Her face flushed red as she let out a little giggle. Grace Justice was not trying to hook her up with her son, who Mekena was sure was just as gorgeous as she was. “Wow, you’re even prettier when you’re smiling,” Grace complimented. “He’s cute, you know.”

Mekena laughed. “I don’t doubt it.”

“No, really, not sounding weird, but he is gorgeous. I have good genes, which means good babies in the future.”

Mekena choked on her laughter, shaking her head. “Not weird at all.”

Grace laughed. “You know what?”

“What?”

“I’ve decided I’m gonna talk you into never leaving Nashville.”

Snickering, Mekena shook her head. “One, you aren’t old enough to have a twenty-year-old, and two, Florida is my home.”

She was lying through her teeth, but what else could she say? She was wrapped in that bright yellow caution tape and on the mend from a shitty breakup that sent her running away from all her problems? Nope. She’d lied and felt a little giddy that someone said she was pretty today.

“Well, I’ll have to change that, or better yet, Ryan will.”

Why was she still giggling? “Please, you’re going to make me snort.”

Grace grinned. “You should smile more.”

She smiled a little more as she nodded before Grace was asked a question, leaving Mekena alone with her thoughts. She used to smile a lot, all the time, actually. Well, not all the time. But for a good solid month, it was every day.

When he made her smile.

But just like this house, some things were a relic of the past. And not everything could be restored.

When Mekena got into the Kia Rio she was renting while in Tennessee, she exhaled hard, the stress and nervousness of being with her clients and Grace Justice still weighing heavily on her. Letting her head fall back, she let out a hard breath once more before she whispered, “I can do this.”

Though, the words didn’t seem to generate conviction in her heart.

She was nervous.

Very nervous.

Grunting, she sat up and started the car just as her phone began to ring. Clicking for it to come in through the Bluetooth, she saw it was her best friend, and she smiled before hitting answer.

“Avery Sinclair, to whatever do I owe the honor of hearing from you on this splendid day?”

Avery groaned. “Oh Lord, I don’t know why you’re so nervous. You’ll do great!”

Mekena smiled as she turned onto the main highway and started toward her parents’ home, where she was staying. “Do I sound that terrified?”

Before she could answer, Avery’s daughter Ashlyn’s voice filled the phone, “Mama! ’ook!”

“I see that crazy bird. Go get it. Oh, Ash, look! Papaw River is gonna get you!”

The sweet little baby let out a squeal, causing Mekena to smile as Avery laughed into the phone. “God, I love being here.”

“Glad you are,” Mekena mumbled.

“Please, you love seeing your parents.”

“Yup, that’s about it,” she said dryly as Ashlyn’s giggles filled the phone along with the sounds of a bear who Mekena assumed was Papaw River. But Mekena couldn’t help but grin. Being home should be as exciting for her as she was sure it was for Ashlyn and Avery, but her feelings were far from it. She didn’t want to be here. She wanted to go back to Florida, back to the solace and protection of knowing she wouldn’t have to see her sister or even him.

But being in Tennessee for the wedding of Lucy and Benji Paxton meant she would not only see her sister, but also he who must not be named too.

Yes, that was a Harry Potter pun, and no, she didn’t care because it fit him well.

Mekena squeezed the wheel a little tighter as Avery said, “Come on, you haven’t seen your mom or dad in a year.”

“Over a year, and I know this. But she’s here, and no matter how many times I tell my mom I don’t want to see her, she won’t listen. She invited her over for dinner last night. So Mr. Right and I went to the park.”

“You took a cat to the park? Please tell me you had him on a leash.”

Appalled, Mekena gasped. “Of course, I did! What if he ran away?”

Avery laughed. Hard. “He’s a cow cat.”

“How dare you talk of Mr. Right like that. Yes, he could lose a few pounds, but he is adorably round.”

Actually, he was obese, and the vet threatened his early demise if Mekena didn’t put him on a diet. But how could she not give him the extra tuna he cried for? She was human. She couldn’t deny someone happiness!

“Round and borderline appearing on My 600-lb Life are two different things, Mekena. I’m surprised you found a harness that fits him.”

It was a dog harness, but she wouldn’t admit that to Avery. “Don’t worry about that, you body shamer, you!”

That had them both laughing, and it felt good. She was strung tight with her nerves about the wedding, running into her sister, and then seeing him, so smiling and laughing with her best friend was just what she needed.

“Why don’t you come on out to Autumn and River’s? Come hang out for a bit?”

“I wish,” she said sadly. “I gotta report back to Aunt Libby and also make sure she doesn’t kill my dad. You know how they hate each other.”

Avery snorted. “She hasn’t tried to knife him yet?”

Rolling her eyes, Mekena smiled. Avery had been subjected to the lovely tale of her aunt going after her father with a knife one Christmas when he alleged she was a lesbian. Aunt Libby did not bat for the other team, but she also wouldn’t settle. She was waiting for Mr. Right. Not the cat, but the man, and she was content. But Mekena’s father was convinced otherwise. Plus, there was some bad blood between them that wouldn’t ever be washed away. “Thankfully, I convinced her to leave her blade at home.”

“Darn!” Avery laughed. “I would have loved to see that.”

“The less bloodshed, the better,” she joked, and Avery giggled.

“Guess we should save the bloodshed for your sister?”

Mekena’s lips pressed together. “I haven’t killed her yet, so I doubt I will.”

“Too bad,” Avery decided, and Mekena smiled. “But really, how are you holding up?”