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“Don’t count on it,” I grunted as I pushed the door open with my back and stepped outside.
Now, I was in a foul mood.
My mother would have to call to get the recipe because I was not coming back anytime soon.
four
. . .
Demi
I’d just lockedup for the day, and the business phone rang.
“Magnolia Beans, this is Demi.”
“Hi, sweetheart. It’s Valentina Knight again,” she said with a chuckle.
It had been a few days since her jackass son had asked for the recipe for my pumpkin chai latte. She’d called the very next day, and I’d walked her through how to make it.
“Hey, Valentina. How did it go?”
“Well, it’s fine, but it doesn’t taste quite as good as yours. I did the cinnamon trick with the magical goodness you dropped off, but I think the latte part is where we failed. Mimi said it’s not as frothy as yours.”
I hopped up to sit on the counter and chuckled. “Well, I do have the fancy machine here, so that helps.”
“Yours is definitely better, but making it here will hold us over between visits. I just wanted to call and thank you so much for dropping those things off for us. It’s still delicious. My mom and I are going to bundle up tomorrow and stop by and see you,” she said. Romeo’s mother was much sweeter than her son.I knew they lived just two blocks away because I’d taken her a few pumpkin chai tea bags, and I’d poured a little of my specialty cinnamon in a jar for her. She’d been kind on the phone, and I hadn’t minded at all.
It was called being neighborly.
Unless your neighbor is a pompous bastard.
“Sounds good. I look forward to seeing you soon.”
“Take care, sweetheart. And thanks again.”
“Of course. Bye.” I hopped down and turned out the lights before heading upstairs. It had been a long day and a long week, if I was being honest. I changed my clothes quickly, as I was going to my parents’ house for dinner tonight. Slade had agreed for me to talk to them on his behalf, and I’d broach the conversation carefully. They didn’t trust him, that much was clear, and mending this distance between them would not be easy. Somewhere along the way, they’d lost hope in their son. But he needed all of us on his team if he was going to beat this disease.
I pulled my gray sweater over my head and put on my favorite jeans and my tan boots. I slipped my coat on, as I’d definitely be going out to spend some time in the barn with Teacup. I’d taken her for a long ride last weekend, and I was happy to be home, where I could ride often again.
I slipped out the back door, since I didn’t use the business entrance when the shop was closed. I cut down the alley and glanced over at Knockout gym, and I wondered if Romeo was still working because I could see the light coming from the windows. I shook it off and climbed into my car to make the short drive to my family’s ranch.
We had several acres of land that backed up to the water, and it had always been my favorite place.
It was where I found peace and comfort, even in the darkness. My mom had never gone back on the boat sinceSlade’s accident. She never went near the water, almost like she blamed the lake for everything that had gone wrong after.
But we’d grown up on the water. My brother taught me every water sport there was. He’d always been so proud that I was a bit of a badass on water skis and a jet ski.
The memories always flooded when I was home, and with Slade showing up for a visit the other night, it felt like maybe things really were getting back on track.
Our family had always been close. My grandparents had a home on the same street. The two properties ran into one another, which meant I could ride for miles between the land shared by the two homes. My grandparents spent more time here now that Gramps had retired from politics. They’d be here tonight, and I was looking forward to seeing everyone. My grandparents were both on the same page as me when it came to Slade. They still had hope. Still wanted to believe he could come back to us. So I was grateful to have them here and hoped they’d back me up when my parents went on the defensive.
I stopped by the barn to check on Teacup and brushed her for a bit before heading out of the barn. I walked toward the house and breathed in the fresh smell of pine and balsam. The sky was starting to darken, and the glimmer of the water in the distance soothed my nerves. When I reached the house, I pulled the front door open.
“Hey, I’m home,” I called out, hearing laughter come from the dining room as I kicked off my boots and hung my coat in the mudroom. Our house was large, too large for only two people to be living in, if you asked me. It was grand for a ranch house, as my mother loved interior design, and decorating was her passion. The dark wood floors ran throughout the home, with large beams on the ceiling and white shiplap accents and woodwork that stood out against the dark features. Family photos and endless floral arrangements were placed throughoutthe house. It took several people to keep this place up and running.
When I got to the kitchen, the smell of garlic and warm bread flooded my system, and I wrapped my arms around Mariana as she stood at the stove. She’d worked for my family since I was a little girl, and she felt more like family to me than someone who actually worked here. I kissed her cheek, and she turned around and hugged me tight.
“Have I told you how happy I am that you’re back home and here to stay?”
