Page 117 of Sunshine
“I agree,” Charlie says slowly, and I can see her brain working.
“It makes sense,” I say. “The ultimate luxury beauty experience for our bridal clients, but also locals and day tourists and birthday parties and bachelorette events. We’d be stupid not to do it.”
“Poppy,” Charlie says. “Is this something you want to do?”
“I—” Poppy swallows, and I reach for her hand under the table. On her other side, Daisy does the same.
“I’m going back to college in September,” Poppy says. “And yes, Dylan and I have spoken about my goal to study business and run my own salon and create a space to make people feel good about themselves. I want to do it but—”
“No buts,” Charlie says firmly but kindly. “Dylan’s right. It was always part of our plan to establish a spa here, and I see no reason not to make it a priority so we can build it from the ground up together. It won’t happen overnight. You’ll have plenty of time to study and prepare. And I’ll be there to mentoryou through the business side of things. You can do this, Poppy, and you won’t be alone. We’ll do it together.”
“Back yourself,” Daisy says. “Believe in yourself because we do.”
“I vote yes,” Finn says, chasing his bacon with a side of syrupy pancakes.
“I vote yes,” Daisy echoes with an excited squeak.
“I vote yes,” Charlie says.
“I vote yes,” I add, leaning over to kiss Poppy’s stunned mouth, then grinning as I gaze into her shining gray-green eyes. “For Poppy’s spa and Violet’s studio.”
“I vote yes,” Chord says, his voice softer than usual. “Congratulations Poppy. You’re going to do great.”
Poppy covers her cheeks as her eyes brim with emotion. “Thank you, Chord. Thank you, everyone.”
I give Poppy’s chair a tug to draw it closer to mine, and as the conversation around the table moves to a quiet murmur as we continue with breakfast, Poppy leans against me and whispers in my ear. “What just happened?”
I chuckle and whisper back, “Are you happy?”
“Dylan, I’m stunned. And…yes, I’m so happy. Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for loving me.”
“Oh, no, Sunshine. You’ve got that all wrong. Thank you for brightening up my world. And thank you for allowing me the chance to give you a little light in return.”
A tug on my t-shirt turns me around, and I scoop a sleepy Izzy up onto my lap. She curls against my chest as Poppy strokes her hair.
“Hey, Little Bee,” she murmurs. “Did you sleep well? Are you hungry?”
Izzy nods drowsily. “Pancakes, please.”
Poppy drops a kiss on the crown of Izzy’s dark head. “Coming right up.”
And as the sun rises and casts a golden glow across the kitchen, and Poppy tucks herself under my arm like she was never anywhere else, and my brothers and sisters talk and bicker and laugh across a table piled high with food I made with all my heart, I look around the room and think to myself…
Nobody could have written us a better happily ever after.
Epilogue: Poppy
TWO YEARS LATER
“Oh, my God. Ineed to sit down.”
Dylan, with a type of super-sonic hearing that picks up every hint of my being tired or sore or hungry or achy, appears like a superhero at my side, takes my hand, and with a protective touch on the small of my back, guides me toward one of the Silver Leaf Day Spa reclining chairs.
“I can’t rest here,” I whisper as he presses me into the soft leather cushions.
“Yes, you can.” Dylan rushes to rearrange the billowing bouquets of pale pink and white and silver balloons that fill the foyer of the building, decorations for today’s grand opening celebrations. “There’s nobody here but us.”
Byus, he means anyone who’s ever hadDavenportfor a last name, plus Mona, plus Violet’s dad Luke, plus half a dozen Silver Leaf staff, plus Annalise, who, as promised, was front and center for today’s event.
