“My parents,” Danielle said. “If you’d excuse me now? All this action has made my throat dry.”

To her surprise, Madison didn’t even want to have a drink anymore. Sherry was so much better than a drink. She cleared her throat. “Let’s go and wish the birthday girl the best.”

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Sherry barely heard Jake’s tale about learning how to make his own hot chocolate with Danielle. She was too focused on her hammering heartbeat for that. It was just a kiss. And it wasn’t our first one. Everything’s fine. It was okay for Jake to see. It was just…a kiss.

Kissing Madison had been the right thing to do. Who knew what she would have said or done otherwise? Mrs. Fielding had to believe that Madison was changing. If she’d lost control, their whole plan would have been in jeopardy.

“Hello, Bill.” Madison stopped in front of a man with salt-and-pepper hair and let go of Sherry’s hand, which was burning from the simple touch. “How’re you doing?”

“Madison! I’ve never been better.” Bill gave Madison a bear hug. “About time that we saw each other again.” He let go of her and smiled at Sherry. “And who do we have here?”

Sherry gave him her hand. “Sherry Miller, sir. I’m Madison’s partner.”

“Don’t call me ‘sir,’ or I’ll think my father is standing behind me.”

His huge hand was covered with calluses, showing Sherry that he wasn’t a stranger to hard physical work.

“And, as I understand, we’re almost family, so you can call me Bill.”

Sherry blinked. It had already been hard to believe that Danielle was part of the same family as Madison’s grandmother, but Bill? “I’d like that, Bill. Please call me Sherry.”

He nodded and let go of her hand. Smiling down at Jake, he asked, “And who are you?”

“I’m Jake.”

“That’s my son.”

“I should have guessed. You really look alike.” Bill tousled Jake’s hair and then turned back to Madison. “You wanna give my Lillian your best, eh?” He moved to the side, and a few feet behind him appeared an older version of Danielle.

Like her daughter, Lillian Fielding had wavy, red hair falling wildly over her shoulders. She wasn’t wearing any makeup, which made it possible to see her countless freckles even in the dim light of the Archer. If not for the few wrinkles around the eyes, she could have easily been mistaken for Danielle’s older sister.

“Lillian.” Madison opened her arms. “Happy birthday!”

With a muffled “whew,” Danielle’s mother was engulfed in a hug. “Thanks, grasshopper. And thanks for helping with the makeover.”

Grasshopper? So that was where Madison had obtained her nickname for Jake. But what kind of makeover was she talking about?