The idea that even if things continued to go horribly wrong today that Emma would still be her friend... Well, it made her want to fix the mess even more.

“We’re not going to rely on the grocery,” she promised. “My mom is picking up food from Il Rigatone,” she told Emma and Mariella. “We’re going to have to change the menu around a bit, but I promise it will still be amazing. I’m not sure when to tell the bri—”

The air rushed from her lungs in a whoosh when Emma grabbed her and hugged her close. “Thank you,” her friend whispered. “I don’t know what you did to convince your mom to help or why you answered the distress call in the first place.”

“She misses us, obviously,” Mariella said, leaning in to join the hug. “Also has some superhero complex where she wants to save the day.”

“I wish I could offer more,” Angi said honestly. “I still feel horrible for walking away. I’m letting you down and myself.” She pulled in a shaky breath. “But not today. Today we’re going to avert a catering catastrophe.”

“I’ll go talk to the bride,” Emma said, pulling back.

“Put me to work,” Mariella told Angi. “I have no skills and I hate being told what to do, but I’m making an exception for you.”

All three women turned as the kitchen door opened again. Angi’s mom, along with Dom and Andrew, entered.

Dom carried a large box of various Italian staples, and Angi breathed a sigh of relief.

“It’s going to be fine,” her mother said when their gazes met.

“Thank you, Mrs. Guilardi.” Emma came forward and took the cooler from her mother’s hand. “Thank you for your help today.”

Tears lodged in Angi’s throat as her mother offered Emma a small smile. “I will do anything to help my daughter.”

Mariella leaned into Angi and said quietly, “Do you know how lucky you are?”

“Yes,” Angi answered. “Right now, I do.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

GABE SAT IN the darkened living room later that night, the only light coming from the tree Angi, her mother, and Andrew had brought to him earlier that week.

The wind whistled around the windowpanes and down the chimney of the fireplace original to the house. If he was staying in Magnolia and his grandmother’s property belonged to him, there were so many things he’d do to modernize and update it.

He wished he’d made time to visit Gran and take care of some of those tasks. Although Magnolia stayed relatively mild, drafts seeped from under the doorways and through the corners of windows on colder nights, and the furnace in the basement should have been replaced years ago.

How had his grandma kept warm here at night on her own?

She’d never complained or given him any reason to think she needed help.

He should have known anyway.

Now it was of no consequence because it was only a matter of time before his mother showed up.