Page 154

“Yep,” she replied. “I’m officially staying. Probably for good.”
Tammy’s eyes lit up. “Oh, if only Bennie were here. He’d be thrilled. What about you, Cain? Are you thrilled?”
I only looked at Mollie. “Very much so.”
Her rewarding blush and smile were worth the possibility that Tammy would go back on her word—at least regarding news about us.
Hugh called Tammy over before she could tease me any more.
Mollie took a bite of her burger. “Yeah, you’re right. This is so much better.”
“Told you.”
She rolled her eyes, but was too busy eating as fast as Eric was. Tammy came over to check on us a few times, but seemed just as friendly every time she saw me.
I didn’t know how to react.
After lunch, we walked over to the boutique, and she went straight for the florals.
“Nope,” I said. “Farm clothes.”
“But there’s a strawberry shirt!”
“Work clothes. Then fun clothes.”
She muttered a curse, but followed. Eric immediately found the kids’ boots and begged to try them on.
“Hi, Cain!” Grace said with a smile when she saw us. “Need new jeans?”
“I’m here with her.” I gestured to Mollie, who waved from behind a rack of overalls.
“Mollie!” Grace’s eyes lit up. “It’s so nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you!”
“I’m still getting used to it. Hopefully it’s only good things. I can only think of one person I’ve pissed off.”
“Do you mean me?” I asked.
“That’s a given,” she replied. “I mean someone not you.”
“Brooke,” Grace said. “Yeah, I’ve heard all about that since she’s my sister.”
Mollie paused with wide eyes. “Oh, um. Sorry about that?”
“Don’t be. She loves to start things she can’t finish.” Grace waved her hand. “I get along with everyone.”
Mollie’s eyes cut to me, and I knew what she was thinking. Grace could be another contender. If this hadn’t happened this morning, I would have disagreed, but now I had hope.
“How has business been?” I asked her.
It was out of character and we all knew it. Grace’s eyes were wide when she finally responded.
“Good. Kinda steady. I’m just glad for cheaper rent for the shop, you know?”
I nodded.
“Small-town life has its benefits,” Mollie added.
“Rent prices and everything else actually went up for a while,” she replied. “Kinda like everything in the world seemed to, but we got some sort of small-town grant that stabilized things, which was just in time. We only lost the library and the town hall.”