Page 88 of Worth the Want

Winnie

Wait. Then I would know. Can I know?!

Rhett

If Winnie gets to know, I get to know.

Baby Lo

Finally! I can start shopping for my new baby niece or nephew!

Me

Alder

No one gets to know yet.

Winnie

Smiling, I set my phone down and see Indie and Hazel walking back toward the house. The clock says two fifteen, and she’s working at the bakery with Winnie before dinner. Making sure to keep all the decorations hidden, I stand in front of the counter doing my best to look nonchalant.

“Hi, Daddy! Look!” Hazel yells excitedly, running into the house, holding a book.

“What do you have there?” I ask, picking her up and setting her on my lap.

“Indie’s book!” she says, opening the book to flowers pressed between pages.

“We’ll add some of our descriptions about them later whenI get back,” Indie tells her. She comes to stand next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. She kisses my temple softly and runs a hand through Hazel’s hair. “I have to go to work. Let me know if I can come by later. It shouldn’t be too late I don’t think.”

“Yes.” Hazel and I say at the same time.

Indie giggles. “Well then, I’ll be back. I love you.”

“I love you!” Hazel tells her, still flipping through the book on her lap. Indie’s smile splits her face in two before leaning down to kiss her head.

“I love you,” I tell her, pulling her to me for a quick kiss on the lips.

“Okay, I have to go, or I'm gonna be late.”

“Then you better get going,” I say, but I pull her to me again, kissing her, feeling her smile into it.

“Bye, Knox. Bye, Hazey. See you later.”

She walks out the front door, and I watch her all the way to her car. Then I track her car until it disappears down the road.

“Okay, Hazey. Want to help me get this place ready?”

“Yes!” she agrees.

I start measuring the spaces on the wall while Hazel sets her drawings out. With any luck, Indiana Holmes will be sleeping here tonight and all the rest of them too.

I’ve been at the bakery for three hours, and Winnie and I have consumed two chocolate croissants and almost a whole loaf of strawberry bread. After picking flowers for us to press into these little books I ordered for me and Hazel, I left feeling lighter and more grounded than I have in almost a year. Hearing Hazel say she loves me has had me on cloud nine all afternoon.

I’ll be having dinner with Florence tonight to go over the designs I made for the hotel website and take some moody shots of the interior. I’ll save the rooms and lobby photos for during the day so I have better natural light.

“So he just painted the house for you without you even having to ask?”

“He did. Rhett is big on grand gestures. He kind of had to be. I made it difficult to get close to me for a while. I just couldn’t admit to myself that things might work out for the best. I’m a work in progress.”