Page 48 of A Package Deal

“Lay low,” Emily said. “Your engagement is a sore point with Jackson. Give him time.”

Pris sighed dramatically but then aimed her ring, so it caught the light, directing it toward her brother. The beam hit Jackson in the eye, making him look around, confused. When he spotted Pris with her hand deliberately angled, he narrowed his eyes.

“Way to lay low,” Nelie teased, handing her the salad tongs.

“I just want what you two have,” Pris said. “You and Chet, Emily and Jackson—you all make marriage look easy.”

“Trust me, it’s not.” Emily laughed. “But it’s worth it.”

“She’s right.” Nelie’s gaze wandered to where her dad sat on the couch, leaning on the cane he’d been using since last fall. “Nothing worth having comes easy.”

“How’s Gus doing?” Emily asked, following Nelie’s gaze.

“Better. Still grumbles about the cane, but after missing those last few rungs on the ladder while cleaning the gutters...” Nelie shook her head. “Thank goodness Rosie was there to call an ambulance.”

“She certainly fusses over him,” Emily said as Mrs. Hart adjusted a pillow behind Gus’s back. The three women shared a knowing look.

In the far corner of the living room, Suzanne chatted with Chet and Jackson, all three laughing at something she’d said. Nelie was grateful Dr. Wyatt hadn’t joined them for the weekend. Their last few family gatherings with him had been awkward and stilted. Nelie didn’t know exactly what was happening in her birthmother’s marriage, but whenever Suzanne spoke of her husband, her voice went flat, emotionless.

“I wonder if my mom will finally leave him?” Pris mused, following Nelie’s gaze.

“I don’t know,” Nelie said. “But Chet says the fact that she spends more time here than in Chicago is all the answer he needs.”

“The question is,” Emily said, lowering her voice, “will you start her waiting tables at lunch or throw her into the dinner crowd if she needs a job?”

“That’s a question for Eric, since he does the hiring and scheduling now. I’m just the consultant these days.” She felt a surge of pride thinking about how the transition had gone, promoting Eric to manager while she stepped back from day-to-day operations. They’d hit a few bumps in the road—mostly because Nelie didn’t know what she wanted. But her team had been patient and supportive, and they’d gotten through it. “But I think she’d be happiest at Hart. Or maybe doing something of her own.”

“Speaking of your own thing.” Pris nodded toward the cake box with its elegant logo, “I saw your posts about the fiftieth wedding anniversary cake you did last weekend—the pictures were gorgeous.”

“That social media class was worth every penny,” Nelie said. Since she’d stepped back from the Galley, she now had time to pursue other interests, some of which had benefited the businesses. She loved learning new things, especially when she had the time to dedicate to it and the brain space. “Who knew I’d enjoy posting behind-the-scenes videos?”

“And you convinced your husband to let you handle theHaven Timessocial media, too.” Emily high-fived her.

“The transitions haven’t been easy for either of us, but we’ve worked together as a team. He’s completely rethinking his business model for the paper.”

The oven timer beeped, and Emily retrieved the potatoes, their tops perfectly golden and bubbling. “How’s the warehouse coming along? Are you, Chet, and the girls still set to move in next month?”

Nelie nodded, excitement bubbling up at the mention of their new home. Finding a place had been challenging until Gus showed them the upper floor of a warehouse he owned near the marina, overlooking the river. The space was massive, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering breathtaking views of the water. The renovation was almost complete—the upstairs apartments, one for them and one for Gus, and the unrented space below was being converted into a large garage and workroom.

“They installed the elevator last week. You should see Dad pretending he doesn’t love it.”

“Oh, I can imagine,” Emily laughed. “All that grumbling while secretly being pleased.”

“Exactly, though I think he’s happiest about having his own space while still being close by. I worried about him being alone, especially after the fall.”

“It’s the perfect arrangement,” Emily said, placing the potato casserole on a trivet.

“I’m thinking spring for our wedding,” Pris mused, twisting her ring thoughtfully.The ring short-circuited her brain, Nelie thought. For her patients’ sake, she hoped Pris stayed more on topic at the ER. “I loved how the church looked in December with all those poinsettias. Maybe we could do something with apple blossoms or lilacs instead?”

Nelie smiled at the memory of their mid-December wedding. It had been small and intimate, just family and close friends. The church had looked gorgeous with its Christmas decorations and the red poinsettias lining the aisle she’d walked down with her dad, his cane clumping alongside them. They didn’t have attendants. It had just been her and Chet at the front, making promises they’d keep for the rest of their lives.

“The reception at Hart was perfect, too,” Pris said. “Though I still can’t believe you and Chet took the girls to Australia for your honeymoon.”

“It made sense. They stayed with Heather and her partner in Sydney while Chet and I escaped to the Blue Mountains.” Heather had teased her mercilessly when she’d come back to Sydney as pale as when she’d left. Nelie felt heat crawl up her neck as she remembered how they’d spent all their indoor time. The mountains hadn’t been the only thing they’d explored. After their honeymoon, all six of them went to the Great Barrier Reef. It had been a perfect vacation and Nelie was grateful for the time alone with Chet and that the girls had almost two weeks with their mother, who loved Sydney and her teaching job at the medical school. Chet didn’t think he’d ever seen Heather so happy or settled.

“What’s taking so long in here?” Chet asked, walking into the kitchen, his eyes latching on to hers and her heart skipped a beat, like it always did. “Gus is grumbling about starving to death, and I’m starting to think he might have a point.”

“Gus, huh?” Nelie said, giggling when Chet swiped a finger through the frosting on the inside of the birthday cake box she was opening. Her finger traced over the logo on the box: Nelie Bakes. She’d wanted a simple design in gold, and Chet had been the one to suggest substituting theain Bakes with a heart.

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