“Are you well, Lila?” Sal leaned toward me. His demeanor had changed drastically once we’d migrated into the dining room. He’d taken the seat at the head of the table, and indicated for me to sit beside him on his left, while Phil had good-naturedly seated himself at the other end and invited everyone to make themselves comfortable.
I tried to convince myself that Sal’s knee, which kept touching mine under the table, was just a coincidence and had nothing to do with the sense of . . . ownership . . . he kept displaying. It had been Sal who’d noticed how quickly I’d drained my wine glass and had asked if I’d like some water. Maureen’s bemused expression hadn’t left her face yet, and probably would’ve been funny even now if I wasn’t so distracted by the yellow flecks of light streaking back and forth between her and Phil. They were both on their third glass of wine.
“Lila?”
“I’m fine! Just a little headache.”
“You know, another glass of wine would fix that problem,” Phil teased. He and Maureen both knew I was pretty much a teetotaler.
“That is not a helpful suggestion.” Sal was overly firm, and everyone looked at him in surprise.
Phil recovered first. “But then she might need you to drive her home. Just trying to help a buddy out.”
“Awkward!” Maureen giggled and pretended to slap her husband, but he grabbed her hand and kissed it. “Ladies, how about a tour of the house?”
“Good plan.” I stood up immediately. Sal was looking at Phil as if he didn’t get the innuendo, and I didn’t want to be anywhere near him when he finished sorting it out. Or when Phil decided it would be funny to spell it out for him.
Abnormally Sociable
Cara seemed reluctant to get up from the table—not that I blamed her as huge as she was, poor thing—but after a surreptitious look at Sal, she pushed herself up to join us. I wondered what that was about. He hadn’t acknowledged her as if they’d ever met. Maybe he just reminded her of someone else—like an ex-boyfriend. A blast from the past was enough to make anyone nervous.
“Men!” Phil announced. “Time for a game of pool. Follow me.”
We split up in the foyer, and as Maureen led the ladies up the curving stairs, the plethora of angels dispersed. Thank you. As much as I didn’t want to lose them entirely, I was definitely grateful to be able to focus on human company.
Maureen glanced back, “Cara, sweetheart, sorry for all the stairs. I figured we’d do the upper levels before you get tired, but let me know if you need to sit and rest anywhere, okay?” She might be well past tipsy, but nothing could make her an ill-mannered hostess.
We made our way through two of the spacious guest suites on the second floor, lingering to admire Maureen’s handpicked decorating treasures, but as we ambled into the master bedroom, it was obvious Cara needed to rest. Maureen guided her to a plush, creamy velvet chaise and insisted that she slip her shoes off and curl up for a few minutes.
Of course, like the other bedrooms, this room went well beyond the scope of its namesake function, so there were ample places for Maureen and me to sit, too. I selected a pearl-pink upholstered wingback beside an overflowing bookshelf. Mostly true-crime and romance stuff. A few inspirational, be-the-best-at-everything books. Not my idea of good reading. Disappointed, I tuned back in to their conversation just as Maureen brought up the baby.
“I haven’t seen you since the wedding in January. I didn’t realize you were so far along! Time flies!” Her smile seemed to hint at something, but Cara just nodded. “Your wedding dress was so beautiful! That empire waistline and scooped neck really drew attention to your lovely face . . . ”
So much for alcohol not affecting her hosting abilities.
“Would it be alright if I had another glass of water? I promise I won’t spill.”
“Hmm? Oh, sure. Help yourself! We’ll be right here.”
Ugh. I’d thought she’d offer to get it. “Cara, would you like anything?” She looked so pale. I wondered if it was the pregnancy or Maureen’s hints. So it was a shotgun wedding. Been there, done that.
“No. Thank you though.” She mustered a weak smile, and I mouthed “good luck” on my way out.
Back in the foyer, I paused, wondering whether I needed to hang out with the guys until Maureen finished poking into Cara’s premarital sex life. That girl! Friend or not, what business was it of hers? And I so didn’t want to think about this topic. My past was full of bad choices, and since Eileen didn’t have two parents, I’d obviously screwed up big time along the way. Too bad I hadn’t screwed up with someone who was actually a good fit for me, but since the one I had screwed up with wasn’t even alive anymore, it didn’t really make a difference. Either way, it seemed Eileen and I were destined to be a family of two.
Not the best thoughts to have while you’re on a date.
I inhaled and took advantage of the foyer’s seclusion to roll my head in circles and try to relax. Another couple of deep breaths, in through the nose, and out through the mouth, and that was as good as it was gonna get. I spied my purse on the table and wasted another minute checking for messages from Eileen, but there were none. I was out of excuses and it was time to face the facts.
Fact one, I was thirty-eight and supposed to be getting to know a much younger man who was just as alien to me now as he was the other day. And let’s not forget fact number two. No man in this world was prepared to deal with my package o’bizarreness. Even if it came all tied up with a bow and a disclaimer: Lilith Ann Givens, a.k.a.
