Page 127 of Beach Vibes

“I’m feeling quite special,” Jana told everyone. “Can we do this every day?”

Linnie hugged her. “We can if that’s what you want, Mommy.”

“You’re a sweet girl.”

Jana got out the Bluetooth speakers and hooked up the music system. The kids went off to play. Dex followed to do his pushing duty on the swings. She walked over to where Teddy was heating the grill.

“Thank you,” she told him. “The party is great.”

He hugged her. “Congratulations. You worked hard for this. We’re all proud.”

She studied him, taking in the hint of sadness in his eyes. While she knew she wasn’t responsible for what had happened, she couldn’t help feeling guilty.

She’d already told him about Beth’s apology, so she didn’t bother mentioning that. Instead she said, “She never tried to ask me about you. When we spoke? She could have tried to play on my sympathies.”

“I’m ignoring you,” he said as he walked back into the kitchen.

“And I’m following you.” She grabbed his arm, forcing him to a stop. “Teddy, come on. Why are you being so stubborn? In her position, you would have done the same thing.”

He stared past her, neither denying nor agreeing. “She hurt you.”

“Rick hurt me. Rick was the jerk. Beth was the sister who loved her brother.”

“She made a choice.”

“Given the circumstances, it wasn’t the wrong one.”

He glanced at her. “You’ve forgiven her?”

“I think I have to. I miss my friend.” She touched his arm. “If you and I weren’t so tight, it might be harder for me to understand, but I would do anything for you, so I get what she was up against. She was just as misled as I was. She wasn’t mean or deliberately cruel. She was trapped.”

She wished she could shake him and make him see. “You’re in love with her, Teddy. And you’re the kind of man who doesn’t unlove very easily. I appreciate that you’ve been so supportive, but it’s time to think about whether or not you want to be happy for the rest of your life.”

He shook his head. “We’re done.”

“You’re a fool.”

He shrugged. “Maybe, but this is how it has to be.”

Later, after dinner, when the kids were gathered around the fire pit with their dad, Jana and Dex cleared the table and loaded the dishwasher.

“I don’t get it,” she said when they were done and she’d filled him in on her conversation with her brother. “I know he’s hurting. Why is he so stubborn?”

“It’s his nature. He’s loyal, and Beth betrayed his trust, something he never thought could happen. He can’t just get over that.”

“But they love each other, and he won’t forgive her and move on.”

Dex watched her. “You obviously have.”

“I miss her, and I want her to be my friend again.”

“Do you trust her?” he asked.

A question that required a moment of thought. What Beth had done was wrong, and Jana had been on the receiving end of the pain. And yet…

“I understand why she did what she did. She’s sorry for what happened.” She looked at Dex. “I’m over him and I’ll be fine, but Beth lost her brother.”

“She didn’t lose him. He was never what she thought. The difference is, now she knows that.”

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