“Yeah, Mom!” Dillon concurred. “Grammy and me, we have stuff to do!”
Annette gave him a tender smile before focusing on Riley. “Sit down,” she instructed. “Put your feet up, watch a show or read a juicy novel.”
“You sure?”
“I am certain.” Annette held out her hand to Dillon. “Come along, young man.”
“Okay!”
The two of them headed for the stairs as Riley stretched out on the sofa and grabbed the remote.
An hour and a half later, her son and mother-in-law reappeared in the living room, where Riley was enjoying an episode ofJane the Virgin. Dillon was dressed in hisJurassic Parkpajamas and smelled like toothpaste. He hugged Riley, kissed her good-night—and back up the stairs they went.
* * *
Riley realized she’d dozed off when she opened her eyes to find Annette standing over her. “What? Everything okay?”
“Everything is just fine. Your son is all tucked up safe in his bed.”
Riley hid a yawn with the back of her hand. “I can’t believe I dropped off like that.”
“Are you kidding?” Annette scoffed. “You need your sleep any way you can get it—and did I mention that our boy is an angel?”
“You did, and he is—well, most of the time, anyway.” Riley pointed the remote and the screen above the fireplace went dark. “Decaf?”
“Please.”
Riley brewed them each a cup, and they relaxed on the sofa. “So…” Riley elbowed Annette lightly. “How’s Miles?”
Annette leaned her head on Riley’s shoulder with a lighthearted sigh. “Miles is… I don’t have the words. Suffice it to say that I think I just might be a whole new woman.”
It did lift Riley’s spirits to see her like this. “You seem really happy.”
“I am.” Annette drew her legs up to the side, rested her elbow on the back of the sofa and leaned in. “He’s… Riley, he’s so good to me. He’s funny and thoughtful and smart, and—he gets me, you know? I mean, therealme. He knows I’m tough and determined and when I set my mind to something, it’s going to take a whole lot of hell and some very high water to get me going in another direction.”
Riley gave a slow nod. “You are a force to be reckoned with.”
“Yes, I am,” Annette proudly agreed. “And I loved Trevor Senior with all my heart. But I was young when we met, and to him, I was always his princess. When he got sick, he was terrified for me and TJ. He drove himself relentlessly there at the end, trying to leave us enough that we would never have to struggle to get by. He was so certain that I wouldn’t be able to take care of us after he was gone. I still don’t know if I ever got through to him whenI promised him that I could take care of myself and our son just fine.”
“And you have kept your promise.”
“I have done my very best. I loved Trevor so much. I miss him to this day…”
Riley thought of TJ. “I know exactly what you mean.” She put an arm around Annette and pulled her in for quick hug.
When Riley let go, Annette said, “People talk about love. About their one true love. Trevor was my one true love. I honestly believed there would never be another. But life still has the power to take me by surprise…”
“You mean Miles?” Riley asked softly.
“Yes. Miles. Somehow, he knows me in a way Trevor never did. And, Riley, I’m grateful—so grateful to be this gloriously happy when I honestly thought my glory days were over.”
“So…it’s serious, then, with you and Miles?”
“Serious? Who knows? But it’s good, so good. And I am loving every minute I have with him.”
Riley thought of Josh—and not in the good-friends-and-co-parents way. She missed him so much, and somehow she needed to stop that, stop yearning for him. But that wasn’t happening. Instead, the longer she got along without him the more she missed him. She had to constantly remind herself that she would get over him. In time.
But how much time? Would she be yearning for him a year from now? Five years? Ten?
