Page 64 of Running Into You
“I thought I was next in line for soap,” Josh says coming over to hug her.
“I have enough soap for everyone.” My heart pains seeing their embrace. Not because I’m jealous of Maggie, not even a little bit. But seeing his arms around someone else, anyone else, stings.
“Into the house everyone,” Nancy orders, putting an arm around each Rilla and Maggie and herding them up the stone pathway. I find myself walking behind them, next to Josh.
“Hey,” he says, leaning sideways to nudge me. I dare to sneak a glance up at him and wish I hadn’t. His dark eyes are probing, trying to figure out what state I’m in.
“Hey,” I say softly. His gaze searches my face and I know it will penetrate the weak force field of indifference I’m attempting, so I make myself look away. “How was your night?”
The dinner with my mother feels like it was days ago, not fifteen hours earlier.
“Lousy. Yours?”
“I left to drive here before nine.”
“I figured. You weren’t around when I stopped by.” Why did I tell him that?
“You came by my place?” he asks, perking up. “When?”
When I realized I’m in love with you and needed to tell you before I exploded.
We’ve reached the doorstep and I enter the house without answering him. Everyone is chatting and removing their coats when Eleanor appears from the kitchen. A hush falls over our party as each person becomes aware of her presence.
“Welcome home!” she says, looking at everyone assembled in the foyer. I see her eyes rest on Josh, and she smiles hopefully at him. My eyes fly to his face. He looks completely taken aback. So, he didn’t know she was here. “Your mom texted me from the hospital, so I made lunch for everyone.”
Josh looks at his mother, his body tensing. He says nothing.
“You didn’t need to do that,” Nancy insists warmly, taking Eleanor by the hands. “But thank you, I’m starving!”
Eleanor has noticed that there is a new face in the group, and she straightens as she takes in Maggie. “I didn’t realize there would be so many people here. I hope I’ve made enough.” Her eyes pass nervously between Maggie and Josh. Of course, she’d see Maggie as the threat.
“We stopped for food on the way here,” I lie. I haven’t eaten anything since the bread at the restaurant last night and I’m starting to feel a bit nauseous. The spacious foyer feels overcrowded, and I need to escape it as soon as possible.
“I’m not hungry either,” Rilla says, grabbing both Maggie and I by the arm and heading for the staircase. We follow her without question or comment to the second floor. When I reach the top of the stairs, I glance back down at Josh because I just can’t help myself. He’s staring up at me like he wants to follow, but then I turn the corner and he disappears from my sight.
Chapter 37
Josh
“Darling, have you tried the kale salad?” My mother asks me from across the harvest table. She’s been trying to force pleasant conversation between Eleanor and me since we sat down. It’s not working out for her. You could cut the tension in this well-lit dining room with one of the butter knives currently resting on the carefully arranged cloth napkins.
I ignore her question, focusing on the food on my plate.
“Your car isn’t in the driveway, Eleanor. Did you drive here?” Mom’s voice is filled with concern, and I clench my jaw in response.
“I parked around the corner,” Eleanor answers, her eyes flitting from my mother to me. “I wasn’t sure how many people would be coming and going.”
“Oh, you’re so thoughtful, dear. Isn’t she?”
Again, I don’t respond, choosing instead to take another bite of my sandwich. I know I’m being childish, but I’m exhausted and upset. When she realizes I’m not going to respond, she continues to talk, giving Eleanor dad’s entire health history. I try to tune the pair out as I chew my sandwich slowly. I’m too upset to taste anything. It’s obvious that Eleanor is trying her best, but I’m not giving either of them much to work with. Considering how good I felt leaving the hospital, my mood has soured.
First Betty. Seeing her in the driveway felt like a dopamine hit straight to my frontal cortex. I wanted to gather her up in my arms and bury my face in her neck. Breathe her in, let the scent of her heal the internal wounds in me. But she barely looked at me and said almost nothing to me.
Except that she had a lousy night and came by to see me. Who had she been with? And why did she come to my apartment when she got home?
And now my ex-girlfriend is in my house, playing the doting daughter-in-law with my mom? I’m not sure how much more of this I can take. Eleanor knows the role so well, hanging on my mother’s every word. She keeps reaching out to touch my mom’s hand. Like she belongs here. Like she never left.
“Well, I think I’m going to go call my sisters and let them know how your father is doing.” Mom says, pushing herself back from the table. She thanks Eleanor for lunch and walks away, stopping to give me a quick kiss on the cheek and a thoughtful look before she leaves us alone. I wait until she’s out of the room before speaking.
