Mental alarm bells went off and I put my hand out. I couldn’t handle anything else orchestrated by Shannon, not tonight anyway.
“Here’s your mom.” Shannon handed me the phone.
“Mom, are you seriously sitting in the same room with Josh Wiley? He may not be one of my favorites, but this is still so cool.” Excitement filled Nat’s voice.
“Yes, he’s here.” He was inches from me, looking truly concerned and as devastatingly handsome as ever. I murmured, “How are you?”
He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to my forehead, then went into the kitchen.
“Dad and I are suffering through my algebra homework. It gave Grams a headache. But who cares about my homework right now? I mean, Josh Wiley!”
I tried not to tense, but the panic was there.
It was Daniel’s night to visit the kids. It’s not a big deal. Mom’s there. Everything is okay.
I sat down in an armchair as we talked, pulling my knees under me as I tried to squish the panic lingering in my stomach. “Tell me about your day, Nat. Please?”
Natalie filled me in on school, posting my photo, and a cute new boy in class.
Shannon was clicking on her laptop when her eyebrow suddenly shot up. She turned the screen toward Josh as he came back from the kitchen. He nodded.
“Dad just said you looked beautiful in the picture,” Natalie said. “What did you do today? Other than hang out with Josh Wiley, I mean.”
I didn’t linger over Daniel’s compliment or the knot it left in my stomach. “I’ve been busy. Yoga, massage, mud bath. All very different…” I paused, my anxiety vanishing as the last twenty-four hours replayed vividly. My gaze wandered to Josh and my cheeks grew hot. The look in his eyes made me ache. “Different in a good way.”
Josh smiled
at me, apparently amused by my choice of words.
“I’m glad you’re having fun. Do you think he’ll give you an autograph? That’d be so cool. Mom, here’s Will.”
“Mommy?” Will asked.
“Hey, little man. How are you? I’m missing you. Tell me about your day.”
And he did. Will was a talker, when he would talk on the phone. He told me about class, scouts, softball, and that the crusts weren’t cut off of his sandwich.
I laughed, gushed, and grew a little misty over missing his first love note. Will sounded horrified as he explained. “Grams put it in your jewelry box ‘cause I don’t want it.” He paused. “Dad wants to talk to you. Miss you, Mom, and I love you.”
“I love you too, Will. Be good for Grams.”
I felt myself grow tense and took a calming breath as he spoke. “Happy birthday, Claire. Having fun?”
“Hi, Daniel, yes, thanks.”
I stood, immediately antsy. I turned and looked out the window at the blue-black water of the ocean below. His voice still unsettled me, but it didn’t make me cower. Not as much, anyway.
Shannon and Josh were reflected in the window. I saw Shannon shake her head. She leaned toward Josh and spoke softly before she stood and left the room.
Josh stood and made his way to me. He stopped just behind me, not touching me. His reflection showed his uncertainty. He seemed to hesitate, his hands twisting the manuscript he held. He ran a hand over his face then sat in the chair. He opened the script he held, but kept glancing at my back.
I was sorry he was there then, that he’d heard so much—possibly everything. I let my forehead rest on the cool windowpane, but decided more privacy was necessary. I opened the glass door and slipped onto the balcony. The balmy ocean breeze hit me, making my chest feel heavier. The gentle roar of the beach was soothing though, so I focused on those sounds to temper the edge that crept into Daniel’s voice.
“I obviously didn’t make the sandwiches, your mom did.” Daniel’s voice was teasing, playful.
“I know. I’ll talk to her.”
He sighed. “He’ll learn to eat them with the crust. That’s ridiculous.”