In the end, it didn’t matter. Becky smiled and continued speaking. “I’ve worked with Claire and her sister on many occasions. I didn’t think to ask her because I know how busy she is.”
“None of the events she’s decorating in mid-July need fairy lights. That’s the only reason she can help us.”
“I’ll update our spreadsheet and add Claire’s details. When do we have to tell her what we need?”
“As soon as possible. Do you want to come to the ranch for dinner tonight? Mary could help feed the animals in the barn and, afterward, we could email Claire with a list of what we need.”
“I can’t. Mary is practicing for a school play. By the time she finishes it will be too late to drive to the ranch. If you want to go through the wedding details tonight, you could come to my house. We’ll be back by six-thirty.”
“Sounds great. I’ll bring dessert.”
“It’s a date.”
Her soft Irish accent made him sigh. He wanted to tell her how he felt about her, how much he was enjoying getting to know her and Mary. But standing in the middle of Happy Petals wasn’t the place to do it. Especially as two customers had walked through the front door.
He cleared his throat, hoping no one thought it was odd that he was holding a red rose. “I’ll see you tonight. If you need me for anything, just call.”
“I will. Thank you for stopping by to tell me about the lights.”
With the rose clutched in his hand, he walked out of Happy Petals. He’d visit Becky for far less reasons than the lights, only she didn’t know it yet.
Becky handedMary a plate of spaghetti and meatballs. “Be careful not to spill it on the floor,” she warned the very excited little girl.
“I won’t. Is Sean bringing his ranch animals with him?”
“I don’t think so. His llamas wouldn’t fit in his truck.”
“But Henrietta would. She’s the most beautiful goat I’ve ever seen.”
For some reason, Mary had taken a shine to Sean’s goats. From the way Henrietta allowed Mary to feed her, the affection could be mutual. “Next time we visit the ranch, we’ll make a special effort to see her. Did you enjoy practicing for the school play?”
“It was okay. Mrs. Graham said our singing was beautiful.”
“That’s grand. When I was your age, we didn’t have school plays, but we used to sing in class all the time. It was the best part about going to school.”
Mary slid her plate onto the kitchen table and pulled out a chair. “What about math? Tommy said you need to know your numbers. Otherwise, you can’t get a job like his dad’s.”
Becky had no idea what Tommy’s dad did for a living, but it didn’t matter. “We all have different things we’re good at. Some people are really good at math and other people are really good at painting pictures. The most important thing is to be happy.”
She sat opposite Mary and thought about the last few weeks. Apart from Edith trying to take her guardianship of Mary away, they had been one of the happiest times of her life. “Do you like living with me, Mary?”
Mary nodded around a mouthful of meatballs. “I miss Mom and Dad, but I like living here. Can we visit Catherine again? She has lots of cats.”
“Of course, we can.”
With a happy nod, Mary continued eating her dinner. The knot inside of Becky’s chest loosened. Maybe they’d be okay. If a judge spoke to Mary, she was sure Edith’s legal battle would be over before it began.
But what if, in all the stress and uncertainty of what was happening, Edith did the unthinkable and managed to revoke her guardianship? There was no way Becky would send her precious girl to stay with Jamie’s mom. The life they were building would be torn apart. The progress Mary had made, the trust that had grown between them, would mean nothing if she went to live in Milwaukee.
Taking a deep breath, Becky focused on the here and now. Tomorrow would take care of itself but, for now, she had Mary beside her.
“Do you want to come to the flower market with me in the morning? If you don’t, it doesn’t matter. Aunt Molly said she would come here to look after you.”
“Yes, please!” Mary said with a grin. “I love going to the market.”
“It will be an early start. We’ll have to leave before the sun rises to buy the flowers I need.”
“That’s okay. Will the man be talking really fast again?”
