Page 27 of Bragg's Love

I scan the garden. It doesn’t appear as if she needs help. Her backyard is gorgeous. One of the prettiest in Winter Falls. Excluding mine, of course. But I can’t take credit for my garden. I am merely the keeper of the garden Mom designed and planted.

I lift up my gardening toolkit. “How can I help?”

She removes her floppy hat and wipes a hand over her forehead. “What do you say we have a glass of lemonade and I’ll fill you in?”

“We’re losing daylight.” The sun might be shining and the temperature a balmy fifty-two degrees, but it’s still February with limited daylight hours.

“I need a break.”

“After you.” I motion toward her house.

I settle on a rocking chair on the porch while she goes inside to get some refreshments for us. While I wait, I study her backyard for ideas of improvement. There’s not much I would change, to be honest. But if change is what she wants, I’m all in. No matter how much I may wish it otherwise, money makes the world go round.

“Do you want to expand your vegetable garden?” I ask Clementine when she returns.

“Oh dear, no. It’s about all I can handle as it is.”

I sip on lemonade while I contemplate what other changes she could possibly want.

“I actually—”

She’s cut off when the sliding door opens and Peace sticks his head outside.

“Hey, Mom. Are you running late?”

“Running late?” I stand. “I must have misunderstood. I thought we’d begin work today.”

Olivia pops up behind Peace. “What work? It’s Wednesday.”

My brow wrinkles. “Why is Wednesday significant?”

Olivia squeals. “This is priceless. Clementine staged an ambush.”

“Mom?”

I ignore Peace. “What’s going on Clementine?”

She wrings her hands together. “I thought you might enjoy having dinner with the family tonight.”

This is not a simple dinner invite. She wouldn’t lie about a dinner invite. She’s holding back. “You’re not telling me everything.”

“She isn’t!” Olivia shouts, but Peace claps a hand over her mouth before she can say more.

“Wednesday is family dinner night for the entire family.”

The entire family? What does she mean? Peace is her only son. She doesn’t have any other family in town unless…

Wait a minute. The pieces fall into place. Peace is the half-brother of the Bragg brothers and Clementine adopted them when they arrived in town.

I huff. “I can’t believe you, Clementine.”

“I want all of my boys to be happy.”

All of her boys to be happy? I groan. She’s seriously pushing me and Miller together?

“Or do you want to win the bet?” Project Enemy is going to be the end of me. I love those gossip gals to pieces but trying to match me with my enemy is going to kill me.

She bites her lip and tucks her chin into her chest. Ding dong. We have a winner.

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