Page 51 of Fighting Chance

Before I can grab her, Emmy climbs down and under the bar that stops her from falling backwards. She moves like a slippery worm, but right as she frees herself, I scoop her up.

“In here!” I call back to Bella.

Bambi, with her nose to the floor, rounds the corner, her tail thumping a mile a minute. She lets out a little bark as she spots Emmy in my arms and rushes forward, waiting for me to put her best friend down.

Emmy starts wriggling out of my arms, the only time she hates being held—when Bambi is around.

“Emmy, you’re covered in chocolate, darling. You can’t let Bambi lick you,” I try to explain, but she’s not having a bit of it.

I’m trying to stop her from all but leaping to the ground when Bella rounds the corner and throws her head back on a laugh at the state of Kieran’s kitchen and myself.

“I knew you weren’t the best cook but Lil, this is next level,” she gasps out through her fit of laughter.

I look around the kitchen and shake my head. “Don’t even get me started.”

Bella grabs Bambi’s collar and pulls her back, away from the chocolate assault.

Emmy keeps wriggling. “Come on, let’s go get changed. Remember, Bambi could get very sick if she has chocolate. We don’t want that, do we, Emmy?”

She stops suddenly, looking down at Bambi. She shakes her head slowly, finally ceasing her wriggling before pointing upstairs wildly.

“Yes, yes, we’re going. I’ll be quick, I promise.”

In her room, I replace her dress with a cleaner one, a blue version with sunflowers scattered over it. The second I tie the bow at the back, Emmy’s off in a blink.

I trail her down the stairs, finding her and Bambi already playing chase around the living room couch.

“The place looks amazing!” Bella exclaims, gesturing to the space.

I take in the living room again, how homey all the pieces of furniture look together. “We just finished moving everything around before we started baking.”

“Brownies and home redecoration. Kieran isn’t paying you enough.”

“Oh, he’s paying me plenty, trust me.”Enough to alleviate the guilt as I help my parents rebuild their retirement.I point to her. “Which reminds me, he wants to commission pieces off you.”

A blush creeps along her cheeks at the mention of her art. I was worried when she was in the thick of her grief that she hadfinally hung up the towel on it, being that it was her mom who got her into art, but she did the opposite. She poured her grief into her work, and it shows—the passion, love, and care.

Trisha would be beyond proud of her and how far she’s come, and the gallery she opened.

Anytime she posts a piece, the demand for her prints sells it out within mere hours. Grayson, always her cheerleader, is extremely active on social media on her release days, telling everyone to buy.

It’s inspiring to watch her chase her dreams and conquer them. Perhaps one day I’ll try chasing my own, and not just the measly dream I tell everyone. No, the secret one I’ve harbored since I was young, the one I haven’t dared tell a soul in case I never achieve it in this lifetime.

“How many does he want, and did he even say what he has in mind?”

I can’t help but laugh. “No, he was onto the next to-do list item before he even finished telling me. I’ll have him talk to you about it. He did say something about every room though.”

Bella’s eyes widen. “That’s a lot of pieces.”

“And it will look stunning. What time is Cindy coming over, by the way?”

Bella pulls out her phone. “She texted when she left. She’s probably ten, fifteen minutes away.”

“Perfect, want to help me with the charcuterie board?”

“Cheeseboards are my middle name. Do you have wine?”

Groaning, I slump a little. “Damn it, I knew I forgot something.”