Page 265 of The Romance Adventure

“I’d put off thinking about change. In my profession, aging is hard.”

She shakes her head slowly. “Aging can be hard, but it’s also a gift. Waking up in the middle of the night with a crying baby is hard, but it’s a gift because it means you have a family. Your sisters telling you that they’re going to run the Plundering Pelican, but there’s no place for you is hard⁠—”

“Seriously? Where’s the gift in that?” I ask, not quite following the pattern.

“I’m still working that out.”

“What do you mean they’re running it?”

She tells me their plan. “You know me, the baby sister...with a baby. I suppose from their point of view, I have enough on my plate. They have husbands to help with their kids.”

“You do too.” But no sooner are the words out of my mouth, do I jump to my feet, drawing Harley to hers. “I got it. Ice cream.”

“There’s nothing hard about ice cream, well, except that by definition it is hard since it’s frozen.” Harley’s brow creases with confusion.

“We could have soft serve too.”

“We? Is this one of those you can have your cake and eat it too explorations of philosophy?”

“No, Nugget. We can have an ice cream empire.”

“Are you hungry again already? We basically ate our way through the day.”

I shake with laughter. “Harley, you and me will fix up the Sip & Scoop and open it again.”

“But you’re a kitchen hazard, banned from domestic and commercial kitchens in nine states.”

“There won’t be any open flame. But we could get a waffle cone-making machine.” Taking Harley’s hand, I say, “Chip left me the Sloop, the Sip & Scoop. This could be our thing. You and me.”

Her smile slowly spreads. “I said yes to you once today. I guess we’ll make it two points for McGregor.”

“I’d say this is a win.” I pick her up and swing her around before our lips meet and we seal the glaziest and best day of my life with a kiss.

Harley

CHAPTER 13

The next day, after another mega family breakfast and playtime, I help my dad unpack his truck, still full of my things.

“I appreciate you doing this for me.”

“You’re my baby, you know that? I didn’t approve of that Troy guy, but Ryan is a-okay in my book. He’ll do right by you, darling, if you give him a chance.”

“You remember that we were rotten to each other?”

“There couldn’t be that much fire without something keeping it lit, darling.”

I giggle. “Dad.”

“I knew you liked him before you did. I reckon you were the last one to realize it. Many parents say they want to see their kids happy. You understand that now. But as your father, I want to see you secure. And I don’t just mean with money. I mean in a relationship, family, a home, and with the way you spend your time.”

“Thanks, Dad.” I give him a side hug.

The guy came late to the hug game, but as a single father of three girls, there was no avoiding it. Whatever rough edges he had, we shaved them down, just enough so that he’s no longer bitter about our mother leaving. He’s quick to tell us that he got the better deal. I suppose I did, too when it comes to Luke.

He squints at the sky. “I wish I’d paid more attention to how Eddie was doing after we lost Martina. For me, when your mother took off, I was like a cat in a bag. Didn’t readily occur to me how busted up he’d be. But in a way, I’m glad he was, because it brought us all back together.”

“A blessing in disguise.”