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It had been a month since Lawson proposed, and yet Nora still found herself pausing to admire her engagement ring as if he’d just slipped it onto her finger. Solid as they had been their first go-round, his promises had never culminated in something so tangible. It wasn’t everything. The man himself and the role he now played in her life meant more than a piece of jewelry, but it was a precious symbol she appreciated as a milestone in their journey.
“Mommy…” Evie’s voice pulled her from her thoughts, and she looked at the grocery list she’d abandoned before focusing her attention onto her daughter as she approached the kitchen table.
“What is it, Evie-B?”
“I can’t find my socks.”
Nora glanced at the time on her phone in an effort to assess just how long they had to debate the topic ofsocks.
“Evie, I’m sure you have plenty of socks in your drawer.”
“But I want the pink ones.”
“You wore your pink ones on Monday, baby. You’ll have to choose another pair.”
She sighed disappointedly but lingered at her mother’s side. “Mommy?”
Nora fought a smile. “Yes, Evie?”
“Is daddy takin’ me to Aunt DeeDee’s today?”
Appreciative of her daughter’s longing, Nora grazed the back of her finger down Evie’s cheek as she replied, “Not today, mini-me. He’s still sleepin’.”
Her disappointment now doubled, her little shoulders slumped as she grumbled, “He’s always sleepin’.”
Nora forgave Evie’s pouting because she could relate. His assignment that week had been temporary but still altogether undesirable. He was working nights on a private security detail up in Brentwood. They had barely seen each other in passing with their opposing schedules. If they didn’t share the same bed, Nora doubted they would have seen each other at all. Fortunately for everyone, he was resting off his last shift.
“He’s notalwayssleepin’. He’s just been at work whileyou’resleepin’ this week. Mommy’s going to drop you off this mornin’, but daddy will pick you up this afternoon, okay?”
“He’s gonna pick me up?” she exclaimed, her eyes bright in anticipation.
“He sure is. Now, go get your socks and shoes on.”
Evie obediently returned to her room to finish getting dressed while Nora returned her focus to her grocery list. She was just about to set it aside when she realized something was missing—something she hadn’t needed in a few weeks.
Abandoning her list, she searched for the calendar app on her phone. It was the last Friday in January, and she hadn’t yet had a period. Scrolling back a month, she tried to remember when her cycle had hit in December. She’d been celibate for so long; she didn’t track her menstruation to the day. She was regular enough to ball-park a guess, but so much had happened in the last month and half that she’d been too busy to think about it until now.
She was definitely late—but did that mean she was pregnant or just…late?
Her first instinct wasn’t to panic. In fact, she felt more curious than alarmed; but before she could dwell on it for too long, Evie returned. When she announced she was finally fully dressed, Nora realized she wasn’t. Aware of the time and the day ahead, she carefully stored her curiosity on a shelf in her mind and finished getting ready herself.
Mitzi’s new store front in the Town Square was scheduled to open in less than two weeks. Nora loved Sterling Thread; not merely because her best friend was the designer behind the brand or even because the new store was another excuse to keep Mitzi local. It was also because the clothes were amazing and the fragrance line was, by far, her favorite. She was looking forward to the possibility of walking half a block to pick up a bottle of Sterling Mist when she needed a refill, rather than having to order online.
That said, there was still lots to be done at the shop before the grand opening. Nora had cleared her schedule that afternoon, as had Jay and Billie, in order to provide some additional support for Mitzi. Her business partners were in Brooklyn, holding down the fort at her flagship boutique, and wouldn’t be in town until a couple days before the hometown opening. It was certainly a lot of excitement for Shelbyville, and Nora-Jean was incredibly proud of the woman she called her closest friend.
A busy afternoon with her girls on the books, and three clients scheduled in her chair at Sweet Tease that morning, what quiet she’d managed to find prior to leaving the apartment was soon forgotten as she and Evie climbed in the car and headed for her aunt and uncle’s house. Evie’s day promised to hold its own adventure with a trip to the local library on Darlene’s list of activities for the morning. Anxious to be on her way, Evie was quick to kiss her mother goodbye before they parted ways.
On her drive to the center of town, rather than think about what it would mean if she was currently pregnant, her mindconjured memories of when she found out she was pregnant with Evie. The reality of motherhood and all she and Evie had lived through made her initial fear seem almost laughable. Back then, the idea of being a first-time mom and facing it on her own was overwhelmingly daunting. Now, it felt almost miraculous how loving her daughter had been enough to get her through the difficulty of it all. Challenging or lonely as life had been at times, Evie was worth it, and Nora was quite proud to call herself Evelyn Belle’smommy.
In spite of their circumstances, her sweet girl now had a father, too.
Just like her mother, Evie had fallen hard and fast for the one and only Lawson Steele.
If she was pregnant, having Lawson at her side would eradicate even the possibility of fear. Over the past several weeks, Nora was not only reminded of what it felt like to walk through life with Lawson, she was also gifted with glimpses of the man he’d grown into. He was a provider, in every sense of the word, and a pillar on which their family could stand. Seeing who he’d become, and getting to be on the receiving end, was how Nora found herself falling in love with him all over again.
As soon as she walked into the salon, Nora was sucked into conversation with Arizona and Clem, causing her to put aside her preoccupations yet again. When her clients arrived one by one, they too were a distraction as she chatted with whomever filled her chair. Before she knew it, half the day had gone. She was on the tail end of cleaning up her workstation when Jay walked through the front doors.
Arizona, who trimmed Jay’s pixie cut every six weeks like clockwork, turned at the sound of the bell ringing over the door and frowned when she spotted the tall brunette. “Are you back for an appointment already? I could have sworn we had another week before you were due.”
