Clara Jean, Glory Rose, and Ruby all had their little ones with them, and Lila Mae wanted to be as helpful as possible to Elaine so she’d get invited back. She also wanted to get to know these ladies better, as they were all Walkers or married to a Walker, and if Trap wouldeverask her to marry him, she’d become part of them.
“Of course he’s going to ask you,” Clara Jean said as she sat down at the table. “You already know he’s bought a ring.”
“Then what’s he waiting for?”
“That’s a great question,” Elaine said, and she dipped a ladle into the soup and sighed as she looked around. “I think that’s everything.”
Ruby finished strapping her little girl in the highchair, and Glory Rose came over from the couch. She handed her phone to Elaine. “Take this from me. I don’t want to look at it during lunch.”
“What’s going on?” Elaine asked, and Lila Mae was glad the topic had moved to someone else. They hadn’t bombarded her with questions about Trap, but one of the very first things Elaine had asked after welcoming her was when Trap was going to propose.
“It’s my amazing husband,” Glory Rose said with a sigh. Lila Mae watched her for a moment, a hint of anxiety moving through her.
“What’s he doing?” Elaine asked. Instead of looking at the phone, she opened a drawer in her island and put Glory Rose’s device inside.
“Talking about all the goats and pygmy pigs we could have if he bought the farm behind us.” Glory Rose sighed and rolled her eyes.
“Ah.” Elaine closed the door and joined them at the table.
“I probably shouldn’t let JJ buy whatever animals he wants.” Ruby patted Glory Rose’s hand. “Sorry, friend.”
“It’s fine,” Glory Rose said. “I just think he forgets how stretched thin he is.”
“Sorry, Glory Rose,” Clara Jean said.
“What we really should think about doing is this luncheon at dinnertime,” she said. “Or on a Saturday, so Camila can be here.”
“She said she doesn’t mind,” Ruby said.
“But she does,” Elaine said.
“How do you know?” Clara Jean asked.
Elaine shrugged one shoulder, picked up her bowl, and filled it with creamy, cheesy soup. “Because any of us would feel left out if we were the only ones who couldn’t attend, because of our job.”
She handed the soup to Lila Mae and picked up the empty bowl in front of her and started to fill it next. “It wouldn’t be that hard to do this in the evening, and your husbands could take care of the kids then, or you can bring them.”
Lila Mae was so new to the group that she had no opinion. She watched the others’ faces, and they all seemed a little disappointed, worried, or apprehensive.
“Who’s hosting next month?” Lila Mae asked. “Because I can, and we can do it in the evening at my community center.” She smiled as Elaine handed her bowl to Clara Jean and then took her empty one to fill. “There’s no way we’ll fit in my house, but we can maybe cram on the back deck.”
“Now that there are six of us,” Elaine said. “We can each just do twice a year.”
“Wait,” Clara Jean said. “What about Marta? She and Easton are getting married in April, and she’s not here.”
“All the more reason we need to do it in the evening,” Elaine said. “Because then she could be here too.”
“Austin might get married next year too,” Glory Rose said. “At least if Conrad is to be believed.”
“He might.” Elaine finally finished the bowls and sat down. “I mean, he finally gave Joelle the label of girlfriend, so praise the heavens for that.” She grinned around at everyone, but her smile didn’t stay long.
Lila Mae once again glanced around to judge the reactions of others, and she saw that Glory Rose noticed it first. Maybe because she sat directly across from Elaine. “Hey, what’s wrong?” she asked.
All eyes went back to Elaine, but she looked steadfastly at Clara Jean. The other woman nodded slightly, and Elaine drew a deep breath. Lila Mae had no idea what she’d just gotten herself into, but she noted that no one else had picked up their spoons yet, so she left hers on the table as well.
“I don’t want to be a downer or anything,” Elaine said. “But I need to tell you guys something, and then I don’t want to talk about it again today.”
“What is it?” Glory Rose asked.
