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“How?”
“By letting all the good that life brings you outshine them.” She lifts her hand, squeezing my arm lovingly. “Anyone can break your heart, but they don’t keep the pieces. You’ll put it back together; just gotta be patient.”
I smile at my friend, grateful to have her and this family to fall back on. “Thank you, Ida.”
Agán, Charles, and the rest of Ida’s neighbors are gathered around the courtyard, and I wave when they spot us.
“I need to grab something from inside, but I’ll be right back,” Ida says.
“Do you need a hand?”
“Just because I’m old doesn’t mean I can’t do things on my own.” There’s a touch of humor in her gaze when she shoos me toward the awning where our friends are waiting. “Now, go on.”
“All right, all right.” I hold my palms up.
Penelope rises from the dogpile she instigated, and the sun mosaic at her back frames her. It’s both eerie and beautiful with how the tendrils of yellow flames shoot out around her when she faces me fully.
I barely manage a step before she’s trotting across the lawn toward me. Her brows are pinched with worry as she wordlessly wraps her arms around my middle. We stand like that for as long as possible, with my chin on the top of her sun-warmed hair and her face tucked into my chest.
“I’m all right, sunshine.” I softly kiss her knuckles, but it doesn’t do much to ease her concern.
I can’t help but notice the tiny bit of nail growth on her fingertips, and I press kisses over them, too.
“Should have let me come with you,” she half-heartedly complains.
“And risk you setting the building on fire in my honor?” I grin at the mischievous spark igniting her gaze. “Maybe next time.”
She guides me to an empty spot at the table where our friends are waiting. Declan makes a break from the chaos to join us, panting as he flops into the chair next to Pen. “Demons. Every damn one of them.”
She elbows his ribs, but I can sense the entire table practically vibrating with the need to ask me why I’ve called this meeting.
We’ve been keeping Ida in the loop with the city’s pending approval for the contract we made with Ellen, and I finally heard from them this morning.
“As you all know, Declan and I have stepped away from Elite Properties.”
They clap obnoxiously as Ida approaches the end of the table, holding a small black box.
“So that’s it, then?” Charles asks. “No more Summit Estates?”
“I’m not sure what he’ll do with it now that I’ve stepped down as the CEO and he’s out an architect.”
Not liking that answer, Agán scrunches his nose. “Replace you both and continue monopolizing the land.”
“It’s possible… but for now, we’ll be grateful for our victory.” Reaching inside my suit pocket, I remove the tri-folded contract and set it in the center of the table. “Thanks to SunGro’s assistance, our proposal to the city to acquire the vacancies along the strip has been approved. Which means Seaside officially belongs to us.”
The table erupts with cheers, and Penelope takes my hand, lacing her fingers with mine, her face shining with pride.
Charles sweeps his arms across the table. “Well, consider us your renovation crew. You’re going to need all the help you can get.”
“Deal,” I say, feeling my heart expand with joy.
The commotion draws the kids to us, and Tarra winds her arms around Penelope’s neck from behind, giving her a hug, while I’m mauled by a squirmy Mable.
“Loggie!” she squeals while climbing into my lap.
“Hey, kiddo.”
She wraps her little arms around my neck, and I hug her just as tightly.
