“Beau should’ve taken you.”

Sienna’s eyes flew to her daughter’s. “He left school early.”And took my fragile teenage heart with him.

Grace rolled her eyes. “Hestillshould’ve taken you.”

Emily stood, swaying the baby side to side. “Agreed.”

The memory and the extra-large coffee Sienna had downed without eating any lunch soured her stomach. But because this was meant to be a special moment for Grace, Sienna would ignore the haunting bitter past she could forgive but not truly forget.

“Can you take a picture?” Grace asked. “I want to show it to my friends.”

Sienna pulled out her phone as Grace posed.

“Oh, and by the way, I’m going to sleep at Lilah’s house Saturday for Valentine’s Day. We’re having a romance-movie marathon.”

“Oh yeah?” Sienna asked. “What are you guys going to watch?”

“Obviously,” Grace began with a dramatic tone, “The Notebook. A Walk To Remember. The Titanic.”

Sienna laughed. “Grace, all of those are sad. Tragic actually. A thousand people died on the Titanic.”

Grace waved her off. “Endings arealwayssad. And they’re sadder when the middle is so good and happy.”

“Is that how it works?” Sienna asked Emily with a laugh.

Emily buckled Abigail into the car seat on top of the stroller. “I think you should defer to the romance expert. The first book she read on her own was by Danielle Steel, right?” She straightened. “I’ll go push this one around a bit and meet you out front.”

Sienna stood to make space for Emily to push the stroller out. “It’s fine if you want to sleep at Lilah’s if her mom is okay with it.”

Grace stared at her mother with narrowed eyebrows through the mirror.

“What?”

“Mom, I said it’sValentine’s Day.”

“Yes, and you’re planning on—”

“That’s whatI’mdoing because I’m single,” Grace relented with a dramatic groan. “Butyou’renot. What does Beau have planned?”

“I have to work that night.”

Grace tapped her foot. “Can’t Frank help?’

“Since when do you care about Maloney’s?” Sienna asked.

“I don’t care about Maloney’s. I mean, sure I do because it’s your job and everything, but... ugh.”

“What?” Sienna asked with a laugh. “I know you’re young and in love with the idea of being in love, but some people have to workevenon Valentine’s Day.”

Grace turned abruptly. “Do youloveBeau?”

“What—”

“I think he loves you.”

Sienna stood from the chair. “Are you taking that or what?” She walked over to Grace. Her eyes glanced quickly at the price tag.At this point, I’m so deep in the hole, $110 doesn’t make a difference and her happiness is worth every penny.“You do have two months to decide. But we can return it if you change your mind.”

Grace gave herself one more up-and-down in the mirror. “Do you really think Justin would like it?”