Page 71 of Return to McCall

They nodded and pointed to the wall behind her. Near the end of the row of old photos Sara had rescued and restored when she’d first bought the diner was a picture of the three of them taken the first time they’d brought Moxie to see the diner. Sam and Sara stood in front of the counter, each looking down at Moxie as she smiled into the camera. It hung between their wedding photo and Sam’s favorite photo of her and her father behind the counter when she was little.

“We put this one up as a placeholder,” Sara said, “But Mary said she’d take an official family photo for us tonight to frame for the wall.” Sam whistled over the crowd and signaled Mary. She took her sweet time walking over, of course, a jacket draped over her arm.

Mary winked and handed the jacket to Moxie. “Remember a few days ago when you went to play that pickup game of basketball in the park?”

“Yeah, the one where someone’s dad was there keeping score?”

“Kind of.” Mary smiled at Sam. “That was Ronald, my brother. He was also Sam’s dad’s lifelong best friend and McCall High’s current basketball coach.”

Moxie shook her head, confused.

“He was there because I asked him to check out your basketball skills.” Mary paused, her eyebrows narrowing. “And before you think I got you on the team, I didn’t tell him a damn thing about who you are.”

“Does that mean…”

“It means it took him less than ten minutes to call me and tell me that he wanted you for the McCall Wildcats varsity team this year.”

Moxie looked up at Sam, shocked, and it occurred to her then to look at the jacket Mary had handed her.

“Your moms had that altered for you,” Mary said. “I just agreed to keep it safe until tonight.”

Moxie held up the jacket, now in pristine condition with Draper emblazoned across the back in gold felt letters. She stared at it for a long minute, then looked up at Sam. “Is this your varsity jacket?”

Sam took the jacket and turned it around to show her the front. The embroidered patch with Sam across the front panel had been replaced with a new one in bright gold thread. Moxie.

“It was mine,” Sam said, holding it out for her to slip over her shoulders. “Now it belongs to my daughter.”

* * *

Hours later, when the last of the guests had left the diner and Moxie had gone to the park with her friends, Sam and Sara pushed open the door to the back patio where Lily had just switched on the gas fireplace and the golden strings of bistro lights crisscrossing the wooden deck. Violet dusk was just starting to smudge over the last streaks of the fiery watercolor sunset on the horizon, and the familiar sounds of laughter from the ski boats returning to the community docks drifted in from just down the hill.

Sara set out chilled champagne flutes while Sam uncorked a bottle of Veuve Clicquot, its vibrant yellow label slicked with condensation. The cork arched over their heads with a sharp pop, and delicate foam spilled out over the sides of the bottle as Sam poured.

“I’ve been saving this bottle for a special occasion.” Sam pulled Sara close and looked into her eyes. “And I can’t think of anything more special than starting a family with you.”

“So,” Alex said as Sam handed her a glass. “How does it feel to be parents?”

Sam and Sara looked at each other and laughed. “Exactly the same as it’s felt since Moxie first came to live with us,” Sara said. “Amazing and nerve-racking all wrapped up in one.”

“Well, you’re both naturals at it.” Lily took the glass Sara handed her and sipped the foam that was threatening to spill over the top. “And something tells me Moxie’s not going to be an only child.”

Sam smiled at Sara as she handed her a glass and poured one for herself. “Lily, how’s the new book coming?”

“The book is amazing, and my agent is finally getting over the shock of me moving to McCall. I think we’re past the stage where I’m worried he’s actually going to have a heart attack.” Lily waved away a bee gunning for her champagne and continued. “And we’ve finally hammered out an agreement on how often I come back to LA, which amounts to just a couple of weeks a year, basically just a press tour when I have a new book come out.”

Alex leaned back in her chair and raked a hand through her hair as the last of the sun sank into the horizon, making way for the stars. Sam opened her phone and slid it across the table to her and smiled as Alex started reading.

“Are you kidding me with this?” Alex looked at the email again and then back at Sam. “They approved the grant we applied for?”

“Yep,” Sam said, tangling her fingers into Sara’s. “As soon as we get it we can start renovating and hiring staff for next summer, and then Lake Haven Retreat Center will officially turn into a summer camp for foster kids from across the country.”

“Best news ever.” Alex clinked her glass to Sam’s. “I’m excited to be working together again.”

“I think the main reason our grant application was approved is because there’ll be a child psychologist on staff. Evidently, they checked you out pretty thoroughly and were impressed, to say the least.”

Sara sipped her champagne and looked over at Alex. “And with you being in private practice now, you can adjust your schedule for the summer season. It worked out perfectly.”

“So how does that work with the police force, Sam?” Lily zipped up her jacket and settled back in her chair. “Are you going to be doing both? That sounds exhausting.”

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