Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 127715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Though, part of this might have been because Caroline’s daughter pitched a fit when Caroline asserted she did have a life outside of unpaid babysitter and daycare duties, and she was going to live it.
This caused ongoing dissension because Caroline was hurt, Greg was angry, and as such, Misted Pines was a more peaceful option.
They got ATVs and a speedboat, and Josh and Amanda and the kids came out all the time, even if the drive was quite a haul.
Though, I noted Josh and Amanda didn’t have the same relationship Harry and I did.
I noticed this around the time they got in a huge fight over Josh not wanting the living room changed and Amanda demanding it be changed (I didn’t weigh in, but I thought Josh was right, sure it was semi-kinda dated, but it was still attractive and hella comfy).
To let them have at it, Harry and I took the kids to Double D for sundaes (and Harry’s adorable niece Eugenie got hot fudge and ice cream all over her face and even in her hair, but what was more adorable was watching Harry dunk a napkin in a glass of water and clean her up).
Greg called when we were about ready to head back, telling us not to because, “The fight is over, and from the sounds of it, they’re busy making grandbaby number three for me.”
I could hear Greg’s laughter over the phone.
I could also see this information made Harry throw up in his mouth a little.
So my laughter joined Greg’s.
Oh, don’t think I missed Greg’s ploy.
My dad was a handyman.
And Greg pretty much gave up on retirement in order to horn in to be my handyman.
Honestly, the more I got to know all of them, it was no surprise Harry turned out to be all that was Harry.
No one could replace my dad (or my mom).
But straight up, there was nothing but beauty adding Greg, Caro, Josh, Amanda and the kids to my life.
Yep.
Nothing but beauty.
Yes, Harry did close down our street so that everyone who showed (and so many people showed, it was amazing!) would be safe as they wandered the Halloween extravaganza, the kids got their candy, and the adults were offered wine, beer, cider or hot cocoa.
We one hundred percent gave out full-size candy bars.
A few weeks later, Harry went with me to Indiana to spend Thanksgiving with my grandparents.
Ronnie helped me find them, and I gave my grandparents pretty little boxes with some of Mom and Dad’s ashes mingled inside.
There were tears. A lot of cooking. Wholehearted approval of Harry.
And I learned Harry was a sucker for my gram’s pecan pie.
So it was good I had the recipe.
Things changed at our house, and I didn’t mean just Mom and Dad’s bedroom becoming Harry’s and mine.
Primarily, Harry lifted the ban of no human food for the dogs.
So, okay, it wasn’t like we fed them rashers of bacon every morning.
But we both knew there was a good possibility Harry would have returned home from work that day to find me dead or dying of gunshot wounds in the backyard if those pups hadn’t intervened, which would be a different but no less tragic repeat of something he’d already endured.
And that left one puppy daddy both proud…
And very, very grateful.
Ronnie and I talked, and she shared the touching information about where George was at that he shot a man.
“That was about you, darlin’, but it was also about Sonny. I think he feels better now, more at peace with the whole thing, because he was there when Sonny wasn’t, and he got to look after you.”
A chat with Susan gave me much the same thing.
Had I mentioned how much I loved my neighbors?
Well, I loved them.
With my whole soul.
Though I knew someone else saved me that day.
My dad.
If he hadn’t put in that door, those bullets would have hit me.
So I treasured that moment, as crazy as it sounded.
And that door.
Harry had wanted to switch it out.
I refused.
Since it still would (Harry’s words) “stop a tank,” he left it.
And Dad left something else behind. Something he was always so good at.
His protection.
What didn’t change was that work was work, and Harry’s work was a lot.
Along with the day-to-day grind, he still had eleven more cases he and his team had to look into.
But those were other stories.
Maybe.
Though lots of other stuff changed.
Sherise introduced her man to all of us, and although Ronnie never gave up, they got married and lived their child-free lives saying yes to every adventure that came their way.
Not long later, the love bug hit Shane too.
And Ronnie got her grandbabies.
But just to say, those also came from Harry and me.
However, I’m getting ahead of myself.
Let’s go back.
And I’ll let Harry finish the tale.
Oh!
One last thing.
Harry did give boba a try.
We also finished We Are Lady Parts.