My heart is overflowing, like the shimmering bows in my Christmas gift wrap organizer.
“And what about you guys?” Oliver turns to me and Rose. “You’ll come too, won’t you?”
“Of course, we will,” Rose answers before I can even attempt to bow out. That’s all right—there’ll be plenty of time for that.
“It’s a shame we have to wait till February. This one” —Lucy pinches her sister’s arm— “works entirely too hard. She needs a little fun.”
I silently praise my youngest daughter for playing right into my hands.
“She certainly does,” I agree. “And then add to that the stress of the fire incident. You really do need a break, sweetheart. You need to get out and blow off some steam.”
Warning lights flash in Lindsey’s eyes.
Oliver clears his throat. “Well, maybe we could grab dinner together. We could even finish up that town tour we started.”
“Oh. Um…” I can almost see her wheels turning to spin out an excuse.
Oliver adds, “I have tomorrow night off.”
“I was supposed to get the stuff to make cookies and gingerbread houses with the kids after work, remember?” Lindsey says with a pointed glance in my direction. “They’ve been looking forward to it.”
“Rose and I will do it,” I insist. “We’d love to. And this way Noah and Emily will still get to have fun while you go on your date.”
Lindsey’s cheeks turn pink at the mention of the worddate.
Oliver peers at Lindsey expectantly. “Well, what do you say?”
Her eyes flash over to mine so quickly it’s imperceptible to anyone else but me, and I give her an encouraging nod.
“I’d love to.”
I clasp my hands together as my daughter gives me a tightare-you-happy-nowsmile. “It’s settled, then.”
After the game,everyone is getting ready to go home when Lindsey and Lucy pull me aside in the kitchen.
“Mom, can we talk to you?” Lindsey asks, and I brace myself for a stern lecture.
“Sure,” I answer. “Is everything okay?”
“We need your help with something.” Her face is pinched with worry as she tugs on a lock of her milk chocolate hair.
“We’re in a bit of a bind,” Lucy adds. “It’s kind of a big ask, though.”
My mind races with possible scenarios. Are they having trouble at the clinic? Do they need money?
“You know I’ll do anything I can to help you,” I say. “Now, what’s this all about?”
Lindsey sighs. “You remember the puppy I was keeping for my client, Mr. Phillips? You met her the other day.”
“Oh, June Bug,” I say. “She was there during the fire, wasn’t she?”
“She was,” Lindsey answers.
I remember the little furball. She was curled up, asleep in Lucy’s lap, the morning I went to check on Lindsey.
I nod. “Her owner’s the man who got sick while he was at the clinic, right?”
“Yes,” Lindsey says. “Oliver was there when it happened. That’s how we met. He’s Mr. Phillips’s neighbor. Anyway, it turns out, he’s going to be gone a bit longer than anticipated.”
