Page 73 of Falling Again
Anthony pulled her back in for another hug before sliding behind the wheel and racing toward home. He had a lot to do before five o’clock, and he didn’t have a moment to lose.
CHAPTER 21
Natalie didn’t knowhow it was possible, but she got a lot of work done that afternoon. She’d caught up on voicemails, sent Evan the school district specs, and even scheduled a dentist visit for Madeline. “Maybe I should work drunk and alone more often,” she mused as she filed the last folder for the day.
As she stood to shrug her jacket on, Natalie heard the front door lock turn. “Hello?” she called.
“It’s me,” Ginny said, breezing into her office holding a garment bag.
Natalie pointed to the familiar looking bag and asked, “What’s this?”
Ginny handed her the bag and walked over to Natalie’s desk drawer where she kept her makeup bag and hairbrush. “Oh good, I thought you kept all this here.” Ginny laid everything out on the desktop and gestured to Natalie. “Go get dressed. We have enough time to touch up your hair and makeup.”
Natalie held the bag up and sighed. “Ginny, what is going on? Where are we going?”
Before Ginny could answer, a series of texts buzzed on Natalie’s phone. “There’s your answer,” Ginny said with a smile.
Meet us at the diner at 5:30. Dress up!Read the text from her mother-in-law. It was quickly followed with another message.We have Maddie and Otis. XO
A text from Trudy came in immediately after.Slight emergency at the diner. Ginny is bringing you a dress. It’s time to play Jackie Kennedy again.
Lastly came a text from Anthony. The words stopped her dead in her tracks.Nat, I’m so sorry. Can you please come to the diner? There’s an event I’d like you to attend. I promise we’ll talk. XOXO
Natalie put her phone back on her desk and turned to Ginny. “What is all this? What last minute event is happening at the diner?” Ginny shrugged, but Natalie noted her outfit. “You’re all dressed up too. You have to know what’s going on.”
Ginny stayed maddeningly mum on the topic. “Honestly, I don’t know. Max said there’s some heavy hitters needing a last-minute reception tonight at the diner. He’s got CeCe and Evan chained to the stove.”
Looking back at her text from Anthony, Natalie squirmed. He was sorry and he wanted her with him. For all her bluster and hurt feelings, she didn’t want to leave Anthony hanging. “Give me ten minutes.”
Ginny clapped and squealed like a lottery winner. “You can have twelve.”
Natalie slipped into the bathroom and opened the garment bag. Inside was one of her favorite cocktail dresses. It was black and white with a fitted waist and tea-length skirt. It was conveniently one of the only dresses from before Otis’s birth that still fit like a glove. Natalie always liked how she looked in this dress, and she remembered an evening when Anthony couldn’t pull it off her fast enough. The memory brought a welcomed—albeit temporary—distraction.
After a few swipes of mascara and a fresh dusting of powder, Natalie felt surprisingly gorgeous for a weekday afternoon. She wasn’t sure if it was the confusion over the moment or the two glasses of wine, but her cheeks bloomed a lovely shade of pink.
Ginny entered the bathroom without knocking, immediately going to Natalie’s back to zip up her dress. “You look fantastic.” The friends caught each other’s eyes in the mirror’s reflection.
