Page 45 of Designs on You

Like now.

Natalie smiled up at Hazel. “Okay if I bring the kids by tomorrow to meet her?”

Hazel beamed a smile. “That sounds perfect.”

She caught the disgusted glance her mother sent her way. In return, she sent her a warm smile.

She’d spent years with a man who had constantly told her what to do. And what she couldn’t do. She’d damn well not go backward and allow her mother to do the same.

This was her life now, and she was the one who was going to make decisions. No one was managing her life for her anymore.

She followed Hazel and her mom inside, the dogs following. Her mother’s consternation over all the dogs was Natalie’s private joy tonight. She was especially brightened by the fact that Grizelda seemed taken by her, spending all her time right at her ankles. Which meant, of course, that she had to constantly bend down to give her love and affirmation.

“I think she loves you,” Hazel said.

She looked up at her sister. “Shockingly, the feeling might be mutual.”

Hazel cast a smile her way. “You know, sometimes you just get hit by the love bug. There’s just no avoiding it.”

Natalie let out a surprised laugh. “I guess so.”

Eugene came inside to grab a couple of beers. On his way past, he knelt down to pet Grizelda, then looked up at Natalie.

“Getting a dog, huh?”

“Maybe. I don’t know. I’ll bring the kids by to meet her, and we’ll see how it goes.”

“Kids and dogs are like peanut butter and jelly. It’s a done deal, babe.”

As soon as the word “babe” spilled out of Eugene’s mouth, Natalie shifted her gaze to her mother, catching yet another of her patented disapproving looks. Deciding to ignore her mom for the rest of the evening, she gave Eugene a dazzling smile.

When Linc and Eugene came inside, Hazel put the dogs in their playroom and then finished things up in the kitchen. Natalietossed the salad and added dressing, then brought out the fruit and dip as well. They took everything over to the table and everyone sat.

The food smelled incredible. Hazel had baked bread—of course.

Hazel lifted the lid and everyone simultaneously inhaled.

Natalie looked over at Hazel. “This smells amazing. What is it?”

“It’s a caprese chicken casserole. Chicken and pasta in a cream sauce with tomatoes and basil.”

“Yum,” Linc said. “Let’s eat.”

They did, and Natalie was in heaven. The food was so delicious she had to try hard not to shovel it into her mouth.

“This is amazing,” Eugene said in between bites. “Can I come over for dinner every night?”

“Thank you,” Hazel said. “And, no.”

Eugene laughed.

Then everything went quiet as everyone just ate the remarkable food.

“Hazel’s been putting some of her meals on social media,” Linc finally said.

“You have?” Natalie looked over at Hazel. “I haven’t seen it.”

“I started a new account just for cooking. I’m creating some videos where I do recipes for simple and also more complex dishes. I’m getting kind of a following.” She finished with a shrug.

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