That’s when it hits me. The jar in the cupboard with Poppy’s name on it—the one I’d peeked into the other day. It had little baked treats inside, but they smelled… unusual, and I hadn’t dared try one.
“He keeps treats in a jar,” I muse. “Maybe that would help lure her in.”
Dani’s eyes light up. “That could work.”
I dart inside, grab the jar, and carry it outside. “Got it.”
“Yes!” she cheers. I hurry down the steps and Dani comes closer, the twins trailing behind, and I pop the lid. The scent of something sweet but vaguely herbal wafts up. Dani reaches in first. “Here, Everly, try this.”
A few seconds later, Sidney is cradling Poppy in his little arms, while Everly gently feeds the bunny a treat. The bunny nibbles delicately, twitching her nose. It’s absurdly cute, and for a moment, I can’t help but laugh.
“Is Jaxon home?” Everly asks, blinking up at me with wide eyes.
“He’s on the road with your daddy, remember?” Dani reminds her, ruffling her daughter’s hair.
Dani shakes her head, her ponytails flop over her shoulders like little flags. “Poppy isn’t going to be happy.”
I chuckle, the corners of my mouth tugging up. “She really does have a crush, huh?”
Dani grins. “Jaxon has that effect on a lot of women,” she says, and the sound of her laughter makes me tense a little.
“You’re not wrong,” I admit softly, letting my gaze drift to the house, imagining Jaxon bustling around it, oblivious to the chaos.
I feel a flicker of irritation mixed with something else—a gnawing sense of protectiveness. He doesn’t chase the bunnies, doesn’t flirt, doesn’t play the part everyone expects him to. And yet… I can’t stop thinking about the mess Ember left behind. How she toyed with him, how careless some people can be with hearts that aren’t theirs.
Poppy nibbles another treat, blissfully unaware of the complicated human feelings swirling around me. And I can’t help but wonder…will Jaxon ever get what he truly wants?
* * *
“Your kids are adorable,” I say, crouching slightly to get a better look at Everly and Sidney. Tonight I’m helping Gina out again and I’m looking forward to hanging with Zoe and little Grant. Zoe is such a great help. “It can’t be easy having twins.”
Dani shrugs, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s challenging, sure, especially during the season, but we make do.”
“You run a doggy daycare business too, don’t you? I heard you loved it.”
Her face brightens, and for a moment, I see that glow, the one that comes from doing something you truly love. “Yes, and I do love it. But since the kids, I’ve dropped my hours considerably.”
I hesitate, then ask the words that immediately make me cringe the second they leave my mouth. “Do you… regret that?”
Oh, smooth, Rowyn. Smooth.
Honestly I wish I could get my words back, because one, it’s none of my business and two, it sounds judgmental, like being home with your kids is somehow a lesser calling. Thanks, Mom, for embedding that nugget of insecurity deep in my brain.
Dani only shrugs, her eyes soft but steady. “Kids are on loan, Rowyn.”
“Uh…” I tilt my head, furrowing my brow, trying to parse the meaning, and she chuckles softly, as if she’s used to this expression.
“We only get them for a short time,” she says gently. “When your kids are little, you’re the center of their world. As they grow, you move from coach… to cheerleader… to spectator. I want to be the center of their world, and be there for them for as long as I can.”
Her words hit me like a tiny hammer to the chest. My heart pinches so sharply that it’s almost hard to breathe. My mother never framed it that way. To her, I was a nuisance—a distraction from her career, an obstacle to her ambition. Dani’s perspective…it’s the opposite. Love, presence, devotion. And somehow it stirs a yearning in me that I can’t shake.
“That’s really lovely,” I whisper, my voice a little too soft even for me. “They’re so lucky to have parents like that.”
She meets my gaze, her eyes lingering as if she wants to ask me something, something I’m not sure I’m ready to answer. I cut the moment short. “Well, I’d better get going. Don’t want to be late for work.”
Dani smiles, a hint of playful apology in her expression. “Have a great day. And again, sorry for barging into your backyard.”
“No problem at all,” I say, feeling the genuine warmth in her tone. “You guys have a wonderful day, and I’ll send Jaxon over to visit Poppy when he gets home.”