Page 158 of The Seven Rings
“Like you’re not?”
“Not as much.” Cleo got up for another cup of coffee. “But I’m romantic enough to believe, all the way, that love matters more, andmost. You have that, and we’ll get you the rest. We’ll work even harder now.”
She came back, sat. “You know I love him, too, and I’m so happy the two of you found each other because, Son, the two of you really work. I believe you were meant to find each other, and would have regardless, but who knows when. If.”
“If I hadn’t come here. If I hadn’t come here, and stayed. I think that, too, the way I think my parents would’ve found each other even if Dad had been raised here. That’s what I’ve always wanted, Cleo, deep down in it. That kind of love and commitment, that kind of partnership.”
“Now you have it.”
Clover celebrated that with “Walking on Sunshine” as the rain drummed outside.
“I am! And it does feel good. I want it all for you, too, Cleo.”
Cleo’s smile came slow and easy. “Oh, I’m in no rush for theallpart. I’m enjoying feeling what I never felt for anyone before. Owen’s a very good man, too.”
“My favorite cousin for a reason.”
Cleo’s smile turned into a knowing one as she sipped her coffee. “And so far has been consistently on his game.”
“And with that, I have to get back to work.”
“I’ll be in the studio today, obviously. If it clears up, I may take it out to the garden.”
Still walking on sunshine, Sonya started out. She paused by the music room, took a careful look. Six brides, six rings.
But she’d tried to puzzle out why more frequently Owen saw differently, now and then.
Because he was a man? Maybe? Because, even though he’d been a toddler, he’d met one of the brides? He’d met Johanna.
She decided to give herself a week to feel giddy. And, she admitted, smug. So she floated through the days, and the nights as August waned.
The contract for another book cover pumped up that area of herlife. She settled into designing the look for a fantasy romance—one that included witches.
Some good, some not. But none, in her opinion, who could hold an evil candle to Dobbs.
On the point of shutting down for the day, she reached for her phone, and a call from Trey.
“Hi, good timing. I’m just—”
“Anna’s in labor. Now. I mean now. I went over there to—doesn’t matter—and she—it all started happening. Right there.”
“Where are you now?”
“Where? At the place—the birthing center. Seth was out on a boat with some VIPs, and he’s on his way. He’s coming, but we had to get here. I don’t know—”
The phone bobbled, then Anna spoke. “I’m fine. Contractions still about five minutes apart, and I’m fine. Except when the apart ends, then wow! But they said it’ll be hours yet probably. Everything’s good, but it’s early. Seth’s coming, and we called Mom and Dad.”
“And you’ve got Trey right there. You’re going to do great. If you need me and Cleo, we’re there.”
“Cheer me on from the manor. Uh-oh, I think the apart’s over.”
“It’s happening again,” Trey said. “I’ve gotta be here. I don’t know when—”
“Concentrate on Anna and the baby. Just text when you have a niece.”
“Right. I gotta go.”
Thrilled, Sonya ran down to tell Cleo. And Cleo ran out of the kitchen.
