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Zeke hated it, too It wasn’t just his kids he’d let down Allie was the only blood family he had Their mother had died in a car crash when Allie was seven and he was thirteen, leaving their worthless sack of a father to take care of them Good ol’ Dad had bailed after just a couple of rande If it hadn’t been for Buela, they’d probably have ended up in foster care Buela passed ahen Allie was eighteen By then, Zeke and Mimi had already been married with a baby Allie had naturally become an extension of his little family If Mimi and he did end up divorced, it would be like Allie’s nuclear faain

“To date,” she said “Second Saturday in June We wanted the first Saturday, but, well, you know”

Yeah, he did know All of Whispering Bay knew that the first Saturday in June was reserved for the traditional Spring Into Suan with a 10K run in theIn between, the day was filled with arts and crafts booths, rides, food trucks, and s Bay police force as well The event usually drew an extra ten thousand or so people into town, creating traffic snafus along with the usual petty crimes Last year, Bruce Bailey had failed to deliver on the promised entertainment—country music star, Billy Brenton Instead, at virtually the last minute they’d substituted Harry Tuba and his polka band The situation had created a near riot

It occurred to Zeke, that this year’s festival would be headed by Mimi

He thought back to his first impression of her this afternoon when he’d walked into that board room She’d seemed stunned to see him At least at first she had, but she’d quickly recovered She looked every inch the eous He’d been proud of her But then he’d noticed she wasn’t wearing her ring and he’d lost his head

“I was hoping you’d give rowl at Tom, the usual fatherly stuff”

“Of course I’ive you away”

“I know you aren’t crazy about Tom, but—”

“As long as he makes you happy That’s all I care about”

Tom had been Allie’s first boyfriend way back in the day Her first love, as Mimi put it But he’d ended their relationship when he discovered that his for story short: The asshole had broken Allie’s heart He’d made up for it since But Zeke had already punched hi a repeat number if the situation called for it

“I was hoping Mi details Since I don’t have any other female relatives But if you think—”

“She’ll help you” Mi heart Just because she was ready to toss their iven up on her sister-in-law No e with

Mi was going to happen to his e

“What are you planning?” Zeke asked “So I can knoto need?”

“Need? Oh, no, big brother, I’rown-ups and this will be his secondit ourselves”