“Same,” I told him. “We used to talk about it, but it was always a distant-future kindathing.”
“We?” Silasasked.
I swallowed. I’d walked into thatone.
I didn’t talk about Adrian, not if I could help it. And it wasn’t just because it hurt, though it made my chest get tight just thinkingabout it. It was more like I didn’t knowhowto talk about him — how to deal with the instant sympathy and embarrassment, how to assure people that I was fine when I wasn’t. Over the past year, Adrian had gone from a flesh-and-blood man to a sacred duty; memories of him should only be discussed in reverent tones and never in casualconversation.
Fortunately, while I was sitting there like a deer in headlights, Cal came over with our order, and I quickly stuffed my mouth with too much lemon bar to hold aconversation.
Ash was right – this wasfuckingamazing.
Unfortunately,the silence at our table meant that we could hear every word Karen was saying on the other side of theroom.
“We’ll arrange the tables like we did at my wedding,” she said. “With a head table for just me and Mackie in the middle, and then two other tables coming off of each end like this to make a horseshoe. Our mothers will sit on the ends closest to Mackie and me, and then my girlfriends will take up this table, and the other table will be for theuncles.”
“That’s us,” Ash said proudly. “Uncle Cal and UncleAsh.”
“Oh. Oh, not you, Cal,” she said. “Not until you’remarried.”
I gave Si a look and he tilted his head to the side as if this had proven hispoint.
“Then who are the uncles, plural?” Ash demanded. There was a dangerous undercurrent to his voice, like his earlier calm was gone. I had to force myself not to turn around andstare.
Karen sighed. “You and Rhett, ofcourse.”
“Rae,” Ash corrected. “And they are not anuncle.”
“Well, they’re not anaunteither,” Karen sniffed. “So how the heck am I supposed to list them when I write up the announcement for theGazette?”
“There are several nonbinary terms. One isOmmer,” Ash informedher.
“Ommer!” Mackie repeated, nodding. “Hey, that’s cute. The kiddo can have uncles and anommer.”
“No one will even know what thatmeans,” Karen insisted. “I’m going to have to explain it topeople!”
“Yes, and then re-explain it when they insist on using the wrong term,” Cal said dryly. “How inconvenient foryou.”
Karen sighed. “You’ll understand someday, whenyoubecome a parent, Cal,” she said, as though this explainedanything.
I looked at Si and nearly choked on my coffee when he rolled his eyes to theceiling.
“Mackie, I can’t do this today,” Karen announced. “I feel stressed. I need to go home andrest.”
“Of course! Do you want me to handle the arrangements?” Mackie asked, allconcerned.
“No! God, no. I need you to take me home. It’s not safe for me to bealone.”
“Afraid she might open a hellmouth if left unsupervised?” I whispered. Sisnickered.
“Is everything okay with you and the baby?” Ash asked. He didn’t sound as friendly as he had been, but I could hear a real note of concern in his voice, and my opinion of him was confirmed. Ash Martin, GoodGuy.
“Yes, we’re fine!” Karen said. “But there’s a murderer on the loose. It’s not safe for a woman to be alone, especially not if she’sexpecting.”
Once again, I looked at Si, and he shook his head,confused.
He coughed. “Pardon me, Karen. I couldn’t help but overhear. There’s a murderer I don’t knowabout?”
“Youdoknow about it!” she said, and I swiveled in my chair to look at her. “Or the other officers do. Carmen Purchase was in here earlier telling usall aboutthe missing camper! Have you found his remainsyet?”
