“You think?”
“This cute little teapot, and… Is that a giant metal rooster? Where did you find that?”
“Owen’s junkyard… I got the teapot off eBay and this amazing chair from Dad’s…”
Her navy eyes widen. “If you found any of this in Owen Pepper’s junkyard, I need to get back over there.”
“How are you doing? Are you all done with school?”
“I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.” She puts her hands on her hips, smiling proudly. “I’m a certified massage therapist, specializing in sports therapy, reflexology, and aromatherapy.”
“Aromatherapy!”
“I couldn’t let my flowers go.”
“Well, congratulations! We need to celebrate.”
I’m so happy to see her. Sly is tall, but curvy with pale skin and auburn hair that hangs to her waist. I’ve always wanted to be more like her. She’s smart and fearless, and she’s always been more like a sister to me than a first cousin.
That strange clinking noise draws my attention, and I realize we’re not alone. A little boy is standing in the corner by the door watching us with giant blue eyes. He’s holding a set of keys, which I assume are my cousin’s, and he looks about four.
“Who is this?” I smile and walk over to squat beside him. “Hi, little fella.”
“Daisy, meet Oliver.” The little boy looks at me, not smiling.
“Hi, Oliver!” I pat his little shoulder. He holds out the keys to me, and I smile, taking them. “Did you drive Sly’s car from Charleston?”
He only shakes his little blond head, not speaking. “Well, you’re a cutie.”
I give his hair a gentle muss before going to where my cousin waits, smiling fondly at the little boy. “Who’s Oliver?”
“One of the girls in my class, Courtney? She had some… business… to take care of.” My cousin gives me a look, and I know I’ll have to get the rest of the story when we’re alone. “I offered to keep him for the weekend.”
“Is everything okay?”
She inhales slowly, shaking her head. “I hope so. I’m just being a friend.” Walking to where Oliver is waiting, she claps her hands, and he holds up his arms, jumping as she lifts him onto her hip like it’s the most natural thing in the world. “That’s why I’ve got to get over to Mom’s. This little guy needs breakfast, and we need to get unpacked. You coming over later?”
“I wasn’t planning to, but I will now. I can’t wait to hear all about everything. Are you planning to stay here in Fireside?”
“Haven’t decided. It’ll depend on the market. You know.”
I follow her out and wait at the top step as she unlocks her minivan.
“A minivan?” I can’t help teasing her. “How many kids are you planning to have?”
“Have to be able to get my table around and all my crap.”
“Oh, right.” I wave as she straps the little boy in his booster chair. “See you guys.”
Walking back into the house, I put water in the kettle and prep the coffee. I have a Keurig for when we have guests, but when it’s just me, I use the pour-over.
Scout said he’d stop by today, and my insides are all shaky and nervous. I hate it. We’ve always had more of an easy, laid-back relationship… with me crushing on him from afar. Now after last night’s unexpected moment, I can’t help thinking everything has changed.
Shaking my hands, I start up the stairs. I have to put all that behind me and finish my work on the master suite. I’ve got wallpaper to hang and painting to do. The plumber is coming Monday to finish the tub, and I want to have the bathroom finished this week.
Changing into a pair of ratty sweatpants and an old tee, I jog downstairs to pour my coffee into a Yeti insulated mug and then back up to get started.
My hair is just long enough to be pulled back in a tiny ponytail, I cue up the Xanadu soundtrack on my Spotify, and focus on manual labor and not yesterday’s road trip and what happened afterward.
Wallpaper isn’t hard to hang, especially the peel and stick kind. The hardest part is lining up the lines so it looks like a real drawing. My mind is focused on cutting straight lines and hanging it perfectly, so I don’t even notice it’s after lunch until my phone starts buzzing in my pocket.
“I just made Ma’s famous pimento and cheese.” Sly is on the line. “Take a break and come eat lunch with us.”
A quick check in the mirror says I’m not that big of a mess. “Okay, but just for a half-hour. I want to finish this wallpaper today.”
“Stay as long as you like. We won’t be offended.”
“And I’m in sweats and your old high school PE shirt.”
“Where did you find that old thing?”
“Just saying.”
“No worries. Only family here.”
I’m halfway down the stairs when we disconnect, giving Cosmo a scrub around the ears. He bursts into loud purring, and I hesitate, giving him some longer scratches and chatting at him in my cat-voice.
“Who’s the biggest cat in Fireside?” I lean forward, rubbing my nose against him. “Who’s the biggest cat?”
Aunt Regina’s new house is close enough to walk—like everything in Fireside. The town only has one traffic signal, one main street, and one historic neighborhood, in which the bed and breakfast occupies a prime location.
Her new house is more Tudor style with white stucco lined in dark wooden slats. It reminds me of a ski lodge, and I hear voices yelling in the back yard as I approach. I wonder if Sly found another little boy to play with Oliver.
“Sly? Aunt Regina?” I don’t knock as I enter through the front door.
The house is grand, even more like a ski lodge on the inside with vaulted ceilings and dark wood lining the white walls. An enormous, two-sided fireplace sits between the living room and the kitchen, and the place seems to be deserted.
Sandwich fixings sit on the bar in the kitchen as I skip through to the back door, pulling it open without even looking.
I should’ve looked because all the noise is a pretend football game with Scout running across the yard holding Oliver in his arms.
“And he runs it in for the touchdown!” Scout yells in an announcer-style voice. “The crowd goes wild!” He air-cheers, and Oliver squeals.
“You did it, Ollie!” Sly yells, jumping up and down and clapping from what seems to be the sidelines.
“Do it again!” Oliver bounces on Scout’s hip.
“Again?” Scout rolls him forward like a rocket, running back across the yard and swirling the little boy around as Ollie clutches a toy-sized football giggling the whole way.
It would be cuteness overload if I weren’t standing at the top of the steps looking like a sad little orphan girl in paint-covered sweats and a tee so old it has holes in the armpits. Maybe if I slowly back-step through the door, nobody will even notice I’m—
“Daisy! You made it!” Aunt Regina calls to me from the wrought-iron lawn chair where she’s sitting.
“Daisy!” Sly waves when she sees me.
“Hey…” I swallow the knot in my throat, doing my best not to look at Scout.