Page 112 of Finders Keepers

Sophie loosens her grip enough to look at Molly. “We’re having hugs.”

“Hugs are the best.” Molly sits beside us on the bench. “Your coffee’s getting cold inside. Want me to bring it out?”

I shake my head. “Maybe just… sit with us for a bit?”

She nods, she’s perceptive even without knowing the whole story. “As long as you need.”

We sit in comfortable silence, Sophie pointing out butterflies and bees while the grass and flowers sway in the breeze. Slowly, my heartbeat returns to normal, the panic ebbing away like a receding tide.

I finish up my last customer order of the day, carefully wrapping the bouquet of pink carnations and baby’s breath in kraft paper. As I hand it back to Mrs. Moore for her daughter’s piano recital, Mary Beth starts closing up the shop, humming a familiar tune while she works.

“Bailey,” she calls from the back room, “don’t forget to water the new shipment of orchids before you leave.”

“Already done,” I reply, proud of staying on top of things despite everything that’s been happening and my mini meltdown earlier.

My phone buzzes in my back pocket, I hesitate and then see it’s from Gavin.

“Just wrapping up at the clinic. Heading home to start dinner,” his text reads. “Making chicken alfredo tonight with a secret ingredient you won’t see coming. Hope you’re hungry.”

A small smile plays on my lips as I read his text, but it fades quickly as anxiety creeps back in. Everything with Gavin feels too good, too perfect. And in my experience, that’s never a good thing.

“Sounds amazing. Leaving here soon,” I type back, tucking my phone away.

“Mommy, look!” Sophie’s voice carries from the back room. She’s holding a child-sized broom Mary Beth got just for her, carefully sweeping fallen petals and stems into a pile

“Great job, baby.” I catch Mary Beth’s indulgent smile from across the room.

“Such a good helper.” Mary Beth walks over to us. “You’re going to be running this shop before we know it, Miss Sophie.”

She beams at the praise, continuing to sweep. I gather our things while she finishes up—my purse, Sophie’s backpack with her coloring books and crayons, the lunch containers from earlier.

“Y’all drive safe now.” Mary Beth walks us to my car.

“Thanks, Mary Beth. See you tomorrow.”

Once Sophie’s buckled into her car seat, I slide behind the wheel and instantly lock the doors, letting out a long breath. The setting sun casts long shadows across the dashboard as I pull onto Main Street. My mind wanders to earlier, to my urgent need to feel something other than fear with Gavin. The way his hand had curved around my waist, how his fingers sent an explosion of life back into me, if even for a brief moment. How Matt ruined the moment when he intruded on my thoughts.

“Mommy?” Sophie’s voice breaks through my thoughts.

“Yes, baby?” I glance at her in the rearview mirror. She’s hugging Mr. Hoppy.

“I’m hungry.”

“Well you’re in luck then. Gavin is at his house making us chicken alfredo for dinner with a surprise in it.”

“I hope it’s not broccoli.” Her nose scrunches.

“You liked his broccoli last time he made it,” I remind her, turning onto the road where towards Gavins house

“That’s ‘cause he put cheese on top.” She pauses. “Mommy, can Tommy come to your birthday party?”

My hands tighten on the steering wheel. I’d almost forgotten about my birthday this weekend. “What birthday party, sweetie?”

“The one Gavin and Ms. Lucy were talking about when you were in the bathroom. Oops!” She claps her hands over her mouth. “I wasn’t supposed to tell!”

Her little face falls, her eyes suddenly pooling with tears. “I wasn’t s’posedto tell,” she whispers again, looking absolutely crushed. “Gavin said it was a secret surprise.” Her bottom lip quivers as she stares down at her hands in her lap.

“Oh, sweetie,” I reach back to squeeze her knee as we come to a stop sign. “It’s okay. Sometimes surprises slip out. That happens to everyone.”

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