“Maybe you need medication.”
He leaned against the railing. “You really did try to tell me about Tyler.”
She nodded.
There were still the first six years of Tyler’s life to deal with, but that was for another time. A few words on a page had changed everything.
“Can we start over?” he asked.
Her expression turned wary. “While I appreciate the offer and don’t mean to sound ungracious, it’s really just a matter of time until you’re pissed at me again.”
“Don’t you want to take advantage of my good mood?”
She grimaced. “No, thanks.”
“You should. Have dinner with me. We can talk logistics.”
She shook her head. “Thanks, but I’m not ready to be exposed to the questionable society of this town. Eating out, with you, in a restaurant, isn’t my idea of a good time.”
“At my place. Tomorrow night.”
“You cook?”
“I have many talents.”
A light wash of color stained her cheeks. “Yes, well, I have three minors I have to worry about. Melissa is fourteen and plenty old enough to be left on her own, but under the circumstances, I’m not sure I want to leave her in charge. She’s had enough responsibility for a while.”
“My mom can come over and watch them.”
Liz winced. “I’m sure she’s a lovely woman, but I’m not up to another encounter with the soul that is your mother.”
“Then I’ll ask one of my sisters.”
Liz considered that. “If Montana will stay with the kids, I’ll go. I ran into her today and she doesn’t hate me. In your family, that’s practically a miracle. Of course she doesn’t know about Tyler and it’s possible finding out will change everything, but a girl can dream.”
“Montana it is,” he agreed. “She’ll be here at six tomorrow.”
“How do you know she doesn’t have plans?”
“I don’t, but she owes me.”
“Typical male.”
He grinned. “Is that a yes?” he asked, although he already knew the answer.
She sighed. “Yes.”
LIZ HAD ALMOST TWENTY-FOUR hours to regret her decision and she did her best to make use of the time.
Dinner with Ethan? What had she been thinking? More alone time so he could yell at her again? Not her smartest move. But now, as she got ready to walk over to his place, she knew she wasn’t going to back out. She and Ethan had too much they had to talk about-mostly practicalities when it came to him getting to know Tyler. With a little luck, and proof that she had tried to contact him five years before, they might be able to have a normal, regular conversation. Like adults.
Maybe.
Montana arrived right on time, as bubbly and gushing as she had been the day before.
“I brought books for you to sign,” Ethan’s sister spoke as she entered the house. “Not tonight. I’ll just leave them and you can get to them when it’s convenient. And Pia told me I’m not supposed to bug you about the book festival, but offering my babysitting services in exchange for you coming to the festival isn’t exactly the same as bugging, right?”
Liz couldn’t help laughing. “Do you drink a lot of coffee?”
Montana grinned. “I get that question all the time.” She glanced around, as if checking to see if they were alone, then lowered her voice. “I heard about Tyler and that you tried to tell Ethan before. That Rayanne kept it from him. I know we’re not supposed to say anything bad about someone who’s dead, but I’m not even surprised she did that.”
Liz wanted to ask her why, but the three kids came down the stairs just then.
Introductions were made, the pizza ordered and rules for the evening established. Liz made sure her cell number was written down. She’d already talked to Melissa about Montana coming over to watch the younger kids and the teen had agreed she was happy not to have to take on more responsibility. Just before she left, Liz checked to make sure the pizza money was on the dining room table.
But the two twenties she’d left were gone.
“Did somebody take the pizza money?” she yelled toward the living room.
The kids and Montana were already engrossed in picking out their movies for the evening. A mumbled “I didn’t see it” drifted back to her.
Liz checked under the table, to see if the money had fallen. But there weren’t any bills tucked behind chair legs. Maybe she’d only planned to put out the money.
She removed two more twenties from her wallet and handed them to Montana.
“Have fun,” she called. “I should be back by ten, but if I’m not, everyone goes to bed then. Bye.”
“Bye, Aunt Liz.”
“Bye, Mom.”
“Have a good time,” Montana told her. “Get Ethan to tell you about the book festival.”
“You’re relentless,” Liz said as she walked to the door.
“One of my best qualities. It marks me as a Hendrix.”
CHAPTER SIX
ETHAN’S HOUSE WAS ON THE OTHER side of town, which meant it was a fifteen-minute walk. With the longer days, the sun was still out, the sky blue. She distracted herself by naming the flowers she passed. As she knew little more than the basic rose/carnation/daisy types, it wasn’t a totally successful diversion.
Instead she questioned her choice of clothing for the evening. She’d wanted to be casual but not too casual, settling on a cap-sleeve T-shirt in light green and a white denim skirt that showed off her spray-tanned legs. With her red hair, real tanning was impossible and only promoted sunburn and freckles.
Maybe she should have simply worn jeans. Did a skirt imply a date? She didn’t want him thinking she thought this was more than it was.
Before she could make herself totally insane, she turned on Ethan’s street and paused to admire the house. It was relatively new, craftsman style with a wide porch and plenty of wood. Cream shutters contrasted with the deep green of the main house.
There was plenty more to appreciate, but she had a feeling that if she stood in front too long, she wouldn’t have the courage to go inside. Eventually the neighbors would notice her frozen on the sidewalk, assume she was crazy and call the police. From there it would all be downhill, proving that going inside was probably the safest and best plan.
She made her way to the front door, which opened before she could knock. Ethan stood there, looking tall and masculine and sexy in jeans, boots and a soft white shirt with the sleeves rolled to the elbows. His hair was slightly mussed, his expression both welcoming and expectant. For a second she felt a very different kind of tension-one that began low in her belly and worked itself all over her body. While it was better than nerves or annoyance, it wasn’t any safer.
She’d loved Ethan once, she reminded herself. That made her vulnerable. Just because they’d worked through a few things didn’t mean she could relax now. Noticing that he was a good-looking guy who made her insides sigh with appreciation wasn’t anything she had time for.
“You made it,” he noted.
