CHAPTER SEVEN
Ryan was already moving furniture out of the guest room when Bailey showed up at her mother’s house on Friday morning. She was exhausted after all the work they’d done throughout the week. Of course, it didn’t help that she’d spent hours on the phone with Dex. She’d told him about the letter and about Ryan’s idea to visit her uncle and the rest of the family in Wisconsin. Dex hated the idea. He begged her to give up the search, and when that didn’t work, he tried to demand she give it up. His worry was excessive, and she understood he didn’t want to see her get hurt, but she didn’t understand why he was so sure the search would end in pain.
Bailey didn’t let him deter her. She was moving forward. She needed to know the truth— the good, the bad, and the heartbreaking.
Ryan didn’t seem to mind that the rest of the house wasn’t in order yet, but Bailey couldn’t stand it. She spent every day in that house cleaning. When Ryan said he wanted to move in, she turned her focus from her mother’s writing desk to the guest room so it’d be ready for Ryan.
Bailey stood in the doorway to what was now Ryan’s music room and realized it’d be much like living here with her mother—there would always be music in the house. She smiled and remembered all the hours Ryan had already spent in that room, learning his craft. Bailey had tried, but she just didn’t have any rhythm. At least now she understood why her mother didn’t push harder. She knew Bailey hadn’t inherited any talent. At least she had Ryan to mold and teach. What a shame it would’ve been if her passion had died with her.
“You’re not changing your mind about that room, are you?” Ryan asked, coming up the stairs.
She bounced on her heels and wrapped her arms around him for a moment. “No, just thinking about my mom.”
He rubbed his hands up and down her back. When she pulled away, their eyes met and he squinted at her. “You okay?”
She nodded. “Yeah. Just feeling nostalgic.”
“If this boy gives you any trouble, Bailey, give me a call, and I’ll come kick his ass for you,” Wade said, coming up behind Ryan.
“Thanks, but I’m pretty sure I can take him.” She held up her little fist and punched him in the arm. When he reached out to smack her back, she laughed and ran down the stairs to work in the living room and clear out more of the paperwork that remained on her mother’s desk.
She sat at the desk and looked at the piles. It didn’t look like she’d made a dent yet. She needed a plan. She ran to the garage and grabbed some small cardboard boxes. Back inside, she lined them up on the floor next to the desk.
“This one for paid bills.” She jotted a note on the side. “This one for letters.” She wrote ‘letters’ on the side. Then she moved the shredder closer to the desk. “That’s for personal information.” She wrote ‘recycling’ on another box. “And that’s for junk mail.” She scanned the boxes and nodded. “Okay, make sense first, then go through each box, one at a time.” She looked up when she heard the screen door smack the doorframe.
“Are you talking to yourself?” Mae looked down on her.
“Hey, what’s up?” Bailey smiled. She’d missed Mae. Two weeks was the longest she’d ever been away from the shop.
“I brought you something.”
“Really? What?”
Mae held out a little silver box. “These are for your night out with Dex.”
“Mae…” Bailey lifted the top of the box and shifted the cotton inside. They were triple droplet Swarovski crystal earrings, each of the three stones a different color. The longest and largest stone was clear, the next, ice blue, and the third and shortest was fuchsia pink. The colors matched her new dress perfectly.
“Mae, wow, I love them.”
“I hoped you would.”
“Hm.” Bailey gave her a sideways look. “I thought you didn’t want me to stay with Dex.”
“I want you to be happy. If Dex makes you happy, then I’ll mind my own business.”
Bailey stared at her for a long moment, then lowered her eyes to the earrings again.
“What is it, Bailey?” Mae tilted her head, trying to meet her eyes. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing, I just… I went to a lot of trouble to plan our Fourth of July date. I’m excited for our night out, but I’m also afraid he won’t show up.”
Mae let out a long and loud sigh. “You’re making it really hard for me to mind my own business, Bay.”
“Mae, if he doesn’t show up this time, I don’t think I’ll be able to forgive him.”
“Good! You shouldn’t.”
Bailey glanced up just as Ryan jumped off the bottom step. “Shouldn’t what?”
“Never mind,” Bailey said, slipping the earrings into her ears.
She looked back at Mae. “What are you doing for the Fourth?”
Mae gave her a sly smile. “I have a date.”
Ryan’s eyebrows rose. “A date, huh? With who?”
“I need to get back to the shop. See you Monday, Bay. Have a blast with Dex.”
“Thank you,” Bailey said, chuckling as Mae walked away. She turned back to Ryan. “What are you doing for the Fourth, Ryan?”
He sat down on the sofa and popped open a soda. “I’m taking the boat out with a case of beer and watching the fireworks. I might even spend the night out there.”
“Who are you taking with you?”
He sipped the soda. “No one. I’m going by myself…unless you want to join me.”
Bailey grabbed a pile of envelopes from the desk and started sorting into boxes. “I already made plans, but
