Page 130 of Denim & Diamonds

***

Eventually the crowd thinned out, and it was only Elvin and his family left. Patrick was sleeping in his bassinet, and Elvin and Linda’s son, Michael, was knocked out on the couch. I finished loading the dishwasher whileBrock went downstairs with his brother to get some boxes of baby clothes out of Elvin’s truck.

Linda took a seat on a stool on the other side of the counter and motioned to the last bottle of wine. “Should we open that?”

I smiled. “I’ve been dying to, but I didn’t want you to think I drank too much around the baby.”

Linda laughed. “I like my wine, and I’m not one to judge. Plus, children are thereasonalcohol was invented.”

She grabbed the bottle opener and deftly removed the cork. Pouring two glasses, she pushed one over to me before taking a big sip. “I have to say, I’ve never seen Brock look so happy.”

“He’s really a natural with Patrick, isn’t he?”

Linda set her glass down. “He is, but I don’t think that’s the only thing making him glow. He couldn’t keep his eyes off you all day.” She paused and ran her finger along the bottom of her glass. “Did you know I used to be an actress?”

In fact, I did not. “Really?”

Linda chuckled. “Don’t look so shocked. I wasn’t a very good one. But I was in some commercials and stuff, a few small-budget films.”

“Does that mean you’re not from Meadowbrook?”

She shook her head. “L.A.”

“Wow. How did you wind up in Meadowbrook?”

“My best friend from college was getting married, and the bachelorette party was in Vegas. One afternoon, we all went to a pool party, and I ended up talking to the only guy wearing a flannel with his swim trunks. Elvin was there for his friend’s thirtieth birthday.”

“That sounds about right.” I laughed. “Though I had no idea you weren’t from here.”

Linda lifted her wine glass. “Seems like a lifetime ago, but I’ve only been in Maine for six years.”

“Do you still do any acting?”

She shook her head. “When I first moved here, I got involved with a local theatre group. A lot of the participants were younger and didn’t have too much experience, so I would help them out and show them techniques I’d learned over the years. It made me realize I like teaching acting even more than I like acting. My degree is in theatre, but I’m currently working on getting my Master’s in Education. I’m hoping to teach high school theatre here someday.”

Her story got me thinking. “If you don’t mind me asking, how was the transition from living in L.A. to living in Meadowbrook?”

She smiled. “Bumpy. Elvin and I had been seeing each other for about six months when I came out to stay for a three-month trial period. I went back home when the time was up.”

“Oh wow. What brought you back?”

“I realized I could adjust to driving twenty minutes for a Starbucks, but I couldn’t adjust to not seeing Elvin every day. I missed him.”

I took a deep breath but stayed quiet.

“Are you…considering moving to Meadowbrook?” Linda asked.

“I have no idea what the hell I’m doing. I’m crazy about Brock, but I’ve also spent a decade building a business I really love, and that business isn’t easily relocatable. Before the baby, we were going to give the long-distance thing a shot and alternate visiting eachother. But now, things are obviously different.” I paused before meeting Linda’s eyes. “Do you ever have regrets for giving up your dream?”

She shook her head. “Never. I’m happy. Life is different than I’d pictured for myself, but having Elvin and the kids is better than any dream I could’ve imagined.”

Linda’s words should’ve made me feel better, should’ve made me believe it wasn’t impossible for things to work with Brock. Yet it made me feel like something was wrong.

Patrick let out a mewl from the other side of the room, so I went over and picked him up.

Linda smiled. “I know it’s only been a couple of days, but he really seems to adore you. I swear, those little monsters imprint faster than a wolf fromTwilight.”

She’d meant it as a compliment, but her comment weighed heavily on my heart. Babies need consistency. Forty-eight hours ago, I’d flown into Brock’s arms, so happy to see him, and now…I suddenly felt the urge to run.

---