.” I tried not to grind my teeth.
I had told him I wanted him to be there for his children, not for me. He was already trying to take care of me. Why? The twins weren’t even born yet. What did he want from me? He definitely must have an ulterior motive.
“Ladies, Chaz, kids.” Matt nodded his head once at each of them, his dimples sinking deep as he smiled when his eyes locked on mine. “Tiffany,” he said, his voice making my name sound like a caress. He looked more handsome than a man had a right to as he leaned over and tried to hand me a heaping plate of food. “I thought ye might be hungry, and I haven’t seen ye eat anything since ye got here.”
“Thanks, but I’m not really hungry.” My stomach rumbled loudly.
He arched a shaggy blond brow high. “Really. Me wee babes must be talking already then.” He winked.
I rolled my eyes. “I can take care of myself, remember?”
He narrowed his. “And I plan to help take care of me babies, remember?”
I gestured to the plate he still held in his big hands. “So, you’re saying that plate of food is for them and not me?”
He shrugged his massive shoulders. “Whatever it takes to make ye eat it, lass, then yes. None of the food is fer ye.”
