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I nod. “We will.”

“All right.” He pauses. “It’s good to hear from you again, brother. I’m happy for you.”

The entry bell chimes up front. I crane back to check and see if Trudy needs help and my tongue trips up when I see Anna walking in. Charlotte follows by her side with her little hand nestled in Anna’s, and my heart skips all over again.

“You, too,” I tell him. “Bye, Lance.”

I hang up and drop the phone back into my pocket as my girls step up to the counter.

“What are you ladies doing here?” I ask, smiling widely.

Anna lifts Charlotte up and sets her down on the counter between us. “We didn’t want to miss your first big day. Did we, Charlotte?”

“No!” she answers.

I poke the edge of her cheek just beneath her eyes. My eyes. “Well, I could not be happier to see you. You want a cookie?”

“Yes!”

“Half a cookie,” Anna says to her. “No spoiling your lunch.”

I tisk. “Oh, come on, Mom. One cookie ain’t spoiling nothing.”

I reach into the case by the counter and grab a heart-shaped chocolate chip cookie off the pile. Anna glares at me with hidden amusement, but she doesn’t stop me from handing the whole cookie to Charlotte.

“And how about you?” I ask, leaning over the counter. “Would you like some sugar?”

Anna leans in with a smile but halts an inch away. “Still full from this morning, I think,” she says, backing up. “But thank you.”

I cringe in playful disappointment. “Well, you let me know. I’ll be happy to donate more. Any day. Any time.”

Her eyes roll. “Speaking of which, don’t forget that we have Evey’s baby shower tonight at the bar.”

“Already prepared,” I say. “A dozen bright pink cupcakes are in the fridge. Baked them myself this morning.”

She smiles. “Well, you’ve been keeping very busy.”

“I have.”

“Too busy to have some coffee with me?” she asks, grinning at Trudy.

Trudy shrugs. “I don’t mind. Go nuts.”

“You’re a true professional, Trudy,” I tell her, flashing a wink.

“Tell it to my paycheck, boss,” she quips.

I turn around and fill two to-go cups to the brim with coffee and a third cup with milk for Charlotte. Anna claims the table in the corner and we each take a seat on either side of Charlotte as she devours her cookie.

“Thank you,” Anna says as I set her coffee down.

“Decaf,” I say. “Just in case.”

She rolls her eyes. “Vincent is teaching you some very bad things.”

I laugh, taking a soothing sip from my cup. My eyes fall to her left hand, instantly seeing that ring on her finger. It looks just as good on her as I pictured in my head.

Anna motherfucking Silva.