Frankie waved from the bar. “The woman, the myth, the milk machine. Need a beer?”
With a small smile, I shook my head. I wanted to nurse Vincent as soon as I got home rather than having to pump and dump.
Despite how little sleep I was getting these days, I was feeling pretty good. I had managed to squeeze myself into an older pair of jeans, and I’d put on a soft, oversized sweater that fell off one shoulder, exposing the strap of my non-nursing bra.
“Thank you,” I said, tipping an invisible cap to her. “What a dignified title.”
She stuck her tongue out at me.
I made my way through the bar, greeting the people milling about. Basil and Etienne were at the bar with a tasting flight of artisanal ciders, and Tony was halfway through a plate of maple wings.
When he saw me, he hit me with a big smile. He was a hulking mountain of a man with deep dimples and salt-and-pepper hair.
“How’s my pizza mama?” He pulled me in for an almost suffocating hug. “When is my little pizza baby gonna come visit me?”
“I’ll bring him in this week,” I promised. “He loves going for walks through town.”
His smile grew even bigger, if possible. “When he’s ready for a job, he’s gonna come work for me. The pizzeria is his birthplace, after all.”
Not quite. Thankfully. God, if I hadn’t made it to the hospital before he was born, I’d never live it down. And Vincent wouldn’t be working anytime soon, but I warmed at the thought of my sweet boy growing up here, in a town where he was known and valued.
Nora Hatch, the town’s elegant and slightly witchy pharmacist, put her arm around me. “You are glowing. Come sit and show us all the baby photos.”
At the table, Jimmy Dandridge was chatting about his Revolutionary War reenactment group, and Nina, Frankie’s little sister, was bent over her phone, typing furiously. She was twenty-three and by far the most stylish citizen of Maplewood. Tonight, she was wearing massively oversized wide-leg pants and a cropped vest, and she had half a dozen thin necklaces artfully layered around her neck.
“The rest of the world has brunch spots with DJs and bottomless mimosas. And stores that stay open past six,” she whined. “And here I am, still stuck in Maplewood, Vermont, where you can’t get dinner from a restaurant if you’re not into early-bird specials.”
Ruby patted her head. “And the rest of the world has higher crime rates, more expensive rent, and bad coffee. Count yourblessings. You’re the youngest small-business owner in town. Be proud of that.”
Nina’s lips twitched in a small smile. Last year, she’d opened a nail salon in the space next to Frankie’s garage. She’d even brought on a few employees. There was no argument that she was the authority on nails, lashes, and eyebrows in town.
I looked down at my own hands and made a mental note to ask if she could fit me into her packed schedule.
Callie slid into a seat with an annoyed sigh. “Sorry I’m late. The twins glued my car keys to the toilet again.” She was principal of the local school and mother to the notorious Mayhew-Beauregard twins, who caused havoc wherever they went. She had long bright red hair and was soft-spoken in that sweet kindergarten teacher kind of way.
Chuckling, Nora reached into her massive tote bag. “Here.” She slid a jar across the table. “Vitamin blend for relaxation. May calm them down. Or keep it for yourself.”
Callie held up the bottle, studying the label. “Does it work on husbands too?”
While the group around me chattered and caught up, I slipped my phone out of my purse.
Sure enough, I had another text from Jasper.
It was a photo of him in the rocking chair with a sleeping Vincent in his arms.
Jasper:
He’s milk drunk. Chugged that whole bottle, burped, and passed out.
My heart floateda little in my chest. Vincent was so cubby and drooly now. As a newborn, he’d been tiny and precious. Nowhe had thigh rolls and could make silly faces. Time really did go by so fast for parents of young children.
Evie:
The whole bottle? Is there more in the fridge? Should I come home?
Jasper:
We’ve got three more bottles. Relax, Mama. Have fun and talk about your murder books.
