Maile drove like a bat out of hell, but Livvy was too distracted to so much as clutch at the armrest in the back. When they were within eyesight of the store, she gasped.
“Well,” Tani murmured.
Maile drove closer. Multiple young men stood at each entrance of the parking lot, turning cars away. Would they be allowed in?
“Turn here,” she told her aunt.
When Maile pulled into the lot, the teenager there bent over, peered into the car, caught sight of her and smiled widely. He waved them in.
Maile parked in the spot closest to the entrance. Livvy fumbled with her belt and tumbled out. She was so focused on the sign, she barely noticed her mother and Maile also getting out of the car.
NICO + LIVVY = 4EVER
Holy shit. Holy shit.
A-plus signage indeed.
The white banner was humongous, covering the Chandler’s name entirely. It could probably be seen from the sky. She dragged the back of her hand over her mouth.
“What was he thinking?” she whispered.
“Livvy.”
Livvy’s attention darted to the entrance. Eve stood there, a folder in hand, looking poised and polished in a sensible business suit. Unable to resist getting to the bottom of Nicholas’s apparent break with his senses and reality, Livvy staggered to Eve. “What’s going on? What is this?”
Eve handed her a sealed envelope. “My brother asked me to give this to you.”
Livvy turned the envelope over. She wanted torip it open and read the contents almost as much as she was terrified to.
Eve’s gaze went past Livvy. “Mrs. Kane.”
Envelope forgotten for a second, Livvy stiffened. Whatever issues she had with her mother, she was not about to let this Baby Chandler snap at her the way she had Livvy.
Tani drew even with them. “Evangeline.” Her voice was caressing. “What a beautiful young woman you’ve grown up into. Your mother would be so proud.”
Sharp sorrow and pleasure moved behind Eve’s eyes. “Thank you, ma’am.”
Livvy relaxed. Her thumb tucked under the folded flap of the envelope. Ever so slowly, she eased it open.
There was a paper inside, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to pull it out. Too many eyes were on her. Tani, Maile, and Eve, and hell, probably the kids tasked with turning away poor shoppers who just wanted to pick up a cake or a rotisserie chicken.
“Can I show you something inside?” Eve asked quietly. “I think it may help.”
Grateful for the reprieve, Livvy nodded. Though Eve had spoken to her, Tani and Maile followed them in.
The three of them halted inside the entrance. Tani was the first one to move, and she stepped closer to the framed photograph of John and Sam that Livvy had last seen in John’s home. “I thought this burned,” she whispered.
“It did,” Eve replied. “That’s a reprint. Nicholas ordered it restored yesterday.”
“Brendan must have shit a brick,” her mother said softly, and Livvy did a double take at the foul language.
Eve’s laugh was quickly disguised as a cough. She cleared her throat. “My father wasn’t happy, but Nicholas was adamant.” She looked at Livvy. “This isn’t what I wanted to show you, though.”
Tani was utterly still, staring up at her father’s young face. Maile placed an arm around her sister-in-law’s shoulder, and drew the smaller woman into her side. “Go on,” Maile told Livvy. “I’ll wait right here with your mother.”
Livvy followed Eve into the store, tapping the envelope against her thigh. The place was cool and dark. “How much money are you losing, closing for the day?”
“We were ordered to take the sign down and open after you arrived, so luckily, not too much, since you came early. Though Nicholas is still paying all the employees.”
