Page 70 of Carver
“The streaky rockstar blurred eyeliner and mascara is in now, isn’t it? Ella will just think she’s rubbed off on you already. She’ll probably ask if she can take you shopping and fill up your closetwith suede, leather, and thigh high boots. The boots might be hot. In bed.”
“Oh my god, Dom, seriously?”
“I’m pretty serious.”
I wish I could summon something funny, but I’m still so emotional.
Elowen doesn’t often wake up crying. She babbles to herself and generally gets going until she laughs so loud that one of us hears her immediately.
There’s no mistaking that she’s awake as she laughs so hard that her crib is probably shaking.
“I’ll get her.” Dom kisses me, even though I’m a mess. “Take however long you need to get ready. There’s no rush.”
“We can’t be late for dinner. That’s so embarrassing.”
“People understand, if you have a baby.”
“No!” I gasp. “We can’t use the baby excuse when it’s not even real. She’s never made me late for anything.”
“I didn’t say we’d use it. Just that people assume. But we won’t be late. I’ll get her changed and ready. We still have lots of time.”
We don’t, but his calmness steadies me. I do feel better now that I’m not being eaten alive by nerves and anxiety. This is Dom’s night. I wasn’t trying to take away from it. I’m glad we talked. We can go to dinner, and I won’t be wrecked on the inside, constantly churning over and over what I need to say. I can just go and be me.
Even if that’s me in smudged eyeliner.
***
Dom was absolutely right when he jokingly said that the eyeliner I couldn’t scrub off would be right in style.
Ella welcomes us to her home and pretty much the first thing she says to me is that shelovesmy makeup.
The three of us are quickly swept into the kitchen. Tyrant and Raiden are out on the deck, the grill billowing out puffs of white smoke as they cook the steaks. Dom only hesitates long enough to make sure I’m okay before he joins them outside. They’re just beyond the sliding patio door. The three of them make a semicircle to frame the grill. They’re talking, but I can’t hear what they’re saying.
“I have some cooked carrots and mashed potatoes for Ellie to start, if she’s getting hungry,” Ella says, indicating the pots on the stove.
Her kitchen is gorgeous. Her whole house is gorgeous. They live in a newer part of Hart, in a subdivision where all the houses look like they’ve been built in the past couple of years.
I expected something a little more storybook or maybe a character house. I’m not sure why, except that Ella is a professor with a love of the classics. I know that much from the few times I’ve met her. I didn’t foresee the modern house with the squares stacked on top of each other, all done in black except for the wood tone front and garage doors.
Inside, the house is all huge windows, modern wood grained cabinets, sleek dark furniture, and an open concept that feels endless.
“I- yes. That would be great.” I realize that I’m gaping and try to dial it back, mostly by pressing my lips closed so I’m not in a fly swallowing position any longer.
Lark gets out a highchair and Penny eagerly helps her position it at the table. “This used to be hers,” Lark explains. “I brought it because I didn’t want you guys to have to do that. Not when you’re our guests.”
“Can I have some mashed potatoes too?” Penny asks, sidling up to Ella and hugging her leg.
“Sure, honey. Your spot is right by Elowen’s highchair. Do you want to sit down and I’ll get you a plate?”
“No carrots,” Penny instructs.
Lark sighs, but Ella laughs, the musical sound filling the kitchen. “This is just a starter. Veggies are up for debate with the main course. I’ll leave that for your mom to decide.”
Penny makes a face, but races over to the table, pulling out the big brown chair and situating herself into it. I can’t remember how old Penny is, or if anyone told me, but she’s adorable. She’s got a lot of her mom in her, especially with her long hair and pixie face, but her eyes are completely her dad’s.
Lark takes a plate from Ella, sitting it in front of her daughter. Her long pink maxi dress sways around her willowy body. She has the tiny figure of a dancer, and she’s unbelievably gorgeous. She has that kind of beauty that is so otherworldly that you catch yourself staring when you don’t even realize that you’re doing it.
Am I doing that?
