Page 30 of Right With You
Dove’s eyes fluttered open and she shrugged. “What can I say? The way to my… heart… is through my stomach?” She cracked herself up this time, and we all joined in, giggling at her outrageous words and dabbing mouths and eyes as we recovered.
“Well. I will never forget that, I have to say.” I raised my glass. “To good food and great friends and the freedom to be sad or silly or sick or hungry or tired orwhatever that just was”—I winked at Dove—“and still feel at home.”
The “cheers” circled around the room, and my heart, the one that’d felt rather weary lately, took a breath. So much love reflected back in each of those faces, and I gathered it all up, tucking it into my chest so I wouldn’t forget I wasn’t alone.
So often with Callum, I’d felt alone. He’d managed to make me feel that way even when I had these women. After going through a fair amount of craziness together, I felt closer to them than ever, and yet I’d kept so much from them.
By the end of the night, I’d resolved to tell them what was happening with Luc, but I didn’t want to monopolize the conversation, and once we’d launched in to discuss our latest read, I saw the way Dove shifted in her seat, checking her phone and worrying her lip.
“Everything okay?” I asked her quietly when we took a stretch break.
“Nan… she’s not feeling well. I might need to go soon.” She checked her phone again, tapping out a message before looking back at me. “Are you going to discuss…” she wiggled her brows and mouthedLuc.
I shook my head. “No. Not tonight, anyway. Are you going to tell them…” I didn’t need to specify. She knew I meant her financial stress, the move to Silverton Springs, and all that meant.
She raised one sassy little brow. “Not tonight.”
I huffed, but tipped my head to one side. “Fine, then we’ll both be cowards.”
She made a face, then glanced back at her phone, and soon, we started up again.
It wasn’t cowardice keeping me from mentioning Luc’s proposal to them, though. It wasn’t wanting to isolate myself, either. It was simply that I didn’t know how to describe it—I needed more information.
And maybe there was a small inkling that I’d like to keep it mostly to myself, at least for another little while.
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
Luc
With ten days until my grandfather’s arrival, my stress levels had ratcheted up significantly. I’d tried reasoning my way into telling him the truth and pleading with him to respect my choice, but whether because of my stubborn pride, or that child in me who hated how he’d dismissed my mother, even in death, I couldn’t bring myself to give in.
At some point, I’d have to swallow that pride and level with him. Maybe a few months from now, when all the drama from this visit had faded. Maybe we’d even have a few moments to connect while he was here and that would help.
And so, I made plans with Elise. We’d chatted more on the mornings I’d gotten donuts, at least when she didn’t have customers lined up. And we’d gone to lunch once, I’d brought her coffee for another round of twenty questions, and we’d been texting. Nothing constant or formal, just… questions as they popped up.
Things like when we learned to drive—her at sixteen, me at eighteen since at the time, I was in France—and what our favorite subject in school was—her English and math, me, history. I asked her when her first kiss was and she took a full ten minutes to respond as compared to formerly instant back and forth, at which point she responded,“I think we should meet up and practice.”
Practice… kissing?
My mind launched into a litany of explanations for what she meant, but I shut it down and asked her to tell me when. Tone and intention couldn’t be read over text message, so I’d wait to clarify until we were in person. This way, she could lead the conversation and set the pace.
The combination of anticipation and anxiety made me drive a little faster to her house, then ease off and give myself a stern talking to when I realized I was rushing everything. I’d buttoned my shirt wrong, done a poor job of tying my left shoe, and I was certain that if I’d shaved, I would’ve missed half my face. Fortunately, I hadn’t shaved, nor had it been a day to trim my facial hair, or I likely would’ve left a bare line in the middle of my chin.
By the time I reached her door, I’d promised myself I wouldn’t continue this manic pace. I would be calm and receptive to whatever she wanted to practice.
“I already made dinner, so I hope you listened to me,” Elise said as she stepped back, welcoming me into her space.
She’d joked more than once that I’d show up to wherever she was and foist food on her, but it wasn’t all wrong. I liked feeding her. She’d fed me so many times, it felt right I should return the favor.
“You said you were making dinner, so I didn’t bring anything.” I held up a bottle of wine. “Except this.”
She grinned and took the bottle. “Thank you. That was thoughtful.”
“I can be thoughtful, despite what it may seem,” I said, following her into the kitchen.
She eyed me. “Why would you say that? I haven’t thought of you as anythingbutthoughtful.” She set the bottle of wine on the counter and slid me a wine key.
“Family stuff, I guess. My grandfather liked to make sure I knew he thought I was thoughtless. To him, my refusal to do what he wanted translated into being a generally thoughtless person. Or maybe the even more unspoken thing back then wasselfishperson. But he said that outright to me when I joined the military.”
