Page 101 of Came the Closest

Hazel presses a hand to her chest in mock disbelief. “My, my, my. You are a very smart young man, Milo. What flavor do you want, honey?” She pauses and glances at us. “As long as it’s okay with the two of you.”

“Of course,” I say at the same time Indi says, “I heard suckers turn your skin whatever color you eat, but hey, go for it.”

Milo giggles and skips up to the counter. “Blue, please!”

“As you wish,” Hazel says, placing a grape Tootsie Pop in his hand.

Milo unwraps it, presses the wrapper into Hazel’s outstretched palm, and wanders over to look at bouquets in Mason jars on a wooden shelf.

“So,” Indi says to Hazel. “All the gentlemen get suckers, huh? Let me guess: Jordan’s a chocolate kind of guy? No, wait, that’s so plain. It’s gotta be Graham.”

Hazel drops Milo’s wrapper in a wastebasket full of trimmed flower stems. “Jordan is cherry and Graham is orange. Your father is chocolate.”

Indi nods. “That checks out.”

“What about Colton?” I ask.

Hazel tips her head in Milo’s direction. “Same as the little guy.”

“That,” Indi says, nodding sagely, “also checks out.”

“It also means I have an overabundance of raspberry,” Hazel teases. She pulls a plastic container from the shelf behind the counter and tips it to us. “I’m happy to give them to the ladies, too.”

Indi reaches for a crimson-wrapped Tootsie-Pop. “Don’t mind if I do.”

“I’m good,” I say. “But thank you.”

“Oh, come on, Chey. Don’t be such a mom.” Indi bumps her shoulder into mine playfully. “Live a little. It is a day of celebration, isn’t it?”

Both women look at me expectantly, brows raised, and I have to relent. “Okay, okay. If you insist.”

“Now.” Tootsie Pop unwrapped, Hazel’s hovers midair while she regards us. “What can I help you ladies with this afternoon? Oh!” She pauses and leans over to look at her calendar. “Your father comes home today, doesn’t he, Cheyenne? Goodness. I knew that, and I completely spaced it off. It’s been a little crazy around here today.”

Hearing the words out of someone else’s mouth is surreal. “Yes, tonight is the night. Which is actually why we’re here. Dad wants supper at the lake house, and I was wondering if you could make a couple arrangements? I know it’s last minute, and if you’re too busy—”

“Honey,” she says warmly, “I am never too busy for family. What do you have in mind?”

Forty-five minutes and two bouquets of periwinkle hydrangeas, white baby’s breath, and amethyst sea lavender later, we walk through the automatic sliding doors of Falls Market. My phone is pressed to my ear to call Colton. Somewhere between Milo helping Hazel arrange the flowers and texting my mom to ask about inviting Hazel and Sam, the entire Del Ray family became invited.

It's to be determined how Colton will feel about grilling an additional four racks of ribs.

“Hi, beautiful,” Colton says after the third ring.

I shrug my tote bag into the cart and nudge Milo through the second set of doors. “Hi. I, um, have a quick question for you.”

“Uh-oh.” His amusement carries flawlessly over the phone line. “Hold on—let me guess. You invited my entire family for supper?”

“Uh…yes?” My brow furrows. I try to steer the cart in a straight line, but it’s easier said than done with only one hand and a four-year-old who walks zigzagged. “How did you know? We literally just left Hazel’s to get the flowers.”

“Fini, I know you’re not familiar with the new and mostly improved Del Ray family, but if news travels fast in a small town, it travels at lightspeed through family group chats. Ember just asked if she should bring anything to supper, and Jordan said Sydney would make a pasta salad.”

“Sydney’s not in the chat?” I pause. “Also, I feel like that should be put on a t-shirt.”

“That Ember asked about bringing something?”

My Birkenstock clogs thump against the polished stone floor. “No. How news travels at lightspeed in family group chats.”

“Ah. And no, Sydney hasn’t been added. Jordan hasn’t married her yet.”

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