“One more…” She swallowed. “Why?”
Tessa didn’t answer right away. She folded her hands on the desk, staring at them for a long beat and Lacey knew that whatever was working on Tessa was about to be revealed. After that, Lacey could tell her about Roman and Jacksonville.
Finally, Tessa said, “I am going to need to dial back for a month. A lot. Like, I won’t be around to do anything but put out a fire. Five-alarm or more.”
Lacey blinked at her. “Are you sick?”
“No,” she said on a laugh. “Crazy, maybe. Dusty and I agreed to help out one of his patients by watching a small child. I can’t say anything more than that, but I am now the proud caretaker of a two-year-old little girl. And she’s…needy. Wonderful and dear, but needy. And that means I’m needy. Like, I need you to run this business.”
Tessa hesitated, then reached into a folder and slid a paper across the desk. Not a contract, not a vendor quote, this was a simple spreadsheet with numbers highlighted.
“I’ve given this a lot of thought and want to make it fair.”
Lacey glanced down and felt her eyes widen. “Is this…a pay increase?” ’Cause it was sizeable. “Tessa, what?—”
“I know you’ve been wanting to move out of the Summer House—not that I can imagine why, since what could be more fun than sharing a room and a bed with Vivien.” Tessa smiled. “I did it for seven summers in the old place and all we did was stay awake and laugh.”
But Lacey didn’t laugh. She couldn’t think straight.
Last night had rearranged her plans so completely she hadn’t even caught up yet. The idea that Tessa was offering her a path forward—more money, more stability—felt like the universe doubling down.
“Listen, I know I’m asking a lot,” Tessa said softly. “I wouldn’t if it weren’t really important. I can’t give you details, but trust me when I say a life literally depends on it. Two lives—a hurting mother and a small child, still in diapers.”
Lacey searched her face, seeing the raw need and the depth of the request. This woman had never asked anything of Lacey, but had brought her into her business with bold confidence and true friendship. Even when Lacey risked that friendship and looked up a person Tessa had specifically said she didn’t want to meet, they’d stuck together.
And now, Tessa needed her. Really needed her. She could tell. Was Lacey going to flippantly deny her friend and mentor, with disregard for a little kid, just because Roman wanted to move fast and furious into living together?
And it wasn’t just going to be short term, she knew. Maybe Tessa’s commitment was, but this kind of money meant her job was serious, secure, and had a long-term future—here, in Destin.
“Okay,” Lacey said slowly, because the word felt like mud in her mouth. “I’m honored. Truly. And yes, I’ll take on more responsibility, absolutely, but…”
But she’d promised her boyfriend she’d move!
“But what?” Tessa pressed.
“But…I do expect I’ll be in Jacksonville?—”
“For home games,” Tessa said. “Which don’t start until early September, right? Pray the weekend of the Renaissance wedding is an away game.”
By then, Roman thought they’d be living together. He wanted her there for preseason games and training and…
“Right?” Tessa urged when she didn’t answer.
“Right,” Lacey confirmed.
She had no idea what was right and what wasn’t. All she knew was she had two lives colliding. Two futures, two loved ones, two directions.
Which road should she take?
“I’ll figure it out,” she said, as much to herself as to Tessa.
Roman was leaving soon. Tessa was counting on her. And Lacey—trying to love everyone—was going to break someone’s heart. Maybe her own.
July 17, 1993
Saturday night. Hot as Hades (as Uncle Artie likes to say). No breeze at all.
And the Let Go Bridge was hopping.
