"When are Wren and Rochelle supposed to be here?" Hannah called from where she was wiping down tables. "And Stephanie? I need help planning this wedding, and Steph has some ideas that sound either brilliant or completely insane."
April laughed. "Yeah, that’s about right. Knowing Stephanie, her ideas are probably both. They'll be here around three, should be soon."
"Perfect." Hannah grinned. "I'm so glad you asked me to be your maid of honor."
“Well of course, because you are my sister and I love you and you’re going to look absolutely gorgeous in that dress you already picked out,andyou’re planning the most amazing wedding.”
"Mom! Dad's here!" Kevin called from the back office, followed by Benny's excited barking and Pete's deeper woof.
April smiled. Hearing Kevin call ShaneDadstill gave her a thrill every single time.
Shane came through the door with sawdust in his hair and a grin on his face. He'd been helping Ben and Bear with renovations—new kitchen, updated bathrooms, and plans to rebuild the front porch.
"How's it going?" April asked, already pulling a shot for his regular—an Americano.
"Good. Ben says another two weeks and the house will be perfect." Shane leaned across the counter to kiss her. "Then we need to decide—your place or mine?"
"Ourplace," April corrected. "Whichever one we choose."
"Our place." Shane's smile was soft. "I like the sound of that."
“Me, too.”
"When I came in, Kevin was FaceTiming with another day camp friend who already goes to his new school," Shane said.
April smiled. "That's the fifth one."
Shane got a funny smile on his face. "That'll make six of them total."
April knew exactly what he meant. "Six is a perfect number for a group of friends."
“It sure is.”
Kevin had been nervous about switching schools, but when she'd shown him the private academy's program—the science labs, the art studio, the climbing wall—he'd lit up. And now he'd have five friends from day camp to show him around.
"He's a good kid, our son," Shane said.
April's chest warmed. "The best kid." She slid the Americano across the counter. "On the house."
"You keep doing that, you'll go broke."
"Oh no, whatever will I do then?" April laughed.
Shane took a sip, watching her. "How are you doing? Really?"
April knew what he was asking. Echo Ridge. Vince. The money.
"I'm good," she said. And meant it. "Better than good. Yvonne came by this morning."
Shane's eyebrows rose. "Yeah?"
"Yeah." April wiped down the counter. "She apologized again.” April met his eyes. "She's trying. Really trying. And Kevin—he's starting to warm up to her. She brought him a book about horses and he actually hugged her goodbye."
"That's good." Shane laced his fingers through hers across the counter. "You're giving her a chance. That's all she can ask for."
"She's Kevin's grandmother. And she's trying." April squeezed his hand. "That counts for something."
"You're a good person, April Taylor."
