AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Mr. Woodson shrugs, his smile wide as he watches the boys.
Chase eventually breaks away from my side, telling me and Mom to go into the A/C so the guys can finish unloading the furniture.
I don’t hesitate to take him up on his offer, and the boys, along with Nanuk, think the offer of cold water and a snack is the best idea ever.
“I love seeing you happy,” Mom says after I’ve gotten the boys settled at the breakfast nook.
“I love being happy.”
“Are we thinking a fall wedding or will you be waiting until spring?”
“Mom!” I snap, but I can’t manage to drop the smile from my face.
“Fall,” Chase says, his smile wide as he walks toward me and presses a sweat-salty kiss to my lips before pulling open the fridge door and grabbing several bottles of water for him and our dads. “The sooner the better, as far as I’m concerned.”
“We have a lot to discuss,” I tell my mother, rolling my eyes at Chase.
“We do. Like I was thinking the old carriage house would be perfect for your office. It’s far enough away that nosy clients can’t peek through our windows, but close enough in case you want to show them how you’ve decor—I mean designed—our home.”
“Office?”
“I figured you wanted to work. I mean, you don’t have to. I have enough money, and eventually the store will be profitable and I’ll be able to actually be paid.”
“The store is for sale,” Mr. Woodson says.
“Are you saying you won’t sell it to me?”
It’s Mr. Woodson’s turn to grow a little glassy-eyed. “Are you saying you aren’t leaving town?”
I look over at Chase. A lot depends on his answer.
I feel a little choked up myself that Mr. Woodson is more concerned about where his family is going to be than continuing the legacy of his hardware store.
“Easier to run my hardware store from Lindell, Pop. Don’t you think?”
Mr. Woodson clears his throat. “Yeah, son. That would make it a lot easier.”
Chapter 43
Chase
“Listen, you opened that can of worms. You just have to deal with it,” Madison says, her lips pressed to my chest. I love the tickle each word makes as she speaks.
“I didn’t open anything. The question was asked, and I answered it.”
“You,” she says, lifting up and back a few inches so she can press her finger into my chest, “weren’t asked anything. You butted your nose into our conversation.”
“She’s moving faster than I can. I thought we’d get to choose some of this stuff.”
“She simply said that everyone in the South uses sunflowers for their fall wedding, and maybe we should consider something else. Besides, I figured you wouldn’t want to be involved.”
“Wouldn’t want to be involved? I want to help with everything. It’sourwedding, Madison.”
Her smile is soft, and it reveals more about her past than I imagine she thinks it does.
Her mother might’ve mentioned that her ex didn’t want to be involved in the wedding planning, but even if she hadn’t brought it up, I’d still want to be a part of it. That man was trying to hide the fact that he was draining her dry and living a double life. He had no problem getting involved in the wedding plans with the woman he truly wanted.
“You’re everything. You know that, don’t you?” One of these days, she’s going to be able to look at me and not feel lucky because she’ll know this is what she deserves. One day, I’m going to have loved her enough that she knows her worth and value.
