Page 62 of Quintessentially

“Oh,” she says with a singsong to her voice. “Dining room.”

Chloe makes me chuckle.

“I want details after he’s gone,” she says.

“For starters, Justin is here.”

“Mick said he punched—”

“I know,” I interrupt. “Justin promised Molly no more hitting.”

“Glad she’s in charge.”

“Always.”

My phone pings. Pulling it away from my ear, I see I have a text message from Dax. Pushing the icon, I see the message.

“Almost there. Can you assure me that your brother doesn’t have firearms available?”

I snicker. “I need to go. I’ll keep you up to date.”

“Have fun.”

“Oh, so fun.”

I text back to Dax.

“Molly made him promise to be on his best behavior.”

My phone pings.

“Saved by our daughter.”

I stare at the message.Ourdaughter. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath. Once I stand, I peel off the capris and reach for a light blue sundress. When I reach the bottom of the stairs, Molly and Dad turn my direction.

My dad’s eyes light up as he smiles. “You’re beautiful, angel.”

“You look real pretty, Mommy.”

Shrugging, I smile as beyond the windows, I see Dax’s car driving up our lane.

ChapterTwenty-Three

Dax

Ihave been more nervous since returning to Riverbend than I have been in years. Officially meeting Molly at the Tastee Freeze was nerve-racking. Coming face-to-face with Kandace’s parents, who have spent the last five years helping raise my daughter, is right up there on the nerves scale.

As I pull into the driveway near the garages, I look over at the Sheers home. Seeing the big farmhouse, wraparound porch, and beyond, the green lawns and fields ready for harvest, I recall the view from my Chicago apartment. I pay a lot of money to see above rooftops and out onto Lake Michigan. And still, that isn’t a place I want to raise my daughter.

I see the beauty of the life Kandace has always loved.

Maybe part of Kandace’s affection is for the people I’m about to face. The Sheerses have made this a home, a place where given roots, you realize that flight isn’t the number-one goal. Taking a deep breath, I reach for the bouquet of flowers I purchased from the florist in town.

It’s probably silly, but after the day at Quintessential Treasures, I went back to the house, showered, and changed into khaki pants and a button-down shirt. I drove to Washington last night to purchase some clothes to leave at the house. These items are hardly Tom Ford, but they’re clean.

My parents decided Grandma’s old appliances were out of date. The kitchen has all been updated, but not the laundry. Purchasing a new washer and dryer is on my to-do list.

Walking up the steps to the porch, I’m met with the delicious aroma of a homecooked meal. Before I reach the door, Kandace is there on the other side of the screen door. A smile comes to life as I see that she also changed her clothes. The light blue dress makes her eyes glow, and her hair is down in waves over her back.

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