Page 7 of The Calendar of New Beginnings
Lucy’s charming smile faltered, and she looked over at him. He could almost hear her thoughts. They both hated when April and Ellen did their conspiratorial mother thing. They were scary as hell when they combined forces.
“Or you can bunk in Andy’s spare bedroom,” Caroline said, laughing gaily. “After all, who wouldn’t like to have a doctor on duty full-time? And he’s the cleanest Hale of us all!”
The people in the huddle continued to sputter laughter, but the light in Lucy’s eyes was dimming. It was like watching a cloud pass over Orion in the night sky. His friend needed her freedom, and he could tell she was feeling trapped.
“That’s a great—” Ellen started to say.
“I’m not the cleanest Hale anymore,” he said, interrupting her. “Danny is pretty good about cleaning up, but he’s only five. Some nights, I step on a lone green bean even our new dog won’t eat, or one of Danny’s many racecars. Those hurt like hell, let me tell you.”
“I can personally attest to that,” Natalie said, hopping on one foot, trying to help a brother out.
April and Ellen only narrowed their eyes, more determined than ever.
Oh God, Ellen and Aprilreallywere hoping he and Lucy would do the whole friends-to-lovers thing and get married, providing them with more grandchildren. They were going to be impossible.
“And then there’s Danny’s bathroom to consider,” he said. “If you don’t like broken crayons, I suggest younevercross the threshold.” He made a show of shuddering.
Lucy laughed, but he could tell she was forcing it. She felt as distressed by their mothers’ pushing as he did. “Broken crayons in the bathroom? Say it ain’t so.”
“So,”he said, causing Lucy to laugh along with his sisters, feeling the familiar rhythm of their banter return.
“Then I couldn’tpossiblystay with you,” she said, a twinkle returning to her eyes.
There was a change in his energy, and Andy realized his heart was beating faster than normal even though he was merely standing. And he couldn’t escape the obvious conclusion.
He was attracted to her.
Lucy was beautiful and funny, and she engaged him in a way few people ever had. She faced life head-on and made the best of things, but she called a spade a spade and let people be human. And of all the people who weredear to him, she was the only one who hadn’t danced around Kim’s death, and how he’d felt in the aftermath.
Before meeting Kim, he’d fought an on-again, off-again crush for his best friend. How could he help it? But he’d always known Lucy had her sights set on a fast-paced life, filled with travel and danger and excitement. That wasn’t something Andy had wanted for himself, so he’d never challenged their friendship by trying to add romance to the equation. Then he’d met Kim and fallen harder than he ever expected to fall again.
Jolting back to the present moment, he gave his friend a wry smile and said, “Sorry, Luce, seems like you’re on your own then.”
“Don’t I know it?” she answered, and since he knew her, he heard the lower timbre in her voice.
Was she trying to tell him what he’d already concluded before she’d arrived? That even if they fell for each other, it would never work? She’d laugh if she knew how much he’d thought it through, but that’s what he did. Sure, he was supposedly free again—although that moniker felt wrong. His wife haddied.It’s not like he’d been given a choice in the matter.
The truth was, he wasn’t sure he could love anyone like he had loved Kim, and he wouldn’t sell himself or another woman short. And then there was Lucy’s career. She wouldn’t stay in Dare Valley forever. It would kill her larger-than-life spirit. And he was no more of a globetrotter now than he’d been when they were younger.
“Your house is fine, Andy,” April said in a rare, scolding tone. “My cleaning lady does a great job.”
His sisters blinked, as surprised as he was by their mother’s reaction.
“I know she does, Mom,” he said good-naturedly. “Let’stable the cleaning talk for now. Lucy just got home, and she’s probably tired.”
His friend nodded agreeably. “It was a long couple days of traveling.”
When she made a show of yawning, he took her arm. “Come on, sport, let’s find you another beer and stretch your legs. Might help your jet lag.”
Her smile didn’t totally reach her eyes. “A beer and a walk sounds great, Andy Cakes. Those transatlantic flights are pure torture.”
“You kids enjoy your walk,” Ellen said, shooing them toward the front door.
Never let it be said Ellen O’Brien didn’t appreciate a good strategic retreat.
“We won’t be long,” Lucy said, hooking her arm through his. “Do you need to tell Danny we’re stepping out?”
He spied his son in the corner of the dining room, performing his signature trick. After making fake choking noises, he proudly flourished an uneaten carrot like a magician would display a rabbit. Danny was holding court with Moira, their brother, Matt, and his fiancée, Jane. When Danny threw the carrot up and opened his mouth to catch it like a dolphin, Andy shook his head.
