“Just the girl I wanted to see,” said Penny as Valerie came in. “You’re not doing anything, are you?”
Valerie had been on edge about seeing Penny, thanks to this new mess about signing off on the will, and the Nico warning, but Penny’s friendly tone put her at ease. “Not really.”
Penny passed over a box and sheets of stickers printed with addresses. “I’m desperate for help, and Fernie and Jenn have gone into town. The mailers for our next show need to be addressed this morning, and my manager is on vacation.” She gave a little laugh. “Who approved that, I wonder?”
Valerie glanced down at the skirt she was wearing, courtesy of Penny’s closet, and knew that even if she wanted to say no, she couldn’t. “What about Brayden?”
“Brayden?” Penny’s fond expression was tempered by a humorously intended eye roll. “That boy. I’ll make you a bite while you start. The lavender honey’s local and I insist the crumpets be made from scratch.”
Valerie, who didn’t know crumpets could be homemade, was suffused with a sense of belonging that overtook even her trepidation of being alone with Penny. It had been a long time since her own mother had bothered about what Valerie was eating, let alone made her food. That it was Penny offering made it better, as if she was finally being accepted. Penny loved her family, and perhaps sincerely embraced the idea of adding Valerie to it.
No, not Valerie. Rogette, Roger’s actual daughter. This had nothing to do with Valerie at all.
She placed the stickers on the empty postcard slots as Penny dealt with a call from her husband about the dogs.
“You said this is for your gallery?” she asked when Penny hung up.
“A new artist we’re very excited about,” said Penny. “He’s questioning the status quo through an interrogation of shape and negative space.”
Valerie glanced at the image in the front, a black square in a white circle on a violet background. “Wow.”
“It’s incredible how ignorance of art has become so commonplace. Combating that is the reason I started my gallery twenty years ago, and why we loan out our family’s collection.”
“Right,” said Valerie, praying she wasn’t going to be quizzed on her art knowledge, which was mostly limited to works printed on notebook covers and posters. She sped up her stickering.
Penny added an apple to the plate and set it in front of Valerie. “Keep those addresses straight. But eat up first.”
“Do you like to cook?” Valerie asked, taking a break to bite into the crumpet. The honey was heavenly.
“I do,” said Penny. “I find it satisfying to take care of people.”
“I do too,” Valerie admitted.
“It’s a Badgerton thing. John sometimes warns me that I don’t always know what’s best for others, but I disagree.”
Penny laughed and Valerie wondered how far she would go to take care of the people she considered family, and if Valerie counted. She finished and packed up the box as Penny made herself a coffee.
“Thank you, dear,” Penny said. “That was nice of you. Take the box and leave it by the front door? The courier is coming in an hour.”
“Sure.” She heaved it up and was almost to the stairs when Penny called her back.
“And don’t forget to sign that letter for me.”
Valerie didn’t answer but made her escape. She didn’t know how much longer she could delay on that document.
But apparently she was going to find out.
* * *
“Want to come to town?” Nico’s voice came from high above and his shadow formed a long, thin line to the trees.
Valerie was sitting on the grass, idly weeding the herb garden. No one had asked her to do it, and in fact the gardener had stared at her with astonishment, but Penny had mentioned in passing that she liked it to be tidy. It gave Valerie a nice sense of accomplishment to see the clean lines of plants.
“Sure.” She took the hand Nico offered and tried not to swoon when he lifted her effortlessly to her feet. There were no weird grunts to show how hard he was trying. No pulling her arm out of its socket with a sudden yank. Just a simple hand that brought them close enough to embrace.
Then he released her and handed over her favorite hat. “I saw it down by the dock and I thought you’d want it.”
She put it on happily. She had wanted it.
