Page 100 of The Choices I've Made
He kissed me good-bye before I turned and hopped into my small car. I watched him do the same, driving away in the opposite direction as I headed for the bay.
Suddenly, the happy glow of the evening washed away and was replaced with panic.
Complete and utter panic.
I had a houseful of guests and nothing to serve them. Tears were beginning to pour down my face as I tried to work out any possible game plan.
Cereal? No. Besides, I didn’t have any.
Eggs and toast? Maybe. Although they would be expecting more.
Did I have anything in the freezer?
Oh God, what had I done?
What had I been thinking?
I hadn’t. That was the problem.
By the time I pulled into my driveway, I’d convinced myself that Jake and I together was the dumbest idea on the planet. In fact, me being with anyone was just plain stupid. I didn’t have time for a life. This inn was all I could focus on. It was my life.
The only thing that mattered.
Walking in the back door, I rushed into the kitchen, only to find the house filled with laughter and the smell of freshly baked pastries and bacon.
What the hell?
There, in the middle of everything, I found my parents manning the morning rush, chatting up guests and serving cups of coffee.
My dad waved happily in my direction.
“Hi, honey!” my mom said cheerfully.
I stood there, stunned.
I couldn’t decide if I was relieved or pissed. Happy or embarrassed.
My mom obviously saw the conflict in my face. Setting the coffee pot on the counter, she came to my side, placing a warm arm around me, and guided me into the living room.
“How did you—I mean, what is this?”
She sat me down on the sofa, sitting in the seat next to me.
“Terri called us last night, said you had come to visit her and ended up having dinner with Jake.”
My face heated up once more.
“Oh, honey, don’t get embarrassed. You’re a thirty-year-old woman. I don’t expect you to be a nun. And, honestly, what did you expect when that boy showed back up in town?”
“So, you’re covering me because you figured I’d be out late on a booty call?”
Her head shook back and forth as she made a sour face. “I don’t like that phrase. You and I both know this was bound to happen. Why do you think Dean stepped aside? This is just you listening to your heart, like I told you to do.”
I sat back on the sofa, feeling emotional and tired. “Is it? Because, right now, I feel like a total failure.”
Her hand touched mine. “You’re not a failure, sweetheart. You’re just in love. Just let it happen. You two have been running for so long. It breaks my heart.”
“What if we still are?” I asked.
