Page 153 of Small Town, Big Storm

I exhale, shake my head, push the worry out of my head.

I’m spiraling for no reason.Storm and I have figured out so much already.Why wouldn’t we sort this?

He knows how important Sully’s is to me.

He won’t jeopardize that.

“I’m good,” I say.“Just a small moment of panic.”

“I’m impressed it took you so long.”

My brows fly up.“What?”

“Pop, your entire life has changed in just a few months, and I’m happy that you’re happy.But Storm left you all those years before.And I understand why,” she adds when I start to protest.“If what happened to him happened to me…” She takes a breath.“But that’s us being logical, beingreasonable.It’s your heart that’s talking now, and it was broken, babe.So, it’s going to take some time and patience for it to trust what you guys have.”

I exhale.“Do you think I’m doing the right thing?”

“I think I’m thrilled to see how happy you and Holly are,” she murmurs.“And I’m confident that’s the most important thing to Storm, that he’ll break his back to give you that.”

The twisting in my stomach eases.

Because she’s right.

Because…I feel the same.

I love him and just want him to be happy.

Exhaling, I bump her shoulder with mine this time around.“You’re pretty smart.”

“I know,” she says lightly as Clem sits down across from us, Daisy and Blossom right behind her.

“So help me God,” Clem declares, “if I have to organize another one of these, I’m going to launch myself off Grizzly Rock.”

“You’d do that anyway,” Blossom says.

A dramatic sigh.“Yes, I would.”A beat.“Because I love the thrill.”

I giggle and I’m not the only one.

The conversation turns from thrill-seeking to the Home Ice Classic then over to what’s happening at Bits & Bobs and Happy Tails, Blossom’s craft shop and Daisy’s pet store, respectively.Clover chimes in with a funny story about a delivery gone wrong (and Shep miraculously stepping in to help make it right).

“Turns out he’s allergic to Baby’s Breath of all things,” she says with a giggle.

I smile, know that for all her blustering, there’s a part of The Enforcer who’s already let Shep in.

And I can’t wait to see how that all shakes out.

Clem winks at me, clearly thinking the same thing.

Then we’re discussing the upcoming school year and Holly’s excitement for first grade and soon enough it’s time to go our separate ways.

We exchange hugs and goodbyes and then I head over to Sully’s to get ready for the evening rush.

Storm and Holly come in right around dinner time and they pitstop for hugs and kisses before heading upstairs to cook.

Which meansIget to pop up those same stairs to eat a delicious meal of pasta, zucchini, and peas a little while later.

“It has green stuff but it’s delicious, Mom,” Holly declares.