frowned as if that news made him quite unhappy indeed.
“Let’s do a campfire dessert bar at the firepit,” Dot said. “I can run to town and get everything easy.”
Ward looked at her, admiration growing in his eyes. “That’s a great idea, sweetheart. I’ll go with you.” He touched his lips to her forehead. “She’s putting on a brave front.”
“People will have questions.”
“She said she can handle them.”
Etta released Hailey, her eyes wet, and she came toward Dot. “Oh, I missed you so much,” she said, taking Dot and Glory into her arms simultaneously. “How are two of my favorite people?”
“Amazing,” Dot said, holding Etta with her one arm as tightly as she could.
“I heard you’re going to pull back from From the Ground Up.” Etta pulled away from Dot and took Glory right from her. She kissed the baby, who grinned and flailed her arms, because she knew exactly who Auntie Etta was.
“I am,” Dot said, glancing at Ward. He’d been the one to suggest perhaps just scaling back her role. Moving some of her employees into management positions, hiring more people, and then simply doing the paperwork, the behind-the-scenes owner work. Dot had liked that idea, as it eased her away from the company while still allowing her to have a part in it. “Oakley did that with Mack’s for a while, and I talked to her too. She said it was a good first move.”
“I’m happy for you.” Etta kissed Dot’s cheek. “The yard here looks wonderful.” She smiled as Hailey came to her side. “I’m to understand that the two of you have taken over for me? I really appreciate it.”
“Dot is really good with things,” Hailey said. “Oh, my goodness, Etta. You haven’t seen the fairy garden. Come on.” Her whole face brightened, and she tugged on Etta’s hand as she went toward the back door. “Come on! You’re going to love it.”
“Fairy garden?” Etta looked at Dot with surprise, but she turned and followed Hailey before Dot could say anything. They left, and Dot knew what Ward meant.
“That’s a really big façade,” she said. “She’s hurting so much, and that fairy garden…isn’t going to help.”
“I thought you and Hailey built it for her.”
“We did,” Dot said miserably. “And how do you think she’s going to feel about that?” She looked at her husband. “Every time she sees it, she’s going to think of that girl. She’s going to feel lonely and guilty and heartbroken over and over again.” She shook her head. “I didn’t know.” She pressed her eyes closed and prayed for forgiveness right out loud.
“Forgive me, Lord, I didn’t know things weren’t going to work out with her and August.” She opened her eyes and looked at Ward. “What should I do? Take it out?”
Ward looked troubled too, and he’d likely forgotten about the fairy garden. Dot and Hailey had built it in a few hours, the morning Etta and August had flown to San Antonio.
“Let’s give it some time,” he murmured. “Things might work out between them yet.”
“How?” Dot wanted to know. She searched her husband’s face, and she wasn’t sure what she saw, but it was something. “Ward, you better start talking right now.”
Instead, he pulled his phone from his pocket. “Read those texts I got only a few seconds before Etta showed up.”
Dot took his phone, stupefied as he casually drained the bottle of lemonade while she unlocked his phone. The top texts were from August Winters, and Dot drew in a sharp breath.
Then she started reading.
Chapter 33
Etta was aware of the increased noise beyond the door separating her inside her suite and the rest of the house. She pressed her eyes closed, realizing what a mistake she’d made. She never should’ve told Ward she expected a big party for her return.
At the moment, she wasn’t even sure what she wanted. Her twin had been extremely kind to her to let her stay in her home in a quiet suburb of Three Rivers for the past few weeks. Etta had known it was time to return to Shiloh Ridge about four days ago, and she hadn’t been able to bring herself to make the drive until today.
She had to go right by Preacher’s farmhouse and the cabin community where August lived unless she wanted to drive all the way to Amarillo and then come onto the ranch via a dirt road. Since it would take three hours instead of thirty minutes, she’d decided against that plan.
Still, driving past August’s cabin,