Page 10 of Stay for Me

She gestured for me to come inside, a high-pitched baby laugh filling the foyer as she shut the door behind me. I looked over into the kitchen to find Denver and Val’s baby girl, NJ, sitting in her high chair by the butcher block island. Her little mouth, chubby cheeks, and hands were covered in juice from her strawberries and blueberries. She clapped wildly at the sight of me.

“Di! Di!” she babbled as her mother laughed, heading into the kitchen. I followed, my heels hitting the old hardwoods, the sound providing me a comfort as I stared at the child.

“Every time I come out here, she gets bigger,” I muttered, reaching out to stroke one of her chubby little arms with the back of my finger.

Valerie snorted. “I know between her, Caleb, and their father, I’m always running out of food.”

My eyes met hers, jerking my thumb over my shoulder. “Since when does Cowboy Jr. take naps on the porch swing?”

Her eyes widened. “Caleb is out there?” she breathed, laughing slightly.

“Is he not supposed to be?”

NJ laughed again, only this time, because of her mother laughing first. “No. He’s supposed to be in pasture four with the rest of the cowboys.”

We both fell into a small fit of laugher, knowing Denver was going to be upset his son skipped out on work.

“To be fair,” Val said as the laughter died, “Caleb has been working really hard. He gets up with Denver and doesn’t go to bed until he’s finished his summer reading.”

I raised my brows. “You actually convinced him to do it.”

She shot me a look. “Let’s not forget what I used to do for a living. Convincing cowboys was my job.”

Valerie used to work for a pipeline, one of the shadiest in the business. She only did it because it paid well, and she needed the money to pay for her mother’s medical bills. When Valerie came to Hallow Ranch years ago, ready to convince Denver to sell his land, everything changed. The memories, both good and bad, hovered between us as the brightness in her green eyes dimmed slightly.

I cleared my throat and set my bag on the island. “Well, you have a new career now,” I said with glee. “And I’m happy to share some good news with you.”

She chewed on her thumbnail, her nerves clearly eating at her. “Yeah?” she asked tentatively.

A smile stretched across my lips as I pulled out my laptop and her file. “I spoke with the owner this morning, and they are willing to give you the keys on Monday.”

Valerie wastechnicallya new client. I didn’t see it that way, though, because before she’d asked me to help her with this, she had become a friend. “Are you serious?” she breathed, reaching out and grabbing my arm. “Wait—so that means—”

I beamed, my entire body humming with happiness like it always did when I closed a deal. “They agreed to the terms and signed the contract this morning. You are officially a storefront owner—”

Eyes wide, Valerie squealed and jumped for me, her arms locking around my neck. “OH MY GOD!”

I stumbled back but managed to catch myself before returning her embrace, squeezing her tightly.

“Oh my God, Diana,” she breathed after a few moments, her voice cracking with emotion.

“You did it, Val,” I whispered, looking at her daughter over my shoulder, knowing that, someday, she would be able to take over Val’s floral shop, continuing the family dream.

Valerie’s mother had owned a similar floral shop in Texas for years, and Valerie grew up helping her mom, Nancy, run it. When Nancy fell ill, they had to give it up, selling it to pay for medical bills. Now, nearly two years after Nancy’s passing, Valerie would be handed the keys to start her own shop.

“Have you decided on a name yet?” I asked softly after hearingValerie sniffle, her body starting to shake.

“I’m torn,” she answered, stepping back and wiping her eyes. “God, I’m sorry for being a sap.”

I grabbed her hand, pinning her with a look. “Don’t apologize for your grief, Valerie Langston.”

She pressed her lips together, but that didn’t stop me from seeing the bottom one start to quiver. “I just want her to be proud of me,” she rasped.

“Nancy is proud of you,” I assured her, squeezing her hand. “I am too. We all are.”

My sweet friend nodded once more and looked over to her daughter. “I just want to make sure everything is perfect and set up before—”

“Take all the time you need, Val,” I cut her off gently. “There’s no rush now. You have the store. You can open it on your own time, at your own pace.”

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