Obviously unconvinced, Laurel just shook her head.
“Don’t you remember the character Lydia in that book? The youngest flibbertigibbet sister who was overly focused on appearances ... and a very bad judge of men. Well, she reminded me of Kitty—or vice versa. Can you see it?”
“To be honest, I never read any Jane Austen books.”
Riva sat up straight. “Tell me it ain’t so.”
Laurel laughed. “You know I’ve never been the reader you are, sweetie.”
“Well, if you’re living in my house, you should change that. In fact, I was just thinking we should start a house book group.”
“Really?” Laurel’s mouth twisted to one side. “Well, that might be interesting. But would it be limited to this house or can we invite outsiders?”
“I don’t know. It’s not a fully developed idea.”
“I understand. But if we opened it up to others, would men be allowed?”
“You’re jumping way ahead of me now. Maybe you should plan it, Laurel. You’re the organizer.”
“Then I think we should include men. It would make discussions more interesting. And I’d like to invite Marcus to join us. He’s a reader. What book will we start with?”
“I, uh, I have no idea. Maybe we shouldn’t rush it. Just getting our new housemates and everyone acclimated might take a bit. Besides, summer is a busy time to start a book group. We should wait for fall when life slows down.” Perhaps more truthfully, Riva wasn’t ready to host a mixed group in her home. Plus, she suspected Laurel’s interest in including men, particularly Marcus, was purely personal.
“You could be right.” Laurel reached down to scoop up her cat, setting him in her lap. “After all, there are other activities to doin the summer. I was just sitting here, envisioning this space as a fun gathering place. We’ll have to host some barbecues. We could hang paper lanterns and set up some music. I have a portable CD player in storage.” She sighed. “It’s been so long since I’ve practiced any kind of hospitality, I’m probably a little rusty. But your home is so perfect for entertaining. I really think filling the place with more happy people will help you to get past your grief.”
“I’m getting past my grief.” Riva didn’t like the defensive snap in her tone, but she couldn’t seem to help it. “Everyone grieves at their own pace, Laurel. That’s something I learned in that grief groupyouinsisted I attend.”
“That’s probably true. But you must admit you’ve been cheerier since opening your home, right?”
Riva slowly nodded. “It does feel good to have people around. For the most part anyway.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Only that I still need my alone time ... in a quiet place.”
“You have a big house, sweetie. I’m sure you have plenty of quiet spots to hide out in. And if you really need to hole up and don’t want to be disturbed, why not post a sign on a door? We won’t bother you. Fred and I will skedaddle if you want to sit out here on your own.”
“No, my dear, you don’t need to leave.” She patted Laurel’s shoulder and leaned back again. “It’s been a while since I’ve really visited with you. We’ve all been so busy. Hopefully things will slow down, and we can all settle in.” She shielded her eyes from the sun as she turned toward Laurel. “You heard that Windy is fixing dinner?”
“Yes. She wants to make chicken kebabs.”
“Sounds good to me. Glad I caught her on her way out. I told her to plan on six guests tonight.”
“Six?” Riva counted on her fingers. “You, me, Windy, Fiona, and Kitty. That’s only five.”
“When Windy told me she was making kebabs, I texted Marcusthe news. He told me Windy makes fabulous kebabs with a killer peanut sauce.”
“Oh?” Riva tried not to react. “Six for dinner, then?”
“Yep. He said he’ll be here with bells on.” Laurel laughed. “I’d like to see that.”
Riva wanted to ask Laurel about her feelings toward Marcus but just couldn’t get herself to go there. In normal circumstances, she would. After all, that’s what friends did. But for some reason, fishing for information about Laurel’s romantic feelings in this situation felt intrusive and awkward. Especially after what Windy had hinted about avoiding a possible love triangle. No way did Riva want to go there with Laurel—or anyone. She flashed back to living in a college sorority, remembering how girls would get into horrible fights over guys. She knew she and Laurel would never kick and scream and pull hair like those sorority sisters. But even a mature cold war under the same roof would be a hot mess. Windy was right. Best to avoid it.
Chapter11
It wasn’t long before Fiona returned with her signed contract, a certified check, and several bags of belongings and instruments. “Take whichever bedroom you prefer,” Riva told her. “Kitty didn’t seem to care and she’s not back yet.”
“Oh, thank you. I like the pale yellow room. So bright and cheery.”
