Page 103 of The Calendar of New Beginnings
So, the cat was out of the bag. “I don’t blame you. I meant well. Somehow I failed to comprehend how bullheaded your mother can be when she feels cornered. I should have made my retreat the moment your dad opened the door and told me he hadn’t gotten anywhere.”
She continued to stare at him blandly.
Hitting his head with his palm, he said, “What was I thinking?”
“You were meddling,” she said sternly, “which I thought we’d discussed. Besides, you must have said something about me having a special reason for returning to Dare Valley. She blasted me for telling you the whole story and not her. She was pretty worked up.”
“Did she tell you I found her naked in the hot tub?” he asked, trying to make her smile. “I’m going to have to pay your dad back for that one. You don’t do that to a brother.”
She rolled her eyes. “From where I’m sitting, you deserved to catch her in the hot tub after what you pulled. I hope the image is burned into your corneas so you never do this again.”
Ouch. “I’m sorry, Lucy. I really am. Are you going to let me come in and grovel?”
“No groveling is needed. Why don’t you just come inside and tell me what you were thinking? I have some ideas. I talked to your sister, who told me you’ve done lamebrain things like this for all of the Hales. I might have remembered a few examples after I got to thinking.”
“Which sister?” he asked.
“Moira, but I’ll tell you about that after we talk about you.”
He followed her inside to the kitchen, finallycataloguing she had on pink and brown plaid pajamas. It was no wonder she was exhausted if she’d had another confrontation with her mother.
“Do you want anything to drink?” she asked, opening up the fridge and pulling out a bottle of fizzy water.
“I wouldn’t mind some of that water you’re so fond of,” he responded, feeling awkward standing in her kitchen. “I don’t want things to be weird.”
She poured two glasses of water and crossed to him. “I don’t either, so let’s sit down and talk.”
Right. Their relationship had become so much deeper and stronger, but they were still friends. They knew how to talk to each other.
“To be fair,” he began, watching the bubbles dance and fizz, “I would have talked to your mom even if we weren’t involved.”
Sitting back, she crossed her arms again. “Really? You never did that sort of thing when we were growing up.”
“I used to be terrified of your mom, something I thought adulthood had changed. My mistake.” He gulped the water to wet his throat. “I wanted to show Ellen that photo you took of me when I was thinking about Kim. I thought I could help her see what you helped me see.”
“So she said. Keep going.”
His chair squeaked when he rocked back on its legs. “I wanted so badly for you two to understand each other. Lucy, it broke my heart to think about you and your mom fighting like that. Especially when you need all your friends and family in your camp right now.”
She gave him a bland stare. “I know you meant well, and if we’re being honest, you did help my mom seethings in a different light.”
“I’d like to say ‘then what’s the problem?’ but I already know.”
“I know your M.O.,” she said, giving him a stern look. “But you know how much I hate having other people interfere. Have you forgotten how many times I’ve told you to let me deal with my own problems?”
Game. Set. Match. “Yes, but?—”
“You’re lucky I talked my mother out of believing I’d put you up to it, or it would have been World War III. Trust me. Then you really would have been in trouble.”
He winced. “Listen, I know I…overstepped. I’ll say it again. I’m sorry.”
“I know,” she said, lifting her glass and toasting him. “That’s why you’re inside Merry Cottage drinking my fizzy water. Now, let’s talk about how you put my mother on the scent about why I came home.”
Shit. “How bad did she dog you?”
She crossed her eyes in a move he hadn’t seen since third grade.
“After a surprising come-to-Jesus talk with her, I ended up telling her the whole story. We even agreed I’m going to do the calendar my own way with Moira’s help. That’s why I went to talk to your sister.”
