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ChapterThirty-Two
Ariana lugged another box to her car, squeezed it in next to the others, and wiped sweat from her forehead.
“Can you fit any more in there?” Rita asked.
Ariana glanced around before closing the door. “Everything’s packed pretty tight. Maybe Damon has room in his.”
Rita ran across the street and spoke with Damon. Despite being knocked unconscious by Ryan, both she and the baby had been given a clean bill of health.
Ariana wiped more sweat from her face. Although it was still spring, it was unseasonably warm for the area. And they were lugging boxes and stuffing cars with them.
She and Damon had gone through everything from Rita’s marriage that she was getting rid of and taken what they might need for when they had a house to move into.
Across the street, construction had already begun. The new foundation had been laid, and now posts and beams formed the first floor.
A flutter of excitement flew from her stomach to her chest as she took in the sight. It would still be a few months before they could move in, but at least it was progress.
Damon came over and gave her a quick kiss. “I’m going to stuff a couple more boxes into the Charger and meet you over at the apartment.”
“Sounds good.” She gave him another kiss and started her car.
Damon and Ariana had decided to rent a place in the same building as Maya and Olivia, rather than continue to take advantage of Charles and Lia’s invitation. They didn’t want to add any more stress on top of what their friends were already dealing with. The couple really needed to focus on themselves for the time being, no matter how happy they said they were for Damon and Ari to keep staying with them.
A half an hour later, everyone gathered in the apartment, checking out the temporary digs. On the balcony, Damon and Charles fired up the grill that had been Boone’s. Ariana poured wine for her and the twins, and sparkling cider for Lia and Rita. Lia was treating her body like a temple as they went through fertility testing and took more steps to try to get pregnant.
And with the hope of being able to conceive on the horizon, both Charles and Lia were in much brighter spirits. Charles’s warrant was no longer an issue. It turned out that a confidential source had provided the police with what were now proven to be forged financial records. Those had led them to believe Charles was involved in a shady and illegal venture. Not only that, Lia had apologized to Rita for overreacting about the affair, and Charles had also made amends with Damon after his outburst.
It all made Ariana realize just how painful trying to get pregnant could be. Lia and Charles hadn’t lashed out like that before to anyone in the whole time she’d known them.
They all toasted to happy endings.
Rita turned to Olivia. “I can’t believe you’re returning to be the Kane’s nanny.”
Olivia, who looked infinitely better after the passing of the two weeks since her rescue and many complimentary meals at Rita’s restaurant, shrugged. “With Ryan in prison and so many murder charges facing him, I won’t have to see him again. I adore the kids, and Brigit has always been good to me. I think me returning will benefit everyone.”
“What about you?” Lia asked Maya.
“I’m not letting my sister out of my sight. We’re permanent roomies now, and I even found a job in Rosy Hills.”
“You did?” Olivia gave her twin a double-take. “When did this happen?”
“I actually just signed the papers before I got here.” Maya grinned. “I’d have said something before, but I didn’t want to jinx anything.”
“Are you going to be a nanny too?” A wide smile spread across Olivia’s face. “We could have so much fun planning playdates for the kids.”
“That would be fun, but no, I’m not going to be a nanny.”
“What then?” Ariana leaned forward, her anticipation burning.
“There’s an elderly gentleman who lives next door to the Kane’s—”
“Mr. Mason,” Olivia said with a smile. “He and his wife are the sweetest people. If I ate all the cookies she offered me, I’d never fit through the door.”
Maya frowned. “Actually, he’s a widower now.”
“No!” Olivia covered her mouth.
“She had a stroke, I’m sorry.” Maya hugged her sister. “He needs help with housekeeping and shopping, so I’m going to take care of that for him.”
