“No, I don’t,” Gemma said softly. “And if you’re honest, you don’t either.”
Talking about him made her miss him. Since the strange mezzanine encounter with the real or fake angel—the princess preparer—she’d been thinking of John off and on all day.
Could she ever be a real princess? No. No! Certainly not.
The conversation flowed to the shop schedule. Haley asked for an early morning meeting with Gemma and JoJo to discuss fall marketing and Christmas season plans.
“Next Tuesday? I’ll bring breakfast from Havens.” Haley pulled out her phone to text JoJo.
“Haley, I know I’m not really a partner in the shop, so you don’t have to include me.”
“That’s just it, Gemma. We think you’d be a great partner with us. I want more children. JoJo wants to get started on babies. Goodness knows she doesn’t need shop money. We both want to help you.”
A future. Haley spoke of something Gemma feared to envision. Her future.
Around four, Imani texted shelovedschool and was going with the gang to the Fry Hut, then to shoot hoops at the gym.
“I love being a junior. Oh, and trig is actually fun. Ms. Parrish says I’m a natural with numbers. Maybe calc next year. Also, I’m running for student council. Yikes! I need to make a video tonight. Can you help me?”
“Of course I can help you. BTW, your mom was brilliant at math too. Have fun with ‘the gang.’ Home by nine if you don’t have homework. By eight if you do.”
“Done. Study hall.”
Gemma set down her phone and stared toward the window. The shop office was her home away from home, her retreat when the world closed in.
“God, what do I do now?” The short prayer came from a deep place. She’d not talked much to God in the last decade, but maybe it was time to humble up and give Him a chance.
Gemma had yet to tell Imani they were moving. Though she was surprised Mama hadn’t spilled the beans. Or one of Imani’s friends, since Mama went around town asking folks to pray for Gemma. But so far, she seemed blissfully ignorant. Gemma envied her.
Meanwhile, she pressed forward with the adoption, gathering information, calculating the fees. She planned to tell her about the adoption when she told her about the move.
They’d go for pie at Ella’s after dinner. When they were full of sweet cherries surrounded by a flaky crust, Gemma would drop the good news. Then the bad.
In the middle of the afternoon, Taylor texted she needed Gemma for another shoot. This time in Nashville.
“Big society wedding. Photographer dropped out. I got the call. This will be a big one. Care to help? December tenth.”
“Okay, but if the bride doesn’t show up, I’m not substituting.”
“Spoil sport. Also, I’m doing some shots around town for an HB tourist campaign. Can you get free Saturday? It’ll be a long day but the pay is good.”
“Send the details. I’m in.”
A few photos around Hearts Bend for the southeast wouldn’t alert Matt any more than he was already. Or that shrew of a showrunner.
At home, Gemma fed the puppies, who ran and played in their expanded pen. Coming up on seven weeks old, the time had come to find them homes.
Haley was sending over a couple with their kids who were eager to get a puppy. Doc Goodwin phoned Gemma to say his granddaughter just bought a house and wanted a dog.
She agreed to those visits but she’d be inspecting the humans every bit as much as they inspected the pups. If she thought about the puppies leaving too long, she cringed and got all weepy inside.
After feeding the house dogs, she went to the barn. Hercules met her at the treat table and munched on his carrots as she brushed his coat. He rested his muzzle on her head as if to say thanks.
“How can I let you go, Herc?” A piece of her already broken heart cracked a little. “Do you think we can convince Mama you’re a really big dog?”
He snorted, tossing his head. Silver came around for her treats and a good brushing. Last but not least Whinny, who seemed to understand the prince was no longer with them. She clip-clopped down the center aisle and searched for him in the stalls and across the yard.
“You should’ve made friends with him while you had the chance.”
