Page 26 of Silver Sanctuary
“It’s not a problem. Go get Embrie.”
“Mom, I don’t want to go back to the flower shop.”
“I know, ladybug, I don’t really want to either. I just have a few orders to finish up and a couple of arrangements to make for the display case, and then we can go back home.” Lacy sighed, catching a glimpse of Embrie folding her arms in the back seat. “Oh, I don’t want you to be worried when we get there. There was an accident at the shop, and the front window is broken. No one was hurt though.”
“So, there’s just a giant hole in the front of the shop? Won’t people come and take the flowers?”
“No.” She smiled. “Nash and his friends stayed back and put up plywood for us over the broken window.”
“Why can he fix something at the shop, but not at our house?”
“Embrie. It’s just… I don’t want to take advantage of him.”
“Mom! We don’t have hot water!”
“I’m working on it. I’m going to be working extra at Davney’s and Dolly’s. We’ll have the money to hire someone to fix it in no time. And Dolly even said you might be able to come into the diner with me on the weekends. I know you don’t really like Ms. Sandra?—”
“You’re making me stay with Ms. Sandra while you work? Mom!”
Lacy flipped the blinker on, turning into the small parking lot behind the shop. The front window was sealed up, just likeNash had promised, but the front door was still wide open, and all the lights were on inside.
“I know it’s not a perfect plan, Embrie, but I’m doing my best. Once the front window and the hot water heater are fixed, I’ll just go back to running the flower shop. We’ll have more time together in two, maybe three weeks, tops.”
Embrie undid her seat belt, running from the car before Lacy could get hers undone. “Ladybug! Wait!”
She watched Embrie storm up to the shop, only to turn and look at her with a bright smile on her face. What in the world was going on?
“Uh, hi, everyone.” Lacy’s voice interrupted the laughter as she stepped in the shop. Nash, Stone, and Gunner were all still there, but Gage and Hawk had joined. And Lily, Sloane, and Mae were dancing around a very happy looking Sage. “What’s… what’s all this?”
“A pizza party!” Mae laughed.
“I love pizza!” Embrie walked over to the pizza boxes and reached for a slice.
“Of course you do, your name is literally cheese.” Nash laughed, swiping his hand over the top of Embrie’s head a few times until her hair was standing up in every direction, before turning to Lacy. “Hey, beautiful.” He kissed Lacy’s cheek. “How are you feeling? Are your cuts okay?”
“I’m fine. What did… I thought you were closing up for me?”
“Eh. Don’t be mad, but after we finished with the plywood, I got looking up glass vendors, and then I realized you never ate lunch and mentioned to the guys how you had orders to get ready tonight. We just figured we’d order some pizzas, get everyone together, and help you out.”
Shit. Oh double, triple, shit, shit, shit. Her eyes were burning. She followed Nash over to the pizza and slid a slice onto her plate. They must have just been delivered, because herhand warmed even with the plate between her skin and the drool-worthy slice.
“Lacy, do you even know how smart your kid is?” Hawk laughed a few minutes later. “How the hell does she know so much about molecular structures and periodic table symbols? She’s just a pipsqueak!”
“I am not! And I love science. I’m going to be a scientist when I grow up, so I have to start studying now.”
“Kiddo, I think nine is a little young to be worried about studying. Besides, Nash told me you have a killer instep kick. Maybe you’ll decide to train for the Olympics,” Hawk said.
Lacy watched in wonder as Hawk took another giant bite of his pizza. That man was built like a Viking, and she was in awe of Embrie, not backing down one inch from arguing with him. Of course, it was all incredibly sweet and endearing from Hawk’s side, but impressive of her daughter, nonetheless.
“Nah. I like soccer and all, but science has my heart.”
“Good,” Gunner said. “Teach that to Sage when she’s a little older. It’ll stop her from having a boy take her heart.”
“Gunner! Our daughter can fall in love if she wants. Good lord.” Lily scoffed.
“I’m not saying she can’t, Lily Kate. I’m saying she can fall in loveaftershe’s accomplished all her other dreams.”
Lily rolled her eyes while dropping her voice so only the women around her could hear. “You hear how he pulled out the middle name there? He knows he’s walking into dangerous territory and he’s trying to be cute and distract me from my divine feminine rage. Jokes on him, though, because I plan on raising a strong, independent daughter who can decide what her own path looks like.”
