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“HONESTLY, I DON’T know why you’re getting so freaked out about hugging the guy.” Becca took a swallow of wine and relaxed back on the couch.
“It’s not like you kissed him,” said Taylor.
“At least not with tongue.” Becca held up her hand to high-five their cousin while Amanda fought the urge to disappear into the chair.
“I didn’t kiss anyone. Would you guys please take this seriously?” Telling her sister and their cousin Taylor what happened with Michael at the base of the mountain had clearly been a mistake. Maybe she could circle the conversation back around to the exhibit of Taylor’s work going up at the gallery downtown. It was the reason for her visit and about as far away as she could get from the topic of the handsy gym owner.
“I’ll take it seriously,” said Becca, pinning her with her gaze. “If you can tell me what’s so wrong with getting closer to Michael. What’s the problem with an innocent hug?”
Any desire Amanda had to talk about the situation fled long ago, but she could tell by the look in her sister’s eyes Becca had no intention of letting it go, and Taylor would happily back her up.Damn it.
“Because it wasn’t innocent. It meant too much,” she said, hoping complete honesty would throw her sister off her game. She should have known better.
“I knew it!” Becca squealed and Taylor jumped, sloshing sparkling juice over the back of her hand and on the front of her gently swelling belly.
Amanda used the spill as an excuse to jump up from her seat and head to the kitchen for a towel, but she could still hear Becca chattering behind her.
“You like him—really like him. I just knew it! Now,” said Becca, feigning patience she clearly didn’t possess. “Why are you here with us on a Friday night instead of off somewhere with the gorgeous gym rat?” Taylor arched an eyebrow and Becca pretended to fan herself. “You wouldn’t believe the abs on this guy.”
“Really?”
Amanda knew her cousin’s interest was purely superficial. She was madly in love with her iron worker husband Matt. He was an artist like Taylor, but he worked in metal instead of paint. Her cousin had met him when they were working on a restoration project over at Old Salem. Amanda couldn’t say for sure but she had an idea the fast-talking Yankee welder had his own impressive set of abs. And he made her cousin happy—happier than she’d ever seen her. They all loved him for that.
Thinking back over the grief she and Becca had given Taylor when she and Matt started dating, it was probably only fair to expect some of it back now. Except she and Michael weren’t dating. She was dating Ethan. The fact that she had to keep reminding herself of that was more disturbing than all the rest of it combined. It was Friday night. With his leg messed up, Ethan was stuck at home. Maybe she’d feel better about their relationship if she acted more like a girlfriend was supposed to and went to hang out with him.And stopped hugging strange men.
The thought passed almost as quickly as she had it. She and Becca hardly ever got to see their cousin anymore. They hadn’t been together since Taylor’s wedding nine months ago. She wanted to spend the night drinking wine and catching up. Ethan would be at the paddling leg of the competition tomorrow. She could hang out with him then.
“Where did you disappear to?” asked Taylor, coming to stand behind her.
“Sorry, I got distracted.”
She handed her cousin the white terry cloth dish towel. Reaching up into the cupboard, she grabbed a stoneware bowl and set it on the counter so she could fill it with the Moravian cheese stars Taylor picked up on her way over. Amanda popped one of the little stars into her mouth, groaning in pleasure as the buttery cheese dissolved on her tongue. The stars were a combination of sharp cheddar cheese and flaky pie crust and completely irresistible. It was easier not to have them in the house than to try not to eat a whole bag in one sitting.
“Who’s this Ethan guy Becca keeps talking about?” Taylor grabbed a handful of the tiny stars and leaned back against the kitchen counter. She smiled as she munched on the cheesy goodness, clearly content to wait for Amanda to answer.
“The guy I’ve been seeing.”Short, sweet, and completely undescriptive. It would probably be better if that didn’t describe her relationship as well.
“Is it serious?”
Amanda thought about that for a moment.Was it?They’d been dating for four or five months and at least occasionally said the L-word, although neither of them used it with the frequency her parents did. He was smart and responsible. He had a great job and an even brighter future. He was exactly the kind of guy she should be serious about.
“That’s a lot of thinking for a yes-no question,” said Taylor.
“Sorry.” She shook her head and smiled. “I guess so. Yes.”
“But you’re not sure?”
Perfect.Now not only did she have to contend with her sister’s opinions, she was going to get grilled by her cousin. Maybe she should go to Ethan’s after all.
“I’m sure.”
Taylor’s eye roll practically screamedwhatever.
“If you say so,” said her cousin, stealing the bowl of cheese stars and turning back to the living room. She glanced back over her shoulder and for a moment, her expression was serious. “Just promise me one thing.” She waited and Amanda nodded. “Promise me you’ll remember that love doesn’t always work the way you planned and the good on paper guy isn’t always the one who grabs hold of your heart. Or the one who lifts you up.” She rested her hand protectively on her stomach. “Trust me. I should know.”
Taylor turned and headed back to the living room and Becca. Amanda swallowed hard, remembering the way it felt to have Michael sweep her up and tell her how amazing she was as he held her in his warm, strong arms. The kind of arms that could carry the weight of the world for her when it got to be too much. The kind that lifted her up instead of pulling her down. Shaking off a whole host of feelings she wasn’t ready to look at, she turned and followed her pregnant cousin back to her too-perceptive sister into the other room.
