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I’m surprised when she pulls me in for a hug, and I quickly hug her back.
“Everything smells great, Tessa. Do you need any help?” Paisley asks.
She steps out of our embrace and shakes her head. “No, no. Everything’s under control. I was just checking on the turkey. Come on. Everyone is in the living room.”
She smiles at me before walking out of the kitchen, beckoning us to follow her. The voices and laughter get louder as we make our way through the house. When she pushes open the door to the living room, Ashlyn jumps up from where she’s sitting.
“Taylor! It’s so good to see you again.”
She rushes toward me and pulls me into a hug. “It’s good to see you too, Ashlyn.”
“Paisley said you’d finally made the move to Hope Creek. Now that you’re back, we’ll have to arrange a night out.”
“I’d love that.”
“We’ll get a date sorted this afternoon.”
“A date sorted for what?” Paisley asks, stepping out of a hug with Henry, Nash’s dad.
“Girls’ night. You’ll come, won’t you?”
“Of course. We could ask Bree and Sophie too.”
“Ask me what?” a voice says from across the living room. I turn to see Sophie walking toward us. My eyes fall to her rounded stomach, and I smile.
“Hi, Sophie. You look great,” I tell her.
“Thank you. I think I’m finally at the glowing stage. It just took me a while to get there.” She laughs, and I smile.
“Congratulations on getting married. Paisley showed me some photos. It looked amazing.”
“It was.” She looks across to where Cade is talking to his dad. “It still feels a little surreal, if I’m honest.” Her hand strokes her swollen stomach.
“I’m so happy for you.”
Paisley told me a little about Sophie and Cade’s relationship and what they’d endured to finally be together. I’m glad they managed to get their happy ever after, and with a baby on the way, there’s still so much to come for them.
“It’s good to have you back in Hope Creek. I know how much Paisley missed you,” Sophie says.
“I think she’ll be sick of me soon if I spend much longer on her sofa.”
She frowns. “What happened to the house you were renting?”
“It fell through. I’d already given notice on my apartment in Pittsburgh, and Nash and Paisley insisted I stay with them. I flew in a couple of days ago. I’m hoping I can find somewhere soon. I don’t want to overstay my welcome.”
“Like that would ever happen,” Paisley says from behind me.
“So, girls’ night,” Ashlyn exclaims. “Should I count you in, Soph? We can decide later whether it’s a night at my place watching movies or a night of dancing at Eden.”
“Sure. I’m up for either,” Sophie says. “Talking of Eden. Is Seb coming today? I haven’t seen him in ages.”
“He said he was. Maybe he’s just running late,” Paisley suggests.
After a round of hellos, we sit down. There’s not enough room for us all to sit on the sofas, so I opt for the floor, watching as Nash sits down on the loveseat and pulls Paisley onto his lap. He tugs her gently against his chest and whispers something in her ear, her cheeks flushing pink at his words. I might have only spent a relatively short time with the two of them, but it’s easy to see how much Nash adores Paisley, and I know she feels the same about him. After everything she went through back in Pittsburgh with her ex-husband, seeing her so happy with Nash warms my heart. She deserves every second.
I sit quietly while they all talk, feeling a little melancholy. The last couple of Thanksgivings I’d spent at the nursing home with my mom. While the staff looking after her had been incredible, it was lonely, especially last year when she had no idea who I was and kept asking me to leave. I’m grateful Nash and Paisley invited me today. Spending the day alone would have sucked.
“Taylor,” Paisley says, pulling me back to the present. “Come with me. I want to show you something.” She climbs off Nash’s lap and holds out her hand.
