“Thanks,” Sam said, deciding not to argue. The more time he could look after Nicole himself, the better. “Get back to me as soon as you hear from the feds.”
“Will do.”
Sam turned to leave.
“Hey, Sam.”
He paused at the door and turned to look at his brother. “Don’t screw up with Nicole. It’s harder to get trust back than to win it in the first place,” Mike said.
With his brother’s words ringing in his ears, Sam strode out of the station.
Nicole stood across the street from the bakery, staring at the sign above her store. Her store. At the thought, a delightful shiver of excitement ran through her.
The new awning and sign had been delivered and installed. Lulu and Nic’s. Plain and simple. In a small town, everyone would know what products they sold, and all of Serendipity already knew Aunt Lulu from The Family Restaurant. Nicole had no problem giving her top billing.
“Looks amazing,” Sam said, walking up to her.
“Well, this is a surprise!” she said.
They hadn’t seen much of each other during the day this past week, as she and Lulu had decided to try a soft opening before next Monday’s big grand opening. They figured they could test out pastries and desserts, see what people preferred, where the glitches were in service and preparation, all before the advertised open date.
She arrived at the bakery by four a.m. to start baking for the day and often didn’t come home until late at night. There was much more to do than she’d anticipated, but she was operating on adrenaline and excitement and wasn’t the least bit tired. Sam insisted on being with her at night and she wasn’t complaining, even if part of his reasoning was that he wanted to make sure she remained safe.
They fell into a routine whereby they alternated whose place they slept at. He drove her to work in the morning and picked her up when she called him at night. They’d grab dinner in town or one of them would make something light, depending on whose house they ended up in, make love, and fall asleep curled in each other’s arms. So whether or not he wanted to admit his feelings for her, she was forging a place in his life. If he wanted her out when the situation with Tyler’s father and the Russians was resolved, he was going to have to say so.
In the meantime, she enjoyed every day for what it was, hoping she was showing him what could be. “Are you ready to head over to my parents’?” he asked.
She nodded. “But it seems like such an intimate family moment.” Not that she’d know of such a thing. “Maybe you should all be alone when Cara and Mike tell your folks she’s pregnant.”
He immediately shook his head. “Nobody will mind. It’s good news. And I want you there.”
“Are you sure you don’t just want to have an eye on me?” she asked, only half teasing.
He met her gaze. “Don’t overthink. Just go with the flow.”
Apparently he found the flow a lot easier to handle than she did. “Fine,” she said with forced brightness. “Let’s go.”
Twenty minutes later, she was welcomed with open arms by Ella Marsden and the yipping dog jumping up and down on his hind legs at her feet.
“I’m so glad you could join us! Sunday family dinners are always more fun when we have company.” She enveloped Nicole in a warm, Jean Naté–scented hug.
Nicole recognized the perfume because she’d complimented Lulu’s fragrance and learned the name. If it were her own mother, she’d be choking on Chanel. This scent warmed her all over.
“I brought you some meringue puffs,” Nicole said, handing Sam’s mother a white bakery box with their new Lulu and Nic’s logo emblazoned in what she hoped would become their royal blue and yellow branding.
“Thank you, t
hat’s so sweet. I can’t wait to hear all about how everything’s going. I already stopped in, as you know.” Ella accepted the box.
“I do, and I appreciate your support.”
Ella smiled and turned to Sam, hugging him and kissing his cheek before letting him go.
“Hi, Mom. You look beautiful as usual.”
She waved off his compliment. “You just want me to send you home with extra meals you can freeze.” She laughed. “Come in. Everyone else is in the living room.”
Nicole joined Sam’s family and accepted their hellos and warm greetings. She was so grateful they welcomed her so easily, even Mike, who she knew had reservations in the beginning, and especially Erin and now Cole. Her heart had led her to this small town and these wonderful people. No matter what happened between her and Sam, she knew she’d made the right decision settling here.