Why, exactly?
Well, duh. Because no affair lasted forever. And because they were having a baby, and they needed to focus on that.
And because she was getting way too attached. If she wasn’t careful, she would end up with her heart in pieces all over again.
* * *
The next day at the hotel, she tried to tell Annette that Dillon was going to have a sibling come October. It did not go well. She ended up blathering about Miles, encouraging her mother-in-law to give the guy a chance.
Surprisingly, Annette listened. She even said she would think about it—but then she added, “Not that it matters now. He asked me out. I said no and made it very clear I meant it.”
“You’re allowed to change your mind, Annette.”
“Hmm,” Annette replied. “I’m not so sure I agree with that.” And then off she went to confer with the head of housekeeping about an issue with the linen service.
Riley tried again on Friday. She chose the moment carefully. Things were reasonably quiet at the hotel, and Annette was in her office at her computer. She looked up witha smile when Riley came in from the lobby. “Hey, there.” And then she frowned. “If this is about a certain carpenter…”
Riley quickly reassured her that she hadn’t come to talk about Miles. And about then it occurred to her that her unexpected pregnancy should be tackled somewhere other than at work. “I just wanted to invite you to dinner tonight. You, me and your favorite grandson.”
Annette’s eyes lit up. “Sounds perfect.”
“Okay, then. It’s a date. Can you make it at five?”
“You’d better believe it.”
As always, Annette showed up right on time that evening with a bottle of wine and a Tupperware container full of Dillon’s favorite soft batch double chocolate chip cookies. She was barely in the door when Dillon came pounding down the stairs.
“Grammy! You’re here!” He grabbed her hand. “Come up to my room and see my Lego Guinea Pig Playground!”
Annette handed Riley the wine and cookies and let her grandson lead her up the stairs. When they came down an hour later, the chicken cacciatore was on the table.
For Dillon, dinner with Grammy Annette was the absolute best. Annette showered him with love and attention. Riley watched her, thinking how young she looked and how pretty.
Dillon had knock-knock jokes. “Grammy, knock knock!”
“Who’s there?”
“Boo!”
“Boo-who?”
“It’s okay, Grammy.” He reached over and patted her arm. “You don’t need to cry…” Annette burst into gales of laughter, and Dillon beamed.
After the meal and cookies for dessert, they all threecleared the table and then Dillon lured his grammy back upstairs. They didn’t come down for an hour and a half. When they did, Dillon was already in his PJ’s.
“Good night, Mom. Gimme a hug. Grammy is going to tuck me in.”
She knelt, and he wrapped his arms around her neck. His breath smelled of toothpaste as he smacked his lips against her cheek. A thousand emotions flooded through her at once. Her baby was five now, telling knock-knock jokes and brushing his own teeth. In the fall, he would be a big brother…
Dillon’s arms dropped from around her neck. He reached for Annette’s hand. They went up the stairs together. Twenty minutes later, Annette came down alone.
Riley was waiting for her on the sofa. “Sit. I poured you some of that wonderful wine.”
Annette took the glass, sipped and then sat beside Riley. About then, she noticed that Riley wasn’t drinking. “What? You’re not having wine?”
It seemed as good an opening as any. “Nope. I’m giving up wine for a while.”
“Giving up wine?” Annette chuckled, a teasing sound. “You know I support you in all that you do. But giving up wine? Whatever for?”
