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“For a trip, yes. Or an annual visit. Not to live there, but reading those letters . . . I see why you went. The last thing I’d ever want to do is replace Alice. They loved her, so they should know where they came from.”

“That’s . . . Yeah, we should. That’s surprisingly mature of you.”

“Surprisingly?” She raised an eyebrow.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t be surprised. You’re smart. Way smarter than me.”

“About some things.” She paused. “If I ever step in too far, let me know. You’re their father. You should make the decisions.”

“I know,” I said. “And I will. I just have to practice doing what I want.”

“And what do you want now?”

I considered it. “I . . . want to save that spring. If I buy it, I’ll turn it into a park.”

“Well, there’s a town hall about it tomorrow.” She smiled. “If you’re really part of the town, you should join me.”

59

JADE

Strawberry Springs Neighborhood Watch

Marjorie Brown: @Tammy Jane Got that smutty book about doors for you.

Comments:

Tammy Jane: Now why would you go and put that in here???

Marjorie Brown: I didn’t say what it was about!!! You’re the one acting embarrassed!

Mollie Wilson: Doors?

Wren Hackett: Doors?!?!?!

Before we could do anything else, Gabe and I agreed that we needed to tell the girls about them staying, and about us.

It was going to have to be planned because neither of them handled change well. I knew they liked me and they also liked Strawberry Springs. That didn’t mean that they would be thrilled about all the changes happening at once.

We’d talked about it before taking the girls to school, but we agreed we needed a plan first. So much had gone down in the last forty-eight hours that our conversations were choppy and unproductive.

We needed time.

Unfortunately, that all went out the window when Beatrice came out of her room and immediately burst into tears.

Gabe cursed and rushed to her side. I had never seen either of the girls cry, and I needed a moment to process seeing her lose it.

“Hey,” Gabe said in a soft voice. “What happened? Did you have a bad dream?”

Beatrice only shook her head.

Agnes ran out of the room, her eyes wide. I raised an eyebrow at her, silently asking if she was the cause of Beatrice’s sudden emotion.

Agnes crossed her arms and glared at me.

Oh boy. It looked like I was in the doghouse too.

“Are you not happy with rice for dinner?” he offered. “I can make something else.”