Page 135 of Mended Fences

Rhett chuckled but continued toward the door. I stood frozen in front of the jewelry case, but the door swung closed and the shop owner didn’t run after him. I snapped out of my daze and gave chase myself.

“What the fuck?” I snapped once I made my way outsideand saw Rhett leaned against the brick wall of the shopping plaza, inspecting the ring. It was December, but a mild one so far, with average temps just this side of chilly instead of frigid-fucking-cold like we were used to. “Explain, jackass.”

Rhett’s lips tipped up. “This was Sassy’s ring from Brody. Doesn’t want it anymore. Said you could have it.”

Sassy, his bestie, had been engaged to Brody, his other bestie. Now, they were not. There was obviouslymuchfucking moreto that story, but I wasn’t going to pry.

“Is it cursed?”

Rhett laughed again. “Don’t think so. Pretty, though.”

“Sure as shit is.” I paused, scrubbed a hand over my stubble. “Really free?”

“Yep.”

“Well, hell. I’ll take it.”

He tossed it to me, and I snagged it out of the air.

I turned the ring over in my hand.

It wasn’t big. It wasn’t flashy.

But it was real.

And it was hers.

Elena

“Hi, sweet baby girl.”

Luci—with her dark hair and bright, Everton-blue eyes—reached for me from where Emma had her resting on a hip, babbling something incoherent.

“Oh, look, Luci! Mama’s back!” Emma wrapped her free arm around my shoulders. “How was your shift, sweetheart?”

I gripped my daughter under the arms and hoisted her into mine, pressing my nose to that perfect, downy head and breathing her in like I’d been stuck underwater all day. That baby smell wouldn’t last forever. And when it was gone? I might just take Chase up on his threat to keep me knocked up. Baby smell was a necessity.

“It was quiet, for once—which I needed. This little stinker”—I smooched her cheek—“is cutting another tooth and keeping Mommy and Daddy up all night, aren’t ya, baby girl?”

“Ah, so that explains the drool.”

“So much drool,” I deadpanned.

Emma laughed and motioned toward the table. “Have a seat. I was just making her a snack.”

At home, a snack looked like one of those sad football-shaped teething crackers. In Emma’s kitchen? Luci was dining on whole grain bread cut into flower shapes with cookie cutters, toasted and topped with smashed avocado, a dusting of flaxseed, and a smug sense of nutritional superiority.

It was adorable. And overwhelming. And exactly whatmy motherwould’ve done.

My throat tightened. Tears welled.

Emma sent me a soft smile then took Luci’s chubby hand and wiggled it between her fingers. “I bet Grammy Lucía loved avocado toast, didn’t she, sweet pea?”

That did it. The tears broke loose, hot and fast.

This woman was a godsend. The fact that she was keeping my mom’s memory alive—with my daughter who would never meet her maternal grandmother—meant everything. No onecould replacemymother, but Emma Everton was a close second.

I sniffled just as the front door burst open. All three of us turned as Chase barreled into the kitchen, Rhett hot on his heels.