“He bought chalkboards?” She stared at the six-foot high trifold panels that looked like something a professional sports team would use in the locker room to draw up plays.
“The backs are filled with writing,” Ally whispered excitedly. “I peeked.”
“I don’t get it.” She watched one of the other guys fill a new bookcase with brand-new hardcover titles. “Fifty Most Romantic Dates,” she read aloud. “Best Weekend Trips: Southeast U.S.What is all this stuff?”
“It’s his plan.” Mrs. Finley stood in the doorway, her hands covering her mouth as she stared at the strange assortment of things her husband had ordered for the room.
Sarah had thought she’d seen tears in the older woman’s eyes earlier in the day at Last Chance Vintage, but now there was no doubt. Rivulets streamed down both cheeks.
She hurried over to stand on her one side while Ally stood on her other.
“It’s okay Mom, right?” Ally asked, brushing aside a strand of hair from her mom’s face. “This is a good thing, isn’t it?”
Mrs. Finley nodded, a sort of hysterical laugh breaking through the tears.
“I told your father he had no plan to save our marriage. That we’d never figure it out if we didn’t do something different.”
The delivery guys seemed to becomeaware of the developing drama and the oldest—the gray-haired man who’d told Ally it might be better to surprise her—quickly flipped over one of the chalkboards.
The other two men did the same, until the room was crammed full of words.
“Take date nights. See reference shelf one.” Ally read the first board and hugged Mrs. Finley. “There are footnotes, Mom.”
Mrs. Finley laughed harder. And cried more.
Sarah felt a little like she didn’t belong in their private moment. But hey, no one told her to leave, and it was sort of awesome soaking in the happiness of a special day. A happy mom.
Actually, maybe it hurt a little inside, too. Ached some and felt good.
What pained her most wasn’t missing her mom. It hurt more to think about her dad not having moments like this. She moved away from Ally and her mom to look out the window of the games room, back toward Erin’s house.
Through the rain, she could see lights were on. Downstairs…and up.
Was her father still there?
She hoped Heartache would be good luck for him and bring him happiness. She wished it with all her might.
Chapter Sixteen
“It was thesweetest thing ever.” Sarah sighed happily the next day as she finished telling Erin her version of Scott’s gift to Bethany.
Erin had already heard from her sister-in-law that morning. Bethany had called the store early to say Scott had made a big step forward in committing to their marriage. But it was fun hearing Sarah’s account as the production crew packed up their equipment for the day and Erin cleaned up the store. Remy had texted her from the road after he had found a good boutique to feature onInterstate Antiquer.It would solidify the show’s comeback. He hoped to return to town by eight o’clock.
“But Scott wasn’t there?” Now, at half-past six, she ran a mop along the skid marks on the hardwood floor from the camera dollies.
“I guess he was kind of keeping an eye on the house from your mom’s. The other home that’s kind of close, right?” Sarah dumped a bunch of matchbooks into the bin where Erin normally kept the small collection.
A customer had taken them all out one by one to inspecteach individually and hadn’t bought a single one. That would make for really exciting television. She hoped Remy was right about this show being a good thing for the business.
“That would be Mom’s.” She should get over there again. She hadn’t seen her mother since Remy came to town andInterstate Antiquerhad started filming. “I think Scott’s been there a lot the past few months to give Ally’s mother some space while they figured things out.”
“We saw him walking toward Ally’s house when we pulled out of the driveway for her to take me back to the B and B.” Sarah replaced a few vintage skeleton keys on a yellow-painted Peg-Board where they hung from ribbon scraps. “So romantic. Don’t you think?”
Erin opened the backdoor to let some air in and dry the floors. A brass wind chime jingled in the fragrant spring breeze.
“Yes. And she deserves that big sweet gesture because it’s been a hard year for her.”
“My dad has had a hard year.” Sarah lowered her voice, her head down as she moved an orange blouse from a rack full of kids’ clothes to return the garment to its rightful place. “I wish he’d find some happiness.”
