"I didn't run.I made a strategic life choice."
"You left Seattle so fast you forgot to pack your KitchenAid mixer," Claire points out."Mom still has it."
"I was...eager to start fresh."
"You were running from Derek and everything that reminded you of him," Harper says."Which, fine.He's garbage.But you're still running, Sage.Missing family dinners, avoiding game nights, hiding in that inn like it's a fortress."
Claire reaches over from her chair, nearly tipping herself out in the process."We’re saying we miss you.”
I blink hard, focusing on Linda's careful application of topcoat."I miss you too."
"Then come to game night," Claire says."Just come."
"I'll think about it."
"You'll come," Harper says with lawyer finality."Or I'll drive to Alder Ridge and drag you there myself.Mira already told me you don't have any Sunday bookings."
"Mira's a traitor."
"Mira's worried about you.We all are."
Linda finishes with a flourish, stepping back to admire her work."All done!Very pretty.You catch boyfriend for sure now."
"I don't want to catch—" I stop.Why am I so adamant about this?"Never mind."
"Right."Harper stands, somehow graceful despite toe separators."Mac will call you about the catering.Try not to hack any more dating profiles before Saturday."
“Oh my God, it was only once.”
"Once is enough when it's fraud," Harper says, but she hugs me anyway."I love you, disaster human."
"Love you too, voice of judgment."
Claire waddles over for her hug, nearly knocking over a nail polish display."Everything's going to work out.I can feel it."
"That might be heartburn," I suggest.
"It's intuition.Pregnant women know things."
"Last week you 'knew' the grocery store was secretly run by aliens."
"That was the hormones.This is different."She pulls back, studying my face."You like him."
"Who?"
"Don't play dumb.Luke Sterling.You like him."
"I barely know him."
"If you say so," Claire says, but her smile suggests she knows something I don't.
We make our way to the front desk, where I mentally calculate if I can afford this luxury and still buy groceries.Harper must notice because she smoothly hands over her credit card.
"Harper—"
"Consider it a loan," she says."To be repaid when the inn is the toast of the Pacific Northwest."
"I can't?—"
