Lana nods along,her expression so intent I half expect her to bust out a pad ofpaper and take notes. “Interesting. Very interesting. Anythingelse?”
“Umm,well, she’s also recently taken up knitting. She used to knitbefore Wesley and I were born, and she got back into it afterwatchingOutlanderand becoming obsessed with the shawls Clairewears.”
Lana leans back inher seat, still nodding absently. Her gaze slides from mine andsettles on something across the room. From the way her eyes go outof focus, I don’t think she’s actually looking at anything inparticular.
“Idon’t know what to do with myself,” she says after a long pause. “Ithought when I retired, I’d have my husband to travel with and dothings with. I thought I might have grandchildren by now, but Iknow it’s not fair to put that sort of pressure on Leland orFelicity. I don’t have many friends; most of them are couples, andthey drifted away after my husband died. They would occasionallyask me to do things, but being around them without Wally felt likepoking a raw wound, and none of them seemed to understand. The restof my friends were work friends. We promised to keep in touch, butit’s been difficult with them still working. We used to take coffeeor lunch breaks together, but now they do that with othercoworkers, and I feel strange just showing up.”
My heart aches asI listen to Lana. It’s clear to me now that things like her desireto be involved in Leland and Felicity’s lives, cleaning her houseuntil it sparkles, and cooking elaborate meals are all an effort tooccupy her time. Staying busy probably gives her less time to thinkand also less time to feel the absence of her husband.
“It’shelped having the kids back in town,” she says quickly. “They keptin touch regularly when they lived in Toronto, but it doesn’tcompare to actually getting to see them and spend time with them.That’s been wonderful.”
“I’mglad you’re all back together in the same place.” I want to say Ithink it would help to get out more and maybe make new friends, butI’m not sure how to word that without sounding indelicate. My mom’sface pops into my mind, and I experience a lightbulb moment. “Youand my mom were friends back in the day, right? When Leland andWesley were in high school?”
“Ohyes, we had some great times together,” Lana says, smilingwistfully. “With Evelyn Hathaway’s mom too.”
“Right,I remember that now. You should call my mom. I’m sure she’d love toreconnect with you.”
“Idon’t know, Stella,” Lana says slowly, her expression twisted inuncertainty. “I always felt bad about losing touch with her afterthe boys graduated. Wouldn’t it be strange to just call her up nowout of the blue, all these years later?”
“Not atall.” I stop myself from pointing out that Leland and I randomlyreconnected and became part of each other’s lives again. I’m notsure what he told her about how or when we started ‘dating’. “If itmakes it easier, I’ll pass your number along to her. I won’t tellher anything you’ve told me tonight if you don’t want me to. I’lljust mention how great it was to spend the evening with you andthat I think you two would get along well, which is true. I couldsuggest that she and Eleanor Hathaway invite you to lunch orsomething.”
“You’dreally do that?” Lana asks, her eyes growing misty.
Crap. If shestarts to cry, I’ll cry too, and then Leland will come back andwonder what the hell is going on.
I clearmy throat. “Of course. Maybe you, me, and Felicity could dosomething too. Whatever you want—dinner and a movie, some Christmasshopping, a spa day. All of the above. And you know, if you reallywant to travel, you should. You could try one of those group travelpackages. Maybe you’d make some new friends that way. It’s not toolate to see the world if that’s what you want. It’ssoworth it. I knowLeland would agree with me.”
Lana’s smile hasbeen inching up as I speak, and it’s now a full-blown grin. “You’rereally something, Stella,” she says, leaning forward and reachingout to take my hand. “Over dinner, I kept thinking how good you andLeland are together, how happy and relaxed he seems. Felicity talksabout you all the time lately too. It looks like you’re going to begood for this whole family. Oh, speak of the devil.”
Felicity breezesinto the room, approaching me first to hug me. It’s likely a goodthing I didn’t have a chance to respond to Lana; I’m not sure I’dbe able to get words out past the lump in my throat.
“Lelandsays I have impeccable timing as always, since it’s almost time fordessert,” Felicity says, moving to hug and kiss her mom next. “Heasked me to send you into the kitchen for a minute,Stella.”
My mind spins onthe way to the kitchen. Things are getting more complicated. Icould so easily see myself as part of this family, which is bothwonderful and scary. Despite my best efforts, I’m beginning todevelop real feelings for Leland, and now his mom is involved.Felicity too, but at least she knows her brother and I are onlypretending to date. I meant what I told Lana, though: I’ll put herin touch with my mom again, and I’ll happily follow through with mysuggestion of girls’ days with Felicity, even after Leland and Iend our ruse.
In the kitchen,Leland is leaning against the island, waiting for me. He smileswhen he sees me and opens his arms, beckoning me forward. Ihesitate for a second, not sure I understand until he motionsagain, making it clear he wants to hug me. I step into his arms andhe wraps them loosely around me, pulling me close. I rest my cheekon his chest, and he rests his chin on top of my head. And then…hejust holds me. We’ve hugged plenty of times, but I can’t rememberthe last time someone held me like this. It feels wonderful, andyet it’s not helping those complicated feelings churning insideme.
“Ididn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I overheard part of your conversationwith my mom after I got off the phone,” Leland says, his voicerumbling under my cheek. “You’re amazing, Stella. You got her toopen up, and I could tell just from her voice how happy and touchedshe was to have you listen and care. Thank you forthat.”
“Youdon’t have to thank me. Your mom is great. I know my mom andEleanor will be happy to reconnect with her.”
“Not ashappy as I am to have reconnected with you.” His arms tightenbriefly around me and then he shifts to grip my shoulders and easeme back. “About the banquet my mom mentioned…it’s the high school’sannual sports banquet. It was supposed to be last June, but thebanquet center flooded. It kept getting postponed becauserenovations were taking forever, and then they decided to use theschool gymnasium. I’ve been invited before since I was captain ofthe varsity basketball team, but I’ve never gone. Coach Blackretired in June, though, so they’re doing a special tribute to himthis year, and they asked me to give a speech. I know how you feelabout the school, so I didn’t want to put you in an uncomfortableposition by inviting you and having you feel obligated to sayyes.”
I let out a barelyaudible, “Oh.”
Leland’s browsdraw together. “Did I make the wrong decision? I wanted to inviteyou, but this whole fake dating thing is so weird, and I wasn’tlying when I told my mom it would be a long, boringevening."
“Butyouwantedtoinvite me? You thought about it?”
“Well,yeah,” he says as if it should be obvious. “I love spending timewith you, Stella.”
His words fill mewith warmth. He’s still gripping my shoulders, and the steadypressure makes me feel grounded. Safe. Like I could do anything,even if it meant returning to my old high school. “Have you RSVP’d?Is it too late for you to bring someone?”
“Why,do you think I should let my mom come after all?”
I laughand shove his chest. He doesn’t budge, although one of his handscatches mine and holds it in place on his chest. I swallow audibly,commanding my brain not to lose its train of thought like it’s beenprone to doing lately. “I was thinking more like bringingmeas yourdate.”
“Thatdoessound appealing,” he says slowly, his eyes glittering withmirth. “And Ididcheck the plus one box on the RSVP. I figured it wouldn’t be abig deal if I went on my own since there are inevitably more peopleat these things than they account for anyway.”
