Page 11 of Unexpected Gifts

Lily gazed up at Abby. “You’re pretty.”

“Thank you. So are you,” Abby said.

“I know. Everyone says so.”

“Lily, really?” Luke rolled his eyes. “You’re not supposed to say that about yourself.”

“Why?” Lily asked.

“Um. I don’t know, actually.”

This made Abby laugh, which tickled him.

“Lily, don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise,” Abby said. “You’re beautiful inside and out.”

“Okay,” Lily said. “I won’t.”

He found himself not wanting to say goodbye to Abby, but he knew they must. “We’ll see you around four?”

“Sounds good,” Abby said. “Come on, Rufus. Let’s get you home before you cause any more trouble.”

“Bye, Abby. Bye, Rufus.” Lily leaned down to give Rufus one more hug.

“Bye, beautiful Lily.” Abby smiled at his little girl.

What a smile. Dazzling. Or something.

He watched Abby and Rufus head through the broken fence toward the Ellisons’ farmhouse. Why did he feel like a wrecking ball had just knocked into him? And that his life was about to drastically change because Abby Parker had arrived in Sugarville Grove?

Lily tugged on his sleeve. “Daddy?”

“Yeah?” He looked down at her, almost expecting her to have felt the shift, too.

“I have to go potty.”

He chuckled to himself. Clearly, Lily had not felt the seismic shift. Maybe he was imaging things, getting ahead of himself. Setting himself up for disappointment.

But a voice inside him whispered softly,No, she is going to change everything.

3

ABBY

Sophie and Jack were at the kitchen table playing checkers when Abby and Rufus came into the kitchen. “Sorry, that took so long. Rufus was a complete menace.”

Jack looked up from the game, grinning. “What did he do?”

“There’s a break in the fence between our two properties. He ran into the Hayes’ farm and knocked Lily over. I was mortified.”

“Was she okay?” Sophie’s fingers clasped a checker piece, clearly anxious.

It was no wonder. She’d lost both her parents. Of course, she would worry about people’s safety. Plus, Rufus had misbehaved. She’d never seen him so oblivious to her commands. Almost as if he wanted to cause trouble, which made no sense.

“Yes, she was fine. However, her father was none too happy,” Abby said.

“Luke? He’s funny,” Jack said.

“In what way?” Abby sat at the table, realizing she hadn’t shed her scarf when she arrived back to the mudroom. She unraveled it now, happy to sit for a moment.

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