Hold Me

There were dozens more decisions to be made. Were they staying in Fool’s Gold? What was she going to do with her life? The list went on and on. But for the next hour or so, all she wanted was to hang out with people she liked and laugh a little. Nachos would be good, too.

She tried to remember the last time she’d felt this way about a group of women in her life. Maybe in college, she thought. How sad. All her refusal to connect with the people around her had gotten her was a lonely, solitary existence. No support, no love, no sense of belonging. What had she been thinking?

“So this is a regular thing?” Cassidy asked as they walked into the bar.

“Sort of. Texts go out and whoever can make it shows up.” Destiny saw a couple of her friends had already claimed a large table. “There they are.”

Madeline and Felicia waved them over. Destiny introduced Cassidy, then sat next to Madeline.

“How are you?” Madeline asked. “We are going crazy at Paper Moon. A new delivery of wedding gowns came in. People probably think that they arrive laid out in huge trunks and are stuffed with tissue and look fantastic. The truth is they’re shoved into impossibly small boxes and have to be hung up and steamed. For hours.” Madeline rotated her shoulders. “I hurt everywhere. I need carbs.”

Destiny leaned over and hugged her friend. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Being normal. I needed normal today.” A reminder that life went on, and that every crisis was different. Some small, some huge, but all demanding.

“Would ironing and steaming help you feel better? Because I have lots of that to offer.”

“Say the word,” Destiny told her. “And I’ll be there.”

Larissa joined them, along with Patience from Brew-haha. Jo took orders for drinks then explained the day’s nacho special and left them to talk.

Felicia leaned toward Cassidy.

“I heard you have trained horses and dogs you’re going to be bringing to town.”

Patience’s eyes widened. “Trained how? Like for entertainment? Because Lillie and I could totally get into that. I love the festivals, but there aren’t enough performing animals.” She sighed.

“We have Priscilla,” Felicia said. “Although I suppose she doesn’t actually do anything out of the ordinary.”

“She’s an elephant,” Madeline said. “I think she wins by showing up.”

Cassidy blinked a couple of times, as if having trouble following the conversation. “Okay,” she said slowly. “Not circus animals. My horses and dogs are working animals. They help with search and rescue.”

“HEROs.” Patience nodded knowingly. “I love that,” she sighed.

Felicia turned to her. “You’re in an unusual mood today. And you’ve sighed several times. That’s significant.” Her brows drew together. “Although my statement makes no sense. A sigh is simply an involuntary or voluntary response to—”

“I’m pregnant.”

The table went silent for two beats before exploding into laughter and congratulations.

Patience beamed. “I know,” she said. “I’m surprised, too. Well, not surprised. We’ve been trying. But for a while we weren’t sure we wanted more kids. I think Justice was thinking I didn’t want another baby. But I do, and he does, and now we’re pregnant.”

Destiny added her best wishes to the conversation, even as she found herself wondering about her own situation. A couple of days ago, she would have heard the news and known she would never meet Patience’s baby. That by the time he or she was born, she would have moved on. But all that had changed. Not for her seeing Patience’s baby, but in the future. She was settling down. Which meant at some point she would have long-term friends. Friends who would get married and pregnant and have babies, and she would be there to be a part of all of it.

She was doing the right thing for her family. Because she wanted to. And that felt good.

Jo brought over several bottles of champagne and one glass of sparkling water garnished with lime. Everyone in the restaurant toasted Patience’s good news.

Later, when they’d finished lunch, Cassidy headed back to the office she shared with Kipling while Destiny walked out with Felicia. The two women turned toward the park.

“I’m feeling especially insightful today,” Felicia said. “So I’m going to ask you a question. Is everything all right? You appeared more quiet than usual at lunch.”

“I’m okay. Just dealing with some family stuff.”

Felicia pointed to one of the benches facing the lake. “Want to talk about it?”

Destiny started to say no, but found herself nodding instead. When they were seated, she paused, not sure where to begin.

“You know about my family,” she said after a couple of seconds. “Who my parents are.”

“Yes. They’re country singers. I enjoy country music. It tells a story. I’ve learned a lot about life from country music. Your parents both have excellent musicality.”

“Ah, thank you.” Kind of a strange compliment, but she knew Felicia meant well. “Starr is my half sister. We share a father. A couple of months ago, my dad’s attorney contacted me.”

Destiny told her about taking in Starr and how things hadn’t gone well. She finished with the teen running away and how they were committed to being a family.

“I have experience with a child running away,” Felicia said. “Although Carter was pretending. Still, I’ve never been so afraid in my life. It’s not an experience I want to repeat.”