“Sylvieis the real reason we detoured into Cravings for drinks,” Lelandsays. “We had a head start on her, so she needed a few extraminutes to make it here.”
My face hurts fromsmiling and laughing so much, and I can feel another wave of tearsstarting. I pull Sylvie into a hug, telling her how glad I am she’shere. In my periphery, I see Hollie approaching; Sylvie must seeher too because she promises to catch up with me later before shegoes to talk to Felicity.
Hollie hands me aglass of champagne, tapping her own flute against mine with amusical clink. Evie and Louisa aren’t far behind, and we all clinkglasses. I take a sip, and the bubbles that fill my mouth rival thefizzy feeling in my stomach and chest.
“Idon’t even know what to say,” I tell them. “This is the bestsurprise. I can’t believe you all did this.”
“It wasLeland’s idea,” Evie says. “We helped him plan and executeit.”
My eyes swing toLeland, who’s watching me with a soft smile. “What if I’d wanted tostay longer at the reunion?”
He gives me asardonic look as he reaches to grip my fingers loosely in his,swinging our hands back and forth. “Guess I know you well enough toknow that never would have happened.”
Leland certainlydoes know me well, even after such a short amount of time. I don’thave a chance to say anything more before I’m swept away byFelicity, who wants to show me something, followed by my parents,who are eager to hear about my new job. This continues—me beingpassed from group to group, handed glasses of champagne and platesof finger food—until my head is spinning in the best possibleway.
I have no idea howmuch time passes before I manage to break away for a moment on myown. I stand at the back of the store, surveying the sight in frontof me: my friends and family, the fairy lights strung across thehalf-stocked shelves, the table with drinks and food. The room isfilled with the sound of chatter and laughter, and music playsquietly in the background from a set of wirelessspeakers.
A flash of bluecatches my eye a second before Evie’s dad approaches me. I’ve grownaccustomed to seeing Charles Hathaway in nothing but suits over thelast few years, but tonight he’s wearing dark slacks and acopper-colored cashmere sweater.
“I kepthoping I’d have a chance to catch the almost birthday girl alone,”he says, hugging me tightly.
I close my eyesand breathe in his familiar cologne. Charles was like a secondfather to me growing up; even though our contact these last fewyears has been limited to holidays, Evie’s yearly birthday party,and the occasional dinner party, I’ve always known he would bethere for me if I needed anything, just like my own dad.
When Charlesreleases me, he reaches into the pocket of his trousers andproduces an envelope.
“Ican’t accept whatever that is,” I tell him, keeping my hands tuckedclose to my sides. Knowing him, there’ll be a check in thatenvelope, and it’ll be way too generous.
“Youcan and you will,” he says matter-of-factly, lifting my hand in oneof his and placing the envelope flat on my palm. “I gave anenvelope like this to Evelyn last month, and Hollie and Louisa willeach receive one on their birthdays next month. One for each of mygirls on their thirty-fifth birthdays.”
I thought I wasall cried out for the night, but my eyes fill with tears onceagain. Charles smiles, gently closing my fingers around theenvelope as I murmur my thanks.
“I’dlike to thankyoufor putting Eleanor back in contact with Lana Levesque.They’ve spoken nearly every day recently, and they’re planning aweekend trip with your mother to do some Christmas shopping soon.Eleanor told me how lonely Lana has been since her husband passed.Hearing that was a reminder to me how precious and short life is,and how lucky I am to have a wife and family who love me. I’m inthe process of cutting back my hours at work so I can spend moretime enjoying life.”
“Ican’t tell you how happy I am to hear that, Charlie. I know Eviewill be thrilled too.”
He nods. “I’vetaken life too seriously for too long, and it’s time to have somefun. Do you remember that trip we all took to Québec City when you,Evie, and Wesley were teens?”
I do acringe-laugh combo as memories flood my mind. “How could I forget?”It rained the entire time, half of us ended up with the world’sworst case of food poisoning, and my mom slipped outside our hoteland sprained her ankle.
Charles chucklesalong with me. “Well, I was thinking maybe it’s time for a do-over.Time to create some new family memories since it’s been so long.Hollie and Louisa could come along this time, and maybe your newbeau would like to join us?”
I’m touched beyondwords at the offer. I want to tell him Leland isn’t really my beau,but he looks so hopeful. So much like his old self, the one Ithought was long gone, buried under a pile of file folders,schedules, and fancy suits. “That sounds amazing. I’m going to holdyou to it.”
“I’llhave Eleanor plan a dinner party for the whole group and we’llhammer out the details,” he says. “You know Eleanor will take anyexcuse to host a party.”
“Andshop for a new vacation wardrobe.”
We both laugh aswe embrace once more. I tuck the envelope from Charles into mypocket as he walks away. Within seconds, Wesley appears at my side,looping his arm around my shoulders and squeezing me tight to hisside as he looks at everyone gathered in the store. “All good,Little Star?”
“Allgood.Great, infact. This night has been incredible. You’ll never guess whatCharlie Hathaway and I were just talking about.” I give Wesley aquick run-down of my conversation with Evie’s dad.
“Countme in,” Wesley says. “I still have nightmares about that vacation.A do-over with all of us all these years later should be good for alaugh. And having Leland along would make it even more fun.” Hesays this last part with a suggestive eyebrow wiggle.
I scoff. “Come on,Wes. We’re just friends.”
Wesley loosens hishold on me so he can study my face. “You really don’t get it, doyou?”
“Getwhat?”
