a cheeky grin. With a kiss to Rae’s shoulder, he continued through the kitchen and followed Beau outside.
“So, you’re buying a house,” I said softly as I placed the clear lid on the display case and then carefully carried it over to the other counter. “In Amber, Texas.” Smiling at her once I had the pastries where I wanted them, I added, “And you married a terribly stubborn Dixon.”
“I did,” she said, joy lighting her expression.
“When you showed up here a year ago, I would’ve never guessed any of that would be in the future for y’all. But I’m so glad for it—all of it. You’re perfect for him and this family, Rae.”
The corners of her mouth tipped up shakily, and she looked away, still clearly uncomfortable when anyone mentioned family and her. But it was different than how she’d been a year ago.
Not as haunting.
Not pushing her into fight-or-flight in an instant.
Slowly getting more and more used to the idea of having a family—of letting people love her.
“I have something for you, and I hope it’s okay,” I said as I hurried to the other side of the kitchen and grabbed the small box I’d stashed away, my tone all understanding and encouragement when I faced her again. “I understand if it isn’t.”
She straightened and carefully set her features into her impenetrable mask when I set it on the island beside me. “Okay.”
“When I was growing up, my mom had this necklace that I loved,” I began. “I used to play with it all the time when I was a kid, and I always tried to sneak off with it in the rare times she took it off, as if she wouldn’t know it was missing.” Sorting through the necklaces I wore, I found the chain I was looking for and pulled out the large locket from beneath my shirt. “On my wedding day, she gave it to me.”
“It’s beautiful,” Rae said, voice still somewhat guarded as she held the oval shape in her hand, looking at the engraved whorls and flowers.
“She told me her mom had given it to her on her wedding day, and if I was lucky enough to have a daughter, I could do the same.” The corner of my mouth tugged up as I grasped the metal. “And the best part?”
Opening the locket, I carefully turned it over so the three pieces of folded up paper fell into my palm.
“Love notes?” she asked, a hint of a tease weaving through.
“Not exactly.” I smoothed out one of the small papers and turned it so it was facing Rae. “This is my mom’s.”
“His voice,” she read aloud, then looked at me in question.
A snort left me as I opened the oldest paper. “My grandma—who, by the way, repeatedly hit my knuckles with a wooden spoon because of the sinful things I’d done with a young and devilishly handsome Beau Dixon—wrote this one.”
“His bottom.” Rae looked at me, eyes wide and amused, before a laugh escaped her. “What are these?”
“What first attracted us to our husbands,” I explained as I opened up mine.
“His—” She paused and then let out a sigh as her stare shifted to mine, smile soft and wistful.
His heart.
“I love that,” she whispered.
“Yeah.” I echoed her tone as I carefully folded up the papers and placed them back in the locket. Once it was shut, I reached for the box beside me. “Rae, I know your family was terrible and things with your mom—well . . . I love that you found our family,” I said simply.
Her head shifted subtly, all that unease bleeding through.
“I hope over time, we can show you what family is supposed to be like, but I know it won’t make up for what you went through. Anyway,” I said as I handed her the gift, “I was at the boutique about a month ago, and I saw these—they just started selling them.”
Rae lifted the top of the box and stilled when she saw the necklace. The large silver locket that was nearly the same size and shape as mine, with swirls etched into the metal that made them look nearly identical.
“And now that you’re my sister too, I wanted to give you this so you could start the tradition in your family, if you wanted.”
For long moments, she just stared at the necklace before her head slowly lifted, tears clinging heavily to her eyelashes and slipping down her cheeks.