The race was a blur. Lauren finished fast and then left the dogs to Scarlett, not even waiting to find out her time.
“I have to get to the courthouse. I have to know how things went for Shane,” she shouted excitedly as she helped Scarlett steady the sled and gave her the keys to the dog truck.
“Go, go!” her friend urged. “I’ll find out your time and then pack the dogs up and get them home. Here…” Scarlett fished her own keys from her coat pocket and tossed them to Lauren. “You’ll get their faster with a set of wheels. Give Shane my congratulations,” she said with a mischievous smile.
“I’ll give him a kiss for you, too!” Lauren shouted over her shoulder as she jogged back to the parking lot.
“Too far! Too far!” Scarlett yelled back.
And then Lauren was warming up her friend’s ancient Subaru, then she was speeding through town, pulling up outside of the courthouse, running through its doors.
She looked everywhere, but couldn’t find Shane. But then her phone buzzed in her pocket.
Shane!
“How’d you do?” he said the moment she picked up.
At the same time, she shouted, “Where are you?”
Both laughed.
“We’re at Garcia’s, out in Eagle River,” he said.
“We?”
“Yeah, me and Rosie. She wanted Mexican food, and I just wanted to soak in all this wonderful Rosieness I’ve missed so much.”
The little girl giggled in the background, and Lauren felt her heart grow two sizes just like the Grinch—or a certain Mr. Grump.
“I’ll be there as fast as I can,” she said, already running back to Scarlett’s old station wagon.
On the way to the small suburban restaurant, Scarlett called to let Lauren know she and the dogs were about to head back to the cabin on Thornfield Way. Lauren put the call on speaker and settled the phone on her lap, since Scarlett’s car didn’t have Bluetooth.
“You got third, Lauren!” her friend shouted so loud that Lauren wondered if the speaker phone was even necessary. “If this was the Olympics, you’d have a big, beautiful bronze hanging off your neck.”
“That’s awesome. Thank you for being there for me today, and pretty much every other day, too.”
“You’re worth it, kiddo. Now, tell me all about Shane. Is he over the moon?”
“Actually, he’s out in Eagle River. I’m just driving there to meet him now.”
“And?”
“He got his daughter back. I don’t know all the details, but he’s with her now. And, Scar, I have never heard that man sound so happy.”
“Looks like you’re going to have to find a new nickname for him now,” Scar said with a laugh.
“How about Mr. Great?” Lauren said with a smile.
Scarlett let out an exasperated sigh, which quickly broke apart into giggles. “That’s even worse than my jokes. Have fun and drive safe out there.”
“I will. You too!”
About fifteen minutes later, Lauren floated into the restaurant, and Shane stood to greet her with a huge hug. “There’s my champ!”
“More like your second runner-up,” she said, “But champ is fine, Mr. Great.” She smiled prettily at him, wondering what he would think of the new nickname.
“Mr. Great?” Shane laughed and rolled his eyes. “Did Scarlett come up with that one? That level of tacky has her name written all over it.”
She rolled her eyes right back at him, then waved to Rosie, who sat with her legs tucked under her at the booth. “Hello. I’m Lauren,” she said.
“Are you my Daddy’s girlfriend?” Rosie asked. Lauren noted that Rosie had Isabel’s dark features and delicate build, but her gorgeous blue eyes were exact replicas of Shane’s.
“That’s right,” Lauren said. “That is, if it’s okay with you.”
“It’s okay with me,” the little girl said, scooting over in the booth and gesturing for Lauren to sit beside her. “You’re really pretty, by the way.” Yup, she loved this child already.
“Thank you. So are you.”
“Are you going to marry my daddy like Tom is going to marry my mom?”
Lauren raised both eyebrows. “Only if you say it’s okay.”
Now it was Rosie who rolled her eyes. “I’m just a kid, Miss Lauren. I can’t make these big decisions.”
Lauren and Shane both laughed, and Rosie’s cheeks turned as bright as her namesake.
The waiter came and Shane ordered a giant combo for Lauren, insisting she try a little bit of everything at Garcia’s just as they had with the takeout from Maurice’s.
“Rosie, I happen to know a friend of yours,” Lauren told the little girl, who was coloring pictures of flowers and hearts on her placemat. She pulled out her cell phone and flicked through the camera roll. At last finding the one she wanted, she slid it over to Rosie.
“That’s my dog!” Rosie cried. “Her name is Rose like me. She’s Briar Rose.”
“Yup,” Lauren said with a smile so big it simply couldn’t be contained. “It sure is, and she told me she misses you very much. Would you like to come visit her at your dad’s house…?” She looked to Shane, who nodded for her to go ahead. “Maybe this weekend?”
“Oh, yes, please. I will just have to ask my mom if it’s okay.” Rosie bobbed her head up and down and shifted excitedly in her seat.
“That’s a good idea,” Shane said, reaching out to hold Lauren’s hand across the table. “You should always ask your mom’s permission first, but I have a sneaking suspicion that this time, she’s going to say yes.”