I was still thinking about it when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and looked at the unfamiliar number on the screen. Was it Stella? It was a local number, so maybe she was calling from her grandmother’s house phone.
“Hello?”
“Oh, hello. Is this Mr. Woods?”
It wasn’t Stella, but the voice was familiar. “Yes. Mrs. Gardner?”
“Yes. How are you, dear?”
“I’m fine. Is everything okay?”
“Yes. I’m sorry to bother you at work, but I was just wondering if you’d like to join Stella and me for dinner this evening. We’re having meatloaf.”
My stomach rumbled. I loved meatloaf. But I wasn’t sure about having dinner over there. Taking Stella to a restaurant was one thing, but a family dinner felt so … personal. Like it came with expectations. “Uh, I’m not sure.”
“Oh, do you have plans already?”
“No,” I answered before I could stop myself.
“Perfect, then we’ll see you around seven?”
“Um … Okay.”
“Splendid. See you then.”
She hung up before I even knew what hit me.
I stared at my phone in disbelief. Man. That woman was crafty as fuck.
Guess I was going to dinner.
While I had my phone out, I decided to try to reach Bones, but he didn’t answer. I left a message.
“Hey, Bones. It’s Woods. Listen, give me a call, okay?”
After hanging up, I slipped my phone back into my pocket and got back to work. If he didn’t call me back by tonight, I’d try again tomorrow.
Twenty-Five
Stella
Eventually I’d fallen asleep, then I’d woken up from my nap and gone for a run, hoping it would clear my head.
It didn’t.
Drumming through my mind were tons of reasons to get the hell out while I could, but my heart clung like a child to some balloon string of hope. I felt paralyzed.
I came home, cleaned up, and had lunch with Grams in town, although I wasn’t very hungry and barely tasted my food. Emme had called twice, but I didn’t feel like talking and didn’t want to be told what to do.
After we got back, I wandered into the yard and sat on the swing Ryan had hung in the birch tree for me, idly swaying side to side. He hadn’t called, and I wasn’t sure he was going to. Maybe he’d changed his mind about—
“Stella, dear!” Grams called from the back porch. “Come look who just popped in for a visit!”
My heart started to race. He was here! I jumped off the swing and started for the house when someone else joined Grams on the porch. I stopped in my tracks. It wasn’t Ryan—it was Emme.
“Hey, sis,” she called, grinning at me.
“Hi,” I said, shaking my head. I hurried onto the porch to hug her. “What are you doing here?”
“I had the weekend free and I missed you both. I thought I’d shoot up and see what was new.” She gave me an innocent smile that didn’t fool me for one second. She’d come up here to sniff around, that’s what she’d done.
“You had the weekend free?” I asked suspiciously. “You never have a whole weekend free.”
She shrugged as we went into the house. “I was free tonight. And Coco said she’d handle tomorrow night’s wedding. October isn’t a super busy month.”
“You look lovely, darling. Just lovely!” Grams assessed my sister from head to toe.
Emme was lovely, of course. We had the same long blond hair, but Emme’s was always styled in tousled waves or blown perfectly smooth or braided into some fancy style. She wore feminine clothes in bright colors and patterns like polka dots and florals. Today she had on a red flared skirt and a pink turtleneck. Her lipstick matched her skirt. She was a few months pregnant, not that you could tell, but she still wore heels—strappy red suede.
Only Emme.
“Where’s Nate? He didn’t come with you?” I sank into a kitchen chair, suddenly feeling shlubby in my jeans, T-shirt, and cardigan.
“No, he has Paisley this weekend, and said he could use a little father/daughter time. And it’s good for him.” Emme sat down opposite me, her spine ramrod straight, her ankles delicately crossed. With her chin propped in her hand, she batted her lashes at me. “So what’s going on?”
“Stella has a beau,” Grams bubbled, “and we’re having him over for meatloaf dinner tonight.”
I rolled my eyes. “Grams, we don’t know that for sure.”
“Yes, we do. I called and invited him.”
I sat up straighter. “You did?”
“Of course.”
“Called him where?”
“On his pocket phone. He gave me his number once in case of an emergency.”
“Grams, this isn’t an emergency.”
She smiled sweetly. “Now don’t you worry about a thing. I’m going to the store right now for everything we need, and dinner is going to be perfect. My meatloaf has a secret ingredient that makes it taste divine.”
“So—so he said yes?” I asked, trying to adjust to this news.
“He did indeed. What man in his right mind would turn down meatloaf? It’s comfort food!”
“I have no idea.” I leaned back in my chair, shaking my head.
“Grams, can we help with dinner?” Emme asked.
“That’s kind of you, darling, but I’ll handle the cooking tonight. Why don’t you two head into town for some shopping? Emme, maybe you can help Stella find something pretty to wear tonight.”
Emme grinned at me. “Sure, Grams. We can pick up dessert, too.”
“Emme Devine, if you think I’d serve store-bought dessert at my house, you’ve lost your marbles!” Grams admonished.
“Sorry, don’t know what I was thinking.” My sister got to her feet and tapped my shoulder. “Come on, Stell. Let’s take a ride.”
“I came to rescue you,” Emme said, starting her car. “I don’t have a white horse, but I do have a white Honda.”
“Lies,” I told her, buckling my seatbelt. “You came to get a look at Ryan.”
“Okay, maybe I did want to meet the man who has my unflappable big sister in such a tizzy. But I also came to make sure you were okay. You didn’t answer my calls.” Emme backed out of Grams’s driveway and headed for town.
“Sorry. But I figured you were calling to see what I’d decided, and I hadn’t decided anything.”
Emme looked over at me. “I’ve never heard you like this. You’re really into this guy, huh?”
“Kind of. I’ve never met anyone like him. He’s complicated and moody and quiet, but he’s also funny and kind and sweet. And he’s beautiful. I can hardly be in the same room with him without wanting to tear his clothes off.”
Emme giggled. “Should make for an interesting evening.”
I groaned, dropping my face into my hands. “What is this, Em? What’s wrong with me that I know this guy doesn’t want me, but I can’t stop wanting him?”
“Why are you so sure he doesn’t want you? I mean, why would he agree to come to your grandma’s house for dinner if he wasn’t interested?”
I sighed. “Again. It’s complicated. And confusing. He likes being with me, but he’s told me multiple times that ultimately he prefers being alone. He doesn’t ever want a wife, doesn’t ever want kids, and he lives way up here. There are so many wrongs and only one right.”
“Which is?”
“The way we fit together,” I said. “Not just physically, although that part is unbelievable, but the way we balance each other out. It feels really good. I’m my real self around him, and he’s his real self around me—at least, I think he is. My gut tells me he is.”
“I cannot wait to meet this guy.”
I looked over at her. “Please don’t embarrass me.”
Her jaw dropped in mock protest. “I’m shocked you would even think it of me.”
“I just know it’s going to be bad enough with Grams trying to play her matchmaking game. And sometimes you can be … dramatic.”
“Hello?”
“Oh, hello. Is this Mr. Woods?”
It wasn’t Stella, but the voice was familiar. “Yes. Mrs. Gardner?”
“Yes. How are you, dear?”
“I’m fine. Is everything okay?”
“Yes. I’m sorry to bother you at work, but I was just wondering if you’d like to join Stella and me for dinner this evening. We’re having meatloaf.”
My stomach rumbled. I loved meatloaf. But I wasn’t sure about having dinner over there. Taking Stella to a restaurant was one thing, but a family dinner felt so … personal. Like it came with expectations. “Uh, I’m not sure.”
“Oh, do you have plans already?”
“No,” I answered before I could stop myself.
“Perfect, then we’ll see you around seven?”
“Um … Okay.”
“Splendid. See you then.”
She hung up before I even knew what hit me.
I stared at my phone in disbelief. Man. That woman was crafty as fuck.
Guess I was going to dinner.
While I had my phone out, I decided to try to reach Bones, but he didn’t answer. I left a message.
“Hey, Bones. It’s Woods. Listen, give me a call, okay?”
After hanging up, I slipped my phone back into my pocket and got back to work. If he didn’t call me back by tonight, I’d try again tomorrow.
Twenty-Five
Stella
Eventually I’d fallen asleep, then I’d woken up from my nap and gone for a run, hoping it would clear my head.
It didn’t.
Drumming through my mind were tons of reasons to get the hell out while I could, but my heart clung like a child to some balloon string of hope. I felt paralyzed.
I came home, cleaned up, and had lunch with Grams in town, although I wasn’t very hungry and barely tasted my food. Emme had called twice, but I didn’t feel like talking and didn’t want to be told what to do.
After we got back, I wandered into the yard and sat on the swing Ryan had hung in the birch tree for me, idly swaying side to side. He hadn’t called, and I wasn’t sure he was going to. Maybe he’d changed his mind about—
“Stella, dear!” Grams called from the back porch. “Come look who just popped in for a visit!”
My heart started to race. He was here! I jumped off the swing and started for the house when someone else joined Grams on the porch. I stopped in my tracks. It wasn’t Ryan—it was Emme.
“Hey, sis,” she called, grinning at me.
“Hi,” I said, shaking my head. I hurried onto the porch to hug her. “What are you doing here?”
“I had the weekend free and I missed you both. I thought I’d shoot up and see what was new.” She gave me an innocent smile that didn’t fool me for one second. She’d come up here to sniff around, that’s what she’d done.
“You had the weekend free?” I asked suspiciously. “You never have a whole weekend free.”
She shrugged as we went into the house. “I was free tonight. And Coco said she’d handle tomorrow night’s wedding. October isn’t a super busy month.”
“You look lovely, darling. Just lovely!” Grams assessed my sister from head to toe.
Emme was lovely, of course. We had the same long blond hair, but Emme’s was always styled in tousled waves or blown perfectly smooth or braided into some fancy style. She wore feminine clothes in bright colors and patterns like polka dots and florals. Today she had on a red flared skirt and a pink turtleneck. Her lipstick matched her skirt. She was a few months pregnant, not that you could tell, but she still wore heels—strappy red suede.
Only Emme.
“Where’s Nate? He didn’t come with you?” I sank into a kitchen chair, suddenly feeling shlubby in my jeans, T-shirt, and cardigan.
“No, he has Paisley this weekend, and said he could use a little father/daughter time. And it’s good for him.” Emme sat down opposite me, her spine ramrod straight, her ankles delicately crossed. With her chin propped in her hand, she batted her lashes at me. “So what’s going on?”
“Stella has a beau,” Grams bubbled, “and we’re having him over for meatloaf dinner tonight.”
I rolled my eyes. “Grams, we don’t know that for sure.”
“Yes, we do. I called and invited him.”
I sat up straighter. “You did?”
“Of course.”
“Called him where?”
“On his pocket phone. He gave me his number once in case of an emergency.”
“Grams, this isn’t an emergency.”
She smiled sweetly. “Now don’t you worry about a thing. I’m going to the store right now for everything we need, and dinner is going to be perfect. My meatloaf has a secret ingredient that makes it taste divine.”
“So—so he said yes?” I asked, trying to adjust to this news.
“He did indeed. What man in his right mind would turn down meatloaf? It’s comfort food!”
“I have no idea.” I leaned back in my chair, shaking my head.
“Grams, can we help with dinner?” Emme asked.
“That’s kind of you, darling, but I’ll handle the cooking tonight. Why don’t you two head into town for some shopping? Emme, maybe you can help Stella find something pretty to wear tonight.”
Emme grinned at me. “Sure, Grams. We can pick up dessert, too.”
“Emme Devine, if you think I’d serve store-bought dessert at my house, you’ve lost your marbles!” Grams admonished.
“Sorry, don’t know what I was thinking.” My sister got to her feet and tapped my shoulder. “Come on, Stell. Let’s take a ride.”
“I came to rescue you,” Emme said, starting her car. “I don’t have a white horse, but I do have a white Honda.”
“Lies,” I told her, buckling my seatbelt. “You came to get a look at Ryan.”
“Okay, maybe I did want to meet the man who has my unflappable big sister in such a tizzy. But I also came to make sure you were okay. You didn’t answer my calls.” Emme backed out of Grams’s driveway and headed for town.
“Sorry. But I figured you were calling to see what I’d decided, and I hadn’t decided anything.”
Emme looked over at me. “I’ve never heard you like this. You’re really into this guy, huh?”
“Kind of. I’ve never met anyone like him. He’s complicated and moody and quiet, but he’s also funny and kind and sweet. And he’s beautiful. I can hardly be in the same room with him without wanting to tear his clothes off.”
Emme giggled. “Should make for an interesting evening.”
I groaned, dropping my face into my hands. “What is this, Em? What’s wrong with me that I know this guy doesn’t want me, but I can’t stop wanting him?”
“Why are you so sure he doesn’t want you? I mean, why would he agree to come to your grandma’s house for dinner if he wasn’t interested?”
I sighed. “Again. It’s complicated. And confusing. He likes being with me, but he’s told me multiple times that ultimately he prefers being alone. He doesn’t ever want a wife, doesn’t ever want kids, and he lives way up here. There are so many wrongs and only one right.”
“Which is?”
“The way we fit together,” I said. “Not just physically, although that part is unbelievable, but the way we balance each other out. It feels really good. I’m my real self around him, and he’s his real self around me—at least, I think he is. My gut tells me he is.”
“I cannot wait to meet this guy.”
I looked over at her. “Please don’t embarrass me.”
Her jaw dropped in mock protest. “I’m shocked you would even think it of me.”
“I just know it’s going to be bad enough with Grams trying to play her matchmaking game. And sometimes you can be … dramatic.”
