Page 59 of Rock On

“Come on, one glass of champagne won’t hurt you,” Harriett said. “And I can order some sparkling juice if you really don’t want to drink.”

“All right, I’m in.” I fell into step with them and followed them toward the elevators.

“Harley.”

I turned at the sound of my name and found Tommy a few feet behind me.

“What time do you want to meet for breakfast?” he asked.

“Nine?”

“Sure.” He nodded and we got into the elevator with him and Quinn behind us.

“What are you ladies up to tonight?” Quinn asked.

“Cheese and champagne,” Mina told him.

“I saw the new charcuterie boards on the late-night menu,” Quinn said. “I wasn’t sure if it was worth it, but maybe I’ll order one.”

“I’m down for cheese and cold cuts,” Tommy told him. “Though I’m not a big fan of champagne.”

“I’ve got beer in the fridge, so we’re good.”

Their floor came up first and they stepped out.

Tommy turned, winked, and disappeared around the corner.

“Sweet Jesus.” Harriett fanned herself. “If he winked at me like that, I might combust on the spot.”

“Believe me—I’m familiar with the emotion. Why do you think I married him?”

We all dissolved into giggles.

When was the last time I’d giggled?

TWENTY-THREE

Tommy

Breakfasts with Harley quickly became the highlight of my days and I found myself dreading the end of my stay. Next Sunday was supposed to be my last day, but I wasn’t ready to go back to the real world yet. I was living in something of a bubble here at Harmony Place, and it wasn’t just because of Harley.

I liked talking to Allisha, and Quinn and I had become buddies. He was old enough to be my dad but was interesting and young at heart. He talked about his late wife a lot, and how much he missed her, and I’d confided quite a bit about Harley and me. Not the details, because it wouldn’t be fair to her to air our dirty laundry in a place where people knew her, but enough for him to understand the bond we had and how hard it had been without her.

I’d also started to enjoy my sessions with Allisha, both solo and with Harley. She forced me to dig deep and think about my role in the end of my marriage instead of making excuses for why I’d been the victim. And the grief support group was a lot more impactful than I’d imagined it would be. I empathized with everyone in the group and could commiserate.

Coming here had been a great idea, and I made the impulsive decision to extend my stay for as long as Harley was here. But first, I had to talk to her about it. I didn’t want to impose on her time here or make her uncomfortable if she wanted me to leave. If Allisha had taught me anything, it was not to make assumptions. I knew Harley extremely well, but I wasn’t a mind-reader and we’d been apart for a long time.

“Good morning.” She was already at our favorite table on the patio, and she looked adorable in a pink tracksuit, with her hair up in a messy bun.

“Good morning.” I sank down across from her and was gratified to see our favorite waiter come hurrying over to pour me a cup of coffee. “Did you do yoga this morning?”

“I did. I’ve been doing it every morning since I’ve been here, and it feels good. It’s a nice way to start the day.”

“I guess you don’t have much quiet time in the morning at home,” I said. “With a toddler underfoot and all.”

“He’s not underfoot. He’s a really good kid. Sometimes he gets into bed with me and we snuggle. Then we get breakfast and he either plays or watches TV until it’s time for preschool. If it’s a weekend, we go to the park or something to let him run around. Then he’s content to color or play with his cars.” She paused. “He’s already got his dad’s love of cars.”

Carter had been a collector, though he hadn’t necessarily driven them all.

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