If Trent hadnt been in the room, would she have flirted a little, teased that shed miss her husband if he didnt come to bed? The truth was, with the crazy hours he sometimes worked, she was accustomed to sleeping alone. Besides, his snoring on the mattress next to her didnt always make her feel less lonely.
She forced a bright smile, not that anyone was looking at her. Well, I have big news! Youll never believe whos getting marriedNeely.
That got their attention. Jason looked up, grunting in surprise. Neely? I half expected you to say Vi followed a wild impulse and ran off with her pottery instructor or something.
Aunt Cornelia? Trents mouth had fallen open. Wow. Why?
Men. Because shes in love.
Her son ran a hand through his dark hair, considering. I guess. Its just weird to think about someone her age, you know, dating.
Shes younger than I am.
Sure, but not by much and youre a mom. Youve got grown kids. You dont date!
No, she didnt. She went with her son to scout universities and planned meals, making jokes about how much her grocery bill would drop once she no longer had teenage boys in the house. Reverting to type now, she left the guys to their game and retreated to the kitchen, deciding a chef salad would work nicely for her and Trents dinner. It had been tough when Adam, her twenty-year-old, left for school, but having Trent at home had helped ease the ache. Once he was gone, her life would be so
Quiet. She tried to put a relaxing spin on the word. Less stressful without a seventeen-year-old and his appalling musical taste. She wouldnt have to wait up on Saturday nights, lying in bed and listening for him to come home from his dates. Oh, who did she think she was kidding? With her baby out on his own, shed probably lie in bed worrying about him every night. Hoping he didnt fall in with the wrong kids, wondering if he was keeping on top of his course work, praying he didnt get some pretty young coed pregnant.
Jason had chuckled at those same concerns when Adam left for university. You raised good kids, her husband had assured her. Now its time to let them go and become the men theyll be.
Raised good kidspast tense. Shed been a full-time mom and housewife for two decades. Her days were going to be strangely empty without PTA meetings, doctors appointments, football booster club. Not that she felt sorry for herself. She was proud of her nearly grown sons, and aware of her blessings. How many of her friends and neighbors had marveled over Savannahs life?
Youre so together, Savannah, I could never be that organized!
You have such great boys.
How on earth do you find time to cook like thisand with such sinful desserts, how do you stay so trim?
She knew she was lucky.
It was justsince she didnt turn forty-six until late April, Savannah and her sister were the same age one month out of every year. She and Neely were both forty-five. So, why did it seem like Neelys life was about to hit a new beginning while Savannahs, in so many ways, seemed to be coming to a close?
So, howd it go? Because Robert was too kind to hold grudges, there was no lingering annoyance in his gray eyes, no resentment that Neely had argued against his coming to lunch. There was only affection and a hint of amusement.
Great. She leaned against his kitchen counter, where breakfast and lunch dishes were stacked. Must not have been room for them in the sinknot with last nights dinner plates, abandoned in passionate haste, still piled beneath the faucet. It went great.
Other than Vi thinking she was a lesbian, her divorced brother becoming uncharacteristically withdrawn after hed absorbed the wedding news and their mothers insistence on calling Neelys soon-to-be in-laws the Yankees.
With a sigh, she abandoned the pretense. My family makes me crazy.
Robert laughed. Isnt that what families are for, to offset all the needless sanity in our lives?
Grinning back at him felt good. Then my mother deserves some kind of award for going above and beyond. Shes known about the wedding less than twelve hours, and already shes trying to take over. How many groomsmen were you thinking, because shes suggesting distant cousins I swear Ive never met to be bridesmaids.
Groomsmen? Well, theres Stuart, of course. Maybe Bryan. Is it okay that I havent actually given this part much thought? Ive only been engaged for a day.
Engaged. Her heart fluttered at the newness of it, the wonder that shed found someone who wanted to spend his life with her. Of course its okay that we havent figured out the details yet. One step at a time. But it might have simplified my life, at least short term, if Id waited until later to tell her.
His arms fell to her waist, and he pulled her closer. How much later?
UmmJune?
He chuckled again, as he so often did. Robert had a perfect laugh, deep and warmneither self-conscious titters, nor the loud, my-jokes-are-so-funny bray of a guy who pokes fun at others. Merely the comfortable reaction of a man who saw the humor in life. And helped her see it more clearly.
Shed always been reserved, figuring someone in the family should be. She wasnt like outgoing Savannah who knew the perfect response to every social occasion, mouthy Vi who delighted in audaciousness, or Douglas, who, in the course of charming and joking his way through life, sometimes failed to respect the gravity of a situation. Except for one disastrous period of college rebellion she didnt like to remember, Neely had clung to hard work and staying focused. As a result, she now held a good position working for Cameron Becker. Seriousness had served her well.
It just hadnt gotten her laid very often, Vi would point out.
Neelys relationships with men who matched her personality had been sensible, but boring. On the other hand, her two affairs with guys her polar opposite had ended badly, the first in college which had left her humiliated and heartbroken, the second just before she hit forty. Shed ended the latter relationship quickly, before she killed the man and had to retain Douglas to defend her.
But now she had Robert. It was one of lifes ironies that shed found her perfect balance when she wasnt even looking. Between all the time shed devoted to work and the girls nights shed spent helping Leah through her separation and eventual divorce, Neely had barely dated in four years before Robert kissed her on that beach.
She snuggled into his shoulder, the memory of sea air superimposed over the familiar smell of his aftershave. If the end result is marrying you, I can handle anything my mother dishes out over the next three months.
I love you, too.
Just remember that later this week, okay? Neely finally had escaped her parents house today with sworn oaths to bring Robert over in a few days and discuss wedding plans more then. The thought of the coming conversations made her head hurt. Youre sure I cant talk you into eloping? Quick, simple, and no worries about assigning someone to keep cousin Phoebe away from the bar.
Sorry. He grinned that rakish smile that made his eyes crinkle at the corners. Since Ive waited so long to find the right bride, I insist we do the wedding right. Have you recruited Leah as your maid of honor yet? Maybe she can help run interference with your mom.
Recalling the shadowed expression in Douglass eyes before hed left, Neely struggled against a wince. It was tough to share the news of your engagement with someone whose own marriage had collapsed. Still, she knew Leah would be thrilled for her. It should help that her friend already knew about Robert and that shed been divorced considerably longer than Neelys brother.
Recalling the shadowed expression in Douglass eyes before hed left, Neely struggled against a wince. It was tough to share the news of your engagement with someone whose own marriage had collapsed. Still, she knew Leah would be thrilled for her. It should help that her friend already knew about Robert and that shed been divorced considerably longer than Neelys brother.
Im telling her tomorrow. I asked her this morning if we could meet for lunch.
Well, then. That will take care of the most important people, except
Your parents. Shed never met them, but since they were the people whod raised Robert, she assumed they were wonderful.
Theyll be back from their cruise by next weekend. Not nervous, are you?
No. Sure, shed experienced the odd apprehensive moment over informing the future in-laws that their only child was taking a bride, but it had to be easier than dealing with her family today. Your familys normal, right?
He grinned. Normal is such a relative term.
CHAPTER 3
Neely strode through the Lenox Square Mall, which was pretty crowded for a Monday. Leah worked as a cosmetics consultant in one of the upscale department stores, so they were meeting in one of the restaurants inside the mall. Declining a sample of teriyaki chicken as she passed the food court and zigzagging around two women oohing and ahhing over some Kenneth Cole shoes outside a store window, Neely recalled how Leah had sounded on the phone yesterday morning. Distracted, sniffly. Her friend had claimed seasonal allergies and the disorienting effects of antihistamine, which was certainly plausible in Georgia this time of year. If it had been twelve months ago, or even six, Neely would have assumed that Leah was crying over her rat bastard ex-husband, but her friend seemed adjusted to her single life lately.
She looks terrific, anyway. Neely watched Leah step off the escalator. With her wave of red-gold hair and slimming uniform of black turtleneck and slacks, she was easy to spot among browsing housewives in pastel spring fashions. Whereas Neely had put on a few pounds after lingering over meals with Robert, Leah had lost at least fifteen since her divorce, largely because she took out her aggression in workouts at a womens gym. Her body was in the best shape it had been since Neely had known her.
But as the two women came to a stop within a few feet of each other beneath the emerald awning of the agreed-upon bar and grill, Neely could see Leahs pretty face sported more makeup than usual. Still not enough to disguise her red and slightly swollen eyes.
Antihistamines, my ass. Youve been crying. At times like this, she wished she had Savannahs diplomatic knack of knowing what to say.
Not in the last five minutes, Leah said, trying to make a joke of it with her wobbly smile.
Well, lets get you to a table, Ill buy you lunch and you can tell me whats wrong.
Okay, but I dont actually have much of an appetite and margaritas are a no-no since I have to go back to work right after this. Dont want unsteady hands while Im wielding a mascara wand near a customers eye.
An impossibly skinny hostess with towering heels and a fall of straight, glossy hair showed them to a booth. Neely hoped for the pretty young womans sake that she had someone to rub her feet at the end of her shiftstanding all day in those shoes couldnt be comfortable.
Even though Leah had said she wasnt hungry and Neelys blood pressure didnt need the salt, they ordered tortilla chips with the restaurants signature spinach dip. Placing drink orders and waiting for the appetizer to come gave Leah a little time to regain her composure.
Once her friend looked less fragile, Neely hazarded a guess. Did something happen with Phillip to upset you?
You could say that. Leahs soft brown eyes brimmed with tears.
We dont have to talk about it, I just
No, youll find out soon enough anyway. I imagine news will work itself through the office.
Phillip was an employee of Becker Southern Media. Neely didnt work closely with him, but had come to know Leah through accumulated company picnics, Christmas parties and other social gatherings.
Hes getting married, Leah blurted. He called me Saturday afternoon, oozing his newfound happiness. He said he wanted to tell me because he didnt want me to find out accidentally from you or another mutual acquaintance. A plausible excuse, but I cant help thinking he wanted to gloat a little. The worst part A sob welled up, choking off the rest of her sentence.
Neely snapped a chip in half, imagining it was Phillips neck.
The worst part is, its not Kate.
Six years younger and two cup sizes larger than Leah, Kate was the woman Phillip had been sleeping with when his wife dissolved the marriage.
You wish it was?
I keep thinking Id feel better if hed ended up with her, if hed cheated on me because he really loved her. Knowing that he threw our marriage away over a meaningless fling He proposed to Tiffany, a more recent girlfriend and even younger than Kate. Not quite half his age, but close enough. Tiffany and Phillip? Why doesnt he just send out wedding announcements that say Youre invited to my midlife crisis? He told me hed be honored if I can come to the ceremony, but that he would understand if it was too painful. She sneered the last words in a parody of concern.
Bastard, Neely muttered. Serve him right if you showed up looking hot as all hell, with a twenty-five-year-old stud on your arm.
Leah managed a smile. That idea has merit. Or would, if I knew any twenty-five-year-old studs who wouldnt call me maam.
This is Georgia, women of all ages get called maam.
Still. I dont really want to go to the wedding, except that Im sure if I dont, hell assume its because Im not over his sorry ass.
Are you?
Reading the unasked question in Neelys expression, Leah continued. I thought I was, but this wedding news hit me hard. I mean, I got weepy this morning when a woman bought an assortment of lipsticks and told me they were party favors for a bridal shower. Am I pathetic enough to still be in love with a man who thought to have and to hold meant just until something curvier sauntered along?
Youre not pathetic! He sandbagged you with this announcement, and youre having a normal reaction. Whether you go or not, what he thinks doesnt matter. And if there was justice in the world, hed be struck impotent on his wedding night.
Well, I have plenty of time to decide. Leah fiddled with the straw in her soft drink. They havent even set a date yet. Not that I needed to know this, apparently little Tiffany has always dreamed of a June wedding, but says this summer doesnt give her enough time to plan and next summer is much too far away for her to wait. A June weddinghow cliché is that?
Neely swallowed. More of a gulp actually. Shed been so incensed on her friends behalf that shed temporarily forgotten why shed asked Leah to meet her for lunch in the first place. Well, nows hardly the time to tell her.
But shed have to tell Leah eventually, and her friend would want detailswhen, where and how Robert had proposed. Once she found out, shed be hurt Neely hadnt told her immediately. UhLeah? You might know someone else guilty of that same cliché.