not ever intend to marry anyone again until I’ve lived with them at least a year. That way if it doesn’t work out, I might have a broken heart, but I won’t have to go through a divorce.”
“I’m right the opposite.” Kayla started the car. “Like I said, I’ll never just live with another man. If he can’t commit to the whole nine yards, including a ring, a marriage license, and a wedding cake, then”—Kayla shrugged—“he’s out of luck with this girl.”
“I had a cheap ring and a marriage license. Didn’t have the wedding cake—maybe that’s why it didn’t work out,” Teresa said with a laugh. “I want to be certain the two of us are compatible before we make it permanent, and I’ve already told Noah that.”
Kayla could well understand her sister’s reluctance. “Do you really think if you and Luis had lived together, it would have made a difference? I think he would have been nice to you no matter where you lived, right up until you were legally married.”
“Maybe so, but I’m not taking chances,” Teresa said. “You better get on inside and grab a quick shower. You smell like onions.”
“So do you,” Kayla shot back. “I’ll save you some hot water. It might not be easy to seduce Noah with that smell all over you.”
“Maybe he likes onions,” Teresa teased.
Kayla parked the car, got out, and jogged across the lawn to the house, leaving Teresa alone in the vehicle. She sat there for a long time thinking about the past few months and what a life-changing experience it had all been. Will and Kayla were getting more serious with each passing day. Teresa and Noah were learning to live in the house with Queenie, the big blondish-white pup that Noah declared grew a foot a day. The first time it rained, the puppy had shivered, and the idea of her being an outside dog came to an end. Except in bad weather, her place was on the back porch at night, but other than that, she could go where she wanted in the house.
A good man. A spoiled dog. A home. A business—everything that Teresa had ever dreamed about. She shivered at the thought of losing it all now that she’d found it, and then she felt Miss Janie’s presence right behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to be sure the old girl wasn’t really there.
“What?” she asked.
Be happy. Miss Janie’s voice was loud and clear in her head.
“What if happiness is jerked out from under me? I know you had it taken away from you when me and Kayla left home and didn’t come back to see you, and when you had to give up your babies,” Teresa argued.
But I died a happy woman. Make each day happier than the one before and you’ll die the same way.
“I hope so,” Teresa said as she got out of the car.
Noah had finished working on his first pro bono case. He’d poured himself a glass of sweet tea and was settled down on the sofa when Teresa and Kayla came home that evening. Teresa kicked off her shoes and snuggled down beside him.
“How did the first day go?” he asked. “I really wanted to come down there and have lunch with Sam and meet all his buddies, but I was tied up with this case all day.”
“I understand, and, honey, it went well enough that my feet hurt,” she told him. “I didn’t have time to sit down for even a minute all day. We had an amazing day, and Sam and the old folks thanked us for everything and even tried to pay us for the dinner, but we told them it was taken care of already.” She stopped to catch a breath and went on. “And I feel like I’m floating on clouds and nothing can ever go wrong.”
“That’s great.” He tipped up her chin and kissed her. “You taste like lemonade, but you smell like onions.”
“Kayla and I both do. We chopped about five for tomorrow’s lasagna. You can come eat with us anytime you want, too. Today was just the beginning,” she said.
“Are you telling me that I’m old?” He put his arm around her and drew her closer to his side.
“I’m not saying you’re old, but you can come eat with us anytime you want. You might even get some business while you’re there. I heard Sam telling one old guy that he should come talk to you about his will,”