“Yeah, not just for us, but for our moms too. Like none of them were doing a thing about their romantic situations. Although, it wasn’t my idea. At first, I thought it was a disaster waiting to happen. But I was talked into it. The girls can be persuasive. And they were right. At least so far.”
“Get used to it. Women are almost always smarter than us.”
“Are you sticking around?” Tyler asked. “Or is this just a temporary stop?”
I chose my words carefully, knowing how tender a fifteen-year-old heart could be. How hard it was at that age to know where you fit in. To whom you belonged. Hiding it all behind a mask of indifference while inside turmoil boiled and brewed. “When I came out here it was mostly to lick my wounds. Spend time with Wes and Margaret. Let them take care of me for a while. But the longer I’m here, the more reasons I find to stay.”
“But what about your work? Won’t you have to go back to Nashville?”
“Only if I want to. Turns out, you can write songs in the Pacific time zone just as well as anywhere else.”
“Does my mom make you want to stay?”
“Yeah. And you do too.”
“Thanks for coming to my game the other day,” Tyler said, his voice husky. “And for this.”
“Anytime.”
We were quiet for a few seconds, before Tyler asked, “This stuff about you and Ivy James—it’s all made up, right?”
“I’ve found that, in most cases, there’s always a little truth in a story. Ivy and I are like siblings. We’ve known each other a long time and promised each other that if one of us had the opportunity to help the other in a really hard business we would. And we have. All that said, Dana felt jealous of our close relationship. She wanted more from me. Songs that would make her a star like Ivy. But the record label caused some problems in that area. I could feel Dana slipping away and held on for dear life. But, in the end, that was the worst thing I could’ve done.”
“Do you think Dana actually believes any of it to be true?”
“You tell yourself a story for long enough, you start to believe it.”
“What stories do you tell yourself?” Tyler asked.
His question took me aback for a moment. “I guess I’ve told myself I’m unlovable. That I make people leave because I love them too hard.”
“But how can you think that when Wes and Margaret basically adopted you?”
I looked at him, at the way the last rays of sun reflected in his eyes, and thought,this kid is special. An old soul.“You have a great point. That should be evidence in the other direction. Sometimes, though, we’re scared enough that it’s easier to tell ourselves the negative story so we don’t let anything or anyone hurt us.”
“I get that.”
“What do you think? Ready to head home and grill some steaks?”
He grinned. “Let’s do it. Mom will be worrying if we’re gone too long.”
“Lucky you to have someone love you enough to worry,” I said.
“She’ll be worrying about you too.” Tyler gave me a knowing look before starting the engine and turning the car back toward the road that led us home.
8
SERAPHINA
After Hunter and Tyler left, I went to my office, hoping to get a few pages written instead of worrying about my son’s driving. Bertha and I did our thing, but I was distracted. Finally, I gave up and went to the living room. The late afternoon light was so pretty this time of year. I grabbed a book and sat in my favorite spot by the window, watching apple blossoms ride the breeze.
Finally, I heard the crunch of gravel from the driveway. I lifted my gaze from the book to watch as they pulled in, Tyler at the wheel. For a second, I saw him not as thetaller than me teenager learning to drive, but the little boy he’d been on the first day of kindergarten. It had all gone so fast. Now I was the mother of a nearly grown boy, learning how to let go even though I desperately wished it was not so. I would do it all again in a heartbeat. Even the nights when he was an infant when I’d barely slept were precious to me. Memories had a way of morphing like that, leaving only the pleasant part of experiences instead of some of the hard details.
Tyler was talking as they got out of the car. They seemed at such ease in each other’s presence. I hadn’t thought it possible that Tyler would welcome someone into our lives so easily. Noneof us had thought any of the kids wanted their mothers to marry. We’d all thought we were doing the right thing by staying single and making our lives about our kids. However, seeing Lila and Gillian marry such wonderful men, and Esme and Grady finally figuring out how perfect they were for each other, and the children thriving in blended family life, I had to admit we were wrong. Our cheeky offspring had seen what we couldn’t.
“Mom, we’re home,” Tyler called out, coming through the front door.
I went to greet them. Tyler was flushed and smiling. Hunter seemed completely calm. I had no idea how he did it.
