Page 72 of Clean Sweep
Blake followed Max around like a puppy. He’d always been closest to Max, even though the two of them were as different as oil and water. Ever since Max had been picked up for a college football scholarship, the adoration had only increased. Smiles came faster and stronger for Blake when Max was around.
Water boiled out of a massive pot when my phone buzzed with a text. My heart leapt into my throat when I thought it might be Tanner.
Starla:We’re on our way, Leslie! Should be there in an hour.
Leslie:See you soon!
I shoved my phone into the front pocket of my apron, then turned back to the boiling potatoes and flipped the burner off.
Steam billowed around me as I poured the water into the sink. Another shout, followed by a guffaw, trickled down the stairs. Plucked strains from a guitar came from the living room where Nicholas sat at the edge of the couch, messing with his old acoustic guitar. Somewhere in the cacophony sang Christmas carols—my measly attempt to keep the magic of Christmas going.
The only thing that wouldmake this day better was Tanner.
The thought sent butterflies hurtling around my stomach so hard I’d get nauseated. Before too long, a knock came on the front door. A chord Nicholas had just started died with atwang. The shuffle of him heading toward the front door followed.
“Heads up,” he called quietly toward the kitchen. “Coach is here.”
I almost dropped a pan of buttermilk roll dough.
“What?” I cried.
“Hey coach,” Nicholas called as the door swung open. “Good to see you again.”
More manly back slapping followed. Before I could pull my composure back together, a flash of blonde appeared in the dining room.
“Leslie!”
Celeste appeared with a beautifully built basket that she set on the table. From where I stood, I made out a rainbow of expensive chocolates, a coffee mug that said BOSS LADY and what appeared to be a soft blanket. My heart did a triple wallop. Were those Lovers chocolates? Oh, that would need to be taken care of now. The boys would utterly raid and destroy them within twenty seconds.
I crooked my finger. “Bring that over here,” I mouthed.
She half-skipped over, the basket wrapped in crinkly, clear cellophane safe in her clutches. I set aside the dough to let it raise in the background and set my hands on my hips.
“First of all,” I said to Celeste, “you look lovely, as always.”
A comfortable pair of sweats ran to the floor, complete with a fitting shirt under a too-short sweatshirt. She grinned.
“Thanks. We’re treating today as an extension of Christmas since I just returned from my Mom’s, so I kept on my comfy clothes.”
“You’re the only woman I’ve ever met that pulls off pajamas in such an impressive way.”
She beamed. “Not true, you should see my Mom. Anyway, we brought you this Christmas basket. Dad made the sugar cookies—he’s that good. I think he and JJ should team up for his next company if he lets the cleaning business go when I’m gone.”
I blinked, startled at her casual mention. Wait, what? Tanner planned to sell his business?
Was that a for-sure thing?
My mind spun with the implications of such a statement. First of all, it didn’t really matter to me if he did let the cleaning business go. Except . . . if Celeste was off to college and he didn’t have the cleaning business here, exactly how much would he be in Pineville?
Second, that seemed a big thing that I knew nothing about. A reminder that Tanner and I still had a long way to go. Being almost-fifty meant there was more life to catch up on, not less.
A rush of panic threatened to overtake me, but I tamped it down. No. I wouldnotthink myself into a tizzy when all my boys would be home. Nope. That spell of apoplexy would come later when I had absolutely nothing else to stress over.
For now, I’d play this casually.
Tanner and I hadn’t discussed what our little Christmas adventure would look like once our kids all returned. Had I even told him that my Christmas present was to fly the boys home?
Crap. I’d probably end up playing this awkwardly.
