Anna Nolan was their very part-time, very capable office manager. When Aidan and Daniel first opened the doors to Quindlin Brothers Renovations, they had handled all aspects of the business themselves, including scheduling and planning. But as their company grew at a rate faster than they could have ever expected, they’d brought in someone who could keep them organized and on the right track in the two days a week that she came into the office.
“Sounds like a plan,” Daniel said.
Aidan explained the projected timeline. “Keep it on the down low for now,” Aidan said. “I want to surprise Kate with it. I think I’m going to get her a ring and make this a reverse proposal.”
Daniel laughed. “What does that mean?”
“We’re already married. But she never got the down-on-one-knee proposal, and since we’re going to have another wedding for the family, why not do it right and propose the old-fashioned way?”
“And the spa business is part of this old-fashioned proposal?”
Aidan smiled. “Sure. What’s wrong with that? It will be an engagement present.”
When Kate let herself in the kitchen door of the Forsyth Galloway Inn, she was greeted by her mother yelling, “Don’t let the puppy out!”
“What in the world?”
A tiny red-and-white corgi puppy appeared at her feet just as she shut the door. For as long as her mother, sisters and she had lived at the inn, her grandmother had staunchly insisted there would be no pets allowed. That was the reason why growing up, the girls had never had a puppy despite how much they had begged and pleaded.
Now that Gigi had retired, had Zelda lifted the no-pet policy?
“Whose dog is this?” Kate asked as she set her tote that contained the shampoo, conditioner, hair cape and curlers she used for Gigi’s weekly hair appointment. Usually Gigi came into the salon, but she had asked Kate to come to the inn today. It was such a beautiful day that Kate had been happy to have a valid excuse to get out of the salon. She had even walked the short distance from downtown to the inn.
She squatted down and took the puppy’s sweet face into her hands, taking care to scratch behind the ears and on the fluffy white chest. The pup returned the favor by alternating licks and gentle nips on Kate’s hands.
“That’s your mother’s dog,” Gigi said, her voice tight with disapproval.
“What?” Kate asked as she stood up to face Zelda. “Seriously? When did you decide to get a dog? And a corgi—” Kate’s voice went up an octave as she drew out the last syllable of the dog’s breed. She was unable to contain her excitement.
Zelda looked sheepish. Not at all like Kate expected her to look after pulling rank on her grandmother so victoriously. After all, Gigi was officially retired and Zelda was in charge, which meant she made the rules.
“Well, I didn’t exactly decide to get a dog—”
“It was a gift,” Gigi said with a scowl and lowered her voice. “Ask her about it. Go on. Ask her. It is a gift from that man.”
The way Gigi uttered the words that man, as if it was sinful, made Kate laugh out loud.
“What? Really?” Kate asked. “What man?”
“Yes. Really,” Gigi answered. “Apparently, your mother has a boyfriend that she’s been keeping a secret.”
Zelda rolled her eyes. “Oh, Mother. Can you not—”
“The only reason I found out was because of this thing.” Gigi curled her lip and pointed at the dog with her slippered foot. The puppy immediately mistook the gesture for an invitation to play and pounced, yanking the slipper off Gigi’s foot and doing a victory lap around the kitchen with it in his mouth.
Gigi shrieked. Kate laughed. Zelda called after the puppy, “Bear, come here! Give that back. Give that slipper back to Gigi and play with your own toys.”
The puppy’s name was Bear?
Awwww. Be still, my heart.
That was exactly what he looked like, a tiny mischievous bear up to no good and winning over every single heart at the same time. Well, except for Gigi’s.
As Kate watched her mother laughing and chasing the little dog around the kitchen, in pursuit of Gigi’s slipper, Kate realized she couldn’t remember the last time she had seen her mother look this happy. She looked young and beautiful and...in love.
Obviously, this boyfriend knew her mother well enough to know a corgi puppy meant more to her than gold and diamonds.
“Okay, so, I’m away from the inn for—what?—three days? And suddenly Mom has a puppy and a boyfriend? What alternate universe have I fallen into? Wait, is this who sent you those flowers?”
Hands on her hips, and trying hard to hide her smile, Gigi tsked.
“Seriously, Mom, who is this mystery man and when do we get to meet him?”
“Oh, I don’t know, Kate. We’ll have to see. I want to wait until I know where things are going with him. Right now, I’m not sure.”
“Can I tell my friends that you’re my new mommy?” Chloe asked, as Kate helped her get out of her car seat at her friend Beatrice’s house. She and Aidan had decided that Kate would take Chloe to the rock-painting group that Doris had invited them to join.
Kate smiled at the little girl. “I would love it if you called me that.” She kissed the little girl on the top of her head and smoothed her curls away from her pretty little face. Chloe smiled up at her as she put her hand in Kate’s, and they started up the cobblestone walk toward the mansion that was situated on Monterey Square.
Nice neighborhood.
Kate felt pinpricks of nervous energy as she worried about exactly what sort of situation she was walking into, meeting all the young mothers.
Doris’s mansion was within walking distance of the Forsyth Galloway Inn. But while Kate’s family had been forced to open their home to travelers to afford keeping the
