Page 28

Chapter 27

Shawn

Y esterday was the best day ever. Seriously, I never want this weekend to end. I didn’t realize how much weight I had on me at practice every day until I stepped away to have some fun.

The morning started with throwing clay in the garden and ended with the guys throwing all the girls in the lake. We took the boat out and tubed, wake-boarded, danced, and Liam surfed some waves behind the boat. Bouch attempted to do a backflip off the back of the boat, but right before he jumped, Soph shoved him in the water. Lee and I just soaked in the sun as we knew the summer was coming to a close.

When we got back to the cottage, Bouch wanted to thank us all for inviting him along and brought some burger patties he grilled out for us to have for dinner and damn. For some dude from Quebec, he sure knows how to grill like a fucking master. Once dinner wrapped up, we were all exhausted from spending the day on the water, so we all headed to bed.

* * *

I circle into the driveway of the cottage as the crunch of the gravel beneath the tires takes over from the soft wind through the windows.

We went to bed so early last night. I woke up before Lee today and headed out to get a little surprise of my own for everyone, for, well, just being my family away from family. I pick up four bright red bags and open the door to see my girl on the couch with Luna and Blaze on either side of her. She gasps as I prop the door open with my ass.

“Get the fuck out of here! You drove twenty minutes to the nearest Tims?”

She hops up in the cutest baby-blue pajama set.

“Yep, I wanted to get breakfast for everyone. I already texted Liam that I have breakfast for this morning, so when you’re ready, we can head over and eat with everyone.”

“You’re seriously the best! Not even Liam would drive to get me Tims when we lived out here.”

She takes off towards the cottage, and I follow as we head to the main house. She holds open the front door for Luna and Blaze, and then I follow in with the Tim Hortons.

Pulling out a barstool in the kitchen, she takes a seat as I put all the bags on the counter. Two bags are just beverages for us all; double-doubles, iced caps, hot French vanillas. Then the other two bags have loads of breakfast sandwiches, bagels, and two large boxes of assorted Timbits.

Lee kicks her feet and claps. Looking like a little kid on Christmas when it’s just a random Sunday in the summer and sweet treats. I hand her the double-double and she smiles and sips while pulling a box of Timbits in front of her.

“Um, are you going to share with the group, Sunshine?”

I laugh as she shakes her head, opens the box in front of her, and pops one chocolate timbit in her mouth. She muffles back to me.

“Nope!”

Smiling and chewing while scoping out which one she will eat next. The creaking of footsteps has me looking around the back of her to the hallway leading to the bedrooms.

“You better freaking share! You always eat all the chocolate ‘bits before anyone else gets any.”

Liam rushes over, snatching the box away from her and throwing a chocolate Timbit in his mouth. Lee slaps her hand on the counter as she swallows roughly.

“I would share if I didn’t grow up with a vacuum cleaner mouth of a brother that eats everything in sight as fast as he can!”

Liam shrugs, and we all start laughing as I notice Millie, Soph, and Bouch making their way around the kitchen island.

The front door flies open, and we all stop and look around in shock.

“She has a point, Liam!” A sweet, soulful voice booms.

Liam immediately drops the box of Timbits and pushes them towards me as Millie giggles. Lee hops up from the stool and takes off running to the front door before I can even register what is going on.

“Mimi! What are you doing here? I thought you wouldn’t be back until this evening after the festival wrapped up?” I hear Lee practically sob with excitement as footsteps approach the kitchen. I wipe my hands on the side of my sweatpants, instantly wishing I had made more of an effort on my outfit this morning.

“Well, honeybee! Someone bought up the last bit of my art yesterday evening, and I had nothing left. So, I drove back this morning hoping to see this rowdy crew before you all headed back to the city.”

Liam comes around Lee to hug his Mimi and kisses the top of her head.

“Hey, Mims. Glad we could see you before my crazy season starts.”

She pulls him around for a full hug, and he grunts from the force she uses.

“Get over here, Mr. T. The rest of Canada can wait to have you, but your Mimi needs some hugs first.”

She twists him into an even tighter hug. We all laugh a little as Millie gets up and walks over to Mimi’s bags.

“Hi, Maeve. Let me take your bags. Do you have anything in the car?”

Mimi pulls back, pushes Liam off of her, and goes to grab Millie’s cheeks.

“Liam, why is it that Millie is always trying to take your spot as favorite grandchild?”

Liam scoffs and walks over to Millie to get her bags as Lee looks up in horror.

“MIMS, that was always my title!”

Mimi points and winks at Lee.

“And don’t you forget it, honeybee.”

Lee stands up and walks up beside me.

“Oh Mimi, this is Shawn. Um, from Texas. He plays for the Titans, and he’s my, um, boyfriend. Remember when we were kids, and you came to the park with us?”

She looks up at me as her eyes get big, realizing that is the first time she has called me her boyfriend out loud. I laugh and press a kiss on her red cheeks. Then, I step forward, extending my hand.

“Yep, that’s me, Shawn, the boyfriend. Lovely to see you again, and I appreciate you opening your home up to us this weekend.”

Mimi shakes my hand as she looks me up and down. Looking around me, she loudly whispers to Lee.

“Is this the same Shawn you wouldn’t stop yapping about when you first moved up here?”

Her eyes grow wide as Liam and Millie both yell, “Yep!” simultaneously.

“Well, I’ll be damned. Looks like the stars aligned for you two.”

She pulls the hand she is shaking forward to wrap me in a hug. Leaning down, she whispers in my ear.

“You’ve got my girl, so I’ve got you now. You need anything you call. Understand?”

She pulls away, eyeing me sharply with a smile. This is the Mimi I heard about, the one that looks out for her own, guides you to peaceful gardens, and loves you unconditionally. I look at her and nod.

“Yes, ma’am!”

She lifts her eyebrows and turns around as Liam goes to grab a swig of hot coffee.

“Oh, did you hear that, Liam? He has some manners. Looks like he is coming for your spot, too. Steep competition with this one.”

Liam groans and takes a sip of his double-double rolling his eyes. Mimi comes behind him.

“You’re cuter when you’re moody; it brings out the defender in you.” She smacks his arm, and he smiles.

I feel the playful, loving relationship they have with her. It comes as no surprise that Liam and Lee stayed in the area with her. Shoot, I want to stay here longer, and I have only been here a few days.

She bends down and looks in Timmie’s bag.

“May I?”

“Absolutely, help yourself,” I reply, and she grabs a bacon sandwich.

Millie clears her throat as she sets down her vanilla-flavored drink.

“This has been the best weekend, guys, but I need to pack up and head out soon to make sure my dad is all set for the week.”

Liam looks up, his eyebrows pulling together as he chips in.

“Yeah, I should probably get ready to head out soon as well. I can drop you off, Mils?”

Mimi slowly smiles and speaks up. “Yeah, I’m sure you will, Postman.”

Liam shakes his head and follows Millie to go pack their things. Mimi walks over to Lee as she tells the rest of us.

“You all get your things together, but stay as long as you want. I’m happy to do a load of laundry for you all before you leave if you’d like?”

Bouch interrupts, taking in the scene as he licks the cream cheese off the side of his bagel.

“Can you adopt me?”

She lets out a low laugh. “Oh, a big teddy bear like you? Absolutely!”

She pinches the side of his cheek, and he takes off to collect his dirty clothes. Soph steps up after tying her robe up.

“Hey, Maeve. You look gorge! See any designs you liked this weekend?”

“My chili pepper! I’ve missed you. You know I already have a bag for you at the front door.”

Soph squeals, hugs her, and takes off to see what is waiting for her.

Mimi stops and looks at Lee. “Honeybee, mind if I borrow your man for a moment before I send him your way to get your things together?”

Lee smiles and nods, giving me a wink and heading out the front door, with Luna and Blaze following behind her.

I walk with Mimi into the living room, looking around as she settles into the rust-colored chair across from me, sipping her coffee like she has all the time in the world. The room feels so zen—plants everywhere, sunlight pouring in, and that faint lavender smell that just screams ‘homey’. But Mimi’s looking at me, and it’s not just a glance. It’s like she’s trying to see directly into my soul.

“Now listen, Shawn,” she starts, leaning forward, resting her elbows on her knees.

“All jokes aside, Ainsley is my angel girl. She loves hard and gives everything she’s got without a second thought. And sometimes, she forgets to leave a little for herself.”

I nod because she’s not wrong. I’ve seen it. My Sunshine will run herself ragged for the people she loves.

“That’s why I started taking her to the garden,” Mimi continues, her voice soft but steady.

“Taught her how to pour back into herself. Life’s heavy sometimes, and you need something that grounds you. That’s what this place has always been for her.”

“I’ve seen it,” I say, my throat tightening.

“She brought me to the garden this weekend. Showed me how to throw clay. We made a bowl together.” I state proudly.

Mimi’s smile stretches, her wrinkles deepening in a way that feels warm, not old. “Did you, now? How’d it go?”

“Messy,” I admit, laughing a little. “But she helped. I’ve got a bowl drying in the shed.”

“Your first piece, huh? That’s special.” She leans down, grabbing a light pink bowl off the coffee table. It’s simple, with two scooped sides that look almost like peas in a pod.

“This was Lee’s first bowl. We made it together.”

I take it, turning it over in my hands. It’s imperfect but beautiful, like you can feel the history in it.

“She must’ve been good even as a kid,” I say.

Mimi’s eyes soften. “She was. But this one wasn’t about being good. It was about the connection. We made it together, and that made it special. I want you to have it.”

I cough and set the bowl back down, stunned. “What? No, I couldn’t—this is hers, yours .”

Mimi shrugs, sipping her coffee like she didn’t just offer me something priceless.

“You don’t have to take it now. I can send it to you later. But it makes sense for you to have it. You two are connected souls, just like us. Some love goes deeper than what you see on the surface. It’s shaped, molded, and always part of you. That’s the love I see in y’all.”

My chest tightens, and I blink fast because, damn, this woman might actually make me cry. I nod, swallowing hard. “I’ll take care of her, Mimi. I promise.”

Her smile deepens. “I know you will, son. That’s why I’m giving it to you.”