Page 64 of The Calendar of New Beginnings
“If she needs anything, we’re here to help too,” Moira said. “You’re right, she doesn’t know us well anymore, but we grew up with her. Plus, she’s your friend, which means we’d do anything for her.”
“Unless she and Ellen are at odds,” Matt said, making a scary face. “That woman wouldn’t hesitate to knock you in the nuts if you got in herway.”
“She wants to knock our dad in the nuts,” Moira said, “let me tell you. The things I hear from Mom’s kitchen when they think I’m still sleeping… It would curl your toes.”
Matt put his hands over his ears. “Please don’t tell me. I have a delicate constitution.”
They were all laughing as they walked back to the parking lot. He kissed his sisters on their cheeks and hugged his brother. “Thanks, guys.”
“We’ve got your back,” Natalie said.
The look she gave him spoke volumes. They had both loved Kim fiercely, and now they were both trying to rebuild their lives. It felt good to do it together.
Then he heard Matt yell, “Natalie! Dammit. You slapped that bumper sticker on my ride when I was running with Andy.”
His sister gave him a saucy wink as she opened her car door. “You better believe it.”
“I helped!” Moira volunteered, grinning.
Andy detoured to the back of Matt’s SUV. Sure enough, there was a new pink bumper sticker on his brother’s ride—the latest battle in Matt and Natalie’s ongoing war.
“‘I Love Mr. Darcy’?” Matt exclaimed, pointing to the offending sticker, which featured a red heart next to the phrase. “Seriously?”
“Jane loved it,” Natalie said as she and Moira got into Natalie’s car. And with that parting phrase, they drove off.
“My future wife had a hand in this?” his brother said, all Matty Ice now. “Oh, she’s so going to get it when I get home.”
Since he knew his brother was only joking, Andy slapped him on the back. “Go show her who the big dog is.”
His brother cut him a glance and then smiled. “I’m pretty lucky to have her, aren’t I?”
“Yeah, you are,” Andy said, heading to his car.
At one time in his life, he’d thought he was the luckiest man alive. He’d had everything: the most beautiful, loving wife in the world; the happiest kid on the planet; and the best job out there.
Then it had all come crashing down.
But that didn’t mean he had to stay down forever. He still had the happiest kid on the planet and a really great job here in his hometown.
And now his best friend was back.
He wondered how lucky he was going to feel after he and Lucy talked about their kiss tonight.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
When Lucy’s father showed up around suppertime with fish and chips, one of his classic hangover cures, Lucy tried to smile and choke down a few bites. Her vision was still scaring the bejesus out of her, despite what Dr. Davidson had said. Lucy was trying to look at everything with her good eye, and it took a lot of concentration since it wasn’t her dominant one.
“It’s not like you to tie one on,” her dad said, drinking a Guinness at her kitchen table. “Even if you and your mom went twelve rounds.”
“I’d hardly call it twelve rounds, Dad,” she said, pushing around her coleslaw.
“That’s not how she tells it,” he said, leaning his meaty forearms on the surface. “I’m still trying to figure out what happened with your car. That doesn’t wash.”
What? Was she in tenth grade again? “Dad, I’m way too old for this kind of interrogation. Unless you’re planning on trying to ground me—which I can tell you is impossible with your nearly forty-year-old daughter—I suggest you finish your beerand head back to the bar.”
He stared her down. “You’re only thirty-six, and if I want to worry about you, I will. You asked me to respect your wishes and not ask more questions, but that’s not working for me right now.”
It wasn’t working for her either, truth be told, but she wasn’t ready to tell him everything yet. No, if he knew, her mother would know. And she couldn’t handle being smothered just now. She and her mom were having enough scrapes as it was.
