“Thanks for getting us all together,” Sarah says.
“Yeah!” Lauren nods, taking a bite of salad.
“And what a great idea to let the kids have their own dinner party outside,” Annie adds.
I follow her gaze out the window. “Kylie’s terrific with children.”
“She is.” Sarah dabs her mouth with her napkin. “I’ve hired her as a mother’s helper for the summer, and she’s amazing.”
“Where’s Mac?” Lauren asks.
“He’s out of town on business again,” Sarah says. “The MRI manufacturer hired him to train other technicians on a new piece of equipment. It’s a lucrative side hustle for him to help pay legal bills for his brother. Kylie is staying with me.”
“She’s really coming out of her shell,” Annie remarks.
“Yes.” Sarah casts an affectionate gaze at the girl out the window. “She’s blossoming. Mac is great with her. I think there was a lot of stress in her home, and it’s been good for her to be in new surroundings.”
Annie turns to me. “Okay, Quinn—tell us what we really want to know. How are things going with Zack?”
Hearing his name makes my heart gallop. “He and Lily are crazy about each other. But I’m a little worried she’s getting too attached to him.”
“It’s impossible for a child to get too attached to a responsible parent,” Sarah says. “Besides, I think this is forming a great foundation for the long term.”
“The person I’m worried about getting too attached is you.” Lauren gives me a sidelong smile.
Despite my best efforts, I feel my face heat. “He’s married. He’s completely off-limits.”
“That doesn’t mean he’s not attractive,” Lauren says. “I’vegot a crush on him, and I’ve only seen him once.”
“Married people should automatically become unappealing to everyone but their spouse,” Annie says. “It ought to be a law.”
“Yeah. The moment they say, ‘I do,’ they should sprout horns and facial warts and lots of nose hair,” Lauren says.
Everyone laughs.
I laugh, as well. I don’t dare tell them how hard it’s becoming to keep boundaries around my thoughts and feelings about Zack. The other night, when the two of us were in Lily’s room taking turns reading to her, it occurred to me that everything my heart desires was right there in that bed. More and more, my mind meanders to places it shouldn’t go. I don’t want to examine these little lapses, because acknowledging them in any way seems to only make them more entrenched.
“Zack will be moving in a few weeks,” I say. “I hope Lily doesn’t feel abandoned when he leaves.”
“Moving isn’t the same as abandonment,” Sarah says. “And Lily knows he’s moving, right?”
“Yes. I just hate for her to experience another big loss,” I say.
“Life is a series of gains and losses,” Sarah says. “Having Zack in her life will be a big long-term gain.”
Everyone murmurs consent.
“Have you seen his wife since Miss Margaret’s birthday?” Lauren asks.
I shake my head. “She’s been in Seattle, but she’s coming back into town tonight. The four of us are going to the aquarium together tomorrow.”
A knock sounds at the door. Ruffles barks. Everyone on the left side of the table cranes their necks to peer out the sidelight.
Annie turns back toward me, her eyes big. “It’s Zack.”
“He’s just as good-looking as I remember.” Lauren smiles and waves to him from her chair.
I can’t see the front door from where I’m sitting, but my heart pounds ridiculously fast as I get up and cross the room to open it.
