Page 6 of Isolated
Tipping my head to the side, I squinted at her. “What news did you think I’d be sharing?”
She shrugged, her eyes dropping to her hand that was curled around her glass, her thumb stroking along it. “I was thinking that maybe you met someone or had been on a couple of dates.”
I hadn’t done anything to give her the impression that anything of the sort had happened. Flora was just a romantic at heart.
It’s not that I didn’t want what my youngest sister was hinting at. I did. I really did want to find someone to spend my time with and share my life with. But it hadn’t happened yet.
And although it was frustrating, it felt wrong to complain about my lack of success in my romantic life. Because life was great for me everywhere else. I had the best family, great friends, and a job that seemed to get better and better as time went on. Wouldn’t it have been selfish of me to expect that I’d have all that and be upset I hadn’t gotten everything yet?
Then again, it was my fault I was in this position. Maybe that’s why I couldn’t really be mad at Eleni for calling me out on working so much. I hadn’t exactly given myself a real shot at meeting someone.
“I’m sorry to say that hasn’t happened yet.”
“It’s so surprising to me.”
“Why?”
“Because you’ve been in Steel Ridge for two years now. And you’re so outgoing and friendly with everyone you meet. I’m just surprised you’ve been there this long, and nobody has asked you out yet.”
I cocked a brow, my eyes darting between her and Eleni. “Have either of you been on any dates recently?”
“Nothing that’s amounted to anything serious or is worth talking about, but we have had some dates,” Eleni shared. “We’re making an effort.”
Unsurprisingly, it was our grandmother who suggested, “Maybe Eleni and Flora need to go visit Iris in Steel Ridge, so the three of them can have a night out together.”
“That sounds like it’d be fun,” Mom bubbled. “With your dad and me leaving for our big vacation at the end ofthe month, it’d be nice to know the three of you were still getting together and spending time with one another.”
I’d love nothing more than to have more time with my sisters. Despite what it often looked like on the surface these last two years, particularly with Eleni’s pessimistic attitude, I missed being able to pick up and visit with them whenever I wanted. Sure, we were only an hour apart, but it wasn’t easy to work a trip like that into my schedule all the time.
“My door is always open,” I insisted. “I’d love to have the both of you come for the weekend sometime.”
Flora’s face lit up with a smile. “I’d love to visit and have a fun night out.”
Everyone shifted their attention to Eleni, who didn’t look the least bit amused. Following a beat of silence, she declared, “Well, I’m not going to leave it up to the two of them to make something happen. I’ll drive out with Flora in the next week or two.”
My grandfather sat back in his chair. “This is just one big distraction.”
“Agreed,” my dad chimed in. “All my girls are happy. Why spoil it with such nonsense?”
“Adam, I know you didn’t just discourage our daughters from getting together and spending time with one another. We aren’t going to be here for weeks. They should do this.”
I pressed my lips into a thin line to stifle the laughter threatening to spill out. My dad realized the pile he’d just stepped in, and as his eyes darted between his plate and my mom, I didn’t doubt he was attempting to figure out the best way to backtrack.
“Of course not, April. I’m thrilled they’ll have time tobond. I just don’t see how adding searching for guys in the process is helpful to anyone.”
She arched a brow, and something passed between them. Maybe that’s why it always seemed my mom was just a nonconfrontational person. All she needed to do was give my dad one look, and he knew.
A moment of silence passed between them before he said, “But I think it’s better that they’re doing this together instead of going out alone. Maybe it’s for the best.” His eyes shifted away from her and toward each of my sisters before landing on me. “I hope the three of you have a great time.”
Mom clapped her hands and stood. “Now that all of that is settled and everyone has finished eating, why don’t we have some dessert before we do presents?”
I grinned, swallowing down the giggles threatening to escape. I might have turned thirty-one today, but not a single birthday had gone by where my mom didn’t treat the party element like I was still ten.
Maybe it was strange, but I loved it. I adored the way my mom insisted on these family traditions. Because no matter where we were in our careers and personal lives, or whether we lived an hour away from one another, there was something so comforting about knowing that these traditions would always be there, bringing us back together.
THREE
Landen
