Shuffling feet on the other side of the door preceded the sound of the deadbolt sliding. Sloane put her hand in her pocket, fingers around the biscuit. Then they were looking at coiffed silver hair, cat-eye framed glasses, and a heaping dose of skepticism. That expression did a one-eighty when the older woman recognized Sloane.

“Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes!”

“Hey, Ms. Peggy.” Sloane was enveloped in an invisible cloud of cinnamon and coffee, Ms. Peggy’s long-standing, trademark scent. “It’s been a while.”

“It’s been too long! I just told your brother the other day that we were going to have to take a road trip if we ever wanted to see you again.” They broke their embrace. Then a curious fluffy face and wagging tail rushed through the door. Sloane happily went into a crouch and pulled the dog biscuit free from her jeans.

“Marsapan Junior, you’re just as handsome as last time!”

The husky lapped at her face before turning his entire attention to the treat. Sloane threaded her fingers into his fur while he munched.

“I’d have to say the same about Mr. Knox here,” Ms. Peggy said coolly. “Though last time I saw you, you were downright disrespectful.”

Sloane popped her head up and stared daggers at her fake date. Brady sighed.

“Cutting you off at the bar wasn’t disrespectful, it was responsible. It was also private. No one heard me do it, and I even had Santana drive you home.”

Ms. Peggy scoffed. She fixed Sloane with a look that clearly said Brady didn’t know a damned thing.

“You’d think I drank an entire shelf the way this one is yammering on,” she said. “Are you sure this is the fellow you want to be attached to? He’s kind of a grouch.”

Sloane stood and laughed. “Even grouches need love, Ms. Peggy.” Marsapan Junior stuck his nose into Sloane’s purse. She patted his head and got down to business. “So, I know it’s been a while, and I should have called more, but I was wondering—we were wondering…”

“If you could browse my craft stash because everyone in town has bought up decorations for the festival and you don’t want to spend your entire life savings by going to Mobile to get ’em, since you have to do a party and a float?”

Sloane laughed again. “Exactly,” she said. “But how did you know? We only agreed to both of those yesterday.”

Ms. Peggy turned back into the house and waved them in after. “Which was a day longer than Missy Robertson needed to spread the news.”

Sloane and Brady followed Marsapan Junior and his owner into a house filled with cold air, the smell of cinnamon, and an exorbitant amount of plastic bins.

“Hoarder,” Brady whispered at her ear. Sloane pushed him off.