The Bachelor's Twins. Kathryn Springer

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       Chapter Two

      “Please say you saved one of Mrs. Callahan’s peanut butter fudge brownies for me.”

      Lily landed in front of the bake-sale table, a desperate look in her violet eyes.

      “Sorry. I can’t.” Anna tried not to smile as she reached down and retrieved a foil-covered plate from the cooler near her feet. “Because I saved two for you.”

      “See? This is why we’re friends.” Lily released a contented sigh. “You know all my deepest, darkest secrets. My weakness for chocolate in any form. My hostility toward day planners.”

      If those were Lily’s deepest, darkest secrets, she truly was a woman blessed.

      “And don’t forget your absolute devotion to your brilliant, good-looking husband.” Brendan Kane came up behind Lily and looped his arm around her shoulders.

      “There is that.” Lily grinned up at her husband and the look that passed between them raised the temperature in the air a few more degrees.

      Anna ignored a pinch of envy.

      A few weeks ago she and the twins had watched the couple exchange vows in a beautiful ceremony on the riverbank near Sunni’s home with all their friends and family in attendance. A ceremony so different from Anna’s wedding day.

      She and Ross had been married in front of a justice of the peace in a stuffy room devoid of decoration—unless a person counted the black-and-white portraits of dour-faced judges that lined the walls. Their only witnesses were a bailiff and the harried-looking secretary whose lunch they’d interrupted.

      Anna shook away the memory.

      It wasn’t like Ross had kidnapped her and forced her into eloping with him. Anna had been so eager to start their life together that nothing else seemed to matter at the time. Not flowers or a fancy wedding gown or even whose names had been added to theirs on the marriage certificate after the judge pronounced them husband and wife.

      “It’s time to announce the winners of the silent auction!” Sunni had returned to the stage, waving a piece of paper in the air like a victory banner.

      “Come on, Bren. Let’s see if we won that Month of Sundaes from The Happy Cow.” Lily winked at Anna as she grabbed her husband’s hand and led him away.

      Anna shook the crumbs from the tablecloth and folded it up as the microphone picked up Sunni’s lilting voice and funneled it through the speakers.

      “Our first item...a two-night stay at the bed-and-breakfast...goes to Pastor Seth Tamblin.”

      Rebecca Tamblin’s shriek of delight was a clue she hadn’t seen her husband bid on the romantic getaway.

      Sunni waited for the applause to subside before she continued down the list. As she called out the names of the winners and the prizes they’d won, Anna was impressed at how many businesses had contributed something to the cause.

      “Now, for our final item on the auction block today.” If possible, Sunni’s smile grew even wider. “A half-day guided canoe trip that includes sunshine, calm water, and a gourmet meal cooked over an open fire. And it goes to—” her gaze swept over the crowd, searching for the lucky winner “Anna Leighton! Come up and claim your prize!”

      Her prize.

      But...how?

      Anna hadn’t bid on anything.

      The crowd had already started to disperse by the time she reached the stage.

      “Sunni? Do you mind if I take a look at that bid sheet?”

      “Of course not.” The woman hopped down from the platform with the ease of someone half her age and handed Anna the piece of paper.

      Sure enough, there was her name. In someone else’s handwriting. Just as Anna had expected. A forgery.

      “Is something wrong?” Sunni’s brow knit with concern.

      “I didn’t bid on the canoe trip.” Anna looked around for her daughters. Her adorable, precocious, exasperating daughters.

      “But I’m pretty sure I know who did.”

      And they were skipping toward her, hand in hand, without an ounce of guilt weighing them down.

      Anna held up the bid sheet. “Would you like to explain this, please?”

      Two pairs of golden-brown eyes blinked up at her.

      “We wanted it to be a surprise,” Chloe said earnestly. “For your birthday.”

      “My birthday.” Anna had been so busy finalizing details for her class reunion and keeping up with the steady stream of tourists flowing through Castle Falls as they made their way to the Lake Superior shoreline, she’d totally forgotten she had one coming up.

      “Grandi told us she’d left some money in her dresser drawer and we should buy something special for you,” Chloe explained. “And we’re going to add the change in our piggy banks, too.”

      “We can earn our Sunflower Celebrate Creation pin and celebrate your birthday at the same time.” Cassie grinned.

      “Multitasking, right, Mom?”

      Multi—

      Anna was the СКАЧАТЬ