Page 26 of A Slice of Summer
But the same care he took with his appearance seeped into everything he did—from inviting her out to dinner the first time or helping decorate her Christmas tree when he realized she hadn’t gotten around to it. Did his more carefree style mean that had changed?
“Do you need to know anything else for the dessert buffet?” he asked.
She glanced at the sheets with his and Margot’s notes. “We should be good. Ideas are swirling in my head. Plus, I want to make sure the items won’t melt in the backyard.”
“I forgot the rehearsal dinner is outside.”
“I’ve done plenty of outdoor events in the heat, and I have a week and a half to figure it out. Now the booth…”
That was another story. Taryn slumped before straightening.
No getting discouraged, or she might as well give up.
He said nothing. Neither did she.
Did that mean he wasn’t going to help her?
Taryn needed help, but she didn’t want to need his help.
Ugh. She couldn’t make sense of anything right now.
Her temperature rose. Taryn fought the urge to fan herself to cool down.
Thick tension hung in the air, intensifying the silence and increasing the distance between them.
Her desperation or his regret? A combination of both?
Taryn needed to find out, but she would give him an out. That was the polite thing to do. “I appreciate you wanting to help, but I know your time is limited. You’re on vacation and have wedding stuff to do with Callie.”
His jaw tightened. “I wouldn’t have offered if I couldn’t do it.”
“Great. I mean, thank you.” She paused for a moment to breathe. “It’s…”
So much for knowing what to say. Taryn bit her lip.
“This feels weird after how comfortable things were between us before,” he said finally.
She was happy he said it and not her, but at least he felt it, too.
“It does.” When Garrett had first offered, something inside Taryn screamed N-O! Until she remembered her injured hand. That would slow her down when she needed to speed up. “As much as I want to build the booth myself, I can’t do this on my own.”
That should have been harder for her to admit, but pretending wouldn’t make things better. Accepting help—Garrett’s help—was the only way to finish on time.
His gaze met hers. “You don’t have to.”
“I appreciate that.” But knowing she wouldn’t be all on her own didn’t ease her knotted muscles. Her future was at stake. That was another reality she couldn’t ignore.
Still, working with Garrett was better than relying on Rachelle’s friend, who was more of an unknown quantity beyond his love for apple fritters and macaroons. At least, she hoped that was the case.
Taryn needed to make sure she could count on him or she was calling the paramedic. “I didn’t want you to feel obligated just because Margot was here.”
“I don’t.” Amusement flickered in his eyes.
Taryn didn’t know what was so funny unless it was her.
She gathered the two pieces of paper notes and pens off the table, nearly snapping off the lid on one pen. “I’ll put these away and get the plans for the booth.”
“I can’t wait to see what you came up with.”
