Page 64 of Whispers at Seaside
He headed inside and answered the call. “Hi, John. Thanks for returning my call.” John listened without interruption as Matt paced his father’s living room, explaining why he was submitting his resignation.
“It’s a heck of a book deal, Matt, and I know how important family is to you. But before you make any rash decisions, you need to know that Jacob’s wife has just been diagnosed with stage four cancer. Jacob is stepping down as dean of the School of Social Sciences to be there for her, and we’re considering you for the position.”
“EVAN, BELLA’S STEPSON, is an aspiring cinematographer, and he’s videotaping the wedding, and Lizzie is taking care of all the flowers,” Sky told Mira. “And her friend Brandy is catering. Brandy just moved here from Virginia, and Lizzie’s helping her get her wedding planning and catering business up and running.”
Mira and the girls were standing on the patio talking about their upcoming wedding, and Mira was trying not to focus on the fact that Matt had been on the phone with his boss for more than half an hour. She knew how big a decision it was for him to resign, and she imagined his boss begging him to reconsider. They’d talked about it on the long drive home from New York, and although Matt had been adamant about having made the right decision, she knew there were many aspects of his job that he loved and that he was proud of his accomplishments. She also knew that it was a lot to walk away from and not something many people would do.
“Wait until you taste the wedding cake,” Jenna said. “It’s to die for.”
“I wish I could cook like Brandy,” Parker said. “I’m really good with the microwave.”
Everyone laughed.
“She’s talking about giving cooking classes,” Jana said. “If she does, I think we should take them.”
“Afterthe honeymoon, of course,” Sky said.
Hagen tugged on Mira’s shorts. “Mom? What’s a honeymoon?”
She crouched beside him and brushed his hair from his eyes, noticing that he needed a trim. “Remember when we talked about how when people get married there’s a ceremony and a party?”
He nodded.
“Well, after the big party, the bride and groom go on a special vacation with just the two of them to celebrate. That’s called the honeymoon.” She saw Matt step outside, heading in her direction with a serious look in his eyes, and her thoughts stumbled.
“Oh,” Hagen said. “Like when Molly’s daddy got married and she stayed at her grandma’s for a week?” Molly was a little girl in Hagen’s class.
“Yes, exactly.” She rose to her feet, and Matt put his arms around her from behind and kissed her cheek.
“How’d it go with your boss?” Grayson asked him.
He glanced at Hagen and said, “Jacob’s wife received some very bad medical news, and he’s stepping down. They want to consider me for the dean of the School of Social Sciences position.”
Mira’s heart nearly stopped. Matt’s family began peppering him with questions, and in Mira’s head, worries took flight, turning everything else to white noise. She was elated and concerned. This was the chance Matt had worked for. It would be his greatest achievement. The pinnacle of his career, and she was so very proud of him, and happy for him. But would this change his decision? Was he going back to Princeton after all? Would she and Hagen upend their lives and go with him? She wanted to be with him, and one look at the way Hagen was hanging on to Matt’s shorts told her he did, too.
She turned in Matt’s arms, and he smiled, an easy, sexy smile that was miles away from the swarm of bees swirling inside her and silencing her voice.
“Matt?” Hagen said.
“Yeah, buddy?”
“When people love each other, they get married and they go on a special vacation.”
Mira’s mind spun. She was vaguely aware of her son’s voice, of Matt crouching beside him. She searched Matt’s face for a clue of what he was thinking, but he was completely focused on her little boy, intent and thoughtful.Where is the worry?She looked around at everyone else, none of whom seemed to be choking on worry, as she was. Was she alone in this whirlwind of concern? Maybe she shouldn’t worry. They had options.
She glanced at Neil, who was looking at Matt with pride in his eyes. She’d already received two email confirmations from her meetings with business owners who wanted to move forward with the co-op. She couldn’t just dump that on Neil. That wasn’t fair, and he wouldn’t know how to run the co-op. She loved Matt to the ends of the earth and back, but she loved his father in a different, though equally as important, way. Neil needed her here more than Matt needed her in Princeton. At least to get him through the co-op setup and find someone to help him run it.
“A honeymoon?” Matt asked, bringing Mira’s thoughts back to his conversation with Hagen.
I’m getting too far ahead of myself again.
Hagen nodded. “I love my mom, but I can’t marry her because she’s my mom.”
“That’s right, buddy,” Matt said. “But one day when you’re older you’ll meet a woman and fall madly in love. A woman you can’t imagine living without for a single day.” Matt’s eyes found Mira’s, warm and loving. “That’sthe woman you’ll marry.”
“So?” Hagen said matter-of-factly. “When are you going to marry my mom?”
“Hagen.” She shook her head. “Honey, that’s not the type of—”
