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“Always?” Keri asked nervously.
“Always.”
“Good. I like it here.” That was all I needed to hear to know that no matter how things played out with Val, I would make Carson Creek home for the foreseeable future.
“Me too.” We dug into the pizza and the nuggets quietly for several long, peaceful minutes before the next round of chitchat began.
“What color are you wearing for the dance, Keri?” Bridget smiled around another bite of pizza, shocking the hell out of me. Who knew little girls ate this much?
Keri finished chewing and sighed heavily. “Well, I don’t rightly know. I guess I’ll find something red in my closet, that’s the Valentine’s Day color right?”
“No.” The word came out harsher than I meant it to, and all three sets of eyes turned to me. “I mean you can get whatever color you want, because we’ll go shopping to find you something special for the dance.”
“Special? For a dance? But, why?” Her brows dipped into a low vee of confusion.
“Because it’s your first big event in your new town with your new friends. You want to make an impression, don’t you?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Do I?”
“Totally,” Bridget enthused. “That way you’ll have another pretty dress in your closet.
“Can I wear it again and not seem lame?”
Belle nodded. “I just wear all my dresses with leggings and add sneakers, that way Mom doesn’t complain about buying so many dresses.”
“Hmph, recycling. I like it.” Keri turned to me with a smile so much like my sister’s it was like a gut-punch. “All right Uncle Trey, we can go shopping. Again.”
As the girls launched into talk of lip gloss colors and flavors, hairstyles and how much makeup they could get away with wearing, I realized how out of my depth I was as a parent. These girls knew so much more than I did when I was their age. I learned so many lessons the hard way, on the road in front of strangers who didn’t give a damn about me. But these three, they had each other and that, all on its own, was special.
“There won’t be any dates or boyfriends at this dance, will there?”
“No,” Bridget said in a disappointed tone. “Mom says we’re too young to date. But that just means that we get to dance with all the boys. All of them,” she repeated with a wistful sigh.
“Not too many,” I offered hesitantly, and they all giggled.
The laughter was interrupted by another ring of the doorbell, and I wondered if I now lived in the busiest home in all of Carson Creek. “You forget something?”
The same delivery kid from earlier smiled. “Nope, must be that handsome mug of yours bringing all the gifts to the yard.” He snickered at his joke. “Just sign here.”
I did as asked and shut the door, only to almost collide with three curious little girls. “What is it?” Keri demanded.
“Who sent it?” Belle and Bridget asked at the same time.
“Don’t know,” I answered though I had a pretty good idea.
“Well, open it up!” Keri urged with a teasing smile.
I set the box down and laughed at the contents. A teddy bear-shaped cookie jar filled with pecan praline cookies, all being held by a bear almost as big as Keri. The note in the bear’s paw read, “Thank you for helping me find my confidence. I hope it’s not too late. V.”
“What does the card say?” Bridget bounced up and down with excitement, trying to peek at the card.
“That’s personal.”
“Oooooh,” she shot back. “That means its mushy. Tell us, please?”
“Pretty please,” Keri added in earnest.
“I’ll share with you if you all share with me the Valentine’s cards you’ve gotten from boys.”
Each girl groaned and returned to the kitchen with disappointed expressions.
I smiled down at the note in my hands. It wasn’t too late for my chance with Val, and that meant one thing.
I needed a new suit.
And a plan.
Chapter 25
Valona
“Girls, I’m going next door for a quick minute to ask Trey a question. Stay inside.” My hands were sweaty and my heart hammered inside my chest as I prepared to apologize to Trey for being a massive idiot.
“He’s not home,” Belle shouted down the steps a moment before she and Bridget appeared at the top of the stairs.
“How do you know? And what are you doing?” Belle’s hair was straight on one side and curly on the other, while Bridget’s hair was wavy on one side and in rollers on the other.
Bridget smile. “We’re trying out different hairstyles for the dance. It’s this weekend, Mom.”
“I know that,” I shot back, half wondering if I also needed to try out different styles before the big night arrived. “Where’s Trey?” And why on earth did I have to ask my daughters this question?
“Nashville,” Belle offered with a shrug.
“He took Keri shopping for a new dress for the dance. She was so excited Mom, she thought she’d have to wear something she already owns.” Her smile was adorable. “I can’t wait to see it!”
