Page 46 of Happily Ever After

“Agreed,” Cece said. “But can I suggest that we play a little offense?”

Paige’s brow furrowed. “Meaning?”

“Leave it up to me,” Cece said, unable to keep the smile off her face.

Chapter Nineteen

The morning was well underway and Essie felt a little behind because she’d slept longer than she’d meant to. She was a little surprised Maple hadn’t woken her, but Maple was still snoozing in her bed.

Essie hoped the dog’s sound sleep wasn’t because Maple had already done her business in the house.

Thankfully, Essie found no evidence of that.

After her inspection, she moved into the kitchen carefully, not because she thought Sophie would wake easily, but because she wanted to keep the stillness intact for a little while longer. She made coffee and settled in to wait on it.

While she sat, she prayed for Sophie, first and foremost, then Frank and Chad in Italy, then the rest of her family.

The coffeemaker clicked off with a soft final sound. Essie got up and poured herself a cup, letting the warmth settle into her hands before she took a sip.

Maple came out of the bedroom and sat by the front door, watching Essie with hopeful patience, tail brushing softly against the floor when Essie glanced in her direction.

“I see you,” Essie said softly. “You’re ready to go out now, huh?”

Essie left her cup on the counter and went to change into suitable walking clothes. On her way out of the bedroom, she cautiously opened the guest room door to check on Sophie.

Even in the dark room, she could tell Sophie was asleep, her slender form barely making a shape beneath the blanket. Essie watched her a moment.

After lunch yesterday, they’d talked more than Essie had expected. There was still a lot to talk about, and a lot to do, but it was progress and for that, Essie was grateful.

She closed the door, tucked her phone into her pocket, then clipped the leash onto Maple’s collar and out they went. The morning air held a hint of dampness that hinted at rain later on. In the distance, dark clouds rimmed the horizon. There’d be rain today for sure.

Maple stepped outside and immediately began her careful inspection of the world, nose down, ears alert. Didn’t take her long to find a good spot to do her business.

After that, they walked at an unhurried pace, turning down the familiar streets of the Colony. Golf carts passed now and then. Neighbors waved, a few of them out walking their dogs as well, while a few others were doing yard work. Essie nodded back, grateful for the ordinariness of it all.

There was a lot to be said for routine.

She waited until they were a few houses away before pulling her phone from her pocket.

Frank answered on the second ring.

“Hey,” he said. His voice carried the low hum of activity behind it—machinery, maybe, or distant voices. Work, wherever he was, never quite stopped. “I was just thinking about you. How was church yesterday?”

“Hi,” Essie said. “It was good. A few people asked how you were doing.” She wanted more than anything to tell him about Sophie. “Do you have a minute?”

“Of course I do.” The background noise faded as if he’d moved to a different space. “What’s going on?”

Essie watched Maple pause at a palm tree, then they moved on. “Sophie showed up Saturday night.”

“At our house?”

“Yes. She spent the night and even went to church with me yesterday morning. We went out to lunch afterwards at that little café in town. It was nice.”

“Essie, that’s amazing. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“Well, I needed to be sure Sophie wasn’t going to bolt again. And who knows, she might still, but she told me something Saturday night that you need to know about.”

There was silence as Frank waited.