Hummingbird Lane Brown, Carolyn (libby ebook reader TXT) 📖

thank you.” This was happening way too fast, but then perhaps that’s the way it had to work or else she would go insane with worry over every little decision.

“Hey, don’t thank me. This is a joint effort. You are going to have to keep the work coming to hang on the walls, and”—he escorted her down the stairs—“talk your friends into letting us display their art as well. You’ve got your job cut out for you as much as I do. And, honey, if you need to go off to the wilds to paint for a couple of days now and then, I might pout, but I’ll understand.”

“I love you more every day,” Sophie said.

“Of course you do. I’m your soul mate.” He gave her a squeeze as they headed toward the front of the building, where the Realtor waited.

There was no doubt about him being her soul mate, but there was still just a little something hanging on in her heart that worried that she might be caving in because she didn’t want to disappoint Teddy. She would have to get rid of it—somehow, some way—before they had the broom ceremony.

Emma had worried about how much the phone that she’d asked Josh and Arty to pick up when they went to town would cost. She had little to no idea what the price of anything was these days, and she only had a hundred dollars in her purse. “Dammit!” she swore as she stared at a hummingbird flitting around the red flower on a cactus not far from the back porch. “No mother should treat her child like this. Even a teeny-tiny hummingbird protects its babies. They don’t mentally abuse them, and they damn sure don’t take away their money so they can’t even buy a phone.”

She was still keeping an eye on the bird when the landline rang. She rushed inside and caught it on the fourth ring.

“Hello,” she panted.

“Hey, girl, did I get you out of bed with some handsome guy?” Sophie teased.

Emma’s face went up in a red-hot blush. “I might ask you the same question.”

“Not right now, but if you’ll call in about an hour, you’ll hear me trying to catch my breath for sure,” Sophie said. “I’ve got so much to tell you that I don’t even know where to begin. I have to talk fast, because we’re about to board the plane.”

Emma sat down on the floor, leaned back against the bar, and sincerely hoped that the excitement in Sophie’s voice meant it was good news. “Start at the beginning.”

“First of all, the house that Teddy rented is going up for sale, and we’re going to buy it and move in together. He’s going to change jobs, stop traveling, and—”

“You’re going to live in Del Rio,” Emma butted in. “Isn’t that closer to this place than Dallas? If I stay here, we won’t be so far apart. Tell me more.”

“Yep, and there’s two extra bedrooms upstairs if you want to live here with us,” Sophie offered.

“No, thank you,” Emma said. “I love you, and I appreciate the offer, but you and Teddy need to live your own lives. I never want to live in a city again, but I’m happy you’ll be closer than Dallas. I’m still hoping that Josh will rent me this trailer on a permanent basis.”

“Have you talked to him about that?” Sophie asked.

“Not until I see if I can sell enough paintings to afford such a thing. I told Josh to get me a phone when he and Arty go to town. Filly’s going with them this time, and she said she knew just what kind to buy me, but now I’m worried that I won’t have enough money to pay for the damn thing. Mother sure screwed up things when she froze my accounts,” Emma said.

“Well, you’ve got a while to figure that out, because that rent is paid up through the week of July Fourth,” Sophie told her. “And, honey, I talked to my lawyer, and he’s looking into that business. I don’t think she can legally do that.”

“Thank you! I hate to ask, but if that phone is more than what I have . . .”

“There’s money in the coffee can in the freezer, and two envelopes with our grocery money on top of the fridge. Give Josh an envelope a week while I’m gone and use what you need from the freezer. You can pay me back anytime you want,” Sophie said.

“Thank you, again, but I thought we were only going to be here a couple of months.”

“Nope, I pay for April through July. But this year is special. Teddy and I are going to have a broom-jumping ceremony on July Fourth.” Sophie was almost breathless.

“You are engaged!” Emma squealed. “You committed!”

“I did, but”—Sophie lowered her voice—“I’m still a little worried that maybe I’m just agreeing so that I won’t hurt Teddy’s feelings. We need to have one of those all-nighter talks when I get home.”

“We can do that. But if you love him, and you know it in your heart, what’s there to be worried about? Can I please decorate the broom?” Emma asked.

“Ask Filly if that’s what the maid of honor does. We are only inviting my mother, his dad, and the folks at the park. Then we’re coming back here to Del Rio to honeymoon in our own house while we work on getting the gallery ready to open,” Sophie said.

Emma heard what Sophie said, but she could hardly believe it. “Gallery? You’re opening your own gallery? Oh. My. God! Sophie, this is what we always dreamed about doing when we were young. You will continue to paint, right?”

“Of course. I’d die if I couldn’t smell paint every day.” Sophie laughed out loud.

“Tell her the rest now.” Teddy’s voice was faint, but Emma heard it very well.

“We’re buying this old building here in Del Rio,” Sophie said. “I was saving the best until last.”

“Why would you do that?” Emma