Chapter Twenty-Four
Three anxious faces awaited us as Ezra and I walked into the living room. Of course my grandmother was the first to speak.
“Both of you come here, please.” Her small hand waved us over to where she sat on the couch. Hand in hand, we stood in front of her, and if she noticed our interlaced fingers, she didn’t mention it. “Before you say anything, I’m sorry. Monroe, you were right to be angry with me. I did what I did because I love you and saw you were about to make a mistake I knew you’d regret. But it wasn’t my decision to make.”
I dropped Ezra’s hand to sit beside her. “No, it wasn’t. But I overreacted too. I’m sorry about that. I know you did it out of love. Even if it was a misguided attempt.”
Her bright eyes darkened. “Misguided? You’re saying that you and Ezra aren’t in love? I don’t believe that for a second.”
“Oh, Nettie, Roe isn’t saying that at all.” Ezra took a seat next to her and held her hand in his large palm. “What he means is that you didn’t need to go to all those lengths to push us together. We ended up figuring out we belonged together on our own.”
“With a few stumbles along the way,” I added.
“So everything’s all right now between you two?” My mother’s hopeful gaze shifted from my face to Ezra’s. “Are you a couple?”
“A couple of dummies for waiting so long to make it official when everyone around you knew it,” my grandmother muttered, and I bit my lip to hold back a smile.
Apparently I wasn’t the only one. Ezra smothered a laugh. “I love that you don’t pull any punches, Nettie. That’s my girl.” He kissed her cheek, and she grinned at him.
“Now I have two grandsons to love. And maybe some great-grandchildren soon?”
Ezra raised his brows. “Well, in that case, we need to win the lottery to get a nice big place for us. Have you seen any good ones lately? You know that actress on that show you love on Netflix? The one with four kids?”
Her eyes grew wide. “Oh, yes. What about her?”
How could I have ever doubted his feelings—or mine, for that matter? Watching them chat together about her favorite television shows while Ezra slipped in little bits of inside gossip she loved, I became overwhelmed, my heart threatening to burst from my chest.
My mother pressed a glass into my hand, and I saw the bubbles rising. I watched as she gave one to Ezra and Grace, then a small splash to my grandmother, who tightened her lips. I held back a smile, knowing a battle was about to ensue.
“Mom, you can shoot daggers at me all you want. I’m not giving you more. Not with all your medications. The doctors said it wasn’t good for you.”
“Doctors, schmoctors. What do they know? I’ll tell you what’s good for me. Seeing my family happy. Monroe finally with the person he should be with and not moping around every weekend with us.”
I winced. “You don’t need to make me sound pathetic, Grandma. I had a social life.”
“So you say.” She waved her hand. “But no one special you ever brought to us, so I’ll hold my tongue.” Her eyes twinkled, and she leaned into Ezra to whisper loudly, “They were nothing, don’t worry. He was waiting for you to come back.”
“Good thing you held your tongue, Grandma.”
“Shh, enough everyone.” My mother held up her glass, and we joined her. “To Monroe and Ezra and love.”
I clinked my glass with everyone’s, saving Ezra’s for last.
“To us.”
* * *
Later that evening, after we left my family, Ezra wanted to go out for drinks and dinner to celebrate.
“Can I invite Carmen and Amy? I’d love for you to get to know them better.”
“Sure. I’d love to talk more to them. You’ll have to get to know Ross and Arden better too. Right now they’re upstate at their cabin. They go there every few weeks. It’s really beautiful.”
“I’m sure. I’ve been to a few conferences up near Albany, and we took a trip to Lake George. It was during the fall, and the leaves changing color were spectacular. Ross didn’t strike me as a man who likes solitude, though. He seems like a true party person.”
Like you, I wanted to say. How long before the time we spent together would become boring and he’d chafe at staying home with me? And why did I let doubt creep in so quickly?
He shot me a strange look. “Ross is a homebody. When he and Dominic were married, he did the requisite promotion needed for his movies and accompanied Dom to his appearances, but he was much happier with just the two of them or with close friends. He’s like that now with Arden. He’s most content being at home.” Ezra paused. “I understand the appeal.”
