Page 18 of The Undercover Billionaire's Baby

“I’m not squishing,” said Cathy, but she let Lana go. She stepped back to look at her, then pinched her arm. “Is it just me, or is she looking thinner?”

The other poodle-skirt woman pulled out her glasses. She wiped them on her sleeve and settled them on her nose. “She looks fine to me. Doesn’t she, Rex?”

“I wouldn’t know, Dora. I only have eyes for you.”

That got him awws from Cathy and Lana, and a snort and an eye roll from Chester.

“These are our wives,” said Rex, to me. “Dora and Cathy, this is Brad, from the pier. The one who caught the big bass, then threw it back.”

But Dora and Cathy were fussing over Lana, drawing her aside and into their gossip. I made to follow, but Rex held me back.

“They’ve been worrying themselves sick over her since her mom passed. Thinking she was turning into some kind of shut-in.”

I tried to hide my surprise. “Her mom? Lana’s mom?”

“Oh, she didn’t mention?” Rex glanced at Chester. Chester just shrugged and looked away.

“She’s probably trying to focus on living,” Rex said. “You can only mourn so long, then you have to move on. Life sure moves on, with or without you. You’ve got to keep going or get left behind.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, so I tried a slow nod. But Rex didn’t see it, his eyes fixed on Dora.

“It’s the hardest thing, though. You build a life around someone, the thought you could lose them…” I got the sense he was no longer talking about Lana’s mom.

“We should hit the food stands,” said Chester. “Before they run out. Orla brought cheese twists from Soup and a Bread Bowl, and my belly won’t forgive me if I miss out.”

“Your heart would thank you,” said Rex. “All that cheese, that cholesterol.”

The two of them headed, still bickering, for the food stands. I spotted the women drifting the same way, only now there were more of them, gathered around Lana. It made my heart hurt to think of her loss, how alone she must feel, how left behind. I’d lost my own mother my junior year at high school, in the space between Christmas and spring break. Dad hadn’t told me till I came home from school, and he’d tried to convince me she’d wanted it that way.

She didn’t want you distracted. How are your grades? That’s what you can do for her, be a success. She’ll always be proud of that. She was proud of you, son.

I hadn’t known her well enough to know if that was true, but she’d still left an ache in the shape of her presence. In the shape of the good times we might still have had.

“What do they have that isn’t too messy?” Lana was standing on tiptoe, trying to read the menu. “I can’t slop on this dress. It’s my last nice one.”

Dora glanced at Cathy, who pinched her lips tight.

“How’s business going?” Dora asked. “Ready for summer?”

Lana tried to hide the pained look that darkened her face, but I saw Dora notice it. Cathy shook her head.

“We heard you had a shelf come down. That stupid dog.”

“You should talk to her,” said Chester. “Hilda Schneiderman, I mean. It’s not right, you footing the bill for her dog.”

“What? It’s not like that.” Lana turned from the menu. I saw she was flustered, wringing her hands. “I don’t know what you’ve heard, but it wasn’t Wiener. Yeah, he got in, but he just ran around some. The shelf fell because the plumbing’s old. I had a leak. The wall rotted out, and it all tumbled down.”

Cathy tutted. “Still, with that dog?—”

“It’s really not him. Wiener’s a sweetheart.” Lana blinked quickly — fighting back tears? I moved closer on instinct, wanting to protect her. But she didn’t seem to notice, gazing off at nothing. “If anything, it’s me,” she said. “This would never have happened when Mom was in charge.”

“Oh, no. Oh, no!” Dora fluttered her hands. “You’re learning the ropes, is all. And the plumbing’s not your fault.”

“It’s not just the plumbing. It’s the whole… everything.” Lana slumped, looking tired, then tried a weak smile. “I had no idea how much went into running that shop, the orders, the maintenance, the whole business side. Every time I think okay, I’ve got this, something pops up. Taxes. The shelf. Some delivery guy left a shipment out in the rain, six boxes soaked, and forget about insurance. They’re still trying to suss out whose fault it was, and I told them…” She sighed. “It’s never-ending.”

“You’ll catch up,” said Cathy. “I know you. You’re smart.”

“Your mom struggled too,” said Rex. “When she started out.”

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