Page 51 of Feels Like Home

“You guys are so damnnosey.”

Carly scoffs. “You’re just now figuring this out? Remember what happened the first time we had margaritas? It was like y’all were part of the CIA and I was on the receiving end of a training session for how to interrogatesuspects.”

“You’re so dramatic,” Lauren teases with a smile on herface.

“You got me drunk! For the first time in mylife!”

“Ladies! Stop! We always do this! Task at hand. Task. At.Hand.”

Six pairs of eyes stare at me,waiting.

“Ugh. Fine!Fine!Andy is… well… he’s incredible. He’s kind and sweet, and Heather is such an effing idiot because there is no one like him. He’s helped me move forward in a way that I never saw coming, and his boys? They’re just hilarious and so much like their father, thank the good Lord for thatone.”

“So, are you dating? Together? What? I’m so confused,” Carlyadmits.

“Honestly? Right now, we’re just hanging out. Getting to know each other. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want more. I mean, for one thing, look at the guy,” I say on a sigh, to which all the girlsfollow.

“He is kind of dreamy.” Tess giggles. “Even though I’m old enough to be hismother.”

“Uh, if you could be, then I could be, and that’s not something I’m okay with thinkingabout.”

“Christine the Cougar,” Lauren says, her body bending over in half as peals of laughter burst fromher.

“Shut up!” I shout but laugh right along withher.

“He’s not that young. And you’re definitely not that old,” Lauren shocks us all with a moment ofsincerity.

Anothersigh.

“I know. He’s thirty-five so really, it’s not even an issue. It’s just… he’soverwhelming.”

“In a good way?” Carlyguesses.

“Very,” I admit and look out one of the living roomwindows.

“What is it?” Tess asks quietly, probably noticing my thoughts were beginning to run away from me.Perceptivewoman.

“He asked me to join him and the boys at the cabin nextweekend.”

Lauren chokes on her margarita, and Tess erupts into a series of hand claps that makes her look more like a seal. I glance over at Carly only to see a wistful smile spreading across her face, her diamond ring glistening on her left hand as she reaches over and grips my fingers inhers.

She squeezes once and nods herhead.

“This. This is agoodthing.”

“Isit?”

“It is. You’ve been through so much, Christine.” And the way she says it, the look in her eyes, it makes me think she’s not just talking about losing my husband to cancer. “I get it. Moving on ishard.”

I narrow my eyes, trying to decide if she knows about the affair, too, and briefly wondering if Andy told her whathappened.

As quickly as the thought enters my mind, it vanishes. Knowing that he would never do that tome.

Betrayal isn’t in hisbones.

More likely, she’s remembering only a few months ago when she, herself, moved on. James pursued her with suchpatience.

“Carly’s right. As usual. This is a good thing, Christine. You deserve the happy. You deserve the hot younger guy salivating over you — and believe me when I say hesodoes. It’s almost sickening to be around you two, watching him track your every move like he’s a lion on the prowl. Just… say yes to this weekend and enjoy yourselves. Let loose and allow him to bemore.”

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