Page 44 of Designs on You

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” Natalie said, then added, “What a nice surprise.”

“Well, Paul is out of town, and I was talking to Hazel earlier, and she mentioned you were coming over. She suggested I come, too, since I was all alone. Isn’t that sweet of her?”

“So sweet.” Natalie traded looks with Hazel, who gave her an apologetic shrug.

“Would you like some sangria?” Hazel asked. “I made a fresh batch.”

“I’d love some.” Natalie put her stuff in the fridge, then grabbed the glass from her sister.

“Where’s Linc?” she asked.

“Oh. He’s outside with Eugene. He stopped by, so he’s staying for dinner, too.”

She managed to choke out what she hoped was a rather bland, “Eugene’s here, too?”

“He is. Problem?”

She shook her head. “No. Not at all.” Now she’d have to make sure her mother didn’t catch on to…whatever was going on with Eugene and her. And why was Eugene here every time she came over? Did he live here or something? Ugh.

“Where are the children, Natalie?” Mom asked.

“They’re with Sean tonight, Mom.”

“I see.” Her mother lifted her chin and took a dainty sip of her drink. “It’s still a shame about the divorce. So hard on the kids.”

“The kids are doing fine, Mom. Sean and I make sure they get plenty of time and attention.”

“But still, their home is broken.”

Natalie rolled her eyes. “Mom. Come on. This isn’t the fifties. People get divorced. It’s not the end of the world. Our children will adapt and thrive. Sean and I might not agree on a lot of things, but as far as our children, we’re in sync.”

Mostly.

Her mother shrugged. “Whatever you say.”

Which was her mom’s way of tuning her out. “Whatever is right. I’m going outside to say hi to Linc and Eugene.”

Despite the blast of heat and humidity that greeted her when she opened the back door, she was happy to be away from the icy chill of her mother’s judgmental attitude.

“Hey,” Eugene said, getting up from his chair. “I didn’t expect to see you.”

“I was surprised to find out that you were here, too.”

He wrapped his arm around her and hugged her. Her first instinct would have been to ask for distance so she wouldn’t have to explain yet another thing to her mother, but right now she was pissed off at her mom, and if she could irritate her a little more, that would be ideal.

But then Linc hugged her, too, and then the dogs surrounded her, causing her to have to kneel and pet the pups, including some dog she’d never seen before. The new pup was on the medium side,with dark, curly fur. She—yes, it was definitely a she—was very fluffy and oh so affectionate. She had a very prominent underbite, which, surprisingly, only made her cuter.

While she was petting the new member of the dog family, Hazel and their mom came outside.

“Who’s the new dog, Hazel?” Natalie asked.

“Oh. That’s Grizelda. She was an emergency surrender I picked up a few days ago. She’s a real peach. Sweet and affectionate and she loves the neighbor’s kids. You should bring Cammie and Christopher over to meet her.”

“She is very cute. And the kids have been asking for a dog for so long.” Natalie was not a dog person, and Sean had always been a firm no-pets person. But getting used to being around Hazel’s dogs had almost—almost—changed her mind.

“A dog is the last thing you need, Natalie,” her mother said, taking a seat near the fan outside.

Count to ten, Natalie. That’s what she and Hazel always told themselves whenever their mother got on their last nerve.

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