Foryears, my world felt so small.Ifelt so small. When Lars and I moved to Torontoafter we got married, I was aware things would change. I wasreadyfor change, and itseemed like the perfect opportunity for a fresh start. As much as Iloved my friends, they were all still single, and I knew marriedlife would be different. I hoped we’d always be close, but I wasprepared for the dynamics of our relationship to evolve. Ienvisioned myself finding a job, making new friends, and maybegetting to experience a bit of a glamorous lifestyle, thanks toLars’s new job and the substantial increase in pay.
Up until then, I’dbeen working temp jobs in Bellevue. I enjoyed the variety and thepeople I worked with. Part of me knew going from job to job wasn’ta sustainable lifestyle, but I hoped I’d finally find my passionwhile living in a huge city with seemingly endless opportunities.After a year of continuing with temporary work, I started feelingrestless. I wasn’t connecting with my coworkers the way I did backhome, and the work and commute were stressful. When Lars pointedout that he made enough money to support both of us and suggested Itake some time off work, I jumped at the opportunity. I was certainall I needed was time and space to figure things out.
What actuallyhappened was Lars essentially grooming me to be the perfect littlehousewife. I felt more and more isolated and fell into a depressionthat I tried desperately to hide from everyone. I led my friendsand family to believe I had the perfect life and was deliriouslyhappy and in love, when in truth, I felt trapped andmiserable.
A loud thud and aflash of movement yank me from my thoughts. Across from me, Evie ismopping up a small spill of coffee in front of her. She meets myeyes with a pointed look and says, “Oops, set my cup down toohard.” She smiles at me with a hint of concern, her head cockingslightly to the side. The move tells me the thud-and-spill was noaccident; she’s caught me lost in thought enough times over thelast few months to know the signs, and she wouldn’t want to callattention to it with everyone else around. What would I do withouther?
I pass her a fewextra napkins from the dispenser, subtly squeezing her fingers as Ihand them over. Things are different now. Better. I thoughtmarriage and my big move were my chance for new beginnings, butthis—being here, back in Bellevue, surrounded by the people I lovemost and potential new friends—is the true fresh start. And it’swhat I need to focus on, while leaving the past where itbelongs.
My attentiondrifts down the table to Fergus, who drains his coffee with onehand while looking at the watch on his opposite wrist. “I’d betterbe off.” He stands, taking his jacket from the back of his chair,and pulling a bright blue scarf from where it’s tucked in thesleeve. “Thanks for asking me to join you,” he says to the table atlarge. “This was much better than breakfast alone in my flat.” Hisgaze lands on Louisa and, even though the words are meant for thegroup, he seems to speak directly to her when he says, “I hope wecan all do this again sometime.”
We say ourgoodbyes as Fergus heads up to the front counter to pay for hisbreakfast. I try to catch Louisa’s eye, but her gaze is now trainedon her cup of tea, and she seems deep in thought. The hint of asmile on her face and the color in her cheeks tell me they’re goodthoughts.
Bea comes aroundto clear our plates, and I tell her we’ll take our checks when shehas a chance.
“Yournew friend covered breakfast,” she says, loud enough for the entiretable to hear. “Said to tell you all thanks again for making himfeel so welcome. He’s a charmer, that one. I hope you bring himaround again, and not just because he’s an excellenttipper.”
As we all standand gather our things, Leland tugs on the sleeve of my sweater andleans in close. “You in a hurry to get somewhere?”
“No,why?”
“Wannago for a walk? It’s a beautiful day.”
The question makesme smile as I tell him yes. I’ve been enjoying his company so much,I’d started wondering how I could prolong our time together. I domy rounds of goodbye hugs with my friends and brother, surprisedwhen Leland does the same.
Outside, we turnin the same direction without speaking. Leland sends me a sidelonggrin as we amble down the sidewalk. “Your friends arefantastic.”
“Theyare.” I can hear the same pride in my voice that he had whentalking about his sister. “I don’t know what I’d do without them.Do you have many friends in town?”
“Notreally, no. People in high school assumed I had a lot of friendsbecause I was ‘popular’.” He puts air quotes around the word andwrinkles his nose in the most adorable way. “Other than Wesley, Ididn’t have many close friends. I kept in touch with a few people,but that’s it. I made some great friends in college, but they’rescattered all over the place now. Then with traveling so much forwork, it made it hard to maintain friendships. Plus everyone seemedto be coupling off and starting families, which always changesdynamics.”
“I wasjust thinking the same thing earlier.” At his curious look, Iattempt to figure out how to say more while avoiding the subject ofmy failed marriage. “Evie and Wesley have only been together for ahot minute, but things have already changed in subtle ways,” I say,relieved when Leland nods in understanding. “Hopefully it’ll beeasier for you now that you’re staying in one place for a while.I’ll even share my friends with you.”
A laugh bursts outof him. “I appreciate that.” We turn a corner and Leland pointsahead to a grassy park area, so we head in that direction. “Fergusis new to the group too, right? He’s Hollie’s friend?”
“Yeah,he works for the MacKinnon Group, which is the same company thatowns Bellevue Village. They’re one of the sponsors for thecommunity services center, where Hollie works. The two of them havebecome friendly while working on different projects for the center,and Hollie invited him to Thanksgiving as a buffer in case Evie’smom went overboard with her matchmaking attempts. He came to Evie’sbirthday party later that week too.”
“Fromwhat I hear, that was the night Wesley and Evie finally gottogether, so I’m guessing Fergus’s services weren’tneeded.”
“Correct.”
“And Isensed some sparks between Fergus and Louisa this morning at thediner…?”
“Alsocorrect.”
Leland blows outan exaggerated breath. “Okay, I think I’ve got all that straight.Just one more question.”
“Shoot.”
“I’veheard about the parties Mrs. Hathaway throws. Any chance I canscore an invite to Evie’s party next year?”
Theunexpected question, paired with the playful glimmer in his eyes,makes me laugh. “I wouldpersonallymake sure you got an invite if the parties werecontinuing, but Evie asked for this year’s to be the last.Butif you’d settle forthe Hathaway party experience on a smaller scale, we could extendour fake dating circle to include Mrs. Hathaway. I’m basically hersecond daughter, so if she knew we were dating, she’d invite usover in a heartbeat.”
Lelandchuckles. “Good to know. I’ll keep that in mind.” We walk on insilence for a minute, then he says, “What aboutyourbirthday? Any plans?”
“Thegirls usually take me out to dinner and a movie. I preferlow-key.”
“Evenfor a big birthday like thirty-five?” he asks, bumping my shoulderwith his. I bump him back. We’re walking closer now, the sleeves ofour jackets brushing with each swing of our arms.
