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“Daisy, I have to admit, I was wrong,” Brandt said. “I didn’t see it at first, but you were right to stick with this place.”

“Thank you,” Daisy said, as she flashed him a smile. “Have you seen the other rooms?”

“Not now that they’re all set up. I’m going to see what I can find,” he said, waggling his brows at her. “Want to explore?” he asked Tempest.

“Yes!” she said. “But I want to snack first.”

“There’s food in every room. All the drinks are up here, though.”

“Oh, well, let’s go see what we have to choose from,” Tempest said, taking Brandt's hand and leading him into the next room.

“Where the hell is everybody?” Havoc demanded as he stepped inside with Harley on his left hip and leading Analise with his right hand.

“Some will arrive a little later. It just started,” Daisy said nervously. She was actually worried that no one would show up.

“Can I put her down?” he asked, letting go of Analise’s hand to point at Harley riding on his hip.

“Of course. There’s even a kid’s art room back there. There is nothing she can hurt,” Daisy said, winking at Harley.

“Little Miss!” Havoc said, leaning over to make sure that he was looking Harley in the eye and had her undivided attention.

“This is a special day for Aunt Daisy. Do not make a mess of her new art place. Do not make a mess of the food she put out for her guests. You can eat, but do it with manners. Don’t put something back if you don’t like it. ”

“Yes, sir,” she said, then stopped briefly to hug Daisy’s thighs and hips as she jetted off to find the room that Daisy had said was for kids.

“She’ll be fine. I even put chicken nuggets and ketchup on a tray on the table in the children’s room.”

“You’ll be fine, too. Breathe, hon,” Havoc said. “And don’t worry. We put flyers out everywhere. People are coming.”

“Did you?” Daisy asked gratefully.

“We did,” Analise said. “And then he went around to everybody he knew and told them to come check it out. He even went to the high school and spoke to the counselor he was close to his senior year and asked for her help. She’s promised anybody that comes to your open house five extra points toward their required community service days.

She said she was going to call the elementary school and let them know, too. ”

“You guys, that’s awesome. Thank you so much,” Daisy answered.

“We’re not the only ones. We’ve all been out campaigning for you,” Analise said.

“Campaigning for who?” Emmalyn asked, walking into the studio. “Who’s running for office?”

“Nobody. They’re talking about getting word out there about my studio and the lessons and all.”

“Oh, well, yeah. Did you really think we wouldn’t?” Emmalyn asked, then her gaze seemed to go off into space for a minute.

“Em?” Barron asked.

“Hm? Oh, yeah. I’m good. Not lightheaded again. I’m just thinking… campaigning… I should do that. Run for office.”

“Which office?” Daisy asked.

“I don’t know. Does it matter? One that puts me in charge.”

“Lord help us,” Hellen said as she and Lucien walked in. “You as mayor, is frightening. You in any governing position is frightening!”

“I know, right? So much fun!” Emmalyn said. Then her gaze landed on Lucien. “Oh, look. He put clothes on today.”

“You want to challenge me? I’ll take them off right here,” Lucien threatened.

“Not while people are coming to see Daisy’s art studio,” Hellen chided.

“I’ll come to your house naked!” Lucien threatened.

“Please don’t do that,” Barron said.

“I’ll be right back. Going to get one more tray of food,” Daisy said.

Barron turned to Emmalyn. She’d been nauseated and lightheaded off and on for a few days now. “Em, you want something to drink?” Barron asked.

“No. I can’t have tea. And that’s all I drink.”

“Yeah, but there’s lemonade, too,” Barron said.

“Why can’t you have tea?” Hellen asked.

“I don’t know. Mom says no caffeine.”

“No caffeine…” Hellen’s eyes lit up with realization and her mouth formed a perfect ‘O’. “Oh! Oh, Em!”

“NO! Not today!” Emmalyn said hurriedly, hushing Hellen by pressing her hand over Hellen’s mouth.

“Is there lemonade? I’ll try some lemonade,” Emmalyn said, smiling, while standing there with one arm around Hellen’s head and her opposite hand still holding Hellen’s mouth closed, waiting for Barron to get her some lemonade.

“Not on Daisy’s day!” Emmalyn whispered.

Hellen nodded, then turned to look at Emmalyn when Emmalyn finally released her. “You good?” Hellen asked.

“Oh, yeah,” Emmalyn said, smiling brightly as Analise came to hug them both.

“If she gets to be mayor, I want to be assistant mayor,” Havoc said. “I could run shit while she’s being mommy.”

“Cher, can we move? Before these two take over in any capacity?” Lucien asked sarcastically.

“You see that shit?! I was going to make you assistant-assistant mayor. Not now, though,” Havoc said, walking away as he shook his head disbelievingly.

“Why is no one else surprised?” Hellen asked looking around at her family.

“They all know. You’ve been locked in the house with lover-boy, so you don’t know,” Emmalyn said.

“Lover-boy,” Lucien said. “I like that. Lucien Lover-Boy.”

“That is not your name,” Emmalyn said.

“Should be. You said so yourself,” Lucien said, blowing a kiss at Emmalyn.

“Knock knock,” Kiernan said, as he and Abby arrived with their kids.

“I like it here,” KJ whispered to his mother.

“I know. It’s so pretty!” Abby said, smiling at her toddler as he looked around wide-eyed.

“Thank you for coming,” Daisy said, walking back into the room with more appetizers.

“Thank you for inviting us.”

“Of course,” Daisy said. “Walk around and see what you think. There’s food everywhere.”

“Don’t have to tell us twice,” Kiernan said.

“Oh, by the way, Shaun will be here in a little while. He’s running late.

He was fixing one of Bailey’s ovens. Don’t know if she’ll make it though, she’s a little behind for tomorrow’s pastries and all.

And Addy’s not home from Christian’s place in New Orleans yet. ”

“It’s no problem. I’m just really glad you guys wanted to try to make it at all,” Daisy said.

“Baby-girl, I have to tell you, your studio is amazing!” Bane said as he walked in from the kitchen.

“How’d you sneak past me?” she asked.

“We came in the back. Mom and I were so caught up in looking at the paint job on the place that we forgot to use the front door. We just came in the back.”

“You like it?”

“Oh, honey, I love it,” Janie said. “It’s just you. Everywhere I look I see you.”

“Daisy, my gosh! I have purposely not been looking when I drove by. I wanted to be surprised, and I’m so surprised. But I shouldn’t be. You are so talented, honey,” Avaleigh said, rushing in and immediately joining the conversation.

“I want to learn how to do some of that metal sculpting,” Daniel said.

“Really?” Daisy asked.

“Yeah! I really do,” Daniel said.

“Then let me take you over here. There are clipboards for every kind of class I offer. Just add your name and number on the metal sculpture list and I’ll be in touch.”

“I’m going to sign up,” he said, grinning at Avaleigh.

“Could I sign up, Mom?” Angelle asked.

“Of course. What classes do you want to take?”

“I’m not sure. I just would like to learn to draw a little better than I do.”

“You know, I offer private classes, too,” Daisy said, knowing Angelle really wasn’t good with other people.

“Really? I can take a class just you and me?”

“You can. I can even come to your house if you’d like that better.”

Angelle thought about it and shook her head. “I kind of like the idea of doing something away from home, but not with too many people.”

“We can do it here. I’ll help you learn to do whatever you want to do. You’re already a pretty impressive artist.”

“I just sketch a little.”

“Yes, but it’s good.”

Angelle blushed, and immediately cast her gaze toward the toes of her shoes.

At 20 years old she’d never been good with people.

Not even her own family. She was always shy.

Daisy agreed with Tempest on her assessment that Angelle was an empath.

A very sensitive empath that felt everything around her deeply so made it a point not to interact with anybody she didn’t have to.

“The party can commence, I have arrived, and so has Valerie. You may begin,” Maverik said.

“We’re here, too,” Kaid said, walking in with Delilah beside him. “And you knew we were here, too, because we rode with you.”

“Yeah, they here, too,” Maverik said.

“Uncle Maverik, you are just like Havoc.”

“No, he’s just like me. And he should be thankful,” Maverik said with a smirk. “I am a charming sumbitch!”

“Dear God, just go find something to eat,” Valerie said.

“As you wish, my woman,” Maverik said, bowing to Valerie reverently.

“Never a dull moment is there?” Kaid asked.

“Not a one,” Valerie said. “And God help me, I adore him.”

They all laughed, knowing how deeply Maverik loved her as well, and how pivotal she’d been in bringing him back from the brink of completely losing himself. He’d be lost — literally — without his Valerie. She’d saved him.

“Daisy!” Bam exclaimed, as he stepped into the studio. “Daisy, I love your place! It’s so perfect!”

“Thank you, Uncle Bam,” Daisy said.

“I think I want to carve things,” he said.

“You mean, outside, the wood sculpting?” Daisy asked.

“Yep. That’s what I want to do,” Bam said.

“Well, over there are the clipboards for each class. Put your name by the ones you want to do,” Daisy said. “And thank you, Uncle Bam.”

“You’re welcome, baby. I’m so proud of you.” He wandered over and started carefully printing his name on every single clipboard she had put out for prospective students to sign up on.

“You don’t have to take all the classes, Bam,” Everly called out.

“If I want to learn how to do it all, I do,” he answered without even looking up. “You should take some, too. What do you want to learn to do?”

“Honey, I’m teaching the metal sculpture classes.”

“I know.”

“If I see something I want to learn, I’ll sign up then.”