Page 21 of The Vineyard Bride

Valerie cast Susan a dark look that only Lola caught.Probably, Valerie was judgemental of anyone who’d had sufficient funds during their twenties.To Valerie, if you weren’t “broke,” then you weren’t really “living.”

“Of course, all that crumbled when my husband had an affair with his secretary,” Susan went on with a crooked smile, one that tried and failed to hide the pain of the situation.“What a cliché.”

“That’s awful!”Jenny cried.

“It all worked out for the best,” Susan said with a shrug.“I was supposed to play live-in grandma for my son’s children, but instead, I came here and started a new life on the Vineyard.A new life that, incidentally, found space for my old high school sweetheart.”

“Awe...”Jenny sighed.“I love those kinds of stories.You found one another again.”

“We really did,” Susan said, dropping her shoulders forward.“We got married last summer.It was beyond my wildest dreams.”

Valerie suddenly turned her eyes toward Amanda.“Was that difficult for you?Watching your mother fall in love with someone who wasn’t your father?”

Amanda’s cheeks burned red at the question.

“I don’t think we need to dig into that,” Lola shot out to Valerie, giving her a dark look.

Valerie shrugged as Amanda waved a hand sheepishly.

“No, no.We’re all friends here,” Amanda began.“To tell you the truth, I’ve never seen Mom so happy.There was a stressful quality to our life in Newark.”She turned to face Susan and gave her a warm smile.“Now, you own your own law office, take your own clients, make your own hours, and create space for yourself and your needs.It’s a remarkable thing to witness.”

Susan’s eyes welled with tears.Valerie rolled her eyes back to the ground, sensing that her decision to make someone else uncomfortable had backfired.

What the heck has gotten into Valerie?Lola wondered.She seems even darker than before, as though the world has poisoned her.

When Valerie got up to refill her champagne flute, Lola followed her and cornered her in the kitchen.In the next room, Audrey turned up the speakers as she collected the plates and stacked the leftover pizza boxes.As the champagne trickled into Valerie’s glass, Valerie’s eyes lifted toward Lola’s.

“What’s up?”Valerie demanded, her shoulders hunched.

“Um.”Lola’s throat tightened.How could she ask her friend why she was acting like a huge B-word around her family?“I was just wondering if everything was okay?”

“It’s all okay,” Valerie shot back.“Why?Are you worried that I’m not married with children?Are you worried that I don’t have stocks or own property?Are you worried that I’m a washed-up musician at the age of forty with nothing to show for it?”

“Valerie.I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lola murmured.“I love you and everything you stand for.The fact that you’re still pursuing music?It’s a beautiful thing, but it’s also not surprising.You have so much spirit.It has to go somewhere.”

Valerie rolled her eyes back and sipped her champagne as she clunked the half-full bottle back on the counter.“You have to sense that I’m disappointed in you for giving up on your life in Boston.”

“Val, come on.I fell in love with someone.Real love.It’s beyond my wildest dreams.”Lola lowered her voice as she added, “And if you can’t get on board with that...”

For a moment, Lola half-imagined she would tell Valerie to leave the cabin, to allow her and her family a night of fun and games alone.But before she could, Audrey hollered out from the living room.

“It’s time for the Newlywed Game!”

“Come on,” Valerie shot out.“Let’s go play one of these silly games.”

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