37. Ella
37
ELLA
“D o you think we should bake something?” I ask Birdie as she stares up at me from her spot on the floor. The clock seems to be moving backwards and I’m crawling out of my skin with worry. I’m about to launch into a one-sided debate about the pros and cons of cookies verses cupcakes when there’s a knock at the door.
Moose is the first one up, his low growl turning into a whimper and a tail wag as he looks from me to our visitor.
Visitors.
Tears blur my vision as I turn the handle and shoo the dogs away as Ellison, Bea, and Lana all wrap me in a hug and wait as I pull myself together.
“What are y’all doing here?” I rasp, looking at each of them as I wipe the tears from my face.
Ellison rolls her eyes and blinks rapidly. “Don’t do that! I can’t control the hormones yet and I hate crying.”
“God help Montana if that man takes the leftovers you were thinking about all day,” Lana says with a snicker while Bea chuckles and Ellison looks aghast.
“We brought snacks,” Bea says. “And nonalcoholic cocktails because today is a marathon not a sprint.”
“Mason rounded up the guys and headed to Montana’s after Bodhi made it to the coffee shop,” Lana says, taking my hand and giving it a squeeze. “He wants to be ready.”
“Ready for what?”
“Everything.”
“Which is why, ” Ellison says with a flourish, “you get us.”
“Oh! And good news,” Bea says, pulling a book from her bag and handing it to me, “you get to be in book club now.”
“You guys have a book club?” I ask skeptically, flipping the book over in my hand to read the back.
“Technically, it’s my fault,” Lana says, not sounding sorry at all. “I met Nessa working at the college and she invited me to come with her. I found out later that it didn’t exist until that day. They started it because Nessa panicked and here we are.”
“A happy mistake,” Ellison teases. “It’s the three of us and you, Nessa, Arden, and Cal. Have you met him? He works at the elementary school with me.”
“Oh yeah, of course. He’s Hannah’s brother.”
Bea snaps her fingers. “That’s right. Seriously, there’s so much overlap between Clementine Creek and Blackstone Falls I feel like I need a map to keep track of everyone.”
“That’s why I prefer not to talk to anyone,” Ellison sniffs, making the other girls chuckle.
“You’re not gonna be able to use that line much longer,” Lana tells her.
“She’s right. There’s seven of us in book club plus the guys and the kids…that’s getting to be a pretty big number,” Bea teases her as Ellison narrows her eyes.
“I’m not talkin’ about family.”
“Do y’all care if I bake something?” I ask, loving that they’re here but still feeling so unsettled.
“Is it chocolate?” Lana asks.
“It can be.” I smile, moving into the kitchen as they gather around the island, spreading food and drinks along one side. “Ellison, how’s Blu settling in?”
“Oh, she’s a dream!” She sighs, her hand absentmindedly resting on her stomach. “I’m hoping to get one of the other donkeys that traveled with her,”—she pauses—“and a highland cow, but that’s just because I want one.”
“And your husband is excited about all your acquisitions?” I ask skeptically even though that man has stars in his eyes every time he looks at her.
“There’s no one in this world who loves me more than Max.” She grins. “I call him Max and I’m Eddie and we’re just us. Sometimes I like to mess with him—see how far I can push him before he loses his mind.” Her sigh is wistful like she gets actual pleasure out of testing his patience, and maybe she does. “He puts up with a lot, but if I told him I adopted a whale, he’d start digging me a pool. He’s just a good man, my ride or die, and I’m lucky to be his wife.”
“Now I’m crying,” Bea grumbles, snatching a napkin from the holder and dabbing at her eyes.
“Oh, please,” Ellison hisses back. “Archer got you goats to make all your soaps, and he writes you poetry.”
“That’s so romantic.” I sigh as I turn to Lana. “What about Mason?”
“He made my son teach him how to check the produce the way I do when he goes to the grocery store so I don’t have to second-guess it. And he took my daughter to the father- daughter dance.” I’m practically swooning and I have no doubt the things they’ve mentioned only scratch the surface.
“Where are the kids tonight?” I ask.
“With their grandparents. Arden had to work, Cal is…doing Cal things, and Nessa said Remi wasn’t feeling well. Nice diversion; now tell us about Bodhi?” Lana prods and I blush.
“He just always seems to know what I need—like when he surprises me with lunch because he knows I forget to eat, or the full body massage that had me almost purring but...” My words trail off because he’s so much more than that. “It’s a million little things and I can’t believe he’s mine.”
“That,” Ellison says, pointing her spoon at me, “is why he’s yours. You see him for what’s inside, not the version he shows the world.”
“I do.”
Bea nods. “We know. So just lean on us and relax—enjoy the best you can—because he’s gonna need you when he gets home.”
“You’re right.”
I’ve got this.
I’ve totally got this.