Page 41 of Dancing in the Rain

“How’s it going?” Peyton asked.

“Good.” Chloe waved a hand.

Drew looked up at her and winked.

Her lower belly did a flutter. Damn, that was a sexy wink.

She gave her head a shake. “I’ll be up and down bringing some more of your mom’s things downstairs.”

Drew frowned and fixed his attention on her. “What things?”

“We’re moving her bedroom to the den. It’ll be easier on her than stairs.”

“What things?” he asked again. “You need help?”

“Um, well…I can manage small stuff, but we’re not sure about how to get the bed down. My friend Nik is coming shortly and she’s going to help.”

“You can’t move a bed.”

He was probably right.

“I’ll help.” He stood.

Chloe pouted.

Peyton motioned to him to sit. “I’ll get everything off the bed and then I’ll let you know when. You two play your game thingy.”

One corner of his mouth quirked up. “Game thingy. Okay.”

She headed upstairs to Sara’s room. They weren’t going to move all her clothes, obviously, just the few things she wore these days. She only needed her bed and nightstand moved; they could make do otherwise with what was there. Peyton packed up toiletries in Sara’s bedroom and carried them to the downstairs bathroom.

The doorbell rang and she hurried to answer it, expecting Nik.

She threw open the door and her best friend from high school stood on the veranda. “Hey!”

Nikeesha’s smile flashed white in her dark brown face. She threw her arms around Peyton and they gave each other a big hug. “Hey, you.”

“Come in.”

Nikeesha entered the house that was like a second home to her after all the time she’d spent there as a teenager. “How are things?” she asked in a low voice, concern etching her forehead.

“Not great,” Peyton whispered. She jerked her head. “Sara’s in the living room. Come say hi.”

Nik bit her lip and walked with her into the other room.

“Look who’s here,” Peyton said to Sara.

Sara smiled. “Hi, Nik.”

Nik crossed to Sara and bent to kiss her cheek. “Hi, gorgeous. How are you feeling today?”

“Tired, as usual lately.”

Peyton’s stomach cramped. Sara’s condition seemed to be deteriorating rapidly, even in the few days she’d been there.

“Ah, I’m sorry, hon. What can I do?”

“You can help me move things down from the bedroom,” Peyton said, striving for a cheerful tone. “But first come say hi to Chloe. And you can meet Drew.”

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