Page 78 of Nashville Lights

None of us says much as we wait. I busy myself with making four mugs of hot cocoa, and Nate and Daisy continue coloring.

There’s the crunch of tires on gravel as a car pulls into the driveway.

Nate gets up to open the door.

Jenny Jenkins is dressed in a bright yellow pantsuit. The jacket is open and underneath she’s wearing a Tucker Brothers Band tour t-shirt. The one Travis gave her the day she and the others came to the warehouse, signed by all three of my brothers. I’m almost wondering if she’s taken it off since then. “Sogood to see you all,” she beams, as Nate shows her in and offers her a seat. “You have a lovely home.”

“Thank you.”

She’s a ray of sunshine compared to Ainsley Beal.

No one so upbeat could possibly be delivering bad news, could they?

Jenny places a large manila envelope on the table andwe all stare at it. Daisy climbs onto Nate’s lap and wraps her arms securely around his neck.

“Would you like a hot cocoa, Jenny?”

“I’d love one, thank you.”

Once we’re all seated, Jenny smiles. “Iwasin the area, but I also received this this morning and wanted to deliver it to you myself. As you know, I took over your case from Ainsley, partly because it’s the least I could do after you basically made mylifeby bringing the Tucker brothers into the office.” She sighs and clasps her hands together at the memory. “The experience had a profound effect on us all. The other reason I took over your case is because, after meeting her idol, Ainsley has decided to leave us to pursue her true passion.”

Jenny pauses and I can’t help myself. “What’s her true passion?”

“She wants to become an accountant.”

“Oh. Okay.” I guess it makes sense. Either way, we’ve all been hoping and praying that our chances of keeping Daisy are far better with Jenny than they were with Ainsley.

Jenny pats the envelope. “It’s from the judge. I was ninety-nine percent sure we had an airtight case. The recommendation I submitted was very highly in your favor. Since we witnessed the proposal firsthand—that wassoromantic, by the way.” More sighing and hand-clasping.

Nate finally says, “Does that mean…?”

“And since youwillbe providing a more traditional family unit once you’re married, which was the mainconcern of Mrs. Sullivan-Smith’s, the contesting party really can’t be favored for that reason alone.”

I can tell that Nate’s about to grab the envelope and rip it open. “What was the judge’s decision, then?”

Jenny smiles. Is it a letting-you-down-gently smile or a triumphant smile? It’s hard to tell. But then she finally says it. “You’ve been awarded full custody which clears the path for a legal adoption. I can help you start that ball rolling now if you’d like me to. Congratulations.”

Daisy’s tear-filled eyes are wide as she looks up at Nate. “Does that mean I can stay?”

“Yes, princess. It means you can stay.”

Daisy squeals and hugs Nate. Nate looks so relieved he sort of slumps back in his chair.

“You make a beautiful family,” Jenny says.

I was going to wait to tell Nate tonight but now seems like the perfect time. “We’re actually going to be a family of four in around eight and a half months. Daisy’s getting a little brother or sister.”

It’s been a busy day.Jenny felt like an unexpected friend by the time she left and we’ve made plans to meet again at the warehouse for a get-together. Then we took Daisy over to the farmhouse and told everyone the good news. It turned into a huge celebration party. And, when I told them ourother good news, Aunt Lou and Betty-Ann both had to sit down because they were so overcome with joy.

I FaceTimed my brothers, who were all together working on their album, and in between comments like,Fuck,that Nate Boone doesn’t mess around, they were as emotional as my brothers get—which was sort of adorably emotional. Before I hung up I told them all I loved them.

It’s late now. As we were reading Daisy her story and tucking her in tonight, she said that now she has a Mommy and Daddy in heaven and a Mommy and Daddy down here. She tried the words out and they slid surprisingly easily into place.

I get into bed, savoring the feel of the Egyptian cotton sheets warmed by Nate’s big, always-running-hot body. He’s reading his iPad, which he puts to the side as soon as I crawl in beside him.

He takes me in his arms and gazes deeply into my eyes. “Have I told the stunningly beautiful mother of my babies how much I love her yet today?”

“Maybe…” I pretend to mull it over… “twenty times.”

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