Page 78 of Share with Me

“Where’s Aunt Ella?” Cara asked as she poured Brinley black coffee.

“Still sleeping upstairs.”

“Your parents left you to babysit her?”

“I don’t mind.” Brinley breathed in the aroma of coffee before she poured enough cream into it. “It’s only for a week. Mom and Dad will be home next Tuesday, in time for our annual Christmas Eve dinner.”

Sometimes Brinley wished they would eat at home like they used to do when Grandpa Brooks had been alive, but since he passed away, the Brooks family Christmas Eve dinner had been at The Cloister. Only minutes from here and everything ready to go by the time they got there. It was easier on Cara, for one thing, because she didn’t have to stay up all night cleaning up the kitchen and then rush home for her own family Christmas.

“And besides, the security people will be here in case we need to round up Aunt Ella.”

“You’re always helping others, Brin,” Cara said. “What are you doing for yourself?”

I’m enjoying Ivan’s company.“Taking it easy this Christmas.”

“My daughter is so disappointed she doesn’t get to work on your costume for the dinner tonight.” Cara started cleaning up the pancake pan and ladles in the sink.

“Well, that’s because she’s such a good seamstress. I’m glad that she made the gown loose enough for me to fit in even a year later. The stretchable stomacher was a brilliant idea.”

“I’ll tell her.” Cara loaded the dishwasher.

Brinley remembered Ivan in Yun’s kitchen doing dishes by hand.

“Are you going alone tonight?”

“Well, Aunt Ella is going to spend the evening at my friend’s house, so we’re going to go from there.”

“We?”

“Ivan and I.”

“Ivan? I’ve never heard of him before.”

“Ivan is Zoe’s brother-in-law.”

“Oh.”

“He’s special?”

Yes. Very special.“We started—I don’t know what we started, Cara. We went out to eat, we spent time together. Not sure where it’s going.”

“But you like him.”

Maybe more than like.“I’m going back to Atlanta in three weeks. It’s not going to last.”

Cara wiped the stove with a damp cloth. “But you like him.”

“Yes. Like I said, it might not last.” Like all the other boyfriends. They came and went like clockwork.

“Maybe this time it will.” Cara picked up Brinley’s empty plate. “For your sake, I hope so. That good-for-nothing Phinn! I hope he never comes back. You find yourself a nice man who can love you and take good care of you.”

Take care of me? Ivan could barely take care of Yun and himself.

“I hope you find a good man, dear Brinley.”

“I hope so too, Cara.” Brinley wanted to say more, but her iPhone rang. She retrieved it from her sweatpants pocket. “It’s Dad. I have to take this.”

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