“I think that’s it for now, dear,” Miss Trudi said.
The men left, and she said, “I spoke with Norma Jenkins today. She said the dress is going to fit Honey B. like a dream.”
The women happily continued chatting about their favorite residents while Cait let her mind drift. Before she realized what had happened, Jack was helping her to her feet and guiding her toward the stairs.
“But what about the meeting?” she said, stifling a yawn.
“You slept through the last bit of it.” He led her up the stairs.
“What time is it?” she asked when he closed his bedroom door.
“Bedtime.” He chuckled, helping her get undressed and stripping out of his clothes, slipping beneath the comforter until he had her in his arms and tucked against his heart.
“Night, Jack.”
“Night, Cait.”
A warm, wet tongue woke her in the middle of the night as Jamie settled himself between them. With a grunt, Jack rolled over and pulled the little dog into his arms. Cait fell back to sleep to the music of Jamie and Jack snoring.
Chapter 18
The days before Founder’s Day passed in a blur. Somehow Cait managed to keep up with the repairs that seemed never ending at Mulcahys and a few things Miss Trudi asked her to repair for the upcoming event, but that meant she had less time to spend in her woodshop. It was a small price to pay to help make sure Founder’s Day, and Honey B. and Mitch’s day, went off without a hitch.
June fifteenth was sunny and warm—perfect picnic weather as far as Cait was concerned. She was a little nervous, because although her dad hadn’t said as much, she found out that he and Doc Gannon had been able to get in touch with a few of the marines in Jack’s battalion.
The tables and chairs had been set up the night before, and the ladies of the committee had been setting up since seven o’clock. Cait was used to early hours, but this was more stressful—she wasn’t used to working with someone telling her what to do. Miss Trudi would have made a great drill sergeant.
“Am I the only one hungry?” Cait grumbled.
Peggy laughed. “Didn’t you eat breakfast?”
“Yeah,” Cait said, “but we’ve been working nonstop for the last few hours.”
“Caitlin has always been cranky when she’s hungry,” Mrs. McCormack said, tugging on Cait’s braid as she had so many times in the past, making Cait smile. “Why don’t you two take a break and bring over the box of doughnuts I left on the counter in the back of the diner?”
When they started walking, she added, “Thanks, girls.”
“Girls?” Peggy said when they were out of earshot. “Will she ever think of me as a woman?”
Cait shrugged. “We were complaining and it might have reminded her of when we were younger.”
“Yeah,” Peggy agreed. “Like twenty years ago!”
“Come on,” Cait urged. “We can start setting out the food when we get back.
A half hour later, the tables were decked out in red, white, and blue, and laden with food, some of it prepared by the McCormacks, but the bulk of it donated by the ladies of Apple Grove.
Retying the ribbon holding her braid together, Cait watched as a tall, broad-shouldered, auburn-haired man strode toward her. He smiled and her heart did a little dance. Would it always be like this?
“Sorry I couldn’t get away before now.”
She soaked up the warmth of his embrace and kissed his cheek. “Apple Grove’s doctor is allowed some slack.”
He was playing with a curl by her temple when he said, “You look pretty, Cait.”
“So do you.”
“Guys don’t look pretty,” he told her.
“Yeah, they do,” she argued. “You’ve got that dimple that is just too adorable.”
“Jeez, Cait,” he said. “A guy likes to hear that he’s handsome.”
“Did you know that Meg and her friends used to call you Handsome Jack?”
His cheeks turned beet red as he looked down at his feet.
“Seriously.” She tugged on his arm to get him to look up at her. “Sometimes, I just look at you and can’t believe we’re together. What is the talented, handsome, young Dr. Gannon doing hanging around with the awkward middle Mulcahy sister?”
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her until she had to lean against him for support. “Does that answer your question?”
“Quit dawdling,” Miss Trudi called out. “We need you over here, Caitlin. We’re about to get started.”
She grinned at Jack, and answered, “Coming.”
***
Jack let her go, awed by the fact that he’d grown to depend on her being a part of his days—and his nights. It shouldn’t have surprised him that he wanted what his parents had. When Joe Mulcahy called his name, he knew he’d even settle for whatever time he and Cait were meant to have together.