Face flushed, breathing hard, Annette stepped over the threshold, pushed the door closed and then leaned back against it as though she expected someone on the other side to try to kick it down.
“What’s going on?” Riley got up and went to her. “Annette, are you all right?”
Annette tossed her head. “No, Riley. I am not all right.”
Riley took her arm. “Come on. Let’s sit down.” Annette allowed Riley to pull her over to the small sitting area in the corner. When they got there, Riley took her by the shoulders and gently guided her down onto the love seat there. “Take a slow, deep breath. Coffee?”
“Yes, please…” At the single-serve coffee press she kept in a nook near the door, Riley brewed Annette a cup and carried it back to her.
“Thank you, sweetheart,” Annette said.
Riley set the cup on the coffee table, then took the chair across from her mother-in-law. “Now, talk to me.”
Annette sipped her coffee. “I’m ridiculous,” she said mournfully as she set the cup down again.
“No way. Never.”
Annette folded her arms across her chest and sank back against the cushions with a sad little sigh. “I am. It’s a fact.”
Riley sat forward. “Just tell me what’s happened?”
“You’ll laugh…”
“Annette. You’re upset. That matters to me. Whatever’s on your mind, I’m not going to laugh at you. Now, talk.”
Annette picked up her cup—and then set it back down again. “Okay, fine. It’s about Miles.”
“What did he do?”
“Miles? He did nothing wrong—nothing at all. As I said, it’s me. I’m the one with the problem.”
“And the problem is…?”
“Well, I mean, he’s been great. He added the shelving to the backbar.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“Yes, it is. His work is always exactly right. And now, whenever he comes in, he’s cordial and friendly without ever bringing up that time he tried to ask me out…”
“And that’s what you asked him for, right? You said that him asking you out never happened and you never wanted to speak of it again.”
“Yes. That is essentially what I said to him. And since then, I’ve felt that we’ve become friends in a casual, completely platonic sort of way.”
“Which is what you hoped for…”
“That’s right. He’s a perfect gentleman, kind and so easy to talk to.” Annette took a sip of her coffee and set the cup down with care. “So then as you know I asked him to design a new hostess station…”
“And that turned out beautifully,” said Riley.
“It did. It’s perfect. And I’ve been thinking of a few other accent pieces he might create for us. His work really elevates the look of the bar.”
“So then everything is going well.”
“Yes,” Annette replied unhappily. With a delicate sniffle, she glanced away.
“But, Annette, if all is well, then why are you trying so hard not to cry?”
“It’s Irene.” Annette scowled into the middle distance.
