“You betcha. Love you.”
“Love you too, Hannah-Boo.”
“You give Linda my best, you hear?” Garrett tucked an extra apple turnover into the pink paper bag printed with a smiling cartoon cloud.
“I will. Thanks so much, Garr.” She gave him a playful eyebrow waggle. “I’m going to Daphne’s place next.”
“Say no more.” He added a mini lemon tart and a giant chocolate muffin to the bag before folding it shut.
“You should stop by after you close up.”
“Might could do that.” His cryptic smile revealed no inclination either way. Despite her best effort—and half of Trappers Cove’s, Garrett and Daphne remained firmly in friends territory, even though they were both single, attractive, and next-door business neighbors.
Hannah chuckled to herself.Look at me, joining the ranks of the meddling matchmakers.Her smile faltered.Wow, I’m getting old.
She paused in the doorway. “Say, has Xander been in today?”
“Several times.” He swabbed the glass case with a kitchen towel. “I swear, he’s gonna shake that building down around his ears if he keeps on drinking this much coffee. Dude’s vibrating from caffeine overload.”
Should she go see him? She glanced across the empty parking lot. A light burned somewhere in the back of Souvenir Planet. Damn it, why was he rattling around in a condemned building? Worry itched like grit under her skin, but it was probably best she left him alone after last night’s testy stalemate.
She found Daphne and Noah in the bookshop’s reading nook, folding colorful origami paper into flowers.
“Auntie H!” Noah shot to his oversize feet, flashed an adorable, braces-filled grin, and hugged her tight.
“Hey, kiddo.” She nuzzled his mop of light-brown hair, thick and wavy like his mother’s. “You smell good. New shampoo?”
He shrugged. “Dunno. Mom buys it.”
“Green apple and bergamot.” Daphne wrapped them both in her long arms and gave her son’s hair a sniff. “Deeelicious.”
“I can’t breathe,” the skinny squirt protested and wriggled free. He eyed the paper bag in Hannah’s hand. “Pastries?”
“I think Garrett may have put a little something for you in here.”
Noah peered inside. “Awesome! Mom, you should totally marry him.” He snatched up the chocolate muffin.
“Eew. We grew up together. That’d be like marrying my brother.” She claimed her lemon tartlet. “Go put on the kettle, would you?”
“Oui oui, ma capitaine.” He snapped a salute, then chomped into his treat and trotted to the back of the bookshop.
“He’s got a wee crush on his French teacher.” The fond smile on her friend’s face made Hannah a little jealous. What would it be like to have a sweet, goofy kid like Noah? Not that she envied Daphne’s single mom status—she’d seen enough of her own mother’s struggles to know how hard that was.
Still smiling, Daphne shook her head. “My kiddo, the romantic artist. He’s so agreeable lately, I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
“Let’s see, he’s twelve?”
Daphne nodded as she collected the paper flowers. “For our spring window display.”
“Beautiful. And you’ve probably got another year or two before that shoe drops.”
“So, what brings you here besides pastries?”
“Do I need a reason to visit my best friend?”
Daphne smiled serenely, one eyebrow raised.
“Okay, I need a new journal.”
