Page 121 of When Love Takes Root

She looked down at the creamer, then back at me. “You thought about them?”

“I think about what comes with you.”

The kitchen got quiet.

Then she looked away and laughed softly. “Kayden might bring a clipboard.”

“I’ll have coffee ready.”

“He doesn’t drink coffee.”

“He will after questioning me for two hours.”

Her laugh moved through my kitchen as if it belonged there.

We ate at the dining table with the back blinds open to the patio. She noticed my basil, then the thyme, then the lavender Mama had bullied me into planting and I’d started pretending not to love.

“You have plants.”

“I do.”

“By choice or because your mama threatened you?”

“Both can be true.”

She laughed. “Yolanda Brooks sounds like she gets results.”

“She does.”

“I like her already.”

“She likes what she’s heard.”

Celeste looked down at her plate. “She doesn’t know me.”

“Not yet.”

“What did you tell her?”

“That you love your children, run your business with care, ask good questions, and laugh like you forgot you were allowed to for a second.”

She stared at me.

I took a sip of water. “Also, that you were bossy about wiring for somebody who called me for help.”

Her mouth dropped open. “I wasn’t bossy.”

“You took notes.”

“That’s responsible.”

“You asked follow-up questions.”

“That’s intelligent.”

“You looked at me like I’d personally offended the outlets.”

“Because the outlets were offending me.”