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“Yup. Come on, Micah,” she called, rechecking her bag one last time.

Micah trudged to the door. His response to Shane’s greeting was a grunt, but Cora had to admit she was surprised he’d given that much.

She stepped out onto the porch, shoving her key into the doorknob to lock it. When she glanced at the two cars parked in front of her house, she squinted. “Is that Ben?”

Shane glanced back at the truck parked behind the little sedan. Ben was indeed in the front seat, Gavin standing next to the back door, waiting for Micah to crawl into the middle seat next to Boone.

Micah bounded over, clearly happy with the seating arrangements.

“Uh, yeah, Ben and I had a bit of a talk the other day.”

“And you’re just telling me about it now?”

“We need some alone time. Which is why I have a surprise for you tonight.”

“Go on.”

“It’s called a surprise, Cora. I don’t explain it to you. You wait and see what it is.” He grinned down at her as they walked down the stairs of the porch.

“Hmm. I’m not sure I like surprises.”

“Well, you can tell me after this one shakes out if you want more. You girls have fun now.”

“Good luck with the troublemaker,” Cora offered, nodding toward the truck.

Shane raised an eyebrow. “Which damn one?” he asked on a laugh.

“Would you hurry up?” Boone yelled irritably.

“He has to kiss her good-bye first,” Molly shouted from her rolled-down window.

“A good one too,” Deb added from the driver’s seat.

“Don’t listen to the women,” Gavin called. “Brainless creatures.”

“Don’t think I won’t kick your ass when we get to Denver,” Molly shouted back at him.

“Be glad we’re separated,” Shane said quietly, brushing his mouth across her cheek. “Enjoy your day. See you at the game.”

She couldn’t help but grin all the way to the car, where she slid into the back, trying not to blush and look like, well, what she was. A besotted moron.

Molly grinned back at her. “You two are the sweetest damn thing.”

Cora blushed deeper, her cheeks practically on fire. “Well, anyway.” Then she heard the unmistakable sound of Deb crying. Cora’s eyes widened. “What? What’s wrong?”

Deb sniffled, wiping at her cheeks. “Oh, you two just make each other happy. I was starting to worry Shane wouldn’t find that for himself.”

Then Molly sniffled.

“No, don’t start,” Cora begged. “My God, we’re just dating. It’s nothing to get all . . .” But her own tears were starting to well up. “Well, hell, I didn’t think I was going to find much romantic happy for myself either.”

They all laughed and cried at the same time as Deb pulled the car onto the street. “Second chances are a beautiful thing.” With one hand she reached over and patted her daughter. “You’ll find one too.”

“Oh, I’m not ready to think about that,” Molly said, passing a box of tissues back to Cora. “But it’s nice to know it’s possible, I guess.”

“I was incredibly blessed to love my first husband, and we lost him too soon, but he and his parents made me realize love is the best gift we can give each other. And the hardest damn thing we give to ourselves, but worth it. When you’re both in it, it’s so darn worth it.”

The hardest damn thing we give to ourselves.Oh, wasn’t that the truth.