Page 126 of The Convict Gets His Girl

"You nervous?" Jewel whispered, catching her daughter's sideways glance as they walked through the door of the yoga studio, bell dinging.

Destini shrugged. "Maybe a little." Her fingers traced nervous patterns along the mat's edge.

Jewel hadn't wanted to go alone, had somehow felt that she needed to make this step to integrate into their new town with her daughter. She'd wanted to lead by example on how to join in and make friends.

But since they'd just met some kids at school, two teenage girls immediately descended on Destini, talking a mile a minute and asking questions about the cool new girl in town. Destini beamed, answering questions and throwing out funny one-liners.

Jewel hung back, watching and waiting to swoop in and save her, but she never looked over. Her heart ached to see Destini fit in so quickly. After everything they'd been through the past few months, this week felt like a perfect, fragile miracle. She could hardly believe Destini was truly here, truly home.

"Hey, you made it!" a woman said, drawing her attention.

Jewel looked over and found Ana and Lola chatting and stretching. Holly and Maryanne were at the front of the room, talking with the rest of the women as they came in and set up their mats. Jewel joined Ana and Lola, unfurling her yoga mat with a soft whisper across the polished studio floor, her movements deliberate and calm.

A group of teenage boys paused outside, and the group of girls with Destini giggled, setting up their mats near the windows and striking poses.

"Hey, thanks for the invite. Sorry it's taken me so long to get here," Jewel said, following the opening stretches.

"No worries. When Skye's at camp, I don't want to go out either, so I get it," Ana murmured as they stretched to warm up. "How's it been having Destini back?"

"Surprisingly seamless," Jewel said, a grin splitting her face. "I think we both missed each other more than we realized."

"Must be nice." Ana chuckled. "I swear the teenage stage is worse than the toddler years. Some days it's like walking through a minefield."

Lola snorted. "Tell me about it. Violet is a pretty volatile kid. Parker says they've nicknamed her Violent in school."

Ana winced. "Oh, no, is it manageable?"

Lola shrugged. "We're working through it with Tasha and her social worker, but she's already better than when she first moved in last year."

Jewel chuckled, making Lola frown. "Sorry—it's not funny that you're having trouble. It just made me think of what you were like in high school."

Lola rolled her eyes, but her face softened. "That's what Granny says too, that I'm paying for my raising with her. I just wish Mom was here to help." Lola sighed as her face darkened with emotion.

Jewel patted her on the shoulder. "I heard about her passing. I'm sorry for your loss. She was a good woman."

Lola's smile wobbled, and she glanced away, blinking quickly. "Thanks."

Her words were barely heard over the burst of laughter from the teenagers as they giggled at the group of boys outside the window.

Ana struck up a conversation about Destini's classes and the teachers as yoga progressed. Jewel had let Destini stay home with Chase the past two days, working on the house and barn and getting to know each other. She'd officially start school on Monday and was getting excited.

Jewel's inner monologue hummed with joy. This belonging, community, sense of normalcy… it was everything she'd ever wanted. Destini's laughter drifted across the room, light and free.

They'd made the right choice, moving to Crimson Creek.

* * *

When Jewel dropped Destini off a few days later for school, she took a picture of her "first day of school." Destini just rolled her eyes, but the small smile that hovered on her lips told Jewel that she didn't really mind.

That week, they settled into a comfortable rhythm. Destini adapted quickly to her new school, her vibrant personality making friends easily. She joined the soccer team, mostly thanks to Parker's badgering and the soccer girls' welcoming cajoling.

And every night, Jewel continued to spoon Chase. They'd not had sex since Destini moved in, but the closeness remained. The way they clung to each other in the dark of night was comforting. While she ached for him, she was simply too exhausted from work to try anything else, and—gentleman that he was—he never pushed or asked.

Jewel thought about the lack of intimacy and what it meant the next day at work. Each day her stress went higher, her working days went longer, and her body teetered on the edge of exhaustion. Worry gnawed at her as she worked, and she felt it creeping in—that familiar, unwelcome warning of a Lyme flare-up.

Her muscles tightened, a dull ache forming behind her eyes, and her hands trembled as she restocked her vet bag from a long day of driving around the county to see patients. Not now, she groaned. She didn't have time to deal with a crash right now, not with Destini in her first week of school.

She thought about Chase picking Destini up from school today. The first few days, she'd done drop off and pickup, but today, she'd had a longer day at work. He was already such a great father, but they seemed to be at an impasse with their relationship.

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