Page 5 of Finding Home

Daniel walks up to join us, probably coming around to pick up Shaina, who will talk until dawn if he doesn’t prod her along. Shaina smiles at him, and he gives her a nod, handing her a gift bag. “What is this? You already gave Lizzie a present!”

“This isn’t for Lizzie, dear.” Shaina hands it over, her eyes glossy with tears, but smiling ear to ear. “It’s for you, hun.”

Inside is a large manila envelope. I eye it then her, noting the looks shared between husband and wife. Oh, they are definitely up to something. Pulling out a thick stack of papers, I read the first paragraph and freeze:

The undersigned, Shaina Marie Anderson, hereby agrees to transfer, assign, and convey to Harper G. Murphy, one hundred percent (100%) of her ownership interest in The Driftwood Spa…

“What is this?” My voice is rough like I swallowed gravel. I’m unable to comprehend what I just read. Bree’s eyes are darting between us, and I can tell it is killing her not knowing what’s going on. Silently, without taking my eyes from Shaina and Daniel, I hand it to her. Her gasp is audible when she reads the contract. “I can’t. You can’t. Why?” I can’t seem to put together a complete sentence.

“Oh, we can, and we did,” Shaina announces with a curt nod, like that settles everything. Opening my mouth, I attempt to speak again, but this time, it’s Daniel who speaks up.

“Let us do this, darlin’.” Daniel’s from Texas, and although he loves it here, he has never fully lost the twang that Shaina says still makes her weak in the knees.

Sniffing back tears, Shaina moves her chair beside mine, taking my hand in hers. “When my Quinn passed away, I was sure I would die right alongside her. If it weren’t for Daniel, and Justin, and you, I think I might just have done that.” A single tear tracks down her cheek now lined with wrinkles from a life filled with smiles, laughter, and in recent years, unimaginable grief. “Then in my darkest hour, when I was sure I would never get out of bed again, I got the call that you were in labor. I didn’t think—I just went. Seeing my girl's name, forever a part of your beautiful baby…well, honey, that day, I felt the first little ember of life inside of me again.”

My tears are now flowing freely. I hear a choked sob and laugh when I see Daniel comforting Bree. She has the gentlest heart, a hopeless romantic that cries during every Hallmark movie, ever. This moment feels like a scene from one of those movies, and I’m completely overwhelmed.

“I finally feel alive again, Harper, and Daniel and I have been talking. We want to retire. Travel and spend more time in Washington with Justin.”

I gasp. Justin is Daniel and Shaina’s son. There is no way he’s okay with an outsider being given the family business.

“But what about Justin? Shouldn’t he get the company? Or you could sell it and it would be an inheritance.”

Shaina chuckles. “Who do you think drew up the contract, dear?” Justin is a lawyer in Washington state, and Bree holds up the contract again, pointing at the name on the form.

“It was a family decision.” Shaina turns to look at Daniel, who nods in agreement.

Shaina squeezes my hand. “Don’t think I didn’t see the way you stepped up when my grief left me incapable of running the spa. You sprang into action, taking the place on while preparing to have a baby. Lizzie took her first steps in the hall and wrote her first letters on the walls of the office.” We’re both laughing through our tears at the memory of walking in on Lizzie writing L’s all over the walls in sharpie. On one hand, I was so proud she was writing, but on the other, indelible ink now covered the pale green walls. “It has been my honor to watch the way you have grown these few years, Harper, and I love you so much.”

Both crying ugly tears, we stand and embrace one another. “I can’t imagine the spa without you there.” I shake my head, truly unable to picture it.

“Oh, I’ll still be around and will help whenever needed. Plus, you know me, gotta keep my finger in every pot in this town!”

“If that ain't the truth,” Daniel deadpans, drawing laughter from us all. It is such a warm moment, and my heart feels close to bursting. I miss Quinn so much, our time together was short, but I will be forever grateful for the family she gave me and the kindness she showed when I needed it most. In moments like this, I can almost feel her with us. My heart aches to have her and Cass here, where they should be, celebrating alongside us and sharing these little moments of joy.

Chapter 6

Jace

“So, last night, I had an epiphany—if you will. Bay windows.” He ends his statement in a dramatic whisper, and I can just picture his hands gesturing wide in front of him. Exhaling hard through my nose, I take off my ball cap, raking my hands through my hair before answering. This is the third call from Gary this week, with some new great idea for the small shopping strip development he hired me to do. As a contractor, I’m used to wishy-washy clients, but this dude takes the cake.

“Bay windows, huh?” Gary goes off on a long-winded speech about his inspiration. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I work to keep calm. The soft snick of my office door opening draws my attention. Blake, my foreman and right-hand man, strides in. He takes one look at me and drops into the chair in front of my desk, depositing the armload of newly made blueprints for the project with a groan. Scribbling on a sticky note, I flash it to him.

Bay windows

Blake rolls his eyes dramatically but settles in. His leg jiggles restlessly as he waits to hear what Gary will say next.

“What do you think, genius, right?” Gary finally takes a breath.

“Well, bay windows are nice, but might I remind you, we break ground in less than two weeks. We’ve already ordered the display storefront windows with the decorative trim you requested last week. Plus, you said having awnings was a must so people could congregate away from the weather throughout the year. Those also were ordered weeks ago. Bay windows will stick out far enough that awnings will not be an option, according to the town guidelines, as they would block the sidewalks.”

Blake has unrolled the plans and is jamming his fingers at the window plans that were already signed off on. I switch the phone onto speaker so Blake can hear, too.

“Oh, that’s right. Well, that is very disappointing. If we scrap the awnings and display windows, pivoting to bay windows, would that set us back on our timeline?”

What the actual fuck? Blake mouths at the phone, and I have to cover my mouth to stifle the laugh. “I’d have to check with our supplier, but based on the previous order, I would say that would set us back at least a month.”

“Hmm, hold tight, Jace. I’ll call you back.” The line disconnects without a goodbye.