My Kind of Wonderful(59)

“Mom.” Bailey stepped in closer and pulled her into a hug. “That’s just life. There’s good and there’s bad. My happiness and safety won’t come from having a man. It comes from me.”

Her mom sniffed and pulled back just enough to meet Bailey’s eyes. She cupped her daughter’s face and sighed. “When did you get so wise?”

“I had a really great mom.”

Her mom’s eyes softened. “As long as you’re okay.”

“I’m okay.”

“And happy.”

“I’m happy,” Bailey said. “I’m so very happy, Mom.”

“Because of that man I saw you with?”

“Because I’m free,” Bailey said. “I get to wake up each day and know I’ve got a bunch more days in front of me now. I get to do the things I’ve always wanted to do, like—”

“Sleep with strangers?”

“Like paint a mural,” Bailey said firmly. “And if a hot stranger comes into my life, I can stop to smell the roses. So to speak.”

Her mother blinked. “Does he have a name?”

“He tried to introduce himself to you. Hudson Kincaid.”

Her mom covered her cheeks with her hands. “I was rude to him.”

“Yes, very. You can make it up to him next time you see him by being nice,” Bailey said.

“There’s going to be a next time?” her mom asked, sounding worried again.

Bailey sighed.

“Right. Minding my own business.” She nodded and then shook her head. “I don’t think I will be very good at that, Bailey.”

“For me, you’re going to try.”

Her mom nodded and then her eyes filled again.

“Mom,” Bailey said, pained.

“Did you hear back from the doctor?” her mom asked. “Is that what this is all about?”

“No,” Bailey said. “You know I’d have told you immediately if I’d heard anything. Results won’t be in until Monday or Tuesday, but I’m still clear. I know it.”

Her mom studied her face for a long beat. “You’re sure?”

“Yes,” Bailey said with a smile. “The doctor said I looked good, remember? She even threw out the R word.” Remission. Not cancer free, that would take longer, maybe even five years longer, but Bailey knew it would come. “These are just tests that I do every three months to make sure,” she said. “You know all this.”

“Yes, I just like to hear it.”

A few flakes began to drift down, reminding Bailey a storm was moving in and they were on borrowed time. “I’ll follow you down the mountain, okay? We need to stay ahead of the storm.”

“I’d like that.” A look of guilt flashed across her mom’s face. “But it means you have to leave a day early.”

Bailey nodded. “I know. It’s okay.”

“The mural is beautiful.” Her mom reached for her hand. “So beautiful it stopped me in my tracks. I’m so proud of you, Bailey. I hope you know that. And how very much I love you.”

Her throat went a little tight and she squeezed her mom’s hand. “I do know it. And I love you too.”

Her mom gave a little smile. “Once we’re out of the storm’s reach, let’s stop and have breakfast for dinner at IHOP, like the old days.”

The old days. When Bailey had been dying. They’d go and have her treatments and then stop at IHOP on the way home, where Bailey would always order the same thing every time. Strawberry pancakes.

She didn’t ever want to see another strawberry pancake again. But she smiled. “Sounds great, Mom.”


After Bailey left, Hud got two consecutive calls, both involving injuries that required his immediate and full attention.

And he’d given it.

But in between, whenever he had even two seconds to breathe, his mind replayed Bailey on her knees in his office, her mouth— “Hud.”

He was running a training exercise in the dark, stormy evening. Evacuating lifts—never easy in the best of conditions, which these weren’t.

“What are you smiling at?” Gray asked. “I said your name like ten times to get your attention.”

Hud gestured for Mitch to take over the training exercise and moved aside with his brother. “What are you doing up here?”

“Needed to have a meeting with you,” Gray said.

“About?”

“About that smile you’re wearing, seeing as it’s been awhile since anyone saw that look on your face.”

Hud looked around and was relieved to find no one paying them any attention. “Are you kidding me? This is what you interrupted a training session for?”

“I never kid about meetings,” Gray said. He pulled out two bags of M&M’s from his pocket and handed one over to Hud. “So… the smile. ’Splain, Lucy.”

He shook his head. “I’m not smiling.”

“Mitch,” Gray called out.

Mitch turned their way. “Yeah?”

“What’s on Hud’s face?”

“Uh… a smile?” Mitch guessed.

“Bingo.” Gray beamed at Hud like, See?