by Sara Rosett
“This is so nice,” I said, reaching for the single sheet of tissue paper stuffed in the gift bag that Nathan had handed to me.
“Hadn’t you better wait and open them at the restaurant? You know, during the official Mother’s Day lunch celebration,” Mitch said with a twinkle in his eye.
“No way. I’ve waited long enough. Mother’s Day celebration starts now.” I took out the tissue and removed two potholders. Each one had an imprint of Nathan’s hands and the words Mother’s Helper across the top.
“Oh, I love them,” I said, squeezing him close. He wiggled away quickly, but I could tell he was pleased.
I took the paper off the box Livvy gave me. It contained a pair of leather flip-flops decorated with a flower motif. “I need flip-flops,” I said, hugging Livvy. “These will be perfect for summer.”
She grinned and hugged me back. “Dad and I went shopping before he left on his trip.”
“There’s a little something else in there, too,” Mitch said.
I checked the tissue under the shoes and found a pair of silver earrings. “I love them, too,” I said, and gave Mitch a kiss. “What a perfect Mother’s Day.”
“So you’re good?” Mitch asked. “Because there’s a game on I’d like to catch. Want to eat here? You could use your new potholders.”
“Funny. To the car, everyone.”
Livvy and Nathan both charged for the door and bumped shoulders.
“Ouch.”
“Hey!”
Arguing about who truly was at fault, they made their way to the van.
Mitch grabbed my hand. “Ah, the return to normalcy. Glad to see nothing has changed.”
“It’s a pretty good normal. Overall, I mean.” I squeezed his hand.
He returned the pressure. “I agree.”
Photo by Portrait Innovations
About the Author
Sara Rosett, born and raised in Amarillo, Texas, is the wife of an Air Force pilot. She and her husband live in Houston, Texas, with their two children and dog. Sara is the author of nine previous Ellie Avery mysteries. Her writing has also appeared in Chicken Soup for the Military Wife’s Soul. Sara is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and the Deadly Divas, who are four nice women who happen to write about murder. Please visit her website, www.sararosett.com, or connect with Sara on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, or Goodreads.
Acknowledgments
Ten Ellie books! I am amazed and very happy to get to this point. I would never have reached this milestone without Faith, who enabled me to start this wonderful writing journey. To Michaela, thanks for choosing Ellie and company, and thanks for shepherding me through the publishing process for ten books. To the crew at Kensington, thanks for all your hard work that makes the Ellie books look wonderful. To the Ellie readers, I appreciate so much the kind words you send my way. Thank you for reading and reviewing the books and for spreading the word about the series. You are the best! And, of course, to my family, thanks for your encouragement, your support, and your endless patience while I finish one more sentence.