“I actually have to get going, but I’ll see you two later.” Cade gets up and follows us out.
We finish up our lunch and are walking back to the station when I spot Jade outside the bakery. She’s busy arranging the flower bed outside the shop, adding shades of pink and purples with little bits of whites mixed in. I start to head that way, and when I get closer, notice there are also lemons mixed into the flower arrangement. “Looks good.” I lean in to tell her.
Startled, she jumps and grabs her chest, dropping the bunch of lemons she was holding.
“Shit, I’m sorry. Here let me get them.”
We bend and reach for them at the same time, our fingers brushing. A jolt I’ve never felt before shoots up my arm. She lets go and allows me and Ian to pick them up for her. I pass some back, and she gives me her thanks, flashing me that shy little smile of hers. “I like the little lemons added in. That’s new. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you do that before.”
“I thought it would be cute since our name is Lemon and Lavender after all. I saw a lavender and lemon arrangement on Pinterest and loved it.” She grabs the other lemons from Ian and turns around to start arranging them again.
“Clever and beautiful. Just like you.”
Her cheeks turn bright red as she turns to look at me. “Why, aren’t you just a charmer?”
“I try.” I grin.
Ian clears his throat. “Good afternoon, Jade.” He tips his hat in her direction.
“Well, good afternoon, Officer Ian. What are you fellas up to?”
“Just finished ourselves some lunch over at the deli. We were walking back when a pretty young thing caught the Sheriff’s eye.” He pats my shoulder, and I flick him off.
Jade’s cheeks remain a bright red, and she peeks up at me, rolling her lips between her teeth. I’m about to apologize on behalf of Ian when the sound of soft feet on the sidewalk has us turning.
“Hi, guys!” Harper greets us as she saunters over. “Jade, I hope it’s okay that I come by and grab those cookies for bookclub myself. I know you guys usually deliver, but we’ve had a change of location last minute and it completely slipped my mind to let you know. I hope Sarah hasn’t already left.”
“Oh, no worries! Sarah is still inside if you wanna head in and grab the boxes.”
“Perfect, thanks! Hi, Officers. How’s it going?”
“Hi, Harper. It’s going. How’s your pops doing?” Harper’s grandpa owns the small bookstore across the street where Harper works. He’s a great old man who has done so much for our small town over the years. His wife was the original owner of the bookstore until she passed away eight years ago. Harold, Harper’s grandpa, is currently going through stage four cancer and it’s not looking good.
“He’s doing well, considering.” She gives a sad smile, and Jade reaches out to squeeze her hand. “Actually, yesterday he even had the energy to do a bit of fishing. It wore him out and he slept far longer than usual, but it was nice to see him enjoy himself, if even for a little while.”
My heart aches for Harper. Harold is the only family she has left. “Please tell him I say hello. Anyways, it’s been nice chatting with you ladies, but Ian and I better head back to the station. See you around, Harper. Bye, Jade.”
“Bye, Sheriff, bye, Ian.” Jade waves us off.
Back at the station I spend the day organizing my office and filing away cases that closed. Before I know it, it’s the end of my shift and I get to leave.
I pull into my parents’ yard and spot my dad out on the tractor in the field and my mom and the kids in the garden. Both kids look like they have more dirt on them than there is in the garden, and I can’t help but chuckle.
I walk over to the garden and bend to place a kiss on the top of Ma’s head.
“Hi, Ma.”
“West! I didn’t even hear you pull in. How are you, hunny?”
“Uncle West!” My nephew, Hudson, barrels into me.
“Hey, spud. You look like you were plucked right from the garden. Think I need to hose you off a bit.” I swoop him off his feet and run towards the hose on the side of the house while his little body squirms and giggles.
“Me too, Uncle! I need hosed off too!” Little Maysie comes running after us, her pigtails flapping.
I set my nephew down and turn the hose on before a game of chase commences and I’m running after them, spraying them down. The kids are squealing and laughing when the hose cuts off abruptly. Confused, I look down at the exact moment water shoots out into my face.
“Gotcha!” Wren cackles behind me, the kids dropping to the ground holding their bellies in a fit of laughter. I shake the water from my hair and turn the hose on Wren, but she runs straight for mom.
