“She’s standing in your arms, Bo.”
I laughed and crossed to James, kissing his cheek. “I’m fine, just emotional about Addie feeling the baby kick.”
Bette beamed, setting down her box. “That was my favorite feeling.”
“You can feel him if you want. He’s pretty strong,” Addie offered.
“I’d love to.”
Boden’s parents and my friends had become close over the last few months. James and Bette had wanted to be with their son as he recovered and had fallen in love with the town of Wolf Gap. They’d ended up buying another property just down the road.
“How many art and photo supplies can one person have?” Jax moaned as he carried in a particularly large box.
“I made that one extra-heavy just for you,” I quipped.
He rolled his eyes. “Where does it go?”
“In the photo studio out back.”
Jax whirled on Serena, who had followed him inside. “You said the house.”
Her lips twitched. “Oops. Payback’s a bitch.”
“Language,” Kay chided as she and Chip came in with yet more boxes.
It was crazy how much stuff I’d managed to pack into that tiny apartment over The Gallery. After Gilly had taken a plea deal that put her in a psychiatric facility, she’d signed over the space to Serena. The two of us were sharing management now and made a great team. She was an ace at promotion and events, and I handled all the art.
Hadley and Everly came in with two more wrapped photos. Hadley shook her head. “I still can’t believe you’ve been taking these photos and didn’t tell us. It’s amazing.”
“It really is,” Ev echoed.
Hayes wrapped an arm around her. “You have a gift.”
Heat rose to my cheeks. “Thank you. It feels good to finally share them.”
Boden pulled me back into his arms. “Told you.”
“You don’t have to gloat.”
“But he always does,” Bette muttered.
“Mom, you’re supposed to be on my side.”
“I’m on Laiken’s side,” she shot back.
I couldn’t hold in my laughter. Between the Cavanaughs and the Grangers, I felt so incredibly loved and supported. It dulled the sting of my mother not bothering to visit after my ordeal. In some ways, it was freeing. I didn’t have to feel guilty when she dropped snide comments about me not coming to see her back east. I simply let her go. We’d always have the occasional phone calls, but she wasn’t my support system.
“Got the pizza,” Calder hollered from the entryway.
“We got loads of ice cream, too,” Birdie said.
Sage grinned. “Made sure we got some strawberry for you, Boden.”
Boden lifted a hand and high-fived Sage. “You’re the best.”
Calder raised the stack of boxes. “Should I stick these in the kitchen?”
As soon as the smell of pepperoni hit my nose, my stomach roiled. I tried to force down the nausea but knew this was one episode I wouldn’t be able to fight. I took off for the bathroom at the other end of the house.