Page 37

Six months later.

G inny aimed her small paintbrush at the head of the silvery nail head marring the otherwise pure periwinkle of the brand-new trim surrounding their brand-new kitchen bay window. “There! Our house is done!”

From behind her, Nico wrapped one arm around her waist as he rested his head lightly on her right shoulder. “She’s a beaut. Everyone’s going to love her. But she still needs one more touch up.”

Ginny scanned the remaining window frame. “Really? Where?”

“Turn around and I’ll show you.”

He released her so she could turn, then used a paint-tipped finger to daub a bit of periwinkle onto the tip of her nose.

“You!” she exclaimed as she laughed.

He kissed her, then rubbed her nose against his, taking some of the paint for himself. “We wouldn’t want our day to be perfection, would we?”

“Absolutely not. But we already invited my big sister, so we had that covered.”

“Ah, good point.” He winked at her.

As if summoned by saying her name three times in a bathroom mirror, Monique appeared at the entrance to the driveway.

In a navy-blue sport skort and matching short-sleeved shirt, she didn’t look the least bit winded or sweaty despite the walk up to the house and temps already climbing.

“I hope you didn’t invite too many people to this thing, cause we’re not all gonna fit into your little love nest.”

“Good to see you too, Sis.” Ginny walked toward her and gave her a hug. “It shouldn’t be too many. Rick really wanted to come, but he’s out of state visiting friends. So, it’s just you guys and Nico’s immediate family.”

Monique kept moving toward the front of the house. “And three giant dogs that stink enough to count as three people each.”

“Now, now. The pups all had baths this morning.” She gestured to where Mick, Jack, and Annie stood, tails wagging, behind a cute, white picket fence enclosing the smallest backyard in the Malibu Hills.

“Let’s keep them there,” Monique said.

When they reached the bottom of the porch steps, Nico shook Monique’s hand. “Welcome to our housewarming!”

“Thank you and congratulations.” She stared at them both. “But do we all have to paint our noses blue too?”

Ginny and Nico laughed, then wiped the paint off each other’s noses. “Nope,” Ginny said. “That’s just for crunchy pickles.”

Monique squinted at them. “You guys are so weird.” She looked back at the house. “I haven’t seen the place since the insulated concrete forms were delivered. Those were very interesting.”

“Yes,” Nico said. “We wanted the house to look the same but be much more energy efficient. We used solar shingles too. Ginny did all the research on it.”

Ginny turned to her sister. “What do you think?”

Monique gazed up at the house. Its pastel colors echoed the tall purple thistles and lemony brittlebush flowers dotting the hills that cradled it. “It’s not what I would have built with an unlimited budget but, I must admit, it’s cute. Did you make it even a smidge bigger than the original?”

“The bathroom and two bedrooms a little longer, one of which is my office and art studio,” Ginny explained.

Monique gave her sister side-eye. “Office?”

“I’m starting back in college. Going to finish my degree in art history.”

Monique’s mouth made and “O” of pleasant surprise. “I’m so glad. You are truly gifted in that field.” Monique turned to Nico. “And where’s your office then? The roof?”

Nico laughed. “I won’t be working when I’m home with Ginny, so why would I need an at-home office?”

Two sandy-haired boys appeared at the top of the driveway. They raced straight toward Nico, and he grabbed them both up in his arms. “Welcome to our new house, you guys! No climbing the fence at the edge unless you want to give your hard-working mom a heart attack.” He set them both down.

“We won’t!” said the oldest as they ran straight toward the ledge.

Laughing, Nico jogged after them, saying over his shoulder. “Go on in. I’m sure Vince and Sarah are close behind with Mom. I’ll just keep an eye on these danger monkeys till they get here.”

Ginny and Monique climbed the porch front steps and went in to find Sadie and Grant busy in the kitchen.

New house smell was heavily overlaid with scents of warming cider and fresh baked cookies, and there were cheese and appetizer trays on the sideboard in the living room.

Two plain orange wingbacks sat in the living room too, in no hurry to be replaced by the originals, which were still with Nico’s mother.

Standing in the entryway, Ginny filled her lungs. “Smells so good in here! Thanks so much, you guys.”

Sadie bustled past them into the living room with warmed parmesan artichoke dip and fresh bread rounds. “Our pleasure! And Rick sent along some treats from the diner since he couldn't be here. But…” she sent Ginny a pleading smile, “…you sure you don’t want a few streamers up?”

“We wouldn’t mind, but Nico’s mom will be here soon, and we don’t want to do anything that might make it harder for her to remember herself here.

We scoured online shops for all the knickknacks and furniture to replicate the ones in the old house, but we don’t even know if it the memory trigger will work with all the new smells and unlived-in look. We’re crossing all fingers and toes.”

“I understand,” Sadie said, “it’s just my frustrated inner Martha Stewart!”

Ginny and Sadie helped Grant with some kitchen tidying while Monique sat at the booth. A few minutes later, Vince, Sarah, and the boys walked in.

“Mom’s here,” Vince said, sounding nervous.

Ginny wondered when the sight of Nico’s identical twin would stop being odd for her, but getting to know Vince, Sarah, and the boys had been fun, and they all seemed just as taken with her. “Has she recognized anyone yet?”

“Not in the slightest,” Sarah said, “but she seems happy to be on an outing, and they dressed her all in pink, which is adorable.”

Ginny raised her voice slightly, addressing everyone. “If you all don’t mind, Nico thinks it’s best if Claire doesn’t see anyone but me right away. I’ll be in the kitchen exactly like last time.”

Once everyone was out of sight, Nico ushered his mom as far as the kitchen doorway, then disappeared too, giving Ginny a final, hopeful look and a thumbs up.

Ginny had seen Claire many times since the “bulldozer incident,” both inside the nursing home and on outings, but she’d never recognized her or Nico in the slightest. They were just “nice young people here to see her.” Ginny’s toes curled and uncurled in her Keds as she sat at the kitchen booth, watching Claire walk in and take a seat across from her.

A tea tray with three cups and a warm tea pot sat between them.

“Do you want some tea?” Nico’s mother asked. “It looks like Celia made us some.”

“I’d love some,” Ginny said, “and you?”

“Yes, please. Is Nico home?”

Ginny tried not to show the explosion of happiness inside her but couldn't help a fluttering of her eyelids. They’d done it! The house’s magic had been successfully transplanted to its new location. “He is. And Vince is home too.”

Claire blinked up at her. “I think I had a boy named Vince.”

“You do,” Vince said, walking into the room, his eyes watery. “It’s great to see you, Mom.”

A furrow of annoyance was added to her permanently age-furrowed brow. “Don’t be ridiculous. We see each other all the time. This house is so darned small we’re practically on top of each other.” Nico came in, and his mother’s eyes lit up. “And here’s your big brother. You two are never apart.”

“Hi, Mom,” Nico said. “We have some other friends here too. Is it okay if they join us? It will be a little crowded, but not too bad.”

She rubbed her tiny hands together, her wedding ring sliding loose between two thick knuckles. “Is it a party? I love parties.”

Sarah, the boys, Sadie, Grant, and Monique all came in and gathered against the cabinets. It was tight, but they just fit inside the cozy kitchen.

“Mom, I’m so glad you’re here for this special day,” Nico said.

As he always did when he saw her, he bent to one knee.

Also as always, it caused a flutter in Ginny’s heart to see how much he adored his mother.

But this time, instead of placing his hand on his mother’s knee, he swiveled toward Ginny and rested his hand on hers. “This extra special day.”

Ginny’s heart struggled to beat. What did he mean by that? This was their housewarming party, and pretty much their entire focus had been on making things perfect for his mother. Was he…

Vince leaned forward and handed Nico a small box, and Nico held out toward her. “Will you marry me?”

“Marry?” Ginny sputtered.

“Hold up—,” Monique said. Sadie shushed her.

“Finally!” Nico’s mother said with derision. “Why did this take you so long?”

Nico’s eyes never left Ginny’s. “Because I was a fool, Mom. You saw how special Ginny was right away, how perfect she was for me, but it took me a little longer. I hope I can make up for that by loving Ginny Heppner the rest of my days.” His brown eyes filled with doubt and hope. “Will you have me?”

“Of course, I’ll have you!” Ginny said, to cheers from all but one of the kitchen onlookers. She made a waving-away motion with her hands. “But I don’t need whatever’s in that box.”

He tipped his head with a sly smile. “You might want a peek inside first.”

She took it from him and opened its hinged lid to find two shiny gold rings, one dainty, one large, pressed into soft green velvet.

Carved oak leaves encircled each ring, and tucked between them were tiny cicadas and even tinier diamonds.

They were miniature replicas of her favorite Hellenistic headpiece.

She slipped the small one out of the velvet and let Nico place it on her finger. It fit perfectly.

“Well?” he said.

“I was wrong,” she said, admiring the ring on her finger.

“I do need this. But most of all, I need the man who would give me this as a wedding ring.” She leaned forward and, to applause and congratulations from everyone gathered save one, she gave him the kind of kiss he’d remember till the next millennia.

Over the next few minutes, Ginny mingled and showed off her ring. Vince chatted with his mom at the kitchen booth and reintroduced her to his wife and sons. Gradually, they all moved into the living room.

“Here, let me see that,” Monique said, gesturing to Ginny’s left hand. Ginny offered up her ring finger. Monique took hold of her hand and peered dubiously at the leaves and bugs. “Kinda gross, but as long as it’s a looooooong engagement, I’ll tolerate it.”

“About that,” Sadie said. “Turns out I went and got ordained just in case someone else ever needed impromptu pool nuptials.” She wiggled her eyebrows at Ginny. “Shall we?”

“ What? ” Monique sputtered. “ Now? ”

Ginny didn’t need convincing, but she gazed up at Nico standing next to her. “What do you think? You up for a housewarming wedding?”

Monique’s grip on Ginny’s hand became vicelike. “No, that’s?—"

Nico winked at Sadie and Grant. “That’s been the plan—assuming you’d have me.”

Monique snatched up Sadie’s hand too and yanked both her sisters back into the kitchen.

She rounded first on Ginny. “What are you doing ? You’re only two years from your birthday.

Two years from a million free dollars !” She glared at Sadie.

“And you! Look at you encouraging her. Just because you didn’t get your inheritance, you don’t want Ginny to either?

In case you’ve forgotten, a few months ago she was still driving a death trap around! ”

Sadie smiled up sweetly at her sister, who appeared to be one blood pressure point short of cardiac arrest. “Did Nico make very much money off that land deal? You would know.”

“He made an obscene amount, but?—”

Sadie tilted her head. “So, are they going to miss a million dollars?”

“No, but…but…Great Aunt Lydia?—”

“Oh, to heck with Great Aunt Lydia,” Sadie said with unusual temper. “Why should her miserable opinions?—"

Ginny cleared her throat, getting their attention.

“You both know I wouldn’t care if he was a dumpster diving squatter.

I want to marry this man, and I want to marry him now, with all our family here, in our brand-new antique house, with his mother alive and knowing who he is.

I will never recreate this beautiful moment ever again in all of eternity.

That’s worth all the million dollars in the world to me. Can you understand that, Monique?”

Monique harrumphed. “Just don’t let Sadie ask if there are any objections, or you just might hear one.” But, as if absorbing Ginny’s words on slow motion replay, Monique’s face softened. She placed her hands on each of Ginny’s shoulders and looked into her eyes. “You’re sure?”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything. I only wish Mom and Dad were here, but I have you two, and when we’re together, they’re here.”

“To Mom and Dad,” Sadie whispered as the three sisters hugged. “Oh, Ginny, he’s so perfect for you, so handsome and smart and kind.”

“And rich,” Monique said, for which she received a hearty jab in the ribs from Sadie. “What? He’s also nice, but being rich doesn’t hurt.”

“Such a romantic!” Sadie said to Monique as the hug ended. “Just wait. You’ll fall in love with a pauper who lives in a forest hut the week before you turn thirty.”

Monique took her time smoothing her already taut and shiny ponytail. “You wish. I’ve got more drive and self-control than you two put together.”

“My drive and self-control are in the negative range, thank goodness, so that's not hard,” Ginny said. “But let’s stop arguing and enjoy my once-in-a-lifetime moment.”

Sadie gave Ginny a conspiratorial grin. “Speaking of which,” she said to Monique as she pushed her playfully back toward the living room, “go use your drive and self-control to organize everybody in there for a wedding.”

“Why me? What are you guys doing?” Monique asked as she let herself be pushed out of the kitchen.

“You’ll see!” Sadie said. “Nico and I have one more secret surprise for Ginny!”