Summer Love_ A Steamy Small Town Romance Anthology - Piper Rayne Page 0,1

the general catching up was nice, I’m not surprised she turned the conversation. I would do the same for her.

Jeez, it’s been almost a year since my mom passed. You’d think I’d be able to hold it together, but grief is a tricky thing. It hits me sometimes when I least expect it.

“You know, good days and bad days,” I manage to say without any tears falling.

She sets her tea down on the coffee table and shuffles closer to me, taking my free hand.

I was being literal when I said she understands. Both her parents died when she was a teenager in a snowmobiling accident, so although it’s a little different since my dad is still alive and living in Utah, we’ve both lost our mother.

“Have you given any thought to what you want to do next week?” she asks, squeezing my hand.

I shrug. This coming Thursday is the one-year anniversary of my mom’s passing. I’d mentioned to Brooklyn last month that I feel like I need to do something to honor the date, but I wasn’t sure what.

“I haven’t decided. It feels wrong to let the day pass without acknowledging it in some special way, especially with this being the first anniversary, but I’m not sure what to do.”

She looks at me for a beat, like she wants to say something.

“What is it?” I ask.

“Well… I had one idea. It’s not super original or anything.”

I tilt my head in question.

“How about a tattoo? Something to remember your mom by, not just on the anniversary of her death, but every day.”

I roll the idea around in my head. A tattoo hadn’t occurred to me, which is surprising given that the majority of the Baileys have tattoos to honor their parents. I’m not against tattoos or anything, I just never felt strong enough about something to want it permanently etched into my skin. Hell, I love the look of a guy covered in tats. One particular guy comes to mind, but I push the thought away. He’s long gone out of my life now.

“If I did it, I know what I’d get,” I say.

“A rainbow,” the two of us say in unison and smile at each other.

My mom loved rainbows. Was always excited whenever she saw one and used to pull over on the road to snap a picture when we’d come upon one. Even well into her early onset of dementia, she still had her love for rainbows. I smile wistfully at the thought of her room in the nursing home filled with pictures of rainbows.

“What do you think?” Brooklyn interrupts me.

I slowly nod, setting my mug on the coaster. Something about her idea feels right. “I think it’s perfect.”

“Yay!” Brooklyn claps her hands in front of her. “I’ll make all the arrangements with Liam if you want.”

Brooklyn’s brother-in-law, Liam Kelly, owns Smokin’ Guns Tattoo Shop. I try not to think of who else works at the shop that I could possibly run into. I’ve done a great job at avoiding him for years now, but I can’t tell Brooklyn that, so instead I just nod and cross my fingers the universe will be on my side and Moose won’t be working that day.

“Perfect. What time works for you?” she asks.

“Since your husband was nice enough to give me the day off, I’d planned to visit my mom’s grave in the morning, then go home and cook her favorite meal, look through some photo albums, so… evening? Any time works.”

“Do you want me to spend the day with you? I could get a babysitter for Lance.”

I shake my head. “I feel like this is something I need to do alone.”

“I understand.” And I know she does, which is why I didn’t have to feel bad about turning her offer down.

“Okay, I’ll chat with Liam and text you to let you know the time.”

“Mommy,” Lance says, abandoning his chair and coming over to the couch where we sit. “Can we go to the greenhouse now?”

I smile at the adorable way he says greenhouse and stand from the couch, picking him up. “Only if you promise to show me all the plants.”

“I can show you them all.” Then he wraps his arms around my neck as I head to the front door to slip my shoes on.

“You’re going to make a great mom someday,” Brooklyn says, following behind us.

I squeeze Lance a little tighter. I’m not sure that’s in the cards for me, but I vow to be the best pseudo-aunt ever.

Chapter