“We have to.” Colie shifted her own armful—Cade—and pulled open the front door. “Hurry up. She’ll wake up any minute.”
“She’s already awake.”
At the sound of Jenessa’s voice, both girls whirled and Cade let out a squeal at the quick movement, dimples she hadn’t noticed last night peeking from both cheeks. Oh, he was adorable. And a spitting image of Violet, whose sleep-tousled blond hair, large green eyes, and full cheeks made for an even cuter picture in the light of day than they had last night.
Only Colie glared at Jenessa, long lashes rimming her narrowed gaze and her hold on her brother tightening. She didn’t say a word.
“You don’t have to leave. Especially without breakfast.”
“Colie says we’ll eat breakfast later. But I don’t think it’s going to be good.” Violet wrinkled her nose as she plopped the pillowcase on the floor. A metal can rolled out.
“Green beans, huh? Not my preferred breakfast either.”
“Colie says we weren’t stealing. Just borrowing.”
Jenessa took a few steps closer. “Did Colie also happen to mention where you’re going?”
“It’s not really any of your business.”
Oh, so Colie had decided to speak, had she? “Hate to argue with you, but considering it’s my cottage you trespassed in, my guest bedroom you slept in last night, and”—she glanced at the bulging pillowcase—“my pantry you apparently raided, I think it might be my business, after all.” It was all she could do to keep from smiling. Something told her Colie would not appreciate her amusement at their attempted getaway.
The older girl bent to let Cade slide free. “We’ll pay you back when we can.”
“I’ve got a better idea. Stick around for a little bit. Have some breakfast. I’m no Betty Crocker, but I can whip up something a little more appetizing than canned green beans.”
Cade had begun crawling across the entryway and he reached Jenessa just as Colie opened her mouth, an argument clearly at the ready. But she paused as Jenessa knelt in front of Cade. Because she’d realized cold vegetables wouldn’t work for her baby brother’s morning meal?
Or perhaps she was smart enough to know Jenessa might be pretending to give her a choice, but there wasn’t a chance she was about to let three kids simply wander off.
“I want to stay, Colie.” Violet looked up at her sister, a pleading in her emerald eyes. “I like Jessa.”
Jessa. Same shortened version of her name the little girl had used last night when she’d wandered into the hallway, heavy-lidded and half asleep. It’d been enough to capture Jenessa’s heart in the moment—and it seemed it was enough now to soften Colie at least somewhat. Because after another moment of hesitation, she finally nodded.
Then marched forward and scooped up Cade. “But don’t get attached. We’re not staying long.” With that, she disappeared into the sitting room.
Jenessa couldn’t help it then—she let out a grin. “Not sure if she was talking to you or me, Violet.”
Violet’s dimples were a perfect match for Cade’s. “You can call me Vi if you want.”
“All right, Vi.” She stretched over the little girl to close the front door, a blast of cold air catching her before it latched. She reached for whatever jacket or sweatshirt she’d left on the staircase railing last time she came in the house and slid it on, then picked up the pillowcase. “Shall we go see what we can find for breakfast?”
Violet grinned up at her and took hold of her free hand. “I really like Pop-Tarts. And cereal. Cheerios are okay but my favorite is the kind with the colored circles.”
“Froot Loops?”
Violet nodded as they entered the sitting room. “But the best breakfast is donuts with sprinkles.”
Hmm, maybe Jenessa could run up to the bakery to grab a box of donuts. But no, she could hardly leave the kids here alone, not with the possibility of them running off again. She couldn’t pile them into her car either. Cade would need a car seat and probably Vi too and—
She stopped in the middle of the room, a sudden realization trekking through her. Something was off about the room. It was different. It was . . . clean. Not clean as in dusted and vacuumed, but clean as in no boxes. Not a single one. No displaced knickknacks either. No pile of newspapers on the chaise lounge.
She started moving again, fingers still closed around Vi’s hand. She gasped as they stepped into the music room. Same thing—no boxes or bags or stacks. None of the untidy chaos she was used to.
What . . . who . . . how?
And why did this jacket smell like something spiced and woodsy? She glanced down. Oh, it wasn’t her jacket at all. It was a hooded sweatshirt. Lucas’s probably.
The slam of a screen door echoed through the house. She darted toward the kitchen once more, pacing her steps solely for the sake of little Vi at her side.
She halted in the doorway at the sight of Mara and Marshall together in the center of the kitchen, plopping a heap of overflowing grocery sacks on the island counter. Mara broke into a grin and unzipped her fleece coat. “Hey, you’re awake. And the kids are too, I see.”
“And you’re . . . here.” The overly long sleeves of Lucas’s hoodie dangled at her sides. Colie had already settled into the breakfast nook, Cade on her lap and a look of impatience etched into her face. Violet ran over to them. Jenessa looked back to Mara.
Marshall gave a small wave. “Morning, Jen.” He came around the counter to squeeze his fiancée’s shoulder. “I’ll get the rest of the bags.” He left through the kitchen’s side door.
“I don’t understand. What are you doing here?”
Mara opened a sack and started pulling out items. “Well, you’ve got company. And according to Lucas, there wasn’t much in your fridge, so we thought we’d get you stocked up. Don’t even try to protest or insist on paying me back.” Her grin widened. “Besides, Marshall paid.”
Jen plodded to the counter as Violet joined Colie. “But . . . why? Did you make the coffee, too?”
Mara shook her head. “I think Lucas got it ready and used the delay-brew setting.”
The coffeepot had a delay-brew setting? And wait . . . Lucas. The cleaned-up rooms. That was his doing, wasn’t it? Goodness, he had to have spent half the night here. Maybe the whole night.
She dropped onto a stool, thoroughly flummoxed, tangled hair flopping about her shoulders.
Mara pulled a bag of apples from a sack. “We just got a few staples. It was Lucas’s suggestion. I only saw him for a minute this morning before he left to take someone to the airport. Some guy from out East who checked in yesterday. He knows him, apparently.”
Lucas had someone in town visiting him? He hadn’t mentioned that last night. Must be the reason he hadn’t shown up for the engagement party. “It’s weird to think of Lucas having friends other than us. And talk about a fast visit. The guy just checked in yesterday and he’s already leaving?”
Mara shrugged and carried an armful of produce to the fridge. “I think Lucas left a note for you.” She nudged her head toward the refrigerator door, where a magnet held a scribbled message in place.