Page 30 of Love Like Ours

Juliette nodded thoughtfully. “That could be sweet. Or we could do a memory game with baby items on a tray. You know, see who’s the most observant.”

Sophia smiled. “Now that’s sounds fun.”

Their conversation was interrupted when the waiter arrived and set down a pot of jasmine tea and their plates—sweet-and-sour chicken for Juliette and Sophia’s favorite, Mongolian beef.

As they dug in, they continued brainstorming, bouncing ideas off each other effortlessly. Between bites, they mapped out the games, sketched a rough timeline for the shower, and debated the merits of a cupcake tower versus a traditional cake. They went with the cupcakes. Pink and blue options since the sex wasn’t going to be revealed.

By the time they were finished eating, Sophia felt excited for the baby shower day to come.

“Alright, what’s next?” Juliette asked as they walked back to the car, the leftover containers balanced precariously in her arms.

Sophia glanced at her watch. “How about we head back to Pride and swing by the florist to check out what they can put together for floral arrangements for the tables?”

Juliette grinned. “Lead the way. I’m officially your baby shower assistant for the day.”

Sophia laughed as she started the car.

The drive back to Pride was filled with more laughter and even more brainstorming. By the time they reached Pride, Sophia felt like she could finally tackle the rest of the planning. With Juliette helping her, she’d almost been able to ignore the pain of losing her mother all day long. Almost.

They had taken almost a full hour at All in Bloom, Pride’s flower shop, picking out the flowers that would decorate the tables. They would be delivered to her house the morning of the baby shower.

After dropping off Juliette and unloading all of the bags onto her kitchen counter, she took a step back to survey the mountain of supplies they had purchased. Plates, napkins, balloons, ribbons, and an assortment of other decorations covered every surface. It felt like an overwhelming task, but at least she was making progress.

She grabbed a glass of water and stepped outside onto her small deck. The early evening air was cool and carried the warm scent of salt from the ocean. Her backyard was quiet, save for the gentle rustling of leaves in the breeze and the crash of the waves on the beach. Despite her earlier concerns about the space, she could picture how it would all come together—the string lights and candles twinkling, the tables set just right, and the fire pit crackling in the grass.

But she needed a break from planning for a while.

She kicked off her shoes, grabbed a light sweater, and headed out towards the beach. The sand was soft and cool beneath her feet. The sun was just starting to dip below the horizon, casting shades of orange and pink in the sky. Walking along the shore always helped her clear her mind, and tonight was no different.

With each step she took, her shoulders relaxed more. Her breathing settled and her mind cleared.

Beach therapy, the best kind of therapy in the world.

As she rounded a bend near a cluster of dunes, she spotted a familiar figure in the distance. Palmer was tossing a stick for Loki, who bounded enthusiastically through the shallow waves to retrieve it.

Sophia hesitated for a moment, but Loki noticed her. The dog let out a joyful bark and then bolted towards her, the stick still clamped in his mouth.

“Hey, Loki!” she called, bending down to greet him as he skidded to a stop in front of her, tail wagging furiously.

Palmer watched them, his face breaking into a smile when he saw her. “Fancy meeting you here,” he said when he walked over to join them.

“Hey,” she replied, scratching behind Loki’s ears. “I’m taking a much needed break to get some fresh air.”

“Same,” Palmer said, glancing at Loki. “This one gets antsy if he doesn’t get his evening run on the beach.”

Sophia straightened, brushing sand off her hands. “It’s nice out tonight. Peaceful. Warm finally.”

Palmer nodded. “It is. So, how’s the baby shower planning going? Juliette didn’t wear you out too much, did she?”

“How’d you hear about that?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Small town. I had a job at her parents’ place this morning. After you picked her up.”

Sophia laughed and felt stupid suddenly. Pride was such a small town, of course everyone always knew what was going on.

“She tried. But thankfully, we got a lot done. I’m hosting the big event this weekend in my backyard, so it’s a little... cramped, but it’ll work.”

“Cramped or cozy?” Palmer teased.