Free Wildflower Wedding by Luann McLane Page B

damned glad when the grand opening is over.”
    â€œYou want me to stay tonight? Gabby will understand.” Reese didn’t want to give up his date with Gabby, but his family meant the world to him. And he owed Uncle Tony big-time for being there for him when he was going down the wrong path very quickly.
    â€œNo! Hell no. I’ve got everything in the kitchen under control. Tessa and I can hold down the fort. You need to have some fun, Reese. Oh, and I put an ad in the paper for a delivery guy.”
    â€œI don’t mind doin’ it.”
    â€œNo way. We need your expertise more in the kitchen and doin’ other business-related things. I did hire a few more servers today too. We’ll train them this week.”
    â€œI know the drill.” Reese nodded, hating the fatigue etched on his uncle’s face. “Uncle Tony, you need to take some time off too.”
    â€œI will once things are up and running smoothly.”
    â€œI’ll hold you to that. Digger’s gonna forget what you look like.”
    â€œTell me about it. I did take him for a run the other day,” he said, and then chuckled.
    â€œWhat’s so funny?”
    â€œNothin’, I just finally met my neighbor. Well, actually she’s my landlord.”
    â€œAnd?”
    He answered with a bemused expression followed by a shrug.
    That was a strange reaction. “Wait. Is she hot?”
    â€œI dunno.”
    â€œCome on, Uncle Tony.”
    â€œYeah . . . yeah, she’s hot. I guess. Whatever.”
    â€œYou should, you know, hang out with her or somethin’,” Reese said casually but watched his uncle’s reaction closely. Since the divorce two years ago, his uncle had yet to venture out on even one date. It was about damned time.
    â€œLike I got time for that,” Uncle Tony scoffed, but there was something in his eyes that said he wished he did. Reese inhaled a deep breath and was about to encourage the idea, but his uncle’s expression suddenly darkened and so Reese left it alone, for now, anyway.
    â€œBut hey, look, all the prep work is done for tonight. I just got the order for ten pizzas for the dance. I’ll have Tessa deliver them. I think she wants to take some pictures.”
    Yep, both Uncle Tony and his mother needed to have more of a social life. “I’ll put some flyers and coupons next to them. Apparently, our reputation is already good at Whisper’s Edge.”
    â€œWhoa, yeah!” Tony lifted his palms in the air. “I delivered a couple of pizzas last week. Got my ass pinched! What was up with that?”
    Reese thought of Miss Patty and laughed. “I think I might know the guilty party.”
    A few minutes later his mother raced back through the door. “Got some!”
    Reese looked at the purple jar. “Is that gonna make me smell like a girl?”
    â€œHush, I’m only going to use a little bit.”
    â€œMeaning yes.” He sighed while she played around with his hair. “Uncle Tony, are you gonna help me out here?”
    â€œTessa, just don’t make him look like Squiggy.”
    She chuckled. “I won’t! Look, I’m going to slick it back so it looks like you have shorter hair.”
    Reese didn’t even bother to protest this time, deciding to let her have her fun. After finishing up she stood back and admired her work. “How do I look?”
    â€œPerfect! Now, when I show up with the pizza I fully expect to see you and Gabby out there cutting a rug.”
    â€œMom, I have no idea what that means.”
    â€œIt’s an old-fashioned term for dancing. Granddad used to say it when he’d jitterbug with Grandma, right, Tony?”
    â€œSomehow I don’t think I’ll be doing anything called jitterbugging.”
    â€œI can do it. Want a quick lesson?”
    â€œI would but I’m pressed for time!” Reese replied, but grinned.
    â€œWell, at least do the