Page 63 of Until We Break

My mouth dropped. “You found Dean’s boat?” I was stunned. I was also surprised it was the first time I was hearing about it.

“Yeah, she’s drying out now at the marina. Total loss. But Dean’s doing well over at the law practice, right? He can buy another boat.”

Carried dotted a little casserole on her plate. Not even a full spoonful, then looked at me. “I’m sure you want to serve yourself, Margot. I won’t get it right.”

“Oh. Of course.” I leaned over to reach for the silver spoon, when my elbow knocked the corner of Lucas’s cup, sending milk all over the tablecloth.

“Oh no! Oh no!”

I jumped up, trying to sop up the mess with my cloth napkins. Carrie’s eyes bulged. Caleb raced around to my side of the table with a napkin and then returned with some paper towels. I looked at Carrie.

“I am so sorry.”

“It’s just milk,” Caleb tried to calm me. “I’m sure we can throw it in the wash.”

Carrie exhaled. “It’s a vintage linen. I can’t. But I’ll take care of it.”

“No. I’ll take it to a cleaners. Just tell me who you use in Harbor Pointe.” I watched feeling completely useless as Caleb removed the items from the table and sopped up the rest of the milk with the vintage linen tablecloth before sliding it off the table.

Lucas nibbled on rounds of French bread and watched the action unfold as if he had front row seats to a movie. I wanted to hide under the table or get back in the car and head to the ferry. I shouldn’t have come. The night was a disaster, made worse by everything that came out of my mouth or by something I did. She hated the flowers. I’d made her do extra work. There wasn’t enough wine. Now, I’d ruined an expensive piece of linen.

I didn’t know how to make anything right between Carrie and me. It felt as if the more I tried, the more I was bound to fail.

By the time the table was dry, and Caleb had returned everything to the table, Lucas was giggling.

“Lucas, stop that,” Carrie scolded. “Eat your dinner. It’s probably already cold.” Her voice was clipped.

Lucas kept laughing, doubling over.

“What’s so funny, buddy?” Caleb asked.

I was still holding my breath, afraid any movement I made would annoy Carrie. It was better to remain quiet and still.

“You put everything on backwards.” He pointed at the table. I hadn’t noticed, but Lucas was right, nothing was in the same place it had been.

“It’s fine, Caleb. You did so much tonight to help me.” I watched in horror as Carrie slid her fingertips over Caleb’s wrist. He jerked it away as if he had been touched by an open flame.

I swallowed hard, feeling the stone in my stomach turn over. My eyes landed on his. I shook my head. I couldn’t stay and take anymore. I pushed back from the table.

“Where are you going?” Caleb asked startled.

“I should go.” I braced myself for the exchange with Carrie. “Thank you so much for dinner. I’m really sorry about the tablecloth.” I gave Lucas’s head a gentle tap. “I’m going to head home. I’m really tired after the storm and all the cleanup at the marina.” The only person who knew I was lying through my teeth was Caleb.

I turned to leave. I reached for the milk-soaked cloth on the counter, and folded it in my arms.

I made it all the way to the foyer before Lucas ran after me. “You forgot your shark’s eye!” He barreled into my waist and hugged me.

“Thank you, Lucas. For showing me your very special collection. I promise I’ll take care of the shell. You can come see it anytime you want. There’s lots of cool stuff at the marina you’d probably like.”

“Really?”

I nodded. “Really. We’ll figure it out another night though. You better get back to the table and finish your dinner.”

“Bye, Margot.”

He turned the corner just as Caleb rounded it. “You’re not really going to leave like this are you?”

I didn’t want to have this conversation in Carrie’s foyer. I stepped out onto the porch, crooking my finger at Caleb to follow me. We stood outside, listening to the cicadas and the bullfrogs.

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