“I insisted on tagging along,” he said, bringing her into a one-armed embrace. “Sorry. If I’d known you had a full house…”
“No trouble,” Ava said with a wave of her hand. She reached down to pet Riot. “We’re happy to have you. What have you done to your hand?”
“It’s just a sprain,” he excused.
Sassy rolled her eyes. Typical Nick, playing off his pain like it didn’t exist. “So how is our newest family member?” Sassy asked, turning Ava’s attention back to the baby.
“A little fussy,” Ava said truthfully. “She had an ear infection earlier this week. I think she’s doing better, but Chay was up with her all night again last night. We’ll revisit the doctor Monday if she has another rough one.”
“Are any of you sleeping?” Sassy asked.
Ava smiled. “How is any parent with a ten-month-old sleeping? We’re all still settling into a family routine. It’ll get better. Chay and I knew what we were doing when we adopted her.”
“Bless you both for doing it,” Nick said, eyeing Gracie fondly. He’d been as invested in her well-being as anyone involved in her case.
The door opened at their backs. Sassy’s eyes widened as another couple walked in. “Mom? Dad?”
Richie, the baby of the Colton brothers, looked young and fit for his fifty-seven years. His dark hair had gone slightly gray and his blue eyes were the opposite of his wife’s. As Dark Canyon’s most trusted veterinarian, he had been caring for the town’s fur babies for decades.
At his side, Bly Colton looked petite and trim, her black hair worn back, making her dark eyes look prominent in her oval face. Like Chayton, she was a member of the Navajo Nation, having grown up on the reservation. After marrying Richie, she’d reluctantly moved off Navajo land. Still, she was as dedicated to her cultural roots as she was to her family. Her handcrafted garments designed for the Navajo Nation were famous on and off the reservation for their beauty and authenticity.
Bly held Sassy close for a moment. In her characteristically quiet voice, she murmured in her daughter’s ear, “We heard what happened in town yesterday.”
Oh no.Between what had happened with the truck, the visit to Fern then Nick’s accident, she’d forgotten to call her parents. “I’m so sorry,” she scrambled to say. “You should’ve heard it from me…”
“We should have,” Richie agreed, not waiting for his wife to release Sassy. He gathered them both in his arms for a collective hug and rested his cheek on Sassy’s head. “You’re all right?”
“I’m fine,” Sassy said quickly. “No injuries. Just shaken a little.”A lot.The idea of the F-150 coming at her, the sound of the tires skipping over the curb, the front bumper staring her down, took her right back to Main Street.
She thought of the police’s visit to her house this morning. This wasn’t the place to get into that, though she’d have to tell them both sooner or later if she didn’t want them finding out from someone in her neighborhood. Dark Canyon might not be as safe as it once was, but it was still a tight-knit community, and people inevitably talked.
“We’re glad you’re okay,” Bly said, running a hand down the surface of Sassy’s hair. She pulled back and grinned warmly at Nick. “Are you looking out for her?”
“Actually—” Sassy began, but he cut her off.
“Absolutely,” Nick interjected, accepting her mother’s embrace. Over her shoulder, he gave Sassy a meaningful look.
He didn’t want to dwell on his injury. Neither did he want to be the center of the Coltons’ attention.
She sighed, because she could handle it. And she had the perfect excuse to change the subject. “I’m glad you’re here. I’ve been meaning to ask you if you’d like to donate one of your garments to the Colton fundraiser at the gallery. Nick and I will be driving around to various artists today asking for donations.”
“You’re auctioning art, not clothing,” Bly pointed out, bringing the folds of her colorful Másání scarf together over her chest.
“Your workisart, Mom,” Sassy told her, not for the first time. “Please.”
Bly released a breath through her nose, contemplative. “Come by the house this next week. I’ve been working on a storyteller skirt you may be interested in.”
“It’s not a custom order for someone else?”
Bly shook her head. “It’s more of a personal project. If it’s not something you think will be suitable for the auction, say so outright.”
“No,” Sassy said. “A storyteller skirt will be perfect, especially with a visionary like you behind it.”
Bly pursed her lips, modest as always. “Come by and take a look,” she said again.
“Okay,” Sassy agreed.
Ava stared between them before blurting, “Have you thought of asking Chayton’s grandmother to donate one of her crafts?”
