Page 90 of Unexpectedly Falling
“You’ve been sitting in your car for the last ten minutes just staring at the house.”
Blushing, I clear my throat and give her my winning smile. “And you were too scared to go in by yourself?”
“I don’t know these people,” Lana scoffs, her brown hair falling in loose waves around her shoulders and her makeup a little heavier than I’ve seen at work.
“It’s a boozy, book club brunch not a fundraiser; it’s supposed to be fun.”
She sighs. “I know. But it’s hard when you realize the people you’ve interacted with foryears—people you considered friends—have chosen your lying, cheating husband in the divorce over you.” Her head turns slowly to look at me. “Do you know how much smiling I had to do?”
I snort becauseyes I do.“As a matter of fact…” Lana chuckles. “Were you in Nashville before this?”
“Yeah, my ex-husband is a lawyer.”
“Cheat on you with his secretary?”
“No, cheated on me with our dog groomer.” She pauses dramatically. “Cheated onherwith his secretary who he married two months after our divorce was finalized.”
“What a bastard.”
“I know. I was so pissed he almost lost me Amara.” When I stare at her, she laughs. “The dog groomer. I mean, I lost her for a little while, but we bonded over our mutual hate for Jacob and we actually still talk.”
“Did she know your ex was married?”
“He told her we were separated. She found out later that we weren’t separated when she started seeing him.”
“Are y’all gonna stand out there all day or what?” Ellison says with a grin and a flourish as she holds the front door open. “Cal is half in the bag and singing show tunes.”
“Oh my God, I am not,” he yells from inside, causing us all to laugh as we move up the porch steps.
Bea takes my blueberry French toast bake as I take my jacket off and hang it on the back of the kitchen chair. The house is homey if still a bit old-fashioned.
Having met Grandad, it makes sense, and I love that Ellison and Montana have chosen to do it this way—make their life here with someone so important to them. He’s not a burden.
He’s everything.
The thought has me smiling as three dogs come racing around the corner. The black lab with three legs takes the corner hard but barely skids on the floor, his tongue hanging out as he crashes into a spotted dog with ice-blue eyes, and a puppy follows them, its little legs trying desperately to keep up.
“The three-legged goofball is Hermie, the spotted beauty is Queenie, and the puppy is Roo,” Ellison says with a grin. “It’s too bad you missed the adoptathon; you could have totally convinced Jensen to get another dog.”
My smile falters and Ellison’s eyes narrow.
“We left with Carl and Lady,” Bea says proudly. “It was so sweet of Bodhi to think of us! They’re goldendoodles and just thesweetestpair.”
“You know Bodhi did it to get back at Archer, right?” Ellison asks pointedly.
“For sure. I just can’t wait to see Bodhi find some happiness. So far, no matter how much sunshine I try to shower on him, he still has the same stoic expression.” Bea sighs. “So I will take every olive branch he gives me.” She points at Ellison. “Don’t repeat that.”
“Why? It might take the heat off me when Montana finds out that we have two miniature cows coming.”
Cal snickers. “That man is a saint.” He turns his attention to Lana. “Welcome to the chaos. I’m Cal and that’s Bea and Ellison.”
“Thanks for having me,” she says softly. “I made a sausage and egg casserole. My kids go crazy for it, so I figured it was a safe choice.”
“Excellent.” Ellison grins, taking the dish and placing it on the counter. “We have three juices for mimosas, all the fixings for Bloody Marys, and a coffee bar because Cal is bougie like that.”
“Anyway,” Cal says, rolling his eyes, “Lana, are you dating anyone?”
“Way to just jump right in there.” Bea snickers.
