“It’s fine,” Sophie says. “I’ve never been to Colorado before.”
“I hope you love it,” Daphne says. “Would you mind if I hug you?”
Sophie shoots a look in my direction, like she’s hoping for an escape, then shrugs. “Um, I guess so.”
“You can say no,” Daphne says. “I’m a hugger, but I never hug anyone under eighteen without explicit permission.” She glances over at me with a mischievous smile. “The adults can deal.”
I can’t help but smile back at her. She is undeniably enchanting.
“Um, I’m fine with a hug,” Sophie says. “You are going to be my sister.”
“Oh,” Daphne gasps happily. “I love that I’m getting three new sisters.”
She hugs Sophie, but quickly releases her before moving on to Emily and repeating the whole process. Emily opts not to be hugged, and I’m proud that she speaks up for herself.
Daphne stands before the three of us. “Now, Brodie wants you all to help me make the favor bags for the guests, but I refuse to make you work on your first day here. What do you think of spending some time at the spa instead?”
I’ve never been to a spa. I’ve never understood the appeal of lying around having people poke at me when I could be getting things checked off my to-do list. “We’re here to help with whatever you need,” I say. “We really don’t mind.”
I don’t miss Sophie’s eye roll, but I do ignore it.
“No,” Daphne says firmly and forcefully, even though she’s still smiling. “You’re here to spend time with your brother and to get to know me and my family. If you want to take some favor kits back to the farm to work on tonight while you watch TV orsomething, that would be great, but we should take advantage of this beautiful resort and the discount I get at the spa.”
She looks to Sophie and Emily for support. “Have any interest in a spa day, ladies?”
“That sounds great,” I say, because I’m not about to burst this woman’s happy bubble.
“Great,” Daphne claps happily. “I’ll just get my sister-in-law to join us.”
“Of course,” I say. I walk over to the nearest table and take off my heavy coat and wool hat. The room is chilly, but it’s nowhere near cold enough for all the layers. Emily and Sophie have already taken off their coats, but they come over and pile them on top of mine.
“I don’t want to have a spa day,” Emily says. “I’m tired, and this trip has been super boring so far.”
I can’t disagree. “We’ll see the reindeer as soon as we get back to the farm. Okay?”
Emily huffs in annoyance. “Whatever.”
When Daphne returns, she’s got a woman with her who’s shorter and curvier than Daphne and just as lovely. She’s in jeans and a fisherman’s sweater, with her blond hair in a tidy braid and her face made up beautifully. They also have two teenage girls with them.
“No,” Sophie says. “I’m too old for playdates.”
The teenagers, who look to be very close in age to Emily and Sophie, do not seem any happier about this than Sophie. Though they manage to smile as they get closer.
“Be nice,” I hiss at my sisters.
“Emily, Sophie,” Daphne says as soon as she’s in range. “This is my sister-in-law, Liza, and her daughters, Ivy and Eden. Unfortunately, I’ve just learned that the spa is only for people over eighteen, but Ivy and Eden would love to hang out withyou. They’re planning to go to the shops in town today, and we thought you might like to go with them.”
“We’re just looking around,” Ivy, a brunette with huge green eyes, says. She looks to be closer in age to Emily than to Sophie. “We have no idea if any of the shops are even cool.”
“I saw a candy store on the way here,” Sophie says in a genuinely friendly tone. Hopefully, she’s decided she’s not too old for playdates after all. “We could eat chocolate if everything else is a bust.”
“That sounds great,” Eden says. She looks to be about Sophie’s age and is almost identical to her sister, though her style is ripped jeans and a metal band sweatshirt to her sister’s more conservative leggings and over-sized hoodie look. “Want to go now? I don’t know how early everything shuts down around here.”
I look at Emily, who’s staring at the floor. She’s not usually shy, but I can’t remember the last time I was with her when she met someone her own age for the first time. “You good with this, Em?” I ask.
There’s no fear in her eyes when she looks up at me. “I guess so. Are you coming with us?”
I look to Daphne because as much as I’d like to get out of the spa day, I suspect Emily’s the only one who wants me tagging along on this outing.
