Page 56 of Always Be Mine

“It’s so cute,” she said with a smile in her voice. “I especially love the plaza with all the shops. Living right in the middle of things is…was really fun.”

“Oh, that’s right, you were living in the plaza.” Kat grinned at her. “I do love the energy there. I live above my shop, too. People say that a small town has nothing on the energy of the downtown in a big city, and maybe that’s true, but there’s still a special vibe there.”

“The plaza is nothing like a big city.” Chase laughed and shook his head.

“Wait a minute.” Charli grabbed the conversation. “What do you mean, youwereliving in the plaza? Where are you now?”

“You didn’t hear?” Asher’s voice was laced with glee that Lucy didn’t care for.

“Hear what?” Annie asked the question widely, but looked to Lucy for the answer.

“Lucy lives with us now.” It was Meri who answered the question, practically jumping out of her chair with excitement. “Isn’t it awesome? She moved in yesterday.”

Charli blinked slowly. She and Annie looked at each other, eyebrows raised.

“Chase found a chocolatier who agreed to move to Trickle Creek, but part of the deal was accommodation.” Craig spoke quickly, not making eye contact with anyone in particular. “It was kind of a rushed situation, but Lucy was super gracious about it and agreed to stay in our spare room. She moved in yesterday.”

Lucy could see that the conversation was only adding to whatever discomfort Craig was already feeling, so she tried to take over. “It’s actually going to work out really well,” she said agreeably. “And it means I don’t have to get up extra early to get over to the house to wake up Meri.”

“I like it when Lucy wakes me up.”

She smiled at the little girl and gave her a wink.

“I’m glad it all worked out.” Charli reached for the salad dressing. “It would have been such a shame if?—”

“But it did work out, Charli,” Chase interrupted her smoothly. “So no one needs to talk about the what-if.”

Lucy looked slowly between the siblings. As an only child herself, she couldn’t be sure about the dynamics of a large family, or whether this type of back and forth was normal or not. Regardless, it was kind of exhausting.

“And you just moved yesterday?” Chase tilted his head in question. “That doesn’t give the cleaners much time to do the turnover for the chocolatier. She arrives tomorrow.”

“Well, I only found out on Friday, so I’d say we made the move pretty quickly.” Lucy took a bite of her bun.

“Friday?” Chase choked on his wine. “Craig, I talked to you about this ages?—”

“Things have been kind of busy, Chase.”

Lucy didn’t miss the look Craig shot him across the table.

“We made the move as fast as we could.”

She didn’t have a chance to explore whatever it was that Chase was talking about, because Meri jumped into the conversation. “I think Garfield likes it at our house.” Meri looked at Annie’s nephew when she spoke. “You have to come meet him. He’ssocute. He’s like Auntie Charli’s kitty, but twice the size.”

Lucy laughed but still wasn’t completely distracted by what Chase had just said.Ages ago?What did that mean?

“You have a cat?” Grady’s interest was piqued. “You’re so lucky. I want a cat, but Auntie Annie won’t let me.”

“I thought you wanted a dog?”

“I can have a dog?” Grady almost jumped out of his seat.

“I didn’t say that.” Annie held up her hand. “We are not talking about a dog right now.”

“But, you?—”

“Did not say anything about a dog. Maybe you can go over and visit Garfield sometime?” She glanced at Lucy for help.

“You come anytime you like. I’m sure Garfield would love the attention.”

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