Page 55 of Things We Tell Ourselves

Camille just stares at her. There’s no way Leah didn’t see them holding hands.

“Well, it would’ve been nice to know if the contract was acceptable or not. Our lawyers were sitting around waiting to hear from you,” Leah states, the tone of a mother coming out as she chastises her son. She looks to Camille, her tone lifting. “The terms were good then?”

Camille nods, walking away from Wade’s side. “I’m happy with the deal. I’d say that the terms were much better than the Lichtensteins’, but you already know that.”

“What do you want on your toast?”

Camille looks across the living room at Nancy, standing behind the kitchen island. The toaster next to her pops up with four freshly toasted pieces of bread.

Leah glances over at her. “Strawberry, please.”

Nancy nods, going to the refrigerator taking out a jar of jelly.

“You hungry?” Leah asks, looking at Camille and Wade.

“Sounds good to me,” he replies, his phone buzzing.

“I’ll take two,” Camille adds, glancing over her shoulder at Wade as he takes out his cell phone.

“I…got to take this,” he says, staring down at his phone.

Leah waves her hand dismissively. “By all means.”

Wade hurries past them, answering his phone as he passes Nancy, striding toward the bedrooms.

“Always putting out fires,” Leah sighs.

“Never know how long his phone calls are going to be,” Nancy says from the kitchen.

She adds two pieces of bread to the toaster, eyeing Camille. “I believe a thank you is in order from the both of us for yesterday evening.”

Camille follows her line of sight as Nancy peeks at Leah, who gives her an embarrassed grin.

“So things are going good now?” Camille asks, looking between them.

“Better than ever,” Nancy replies, moving a plate of toast to the opposite side of the counter.

“Yes,” Leah says begrudgingly. She takes the jar of strawberry jelly, slathering it on the toast Nancy made for her. “You really helped me figure things out, but…”

Nancy sets a plate next to the toaster and leans over the island, glancing down at the hallway before looking at Camille. “But we aren’t telling the kids just yet.”

“What kids?” Sadie asks, sashaying into the kitchen in a breeze.

Nancy straightens. Leah pauses mid-swiping jelly onto her toast.

Camille isn’t sure how to react. But as much as Sadie may have surprised them, it’s Leah that levels her gaze on the young woman intruding on their conversation, surprising Camille even further by saying, “speaking of children, what are your plans with my son?”

Sadie’s eyes jump from woman to woman, her mouth gaping open. It’s a brief but enjoyable reaction. Her lips curl as she regains herself. “I don’t know what you mean,” she challenges, heading to the refrigerator.

“What I mean is,” Leah begins, watching her open the fridge door, “is your relationship with my son serious, or is this a fling?”

Nancy takes a bite out of her toast, giving it a loud crunch as she leans against the counter to look at Sadie. Sadie steps back from the refrigerator, holding a bottle of sparkling water. She faces them with a relaxed grin that Camille is impressed that she could muster in a moment like this. She leans back against the cool, stainless steel.

“It’s not serious enough that I would have come this weekend if I knew all of you were going to be here.” She snaps the bottle lid open with a forceful twist, staring at Leah as she does it.

Leah stares back unapologetically. “So you two haven’t been dating long.”

The bottle already to her lips, Sadie shakes her head and takes a drink. Camille watches as her slender throat bobs with each gulp. It’s even hard not to be jealous of her throat. Now that she knows what that stuff tastes like, she resists frowning in disgust, but Sadie seems to enjoy it.

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