Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 76782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Mrs. Lawton,
The frame is old to someone but new to us.
The sky is as blue as the water was that day.
The sailboat was borrowed for our honeymoon adventure.
This is your something old, new, borrowed, and blue.
Mr. Lawton
A single tear falls from my eye as I cradle the card against my chest.
“I love you,” I whisper under my breath. “I love you, Mr. Lawton.”
“Gina!” my grandma calls from the kitchen. “I don’t know about your coffee maker. Come show me how to use it.”
I slide the card back into the envelope and tuck it in the front pocket of my overalls before I take one last look at the photograph and close my eyes, wishing this beautiful life I’m suddenly living will never end.
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
Gina
“What smells so good?” Daniel’s deep voice turns my grandma around to face him.
I take an extra second to steel my nerves before I do the same.
I’m still reeling from the photograph and card I stumbled on less than thirty minutes ago. I have no idea when Daniel put it there, but I’m forever grateful that he did.
“You?” Marti races toward him with open arms.
Without hesitation, he hugs her, all while keeping his eyes on me. “Good morning, Gina.”
“Morning,” I say with a smile. “Is that a new suit?”
Marti runs both of her palms down the front of the gray jacket. “It’s a nice one.”
“It is new.” Daniel perks a brow. “I had my guy at Berdine put in an order for two new suits. He got them to me in record time.”
I’m sure the closet in his place in California is filled with business attire, so I take his recent investment in two suits here to mean he’s planning on staying in New York for a while.
I hope that transforms into forever.
“Look at our Gina.” Marti points to where I’m standing next to the kitchen counter. “Doesn’t she look like our Gina again?”
I can’t take offense, because I saw it myself when I looked in the mirror this morning.
It’s not just the fact that I’m wearing my own clothing, and it has little to do with my hairstyle or lack of makeup. It’s my smile. It’s how I feel inside. I haven’t felt like myself in a very long time.
“She looks beautiful,” Daniel says.
Marti’s gaze volleys between my husband and me. “You both do. You’re both beautiful.”
“Thanks, Grandma.” I point at the pot of freshly brewed coffee. “Do you want a cup, Daniel?”
He nods. “Absolutely, and a plate of whatever’s cooking.”
“It’s Gina’s favorite.” Marti pats his bicep. “She says she cooks eggs, but I don’t know.”
“I do,” I say a little too forcefully. “I’m learning to cook more things. I want to learn to cook everything.”
Her brows shoot up. “You do?”
“Yes,” I admit in a whisper. “I want you to teach me, Grandma.”
“I want that.” She closes the distance between us with hurried steps. “I want to teach you.”
I’ve been afraid to admit that because it’s become a running joke in my family that I’m the only one who can’t cook anything remotely Italian related. I want to change that. I need to. It’s important to me.
I hug her briefly. “We’ll start soon, okay?”
“Okay.” She nods. “I’ll plate the food. Then you can tell me about the doctor. Dr. Morgan. Lia showed me a picture. He’s handsome.”
Her gaze darts to Daniel. I assume to gauge his reaction.
With his hip resting against the counter and a smirk on his lips, he tilts his chin up. “I’d love to hear about the doctor too, Gina.”
“Would you?” Marti questions him. “Doctors make a lot of money.”
“So do wealth managers,” he counters.
I step toward the cupboard to grab a mug for my husband’s coffee. “So do social media influencers.”
Marti laughs. “Touché.”
I pour the coffee and hand it off to Daniel since he’s now standing next to me.
“Will you see the doctor again?” Marti asks as she grabs the oven mitts from the counter.
I look to Daniel. I intended to share my good news with him first. I still want to do that.
Without a word from me, I know he understands what I’m thinking because he moves to help my grandma, taking the oven mitts from her so he can grab the egg casserole she brought with her that’s been baking. “I was thinking of bringing a client by the restaurant for lunch today, Marti. What’s on the menu?”
It’s the distraction I needed to avoid telling her about Gaines.
Her entire face lights up. “Everything! I can prepare something special. You tell me what they like, and I’ll make it.”
With my grandma’s back to me, I reach into my pocket and tug on the envelope to reveal a small corner of it.
As he places the casserole on the counter, Daniel’s eye catches on the envelope. A slow smile slides over his lips.
I raise my hands and sign to him. Thank you.