Page 200

“Good morning,” I say, and freeze as the stranger turns away from the desk and the mayor to face me.

There is no kindness in the steel lines of his face. No patience or mercy in the icy gray of his eyes. That is all I’m given the chance to process when he stalks past me and out the door without a single word.

“I’m sorry for interrupting,” I say to Mayor Ferguson once I have gathered my nerves back around me.

The man behind the desk smiles and waves a hand. “We were finished. Mr. Virelli is thinking about settling down in Jefferson and wanted my recommendation on a good location.”

I am not a fan of the idea. Nothing about Mr. Virelli was pleasant or welcoming. He’s not at all what a town like Jefferson will welcome willingly. But I let it go as we set to work.

Flora’s missing from daycare when I swing by to pick her up at the end of my shift. Nina meets my eye from across the room and gives a slight shake of her head.

I sigh and dig out my phone.

“Where’s my kid?”I mutter into the receiver.

“Why, I wouldn’t have the foggiest,”Lauren declares in a thick, over exaggerated accent.

“Woman, you need to stop kidnapping her,”I grumble as I change route and head in the direction of the Cut & Curl.

Lauren’s gasp is loud and dramatic.“I did no such thing. I simply walked in, pointed and she was placed into my arms. If anything, you should be more careful about where you leave her.”

Despite my mild irritation, I bite back my grin.“You’re supposed to be working. How long have you had her?”

I hear Flora’s squeal of excitement as a blow dryer goes off in the background.

“What time did you drop her off?”Lauren counters.

I pinch the bridge of my nose.“You’ve had her for seven hours?”

“Of course not! That would be crazy. Like six and a half.”

I reach the salon and peer through the window at my best friend, a grown woman twirling in her stylist chair with my daughter shrieking happily in her lap.

I watch them for a few seconds, heart full at the sight of them. At the way Lauren squeezes her close and nuzzles thesweet spot just under Flora’s jaw. The way Flora squeals and fists Lauren’s curls. My parents never had close friends, no one I had when they were gone. But I’m grateful that Flora has someone in her life who will be there for her if she needs. Someone who will drop everything and willingly spend an entire day with a baby without being asked. I know Flora will have a fully built-in best friend / aunt when she gets older and that fills me with a relief I can’t even describe.

Schooling my face, I push open the doors and step into the scent of hairspray and floor cleaner. The place is empty save for Dani Novak parked in one of the chairs. Her short, black bob covers most of her face as she stares into her phone. She spares me a glance when the bells over the door tinkle, but her excitement at a potential customer dims when she spots me.

“Hey Everly,” she grumbles, attention already returning to her lit screen.

I wave, but I’m moving to the two watching me with two very different expressions.

Flora beams and kicks her stubby little legs. Her pudgy fists fly as she waits for me to scoop her up.

Lauren grins with all the guilt of someone fully aware they’re about to get an earful.

Baby first, though. I drag her into my arms and press my face deep into the side of her neck.

“Missed you,” I moan, inhaling her sweet, baby powder scent.

Her little snort and giggle brings a smile to my face as I pull back.

“You really need to keep an eye on her,” Lauren says, swaying slightly from side to side. “Found her wandering the street, begging people for a sip of milk. It was embarrassing.”

I fix my friend with all the narrow-eyed annoyance I can muster, but I know she can see through it.

“Lady, you can’t keep taking her from daycare just to hang out with you,” I mutter.

Lauren purses her lips. “Says who? I am her sister-aunt Godmother and thus legally required to hang out with her all the time.”