“And I haven’t said a word about your body lately,” he grumbled in a low voice. His eyes slipped down to take me in and I let out a shuddering breath.
“I’m sorry, Andrew. I shouldn’t have said anything—”
“Stop.”It was a command, and I got the feeling that he was over my apologies.
What the hell were we doing? Why was Andrew holding on to me, standing so close that he could drop his frowning, angry mouth just a few inches and do what we both knew we wanted?
A bigger gust of wind blew through the stalks and I shivered despite the heat bouncing between us.
“You’re cold. We should go.”
There was no way I could disagree without him knowing exactly what I was thinking.
“Okay.”
With that he dropped my wrist, and all the tension that had been coursing through my body drained to my feet, leaving me limp.
“We’re going your way,” Andrew said, moving past me in the hollowest victory I’d ever won.
chapter twenty
I wish you would stop being so formal—it’s just lunch, Joan,” Aunt Helen called to my mom from her place at the table, where she was trying to pet Edith without getting nibbled. “We could’ve eaten takeout and I would’ve been thrilled, as long as I was with all of you.”
My mom hustled around the kitchen solo despite our offers to help. She was in her element when she was cooking and serving and didn’t want anyone in her way until the last dish had been placed on the table.
“I’m not being formal, this is what family does. It’s how I show love, you should know that by now.” She placed a steaming tray of lasagna on a woven trivet, kissed Aunt Helen on top of her head, and headed back to the kitchen.
My aunt had arrived the night before to spend the week before Thanksgiving with my mom and she’d insisted on a family meeting to finalize who was bringing what on the big day. We all knew the truth was that she wanted to squeeze in as much togetherness as possible. I loved spending time with her even though her uncensored take on life occasionally led to ruffledfeathers and hurt feelings. It wasn’t that she was mean-spirited. Much like my dad, Aunt Helen just didn’t have a filter.
We were gathered at the long table that flanked the fireplace, with Birdie camped out on her spot on the worn stone in front of it. Aunt Helen was wearing her typical glamorous it’s-a-tracksuit-but-it’s-also-cashmere getup in spotless cream, paired with thick-soled black Givenchy sneakers and a black scarf that had “Chanel” hidden in the mass of colorful scrawls. Her short white hair was tucked behind her ears. She had the kind of look that got her automatic upgrades to first class.
A typically stunning Taylor was seated at the head of the table in what had always been my father’s chair, and even though it hollowed me out seeing her there and not him, it sort of worked. She represented the future of our family, a continuation of the legacy. The promise of the little Higgins Engelman she was growing was the perfect distraction from the void at the table.
“You’re up next,” my aunt said, turning to me and pulling her red-rimmed glasses off the top of her head and back onto her nose. “Taylor’s got me up to date on all things baby, but what aboutyourbaby, hm? What’s next for Frolic?”
My mom placed a bowl of salad on the table then pulled an orange and blue floral apron over Aunt Helen’s head.
“What in the county fair isthis?” she sputtered, plucking at the apron like it was a rag.
“Lasagna and white cashmere are a messy combination. I won’t allow you to risk it,” she replied as she settled into her chair.
My mom truly thought of everything.
“Well, Chels?” Aunt Helen asked as she filled her plate with salad then passed the bowl to Taylor. “What’s the latest from dog-world?”
I opened my mouth, then snapped it shut, because every part of Frolic was now snarled up with thoughts of Andrew. My busy class roster? Worries about where people would park when Andrew was holding his own group classes? My most challenging client? Obviously Dude, who I hadn’t seen since before the corn maze incident. Forecasting into the future? Impossible, not only for me but also for him thanks to what Mike was doing.
I hadn’t seen Andrew since the night at the farm. It was no shock that Carly and Joe had beaten us out of the corn maze, and we’d allowed them to bask in their victory for the rest of the night. As expected, Andrew had gone on to win the wood-chopping competition. I’d watched from the very back of the crowd, still feeling aftershocks over what had happened between us. Oralmosthappened. Andrew the showman was replaced by Andrew the workhorse as he chopped his way through the stack. Each swing of the ax felt like it was directed at me.
“Dog-world is good,” I managed as I reached across the table to grab a garlic knot. “Steady as she goes.”
“There’s more,” my mom insisted. “Tell your aunt about what you want to do with the space next door to you.”
My stomach twisted into its own knot at where the conversation was headed. I hadn’t told anyone about the building sale, mainly because I knew what my mom would suggest. And now, with Aunt Helen here to back her up, I was doubly sure that I didn’t want to get into it.
“Yeah, um, I’m considering expanding into the vacant space next to mine.”
“You didn’t tell me that,” Taylor sniped at me. “That’s a big deal.”
