Paris nodded. “It’s the only link I have to my father. I thought if he’d bought you the rose, it must mean he loved us. Loved me.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “It wasn’t until I started working at Blooming Lovely that I realized how important flowers are in people’s lives. They make people happy. I wanted desperately to be happy, but something inside me was broken. It wasn’t until I met my friends in Sapphire Bay, and talked to the customers who came into Kylie’s flower shop, that I started changing. For the first time in years, I was happy. And it terrified me.”
“Oh, baby. I’m so sorry.”
“I can’t go back to how things used to be. I can’t keep worrying about whether you’ll kill yourself in a car accident or hurt someone else. I don’t want to think about whether you’re spending your money on alcohol or paying your bills, or if you’re lying in a gutter somewhere, sleeping off a hangover. I can’t do any of it. If I do, I’ll go back to how I used to be.”
Tears fell from her mom’s eyes. “I want you to be happy, too. Which is why I’ve made some decisions.” She wiped her face and lifted her chin. “I can’t see you for a while. I need to decide how I want to live, and who I want to be. I can’t do that when I rely on you to rescue me. I don’t know where I’ll go, but I won’t be staying in Sapphire Bay. I’m sorry if you’re upset, but it’s the only way I’ll know if I can make it on my own.”
Hot tears clouded Paris’ vision. Even though her mom had come to the same conclusion, it was difficult to hear.
For the first time in years, she hugged her mom. “I love you. I hope everything works out for you.”
“I love you, too, baby. Keep watering the rose. One day, I’ll come back and see it.” With a deep, shuddering breath, Donna stepped away from Paris. “Now leave before my ugly tears arrive. You have a business to open, and I need to pack my bags.”
She gave her mom another quick hug, and then hurried out of The Welcome Center. By the time she reached her truck, Paris was sobbing so hard she didn’t know if she would ever stop.
Chapter 21
Richard held Paris’ hand as they walked around Flathead Lake. Jack was in front of them, playing fetch with Louie.
The last week had been hard for Paris. Between her mom leaving, and finding new clients for her business, she’d been through a roller coaster of emotions.
He stopped to pick up a flat pebble that would make a perfect skipping stone. “I spoke to Mom the other day. She’s coming to stay with Jack and me in two weeks. Would you like to meet her?”
Paris’ eyes sparkled as brightly as the sun’s reflection off the lake. “I’d love to. Especially if she likes telling people stories about your childhood.”
“You can’t discover my secrets that way.”
“Don’t be too sure. Grandma used to say, ‘Show me a child at seven, and I’ll show you the man.’ I wonder if that’s as true for you as it was for me?”
“I don’t know, but Jack hasn’t changed much over the last couple of years. He’s still as curious about the world as ever.”
“Dad! Look at this.” Jack rushed toward them with Louie yapping at his heels. “They’re gemstones.”
Richard looked at the small, blue rocks. “They’re unusual, that’s for sure.” He showed them to Paris. “What do you think they are, Jack?”
“My teacher showed us some pictures of gemstones people have found in Montana. They look like one of the stones, but I don’t remember what they’re called.”
“I’ll have a look on the Internet.” Paris took out her phone and started her search.
Jack handed Richard another blue stone. “Did you know Montana is called the treasure state? That’s because people have found gold, silver, and even diamonds, all over the place.”
“I didn’t know that. Where did you find the stones?”
“Over here.” Jack ran back to the edge of the water. “They were around here somewhere.”
“I’ve found something on the Internet.” Paris ran to catch up with them. “Jack’s right. The stones look remarkably like sapphires. Apparently, they were first discovered in Montana in the 1860s. In the 1990s, commercial mining operations found several million carats of sapphires, mostly in southeastern Montana.” She showed Jack and Richard the pictures on the website. “They come in all sorts of colors, but the blue ones are the most valuable.”
Jack’s eyes widened. “I’ve found real treasure. Just like a pirate.”
Paris nodded. “It looks like it.”
“We have to search for more.” Jack spun back to where he thought he’d found the stones.
Richard looked at Paris. “Do you want to do a little treasure hunting before dinner?”
“Why not? You never know—Jack might have found enough stones to buy a space rocket and fly to the moon.”
“Just like in my books,” he said excitedly. “But if I can’t buy a rocket, a new Legos set will be okay.”
