“No, I—” She pauses, looking up before letting out a sigh. “Damn. That happened.”
I nudge elbows with Mom, who’s slowly taking in the living room. “Like I said.”
Mom hums, humor flickering behind her eyes, as she runs her fingers through her windblown hair, trying to tame the wild, dirty-blonde strands falling past her waist. “It’s really nice to finally meet you, Kimmie. I’m Susie.”
“Figured. The resemblance is striking.” It comes out sounding catty, but I’ve learned that’s just the way Kimmie talks. She actually gives a genuine smile. “It’s nice to meet you too.” Then she scans my mom up and down. “Where’s all your stuff?”
I frown, suddenly wondering the same thing as I look Mom over. She’s wearing a loose, multi-colored dress that hangs to the floor, one of the ones she dyed herself, and beaded sandals, but other than the cross-body tote slung over her chest, it doesn’t look like she brought much.
She’s still looking around the room, her gaze lingering on the photographs above the mantel, when she pats her tote bag and murmurs, “I packed light.”
Kimmie stares at her like she’s an alien—much the same way she stared at me when I first arrived, actually—except I find I’m watching Mom the same way. Something in her space doesn’t feel right. Cold waves of unease radiate off her skin, making me wrap my arms around my chest to keep from shivering.
“I don’t smell your lavender,” Mom says, breaking my thoughts as she scans the room again. “You didn’t bring any inside?”
I shake my head. “I’ll show you.”
Kimmie’s texting when I lead Mom across the living room, through the kitchen, and into the backyard. It’s dark out, but the pool’s lighting illuminates the entire yard in a soft glow. “See?”
She lowers onto the grass, leaning over the flowers and inhaling deeply. Her eyes fall shut. “They’re perfect.”
“You should see the plants Joshua got us.”
“Us?”
“Yep. You’re going to love them.”
“I know I will.” She squints up at me, brushing back the hair that’s fallen around her face. “Is he here?”
“Um ...” I look away, rubbing my elbow.
“He lives here, doesn’t he?” Following my gaze to the guesthouse on the other side of the pool, she lifts an eyebrow. “Right over there?”
“Yeah. He’s not home though. I, um ... He went out.”
“I see,” she murmurs, studying me again. “Want to tell me about it?”
“About what?”
“Whatever’s on your mind.”
Gathering my hair over one shoulder, I rub my lips together. “Later, maybe. I don’t know. For now, I just want to be with you.”
My mom nods, standing before draping a slender arm around my shoulders and pulling me close. “I like that idea very much.”
We walk side by side, and when I breathe her in and smell coconuts, Joshua floods my mind all over again. Him and me, in the closet, his nose brushing my neck as he inhaled ...You smell like coconuts. The thought makes my smile slip as I loosely intertwine my fingers with Mom’s.
With everything that’s happened over the past twenty-four hours, I miss him so much my heart feels like a herd of buffalo stampeded all over it—then reversed and gave another stomp just for the hell of it. God, it hurts. I desperately want to fix things, but I don’t know how. I especially hate that the ache is already bleeding into my time with Mom.
Just as we enter the living room, footsteps barrel down the staircase. Kimmie appears at the bottom, out of breath and wearing a completely new outfit. Her hair’s brushed smoothly around her shoulders, lips coated in a pretty pink gloss, and cute, strappy heels elongate her legs under an impressively short skirt.
My lips turn up. “I take it you heard back about the party?”
She pops a piece of gum into her mouth and grins. “Yup. Finally, a reason to get off my ass and dress up a little.” Digging into her purse until she finds her keys, she groans, “I thought I was literally going todieof boredom. Anyway, you guys have fun doing ...”—she shifts her gaze back and forth between me and Mom—“well, whatever it is you do for fun.”
Mom looks at me and winks. “I hear it’s a full moon tonight. Anyone home is more than invited to join in on our nature dance.”
I choke back a laugh while Kimmie backs away. “Yeah, and on that note,”—she reaches for the front door, side-eying us awkwardly—“see ya.”
