Page 58 of Love Rescheduled

“I thought we could decorate some cookies and watch a rom-com,” she said excitedly.

I had to swallow down my emotions. It’s something Nana would have suggested. More than that, it was something I always wished my mother would have done with me. I carefully glanced at Laney. It hit me that she came with the Josh package. Could I be so lucky to get the man I love and a mom? “I’d love that.”

“You just made my day.” She let go of my hand to stand, but then she reached right back out for me. It was a simple gesture, but she had no idea how much it meant to me. Laney, Josh, and Kent kept reaching out for me even though, once upon a time, I had done my best to push them away.

I anxiously gave her my hand, hoping she would know it was my way of saying thank you. She could have easily hated me for breaking her son’s heart; instead, she saw my own hurts and loved me despite it all. That was a real mom.

She led us to her huge cavern of a kitchen with fancy appliances, rustic wood cupboards, and gorgeous stone countertops that were covered in dozens of cooling heart-shaped cookies. There was a built-in desk with a good-sized TV on it. I remembered watching many football games on it during dinner, to Laney’s irritation. She believed mealtime was sacred family time. Her husband and son believed otherwise when Tennessee was playing.

“Do you mind if we watch An Affair to Remember? I love the old classics and Kent hates them,” she bemoaned.

“Not at all. I love Cary Grant. My nana used to say, ‘When God created Cary Grant, he patted himself on the back for a job well done.’”

“Nana sounds like my kind of gal.” She winked. “Have a seat.” She waved to the stools around the large island.

I wished Nana and Laney had met. There was no doubt they would have been the best of friends. I took a seat while she turned on the movie and brought over some cookies along with piping bags of royal icing in shades of white, pink, and red.

The dramatic music of the old film played. There was something so comforting about sitting next to Laney and enjoying the movie together.

“Now, darlin’, don’t worry if you mess up. We’ll just eat that one.” She nudged me with her shoulder.

“I think we’ll eat a lot of these.” I wasn’t artistic in the least bit.

She held up a bag of pink icing as if she were toasting me. “Music to my ears.”

I grabbed a cookie and some red icing while we watched Deborah Kerr put Cary Grant in his place. Those darn celebrity men. I could totally relate.

“I’m so happy you and Josh are back together,” Laney said offhandedly while masterfully filling in her cookie with the shimmering icing.

“Me too.”

“I had a feeling you would find your way back to each other.”

I tilted my head. “You did?”

She nodded. “You were too good together. But I think Josh had some growing up to do first.”

I raised a brow. “Josh?” I thought for sure she would have blamed it all on me.

“Don’t sound so surprised. I love my son, but he has his faults, like everyone.”

“He is a slob,” I pointed out.

“I know,” she said, exasperated. “He gets that from his father. He can also be singularly focused and miss the bigger picture.”

I set down the piping bag. “What do you mean?”

She placed her perfectly iced cookie on a tray. “Kent and I told him a long time ago that LA was not where dreams come true. But he had to figure that one out on his own.”

I shifted on my stool. “I worry that someday he might regret not doing that pilot.”

“Oh, honey, don’t you see how content he is? Sometimes you have to travel down the wrong road to know which one is right.”

Didn’t I know it.

“Josh,” she sighed. “I knew he wasn’t happy in LA. He tried to cover it up, make jokes about it, but I knew.” She rested a cheek on my hand. “You opened his eyes to see the road home, and I’m not talking about Nashville.” She pointed at my heart. “This is where he belongs. Careers and opportunities come and go, but none of it matters unless your heart is in the right place.”

I let her words settle in my soul. I, for one, knew my heart was finally at home.

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