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“Well, part of it.” Hannah grinned and tilted her head, her expression becoming serious. “I’m here if you want to talk.”
“I know,” Nicky said with a grateful nod. “I’m just not ready to talk about it.”
“Okay,” Hannah accepted that. “But you know what I would like?”
“If it’s to meet your new niece, you have a couple of hours to wait,” Nicky warned her. “Riley is out with her grandmother and great-grandmother.”
“Oh, no!” Hannah gave an exaggerated sigh. “Now, I’ll never meet her.”
“Don’t laugh.” Nicky sighed. “Mom and Gran are Riley hogs.”
“Then why don’t you take me and show me what you’ve done with that bookstore I found for you,” Hannah suggested.
“I don’t know,” Nicky said, her heart jolting at the thought of returning to the bookstore.
“Come on.” Hannah did the pleading routine, which meant she wasn’t giving up on the idea, and Nicky would cave in before Hannah did.
“Fine.” Nicky wasn’t in the mood to try and win a round with Hannah. “But we’ll have to be quick.”
“Okay.” Hannah shot to her feet and pulled Nicky up. She frowned and looked around. “Where is your faithful companion?”
“He, too, has found new companions,” Nicky told her. “He’s having a sleepover with Jade and Gemma.”
“Gemma, as in Sam and Harry’s daughter?” Hannah asked.
“Yes.” Nicky nodded. “And Jade is Mike Sullivan’s niece.”
“Ah, okay,” Hannah said, linking her arms through Nicky’s and guiding her toward the house.
“Wait, I thought you wanted to go to the bookstore,” Nicky said, pointing toward the way.
“Not with you looking like a melting Panda bear.” Hannah pointed to Nicky’s running mascara. “Good grief. I’ll have nightmares taking you out looking like that.”
“No one is going to see us,” Nicky protested as her sister dragged her into the house.
“I will!” Hannah shuddered. “You know how spooked I get by running mascara.” She gave Nicky a disgusted look. “It gives me the creeps.”
Nicky sighed and let Hannah fix up her make-up, but stopped Hannah from putting gloss on her lips.
“No!” Nicky swatted Hannah’s hand away. “That’s enough.” She shook her head. “I no longer look like a murdering panda bear. Now, can we go?”
“Sure,” Hannah said.
They walked to the bookstore with Hannah regaling Nicky with stories about her life in Palm Beach.
“So, you’re still going ahead with the wedding?” Nicky asked Hannah as they neared the bookstore, trying to keep her mind from flashing back to what happened there a few hours ago.
“Yes!” Hannah nodded. “This time, I’m certain Vincent is the one, and I can’t wait to marry him so we can start our life together.”
“Then I’m happy for you,” Nicky smiled at her sister. “You deserve to be happy, sister. And if Vincent is the one that will make you happy, I’m happy.”
“Thanks, sis.” Hannah hugged her.
Nicky frowned when she looked through the store’s glass doors and saw a soft glow.
“What is that?” Nicky was about to step forward to get a closer look through the glass door, but Hannah stopped.
“Okay, now don’t be mad!” Hannah held up her hands. “But—”
