Feisty Red (Three Chicks Brewery 2)

Mason ducked inside the room. A moment later, “Cool,” came from inside.

Clara’s eyes were laughing as she looked Sullivan’s way. “Isn’t it amazing how kids deal with things adults would have a breakdown over?”

Sullivan nodded. “He’s a good kid, and all credit goes to his incredible mother.” He grabbed Clara by the belt loop of her jeans and pulled her into him, holding her close. This time, he kissed her with the deep love that only came from two souls who’d gone through hard times and found their way back to each other.

When she eventually leaned away, she smiled up at him. “What are you thinking about?”

“How much I love you,” he said.

She smiled big. “I love you too, but there’s something more. I can see the wheels in your mind turning.”

He held her tightly, staring down at this woman who gave him a life he hadn’t known he needed. “Oh, I was just thinking about how I left this house, never intending to return. But I want to make this home a happy place again, something I think my father wished for when he left the house to you.”

“I think so too,” Clara said.

“That would make my mom very happy too,” he said, no longer keeping those thoughts to himself. “There’s love in this house again.”

Clara kissed him once more. “And there always will be.”

Epilogue

For as long as Clara could remember, she’d had her wedding planned. From the flowers decorating the barn, to the linens on the tables, to the dance floor, where the guests would laugh and celebrate her marriage. Only, this beautiful wedding she’d dreamed of wasn’t hers.

Amelia wore a gorgeous, fitted mermaid gown with a long veil that was currently covering her face. Just seeing her, Clara’s heart hurt a little that their parents or grandparents weren’t there to see Amelia get married. A week after Sullivan proposed, they were married in a small ceremony with friends and family in the backyard, under the big tree. In the end, she hadn’t wanted a big show. She’d only wanted Sullivan and those who had been there for them through it all. Except Sullivan had invited a few teammates and his agent. The day had been perfect, and somehow, even though their lives had once been very complicated, the last year of their life had been easy. They lived in Fort Myers for the summer months when Mason didn’t have school and Clara worked remotely. When he was in school, Sullivan lived in River Rock as long as he could, and they traveled to see each other as often as possible. Sure, it wasn’t conventional, but it was perfectly theirs. And at some point, Sullivan would retire from baseball and come home for good. When he spoke of his future, it involved a plan to coach for the University of Denver, bringing up new ballplayers into the major leagues.

When the violinist began playing, indicating the ceremony was about to begin, Clara squatted down and said to Mason, who looked cute in his dress shorts, white shirt, and bow tie. “Remember, all you have to do is walk down the aisle with the rings on the pillow, hand them to Luka, then go sit on Dad’s lap, okay?”

“Got it,” Mason said.

This kid amazed her. He’d been more resilient than even Clara thought possible. He seemed so happy to have Sullivan in his life—they really were two peas in a pod—that the whys and hows of why Sullivan hadn’t been there before really didn’t matter to him. Those hard questions would come, but Clara knew she and Sullivan would be ready for them. Together.

She straightened his bow tie. “I’ll be right behind you.”

“Okay,” Mason said.

“Ready?”

He nodded. “Yup.”

She kissed his cheek. “Okay, go on, then.”

“Ew.” He wiped off her kiss before doing nothing she’d told him to do. Instead of walking, he ran nearly the whole way then stopped and talked to a few people before going to sit with Sullivan.

She sighed back at Maisie. “Well, he got down there and the rings are still on the pillow. I guess that’s a win?”

“I thought that was going to go far worse, to be honest,” said Maisie with a laugh, striding by and walking down the aisle in her light purple bridesmaid’s dress.

With Maisie on her way, Clara turned around to Amelia. “Ready?”

Amelia visibly swallowed, looking a little doe-eyed.

Clara had been there. Even with today being the happiest day of Amelia’s life, being the center of attention wasn’t easy for any of the Carter sisters. She took Amelia’s clammy hands in hers and squeezed tight. “You’ve got this. Trust me, the ceremony is the hardest part. After that, we party. Okay?”

Amelia exhaled slowly th

en nodded. “Okay. I’m ready.”

“Yes, you are,” Clara said with a smile. “I’ll see you down there.” And because there wasn’t a father figure to walk her down the aisle and tell Amelia the things a father would say, she added, “You look absolutely beautiful today, Amelia.”