Page 104 of Rebel Bride
“Hi, Mrs. Kershaw. How are you?”
“I’m fine, sweetie. What about you?”
I must have looked especially pathetic—calling me sweetie did it—because next thing I knew I was in her arms. These Kershaws really knew how to hold a girl.
“The stuff in that article,” I said, “most of it was untrue.”
“I know. Dash Carter is a pinhead and a very, very insecure man.”
That was about the long and short of it.
She set me back. “Addy tells me you’re working for Kennedy’s company. It’s good to be busy.”
“It is. The perfect way to figure out next steps.”
“Well, as long as you don’t fall in love with the wrong person while you’re doing it!” She chuckled but then turned serious on spotting my deer-in-the-headlights expression. “Sorry, just a silly joke. My daughter was ‘figuring out next steps’ and then came Lars and Mabel.”
“You don’t like Lars?” She couldn’t possibly have anything against Mabel.
“Lars is wonderful. But there was a time when I worried that he wasn’t the best choice for my daughter.” She shook her head. “Don’t mind me. Sometimes I speak without thinking, which used to be my husband’s special talent. The longer you live with someone the more you pick up their bad habits.”
“You guys seem so well-suited. Relationship goals, according to Addy. No Tilly today?”
“Oh God, no, I can’t bring her into a wine shop. The last time I did that, I was on the hook for a hundred and fifty dollars’ worth of Dom Perignon—she loved the shape of the bottle and that was that.” She looked at the bottle I had in my hands. “How’s that? Any good?”
“I don’t know much about wine. I’m buying this for Noah—I think he’s got a hot date tonight. My instructions were to ‘get something fancy.’”
“Oh, I don’t know much either. But this nice young man might be able to help.” Elle grasped the arm of a sales associate, and within five minutes, we both had choices made.
“I tend to only buy something I know will wash down the cheese,” Elle said as we walked to the checkout.
I laughed. “You Kershaws love your cheese. I had to fight Addy for the Camembert last week.”
“If I’ve done anything right in raising my kids, it’s making sure they have a healthy appreciation for cheese.”
We paid for our purchases and walked out together.
Elle placed a hand on my arm. “Addy said she asked you to dinner but that you didn’t want to intrude. You wouldn’t be. There’d be no one commenting on your personal life, except maybe Conor. And possibly Aurora. Tilly would, too, if she had any clue what was happening. But the other half of the family would be very discreet.”
I laughed at her defense of her lovely family. “I don’t want to change the vibe.”
“Oh, please change the vibe. Say you’ll come tonight, Summer. We’d love to have you.” Her eyes practically beseeched me. “Or maybe you’re worried about Hatch?”
My heart stopped. “Hatch?”
“Addy said something—never mind.”
“No, what did she say?” Panic raced through me faster than a Formula 1 driver.
“She mentioned that you and he don’t get along? Listen, I don’t want to pry, but if he’s been a jerk to you for some reason, please let me know. I still hold some sway over my eldest’s behavior.”
Addy had said something to me last Halloween about Hatch, wondering what I’d done to offend him. At the time, I was clueless. Now he claimed it was his way of ensuring he didn’t look overly interested in a teammate’s partner. I didn’t buy it, but if he wanted to keep it to himself, I wouldn’t push.
“Oh, it’s fine. You know some people don’t gel, and I can handle Dash’s teammates.” It sounded like I was coming to dinner.
Once in the car, I debated whether I should give Hatch a heads-up. I wanted him to be chill, so I could be chill.
Me
