"Oh my gosh, Alana, this means so much."
Alana nodded solemnly."It does."
Then her face transformed as she chuckled."And besides, if you see a reminder of me on your keys every time you get in your truck, you might be more inclined to let me use it when I start driving."
Harper laughed out loud at that."You and I are going to get along just fine.And I've already told you, I'm happy for you to learn to drive in my truck.And until you can drive yourself, I'm happy to give you rides in it."
"Thanks, Harper."Alana leaned in and gave her a quick hug."We should get inside and check on them.Tanya's probably persuading Dad to eat half the ice cream now."
Harper laughed, she might be right.Tanya was an ice cream fiend.And lately she'd been noticing that Emmett had something of a sweet tooth himself.
~ ~ ~
Emmett sat back in his chair and took it all in.They were out on the deck again.They’d spent most of the afternoon out here, hanging out, the girls coming and going.He was content in a way he couldn't remember feeling in a long time.
He inhaled sharply when it hit him.
They were having a family day.
Harper turned to him."Are you okay?Was that hiss because you're in pain—your ribs?"
"No, it's all good."
He was about to tell her what he was thinking when Tanya called from the front yard, where she'd decided she was going to build some vegetable beds and was marking out the spaces.
"Auntie Libby's here."
He exchanged a glance with Harper."Are you expecting her?"
"No, although if you're not, she might be here about last night.I imagine she'll have heard how I reacted when everyone seemed to have disappeared.And since I thought I'd be riding home with her and Cash, she might feel bad about it."
He didn't comment.He understood what she meant, but he doubted Libby would feel bad.She expected people to roll with the punches, just like she did.
He got to his feet when she parked her truck around the side of the house and waved at them.
"Come on up," he called.
"Do you want a drink?"Harper asked.
"I'm good, thanks."
Libby looked...nervous.
It took him a moment to name it because nervous wasn't a state he associated with her.
"What's going on, Lib?"
She blew out a sigh and dug a couple of envelopes out of her purse."I've been debating with myself for a few weeks about this.But..."She thrust one of the envelopes toward him."I decided last night that it's time."
She turned to Harper."This one's for you."
Emmett could only stare at the handwritten envelope in his hands.He'd know that handwriting anywhere.
It was Emily's.
The front bore only his name.
"What...what is this, Lib?"
