Page 85 of Play to Win

“Why not?”Everly’s forehead furrows.

Ugh.“Long story,” I say lightly, waving a hand.“Is there somewhere near here I can get needles and yarns?”

“Oh yes, there’s a great shop on Ocean Park Boulevard.I can take you there.”

I assume she’s throwing out a polite non-invitation, but she actually arranges to take me there tomorrow after work.

“I’m sorry I don’t have a car,” I say.“But I can probably figure out how to get there by bus and meet you there.”

I learn that she lives in a condo not that far from Théo’s place, in Venice Beach.“I’ll pick you up,” she tells me.

“Okay, thanks.”

We finish our lunches and I reach for my purse, but Aline and Everly wave at me and argue over who’s paying.Everly gives in graciously and lets Aline buy us all lunch.

“I better get back to the office.”Everly glances at her watch.

We walk through the lobby to the hotel entrance.Aline gestures to Everly to have her car brought first.“Since you have to go back to work.”

“Iamthe boss,” Everly says with a smile.“But thanks.”As we wait, she tips her head to one side, looking at me.“I’m glad I ran into you.It was a fun lunch.”

“Yeah, me too.”

She gives me a small hug.

With her gone, I turn to Aline, my insides knotting, knowing she’s going to bring up the wedding again.She doesn’t until we’re on our way back to Théo’s place.

“Think about the wedding idea,” she says.“It would be so much fun.I don’t have a daughter, and I’ve always waited for the day we’d have a wedding in the family.”

My heart sinks.We took that away from her.But probably someday Théo will get married again, for real, and she’ll get her wish.

Ugh.

“I’ll think about it,” I say, relieved that I don’t have to disappoint her right now.

“Everly gets to take you to the wool shop,” she says when she drops me off.“We should go shopping too.Maybe next week?We could go to South Coast Plaza.”

Yikes.I did not expect all this family inclusiveness.But it’s ...nice.I smile at her.“Okay, that would be fun.”

“Thank you.I’m so happy to have a daughter!”

My smile widens at her infectious delight.We exchange hugs too on the sidewalk in front of Théo’s condo, and I wave as she drives away.

I enjoy the feeling of well-being that settles inside me after a fun lunch with the two women as I gather up laundry from my room and Théo’s, sort it, and start a load in the washing machine, then take my Kindle out onto the patio with a glass of iced tea to read for a while and think about what I can do while I’m here.

I make dinner for two, even though I’m pretty sure Théo won’t be home until late again.He surprises me though, showing up shortly after six, just as I’m sitting down to eat.

Seeing him, my heart bumps like a teenage girl running into her crush.“Hi!”I jump up.“Dinner’s ready.”

“Awesome.I’m starving.”

I hustle over to the stove and fill a plate for him with the pasta dish I made, linguine with red peppers, asparagus, and parmesan.I even whipped up some garlic buns.

When I turn back to him, he’s holding up a ...penguin.

I halt in place.I blink.“What’s that?”

“It’s the mascot for the team I used to play for.I brought it home for you.”He grimaces.“I know it’s not Pete, and it’s not from your mom, but I thought you might ...like it.”

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