The Devine Doughnut Shop(92)

“Hey, we didn’t make a promise,” Sarah told her. “And I never believed in love at first sight before, but I think I fell in love with Brock that day on Shell Island. Are you sad that we closed the shop right after Macy and Jimmy’s wedding?”

“Not one bit, and I’m not sad that I can sit in Mama’s rocker each evening and wait for Travis and the girls to come home. Every now and then, I whip up a few dozen doughnuts in the kitchen for Travis to take to the break room. I’ve been helping Macy fix up her nursery and volunteering with the new youth program at the church. Audrey and Raelene are really enjoying all the fellowship with the teenagers that are flocking to our church now. I’ve been so busy that I don’t know when I would have time to make doughnuts. And then”—she smiled—“I’ll be busy helping you out with your nursery before long. Plus, I’m so excited that I can be more involved in Audrey’s senior year.”

Sarah laid a hand on her small belly bump. “I’ll sure enough need help, but mostly to keep Angela from trying to put a kiddie swimming pool and swing set in the nursery so the baby will have something to play with.”

“She reminds me so much of Audrey at that age that they could share DNA,” Grace said.

“Think you and Travis will ever have kids?”

“We wouldn’t mind having one or two, but Travis says the two girls we’ve got are enough if it never happens. Speaking of our girls, they are eager to get back to full-time work this summer. Delores says that Audrey is a natural, and there’s real hope that she can grow into bigger positions after Delores gets ready to retire. And Lucy says that she’s never had an intern as smart as Raelene. That girl aced every single one of her college classes this year,” Grace said and pointed out the window. “Look! There’s Jimmy and Macy coming now.”

“What’s your guess: Boy or girl?” Sarah asked.

Brock slipped up behind Sarah and put his arms around her waist. “I’m guessing it’s a boy because she’s already settled on a name.”

“I’m not guessing,” Grace said.

Travis kissed Grace on the forehead. “Let’s get this over with so I can sit on the porch with you and watch the sunset. I’m loving this country life and having a family to come home to at night.”

“And I’m loving that we have kept this building, and that Sarah, Macy, and I can have our sister day every couple of weeks here to have a catch-up afternoon,” Grace said.

Sarah glanced over at Travis. “You don’t miss your penthouse apartment or mind the commute?”

“Not one bit,” Travis answered. “Brock says he doesn’t know how he ran his business without you. Do you regret not coming to the shop to work every day?”

“Love before business.” Sarah winked at Grace.

“Right,” Grace agreed and stood on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on Travis’s cheek. “Every single time.”

“Hello, everyone,” Brother Jimmy said as he held the door for Macy. “Beezy says not to start without her. She’s parking her car right now.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Grace said. “I see you both wore blue. Is that an omen?”

“I don’t care if we get pink cake or blue,” Brother Jimmy said. “I’ll be happy with either.”

“I didn’t even realize that I’d chosen a blue one”—Macy smoothed the front down over her belly—“but we have decided that if I get pink cake, we will name her Molly Elizabeth after our mothers. His mother’s and grandmother’s middle names are the Elizabeth, so we’ll be hitting all of them,” Macy said.

Beezy hurried into the dining room, out of breath but yelling, “I’m here! I’m here! Let the party begin.”

“Is everyone ready?” Audrey asked.

Macy nodded.

Brother Jimmy slipped his arm around her and kissed her on the forehead.

Raelene picked up a knife and held it above the blue end of the cake.

Audrey did the same with the pink end. Then Raelene stepped back, and Audrey cut a slice of pink cake, put it on a plate, and handed it to Macy. “Welcome to the family, Molly Elizabeth! We can’t wait to see you.”

“I get a baby sister!” Angela squealed.

No one had the heart to tell her that she would really be her cousin.

“And the legacy lives on, even if it doesn’t live through the doughnut shop,” Sarah whispered. “I love that name, and I am a little jealous that I can’t use it.”

“You can always go back a little further in our family tree and use Edith Agnes,” Grace teased.

“No thank you,” Sarah said and tucked her hand into Brock’s. “Let’s go get some of that blue cake, darlin’, and hope it means we’ll get a boy.”

“That would be nice.” Brock took the time to kiss her on the cheek. “I’m not sure either of us can live through another Angela.”

“Who knows? Maybe you’ll have ornery twin girls just to show you that blue cake doesn’t work,” Travis said. “Grace and I sure enjoy our girls, even if they aren’t really twins.”

“We are blessed, every one of us,” Grace said, “and it all started right here in the Devine Doughnut Shop. Like you said, love before business.”