“If they have the best float, they’ll get a high mark. I’m sure there are a lot of great floats. On my way over I saw the one that Hope High’s science club put together. It looks pretty amazing, too.”

Mavis looked flustered. “Yes, yes, I’m sure that one’s nice, too. But you know, the mayor is up for reelection this year, and campaign contributors are hard to come by.”

Molly looked up at her. “Mavis, you aren’t by some chance trying to persuade me to vote a certain way on the mayor’s behalf, are you? Because that would certainly be unethical.”

She made sure to say it as loud as she could. And since people were starting to fill the stands around them, it caused Mavis’s face to turn beet red.

“Of course not. I would never do such a thing.”

A few of the other judges arrived, so Mavis gave her a tight smile. “Larry,” Mavis said. “How nice to see you. How’s it going over at the hardware store? The mayor was just asking about you the other day.”

Molly rolled her eyes and sipped her latte. She smiled when Larry took his seat, and introduced herself to him.

“You’re Emmett’s girl.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I heard you were back in town. How’s your mama doing?”

“Much better, thank you. She intends to come to the parade today.”

“I’ll be sure to tell my wife. She’ll look for her.”

After the other judges arrived, they only had to wait about ten more minutes before the Hope Fire and Police Departments got the parade started by leading off with sirens and flashing lights.

She’d missed this parade, missed seeing all the floats and the clowns and the mayor and his wife waving from their fancy car. Then both the high schools and their marching bands with baton twirlers and cheerleaders in front.

She was right about the science club from Hope High—they had put together an amazing float with kids from the club dressed as different forms of colorful bacteria. She loved it, but then maybe she had a soft spot in her heart for the club, since she used to be a member.

“What a great float,” Larry said with a grin on his face.

Okay, so maybe it wasn’t just her.

She wasn’t all that impressed with the car dealership’s float. It was towed by one of their new trucks and had some hot woman on it and a bunch of car sale signs. It looked like they spent a bundle of money on it, but otherwise, it wasn’t all that creative. There were many other floats groups had put a lot more time and creativity into, so she scored them all accordingly.

What the other judges thought, she had no idea.

The parade ended, of course, with Santa Claus riding on a float that held his sleigh. Everyone cheered, and Molly finished up her score sheet, then turned it in to the parade committee. The awards would be given out at town square tonight prior to the tree lighting ceremony.

At least her work here was done. She was off to meet her parents.

CARTER FINISHED WATCHING the parade, then wandered around, talking to a few people. He saw Molly climb down from her spot on the judge’s booth, so he excused himself to go find her.

She was headed toward the town square, so he picked up his pace and crossed the street to catch up to her.

“Excuse me, miss, but you look familiar.”

She stopped, then smiled at him. “Wasn’t it a great parade?”

“It was. And did you vote for the mayor’s favorite float?”

She laughed. “Well, I gave it a score. I don’t think it was the score Mavis wanted me to give it.”

“I’m shocked, Molly. No more judging the parade for you.”

She slipped her arm in his. “And to think it’s now become my favorite holiday tradition. I’m heartbroken.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet you are.”

She saw her parents near the square. “There’s my mom and dad. Are your parents here?”

“Yeah. They’re supposed to be somewhere near the square, too.”

They greeted her parents. Her mom looked plenty warm in her thick coat, hat, and gloves, and Dad had even thought to put a fleece blanket on her lap.

“Did you enjoy the parade?” Carter asked.

“It was great,” Emmett said.

Molly sat on the bench next to her mother, who had parked her wheelchair facing the fountain.

“What do you think, Mom?”

Her mom grasped her hand and squeezed it. “Oh, Molly, it turned out even better than I envisioned. Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. This was your doing.”

“But you stayed and jumped on the committee. You and Carter made sure it got finished. And the playground—a brilliant idea.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

Carter took a seat next to Molly.

“Thank you, Carter.”

“We did it, didn’t we Georgia?”

“We sure as hell did. Isn’t it fantastic?”

Carter leaned back and surveyed the finished product. “It’s amazing. I’m so glad you came up with the idea, Georgia. It’s a hell of a beautiful thing.”

Carter liked seeing Molly’s mom so happy. The two of them had worked hard on this project, and he’d hated that she hadn’t been able to finish it. He was glad Molly had taken on the responsibility. He was sure it had given Georgia some comfort knowing her daughter had been involved.

“We couldn’t have done this without Molly’s help. She’s an ass kicker,” Carter said.

Georgia beamed a smile. “Well, she is my daughter.”

Carter laughed. “That she is.”

“I honestly didn’t do much, other than back up Carter and keep the meetings on track.”

“That’s bull. The playground was your idea.”

“And it looks wonderful,” Georgia said.

“Oh, Carter, this looks amazing.”

Molly stood as Carter’s parents, Amanda and Robert, came over. It had been so long since she’d seen them.

Amanda was as pretty as she’d always been, with her dark hair cut shorter than she remembered. Robert’s hair was a lot grayer now, but he was still a strikingly handsome man—just like his son.

“Thanks, Mom.” Carter hugged his mom.

“And Georgia, how are you?”

Amanda sat next to her on the bench.

“I’m doing so much better, Amanda. So nice to see you again. How are you?”