Page 95 of The Calendar of New Beginnings
As she did, she became one giant heartbeat.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Andy finally gave into his gut urging to go see Ellen during his lunch hour the next day. Sometimes when his siblings were at odds, he’d been able to broker a peace. He didn’t see why Lucy and her mom would be any different.
Besides, he kept coming back to the photo Lucy had taken of him after she’d asked him to think about Kim. She’d sent it to him on his way to work. Seeing how he looked when he thought about the wife he’d lost had changed him. Perhaps explaining that to Ellen would help her see Lucy’s side of things. Deep down, he knew she needed to take the photos for the calendar—not just for herself, but for the future of her relationship with her mother.
Last night, Lucy had begrudgingly admitted Ellen might not be completely wrong, or her completely right. Common ground had been forged on lesser things.
When Andy knocked on the front door, Harry opened it.
“Oh, hi,” he said awkwardly.
“Lunch break?” Harry asked, clapping Andy on theforearm in solidarity when he nodded. “Ellie’s in the backyard. Good luck. I’ve gotten nowhere with her.”
His gut urging turned into an upset stomach. “That sounds ominous.”
Harry made a fist in the air. “That woman. I love her, but I swear sometimes… How’s my girl?”
Andy hadn’t expected that question. Heck, he hadn’t expected Harry to be home. “She’s upset too. Wishes things were different.”
“When Lucy was growing up, I was the sole peacekeeper in the house,” Harry said, making a face. “It’s nice to have help.”
Yeah, that was him. Peacekeeper Andy. Part of him wished he’d worn a suit of armor or something. Ellen was going to blast into him. And knowing Lucy, she wouldn’t be all that happy to hear he’d come here.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Andy said, coming inside when Harry stepped out of the way.
“I’m heading to my bar. If you need a drink afterwards, there will be one waiting for you.”
“That’s kind of you, but I have to get back to the hospital.”
Lucy’s father grabbed a jacket from the hall closet. “After, then.”
“I’m going to spend some time with Danny.” He’d texted his mother a picture of himself making a funny face, wanting to make Danny laugh before he left for school. “My mom babysat last night so I could talk to Lucy.” There was no way he was mentioning he’d spent the night with her.
“April was here this morning after dropping Danny off at school, so I know the score,” Harry said, picking up his wallet and keys from the wooden bowl in the hall table. “Ellie didn’t listen to your mom either.”
Terrific. Harry and his mom were batting zero with Ellen. How was he supposed to do better? “It’s about more than the calendar.”
Harry’s mouth twisted. “Always has been. Well, your next drink in my bar is on me, and if you get my girls to reconcile, you have a free pass on anything I serve for a year.” With that, Lucy’s dad left.
Andy felt a little weird walking through the house on his own, but when he opened the patio doors, that weird feeling morphed into red-hot embarrassment. “Sorry, Mrs. O’Brien!” he cried out the moment he saw Ellen—all of Ellen—in the bubbling hot tub. He was so shocked he’d reverted to calling her Mrs. O’Brien like he was twelve. “Harry didn’t mention you were…ah….”Sweet Jesus, put me down right now.
“Good heavens, Andy Hale!” Lucy’s mom called back. “You’d think you’ve never seen a naked woman in a hot tub before. Besides it’s not like you can see anything anyway.”
If that’s what she thought, she’d never seen her cleavage. He was going to have to wash his eyes out with soap or something.
“I’ll just wait inside for you,” he said, bumping into the patio doors.
“No need,” she called out. “You can talk to me here. If it bothers you so much, don’t look.”
Right. That was a good suggestion. “I’m just going to turn around now.” And stare at the wall.
“You’d think you wouldn’t be so embarrassed. One, you’re a doctor. Two, you’re sleeping with my daughter.Thisis what you have to look forward to.”
Not in a million years was he going to go down that track. “Could we please talk about why I’m here?” he asked. Okay, pleaded.
“Dammit, I look good for my age!” Ellen railed on, confirming that she was more than riled up.
