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"I'm not planning on making babies with anyone anytime soon, Mom. And Clover Weston isn't a threat to me or to our family."
"She is if she takes away that gym you've been working so hard to buy. Amelia told me she's been using underhanded tactics to try to steal it from you."
Damn it. I should have known better than to talk to Amelia about anything I don't want my parents to know. "I was angry when I said that to Amelia. Clover and I are actually going to be working together."
Mom gets to her feet. "I can't sit here and listen to this nonsense. Don't toss away all your sense for a pretty face and pert boobies."
"Mom! You did not just say boobies to me."
She cackles with laughter. "I'll say it again to see that look on your face. Now, go play with Harper. She's about the only woman I trust you to have any sense around."
She gives Harper a goodbye kiss and heads off across the park toward Southern Roots, which is less than a block away. I take her advice and chase Harper around the playground, helping her climb on everything she can reach, and dig in the sandbox with her until we're both tired. Then I take her back to her house, feed her an early lunch, and nap when she does.
All in all, I'd say the life of a three-year-old is pretty damn good.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Clover
Iyawn as I step into the kitchen Tuesday morning. It smells like sugar and cinnamon and berries since Dani has been in here baking for the bookstore for an hour already.
My stomach rumbles at the smell, but I can't eat anything before a workout. My knee is stiff and sore after an extra long run yesterday, so I'm up even earlier than necessary to stretch it out and warm it up before my run with Asher. I'm not expecting him to last very long, anyway.
"Coffee's in the pot," Dani says. She's standing at the counter, still in her pajamas, her hair under a cap she wears in the kitchen, stirring something by hand at a speed close to what her stand mixer achieves. I need to get Dani to try some yoga poses that require upper body strength. I bet she'd be amazing.
I'm filling a mug with coffee when Honey slams into the kitchen so loudly I nearly pour coffee right onto my hand.
"I did it," Honey shouts. "Dani, you have to see this."
"Bring it over here, because I can't stop stirring."
"Hey, Clover," Honey says as she breezes past me.
"Good morning," I say. "You're up early."
"I've been up all night working on my Bigfoot mug."
Dani keeps stirring as Honey holds the mug up for her to inspect. I take my coffee and step closer, as I sip. Honey's mug is shaped like the foot of a Bigfoot. It's glazed brown and looks incredibly lifelike even down to the gnarly, overgrown toenails.
"It's delightfully grotesque," Dani says. "I think you've nailed it."
Honey cheers and holds it out so I can see it better. "What do you think? My boss at the diner, Diana, said she'll try to sell them if I can come up with something suitably unique."
"You've definitely nailed unique," I say. Honey has such a creative talent. "You should give one to Grant for his birthday."
"Yes!" Dani says. "He'll absolutely hate it."
"And set one aside for me," I say. "I'll buy one."
"I'm making one for each of us, including Henry, Noah, Max, and Asher. As much as Bigfoot shows up around here, we all ought to be drinking out of his foot."
Honey bounces out the back door, probably heading to the small barn where she has her pottery wheel and tools set up.
"Where does she get all that energy?" I ask as I inhale another sip of coffee.
"She's only twenty-two. She's still a child."
I snort. Dani is only twenty-five and I'm a year younger. We're hardly ancient. "At what age does that child-like energy run out? Twenty-three? Twenty-two and a half?"
