Chapter 22 #2
“My pleasure. Drive safely and text me when you get home.”
Evelyn hugged her again, then hopped in the car and drove off.
Dani waved from the driveway until the car turned the corner at the top of the road.
Heart full, she turned to find Lawson and Bibi watching her from the front of the garage. When she reached them, Lawson wrapped his arms around her, and Bibi licked her hand.
Leaning back from the hug, she tilted her head. “A few months ago, I thought my life was full. I couldn’t even imagine feeling like this.”
He smiled. “Like what?”
She reached on tiptoe to kiss him lightly. “I never imagined I could fall in love. Or have so many friends. Having a relationship with my sister seemed impossible. Now, I have a rich life, full of joy, love, and friendship. I couldn’t be happier.”
He grinned. “Sounds like a challenge.”
She hugged him again. “Did you bring the things you need?”
He waggled his eyebrows and lowered his voice to a rumble. “I don’t need a damn thing. Just you.”
Then he looped his arm over her shoulders and turned them to the field. “But yes, I brought all the things we’ll need. Beatrice is keeping an eye on it all.”
“Is she excited?”
Lawson laughed. “I hope so. I am. Are you sure about this?”
She nodded. “I am. Beatrice is very happy where she is, but I don’t think she’ll mind a little beauty treatment here and there.”
In the field, Dani moved to check on the bees while Lawson set up his equipment, and Bibi found a sunny spot for a snooze.
While she collected some honey, Lawson pulled out his sander and turned his attention to Beatrice’s rear fender. Even from here, Dani could see the rapt attention on his face. The love he had for the process and the truck.
She thought back to the drone he’d flown over the field and how scared she’d been that someone was trying to hurt her bees.
Instead, he’d been lusting after her truck.
Laughing, Dani collected her honey and checked on her bees.
Life was amazing. The future was full of possibilities.
“Thanks, Frannie B. You’re the reason for my happiness.
Thanks to your example and seed money, I’ve got everything.
A growing business I love. A man I love even more.
I hope you know how grateful I am for everything.
Including the veto power.” Although she was glad she didn’t have to use it.
Without Jeremy’s desperate need to pay off gambling debts, the company didn’t need a merger.
Or a name change. Her parents had admitted to Marcus that Jeremy had been the one pushing for the change.
Her parents had trusted him and hadn’t asked for details.
“That veto power brought me the courage to go after everything I dreamed of. Thank you.”
Her whispered words probably didn’t even reach her bees, but she hoped they reached her great-grandmother wherever she was.
Dani returned to Beatrice, removed her bee suit, and set her honey container near the path to her cottage.
Lawson grinned at her, removed his safety goggles and turned off the sander.
He set it all down and stood. “You’re looking happy.”
“I am. I was just thanking Frannie B for everything. Without her, I wouldn’t have had the courage to make my own choices. And her trust fund gave me enough money to buy this land and start up my businesses. I owe her so much.”
Lawson squeezed her hands. “I’m betting she’s proud of you. Sounds like she wanted you to grab life with both hands, and that’s exactly what you’ve done.”
She released his hands and gripped his shirt to pull him down for a kiss. “I enjoy grabbing with both hands.”
Lawson roared with laughter and lifted her so she could wrap her legs around his waist. “Any particular things you’d like to grab?”
“I have a few ideas.”
He grinned. “So do I. Want to try them out here in broad daylight?”
“I’ve got enough gumption if you do.”
“Oh, I do.”
Then he turned to press her against Beatrice’s side and kissed her with so much love that even her toes tingled.
And she imagined she could hear Frannie B applauding before leaving them to their fun.
And fun it was.
Bonus Scene
Mara Evans
Mara struggled to stop the shaking, which had started in her fingers, traveled up her arms and through the rest of her body.
Right into her heart.
How dare he?
Egotistical ass.
Overbearing boor.
Handsy jerk.
Sexist clown.
Untalented fool.
Mara ran out of adjectives by the time she reached the bus stop. Knowing she was far too early for the next bus, and unwilling to sit, she stomped to the next stop.
Her temper simmered, and she was close to angry tears. Not happening in public. She wouldn’t give the ass any satisfaction.
Not that he would ever know she’d cried, but she would know.
Instead, she channeled her inner Elphaba and sang No Good Deed. Inside her head, of course. No matter how angry she was or how many people loved Wicked, belting out the song on the bus wouldn’t go well.
Once she reached her apartment, she could let it out.
And then what?
Nope, not thinking of that. Not yet.
Tomorrow was soon enough.
Tonight was for tears and ice cream. Cursing, too. Maybe even yelling into her pillow. She didn’t want to scare her neighbors.
Then she’d bake some cookies. Her cookies. Her recipes. Because that asshole was never getting access to them again.
Maybe she’d even come up with something new. A vengeance cookie? What ingredients could she use for those?
It could be a thing. She could open a Vengeance Cookie shop. Become a media sensation and put the jerk out of business. Hashtag Vengeance Cookie. Hashtag Boycott Anson Bakes. Hashtag I need a new job.
The bus arrived, and Mara sat at the back. She didn’t want to see anyone or be forced into polite conversations with strangers.
She wanted to be at home.
Although her apartment wasn’t really home, the tiny studio had a view of a dumpster and hot water that occasionally worked. It was where she lived, but it wasn’t home.
She swallowed hard. At least she had ice cream. And her playlists.
And ingredients. She was going to invent the best damn vengeance cookie recipe ever.
Then, she might be brave enough to face the future.