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“Yoo-hoo, Lindy! Wait for us!”
Lindy paused at the entrance to Sunrise Assisted Living Home, experiencing a moment of déjà vu. The Wakefield sisters were sailing towards her, vibrantly colored silk scarves fluttering behind them. They were waving frantically.
She sighed. She’d avoided both them and their nephew after yesterday’s church service, slipping out the side door of the community room when they got waylaid by the pastor in the vestibule.
Considering it now, she was a little ashamed of her cowardly behavior yesterday. It wasn’t like her to run away from things. But she hadn’t had time to dwell on Devin and the shocking kiss he’d given her the night before. She’d imagined she’d be awake all night, but she’d fallen asleep the instant her head hit the pillow. No doubt it’d been all the wine and delicious food she’d consumed.
On Sunday morning, she’d rushed to get ready for church. She wasn’t prepared to discover Devin sitting beside his aunts in the front row. She figured he’d been teasing her about coming to church that morning. She hadn’t been ready to face him. So, she’d run away.
And she’d escaped yesterday afternoon too, driving out to the coast to spend hours walking back and forth along her favorite beach just past Bodega Bay. It’d been a cool and windy day. Aside from a few brave surfers, she’d been the only one there.
As she’d walked, she’d gone through every detail of her date with Devin, searching for clues. Their conversation, the tone of his voice, the expressions on his face. The kiss.
Was he interested in her as more than a friend? Part of her decided his kiss had been some kind of reprisal, his male ego responding to the cold shoulder she’d given him after realizing he’d only asked her out as an apology for the way he treated her on Halloween night.
She almost convinced herself that was the reason. But then she remembered the tender way he’d kissed her and held her as the embrace went from fierce to gentle. Had she kissed him back? She couldn’t recall. She’d been so shocked. And happy too. A happy shock. His kisses had been very pleasurable.
Which was why she had to keep her distance from him. She must stick to her resolve to never show him her true feelings, and she needed some time to reinforce her defenses. He was a guy who’d kissed a girl at the end of an enjoyable date. That was all.
“Lindy! What’s the rush?” Jo asked, pulling Lindy’s thoughts to the present.
The sisters were standing in front of her, a little out of breath from their race to catch her before she exited the building. She smiled apologetically at their inquisitive faces. “I’m sorry I didn’t stay to say goodbye. I’m meeting Jessica McAllister for lunch.”
“That’s right. They’re back from their honeymoon,” Bert said. “Zelda mentioned it the other day.”
“We won’t keep you,” Jo said. “But we wanted to ask you about your plans for Thanksgiving.”
“We usually go to a restaurant,” Bert said. “But we’ve decided to have the feast at our house this year.”
“Sam asked us to,” Jo said.
“He pointed out we have a huge dining room.” Bert spread out her arms to illustrate that fact. “We could invite twenty guests or more.”
“But we’re keeping it small,” Jo said. “Just us two.” She flapped a hand at her sister. “Hank Atkinson, you, Sam, and Devin, naturally.”
Lindy hesitated. “Have you already invited Mr. Atkinson?”
Jo’s face took on an unfamiliar glow. “Yes.”
“He’s bringing a green bean casserole,” Bert said.
There were still three weeks until Thanksgiving, Lindy figured. That should be time enough to put Devin’s kisses behind her and present an outwardly calm and friendly demeanor. Could she handle it? “I usually go to Zelda’s,” she said, stalling, not wanting to offend the two sisters by refusing.
“She hasn’t told you?” Bert asked. “She’s traveling to San Diego with Ethan and Jessica. They’re spending the holiday with his parents.”
Jo nodded. “So, you’ll just have to come to our house, Lindy dear. We don’t want you spending the holiday alone.”
Still, Lindy hedged. “But, my brother...”
“Oh, we forgot about Joe!” Bert gasped, her eyes wide.
Her sister flapped a dismissive hand. “Invite him too.”
“But that’ll be an uneven number, Josephine,” Bert said.
“Oh, that’s right.” Jo turned to Lindy. “Tell your brother he’s welcome to bring a date. Is he seeing anyone?”
Actually, Lindy hadn’t seen her brother since the wedding. They’d talked on the phone twice, but Joe had quickly changed the subject the one time Lindy had mentioned Polly Winslow. “I’m not sure.”
“Well, tell him to bring a guest if he wants.”
“I guess an odd number doesn’t matter,” Bert said.
“It’ll be fun, no matter what,” Jo said confidently. “Two o’clock on Thanksgiving Day, Lindy. Be sure to mark it on your calendar. Oh, and it’s informal. No need to get fancy.”
Although she’d never given an official answer, it looked like Lindy had committed herself to going to the Wakefield mansion for Thanksgiving, whether or not she wanted to. She sighed inwardly. “Sounds good. Thanks for inviting me.” She made a point of looking at her watch. “I’ve got to run. I’ll see you two later.”
Lindy and Jessica had arranged to meet at a small downtown bistro. As Lindy walked in, Jessica stood from a table toward the back of the room and rushed forward to greet her.
“Hello, Mrs. McAllister,” Lindy said with a laugh after they’d hugged. “You’re glowing!”
Jessica’s face shone even brighter. “I’m in bliss, Lins.” She led Lindy to their table. Once they’d sat down, she asked, “Can the honeymoon stage last forever?”
Lindy laughed again. “I’m hardly the authority on honeymoons. You two will have to give it your best effort.”
“Oh, we are,” her friend said. She averted her gaze to her menu, a blush creeping up her neck. “We are.”
Lindy cleared her throat. “Speaking of work, have you decided on an opening date for your design studio?”
“Ethan and I have talked about it, and we’ve decided to wait until after the new year. With the holidays coming and all the family get-togethers, it will be hectic. And we’re both so busy getting the new house organized and, uh, other things.” Jessica’s eyes lost focus as she stared dreamily at some distant object.
Lindy rolled her eyes. “Okay. I can tell you’re not interested in talking about work. Tell me about the honeymoon.”
During their meal of soup and sandwiches, Jessica did most of the talking, re-visiting the memories of her wedding day, the thrill of seeing the finished house for the first time, and the newlyweds idyllic two weeks in Hawaii. “It was heaven. We’re considering going back there every year.” Then, struck by a thought, she leaned closer to Lindy and asked in a low voice, “What happened with Annie and Jake at the wedding? Jake hasn’t said a peep. I heard they were seen talking together and then Jake left the party early.”
Lindy shared what she’d witnessed. She exchanged a troubled look with her friend. “Whatever Jake said to her, she looked white as a ghost. She and her fiancé left right after.”
“I didn’t like that man,” Jessica said with a fierce expression. “He seems to have some kind of power over her. And, honestly, I didn’t like her, either. I mean, the way she is now. I don’t how she was before.”
“It’s night and day,” Lindy said. “I hardly recognized her.” Her voice shook a little. “I’m so worried about her. But there’s nothing I can do.”
“Zelda says it’ll all come out in the wash,” Jessica offered consolingly. “She’s usually right about these things. She says she sensed Ethan and I would end up together from the first day we met.”
“Since you mentioned Zelda,” Lindy said quickly before her friend drifted off into a dreamy state again. “I bumped into Bert and Jo before I came here. They said you’re all going to San Diego for Thanksgiving?”
Jessica smiled. “That’s right. I didn’t get to spend much time with Ethan’s parents while they were here. We’re staying the weekend.” She smirked. “And speaking of the Wakefield sisters, I saw you dancing with their nephew at my wedding. You looked good together.”
Lindy pretended a sudden interest in her soup. “He’s an excellent dancer. He makes anyone he dances with look good.”
“Have you seen him since the wedding?” Jessica inquired way too casually.
Lindy sighed. She gave her friend an admonishing look. “Didn’t we talk about the fact he’s moving to Montana? And that he has a girlfriend?”
“Yes, and yes. So?”
“Ugh. You just don’t quit. I’ve seen him a few times since the wedding, okay?” She shared brief details of the picnic, and then the events that had occurred on Halloween. And when her friend stared at her with a knowing smile, she admitted Devin had taken her to dinner.
Naturally, Jessica wanted to hear every single detail of their date, and pried them from Lindy, even the kiss.
“Hon, that man likes you. It’s so obvious.”
“Sure. As a friend.”
“A friend doesn’t kiss like that.”
“He was just reacting to the way I’d tried to brush him off. It was just the male ego responding.”
Jessica gave her an amused look. “Sure it was,” she said dryly.
“Montana. Girlfriend.”
“Neither of which appears set in stone.”
“You didn’t see his face when he talked about starting a new boat charter business. He was serious.”
“So, why not compromise?” Jessica suggested. “That’s a summer business up there. You don’t teach during the summer. You could spend your summers in Montana and the rest of the year here.”
The idea struck Lindy like a ray of light cutting through thick clouds. She wondered why she hadn’t thought of it herself during the thirty-six hours since she’d realized she was in love with Devin Wakefield. “That might work,” she said with deliberation. Then she scowled. She shook a finger at her interfering friend. “What am I saying? He’s not my boyfriend. He’s involved with someone else. This is all pure fantasy.”
Jessica shrugged. “You need to shake things up. Stir the pot a little.”
“What do you mean?”
Her friend grinned. “Whatever happened to that guy you were telling me about. Michael, wasn’t it?”
“The one who liked to talk about himself?”
“That one. You said he seemed like a decent guy otherwise. Did you ever give him a second chance?”
“He’s called a couple times, but I’ve been busy.”
“Well,” Jessica said. “Un-busy yourself, Lins. It’s time for you to take the lead in this dance.”
***
LINDY HEEDED HER FRIEND’S advice and phoned Michael that evening. He sounded delighted to hear from her. After a few minutes of friendly chitchat, he asked her out to dinner for that coming Saturday night. She ignored the tiny voice in her head telling her it wasn’t nice to lead a man on and agreed to the date.
Devin called on Wednesday evening while she was taking Louie for a walk. By the time she noticed he’d called, it was after ten o’clock. She decided not to return the call.
He called again the next day, just before noon.
“You didn’t return my call,” he said without a hello.
“Sorry. I didn’t notice you’d called until late last night.”
“Oh? Were you out?”
Did walking the dog and spending a couple of hours at her neighbor’s watching an old western flick on television count as out? “Yes.”
The silence was almost deafening.
“Actually, I was calling on behalf of Sam,” Devin said eventually, his voice crisp.
“Oh?”
“He wants you to come for dinner this Saturday. It’s pizza and a movie night. He gets to choose the movie.”
Lindy felt like an absolute heel. How sweet of Sam to invite her over. The disappointment in her voice was genuine as she replied, “I’m sorry. I already have plans for this Saturday night.”
“Oh? What plans?” Devin asked, sounding gruff.
“I have a date.”
Silence.
“Who with?”
“His name is Michael. We met a few weeks ago. He’s a nice guy.”
His sudden, casual laugh confused her. “All right, Lindy. I’ll let Sam know. Maybe next time.”
He hung up.
“Doesn’t he know how to say goodbye?” she grumbled. And he hadn’t sounded too disappointed by the end of the call either.
But when she phoned Jessica to share the current status of their plan, her friend offered reassurance. “He’s just pretending to be blasé about it,” Jessica said confidently. “He’s bothered. I guarantee it.”
When Lindy saw Sam at his piano lesson on Thursday afternoon, she reiterated her apology.
“That’s okay,” the boy said with a shrug. “Me and my dad are going to the movies instead.”
A statement Lindy didn’t give much heed until she and Michael bumped into Sam and Devin at the movie theater on Saturday night. Michael had taken her to an early dinner at Andy’s Coffee Shop. Then they’d strolled across the street to the theater. They were scanning the reader board in the lobby and deciding which movie to see when Sam’s piping voice called out, “Hi, Miss Lindy!”
She spun around to find the boy behind her, and Devin walking through the door. Devin’s eyebrows shot up in surprise before lowering on a bland expression. He glanced from her to the man beside her.
“Hi, Sam,” Lindy said. “What movie are you going to see?”
Sam pointed to a poster of the latest animated film. “That one.”
“And who’s this?” Michael inquired in a jovial tone that didn’t suit his thin frame. Neither did the skinny jeans he wore. Men shouldn’t wear skinny jeans, Lindy thought suddenly, very aware of the assessing eyes Devin directed at her date. Not if they wanted to appear manly. Devin, on the other hand, looked very manly in slim-fit dark blue jeans that emphasized his lean waist and toned upper body. He also wore a snug, zippered pullover in a rich shade of brown which complemented his hair.
Lindy made the introductions. “This is one of my piano students, Sam Wakefield. And this is his—”
“His dad,” Devin said, stretching out his hand to Michael. “Devin Wakefield.”
“Michael Ward,” her date replied. The men shook hands. Lindy caught Michael’s slight wince at Devin’s firm grip.
There was a glint in Devin’s eyes as he returned his attention to Lindy. “What are you two planning to see?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. Had it really been necessary for him to shake Michael’s hand so firmly? Men. She smiled at the man beside her. “We haven’t decided yet.”
“The new indie film,” Michael said, sounding uncertain. He looked to her for confirmation.
“That looks like a movie right up your alley,” Devin said placidly. He put his hand on Sam’s shoulder, nudging him towards the ticket counter. He gave Lindy and her date a casual wave. “Our movie’s about to start. You two have fun.”
Fun was the exact opposite of what Lindy experienced for the rest of her date. The movie had been one of those foreign language dramas hyped as visionary but, for Lindy, came across as pretentious and stupid. She’d much rather have sat with Sam and Devin, munching on popcorn and laughing at a cartoon.
Michael didn’t like popcorn.
Fortunately, their movie got out later than the animated film. But when Michael offered to take her to the ice cream shop around the corner, she declined. The shop was popular with the after-movie crowd. She wouldn’t be surprised to bump into Devin and Sam there.
Michael returned her to her house. He didn’t get out of the car to open her door. Maddeningly, she’d compared him to Devin all evening. She’d discovered something about herself tonight she hadn’t recognized before. She liked a man who took charge, a man who exuded confidence and authority. Michael hadn’t made one decision tonight without looking to her for advice or confirmation.
She thanked him politely for their evening, gave a vague response to his promise he’d call her soon, and wished him a pleasant goodnight.
She felt terrible about it later. And Devin hadn’t seemed bothered seeing her with Michael. In fact, he’d seemed to be laughing at her!
Jessica disagreed. “Oh, he’s bothered. Now, what can we do next? Any other guys you can call?”
“No. But Joe called me yesterday. He’s having a dinner party at his house next weekend. Kind of a housewarming party. He asked me if I wanted to bring a date.”
“Perfect! Why don’t you ask Jake?”
Jake had always been a reliable stand-in for those times when Lindy got invited to a social function and didn’t want the hassle of bringing a formal date. “Excellent idea,” she said. “I’ll call him now.”
Although Jake didn’t sound like his usual easygoing self, he agreed readily enough. “I’ll pick you up at quarter to eight.”
So, when Devin called again on Tuesday evening and asked her if she had plans for Saturday night, Lindy didn’t have to lie.
He sighed. “And here I figured I’d called you early enough in the week you wouldn’t have made any other plans yet. This will disappoint Sam.”
So, it was another invitation from Sam? Not from Devin personally? Lindy’s heart twisted with hurt. “I’ll ask him and Bert to stay for tea after his lesson on Thursday,” she offered with pretend nonchalance. “He’ll like that.”
“Thanks, Lindy. He regards you as one of his best friends, you know.”
“Well, I think of him the same way,” she replied, her voice quivering slightly.
“And me? Do you consider me a friend?”
“Absolutely,” she said too effusively.
He fell quiet for a moment before releasing an abrupt, light laugh. “Thanks. I think of you the same way. I guess we’ll have to wait until after Thanksgiving to have Sam’s movie night. I have a guest arriving on Sunday.”
“Oh?”
But he didn’t elaborate. “See you soon,” he said casually. And hung up.
“I wonder who the guest is?” Jessica speculated when Lindy spoke with her the following day.
“I think I have a pretty good idea,” Lindy grumbled.
“Janelle?”
“Yes. He mentioned she’d be visiting around the holidays.”
“Do you think she’ll be there on Thanksgiving?”
“Bert and Jo didn’t mention it.”
“It’s actually not an awful idea to place you two in the same room,” Jessica said. “He’ll get a side-by-side comparison.”
“Very funny. He thinks of me only as a friend. He flat out said so.”
“I’m sure he’s toying with you.”
“If that’s true, then I’m not sure I like these kinds of games.”
“All part of the hunt and the chase, Lins. Play along, just for a bit longer.”
“Ugh. I’m hanging up now.”
Depression followed Lindy like a dark cloud for the rest of the week. Even the tea party she had for Sam didn’t cheer her up, although she managed to put on a happy face for the boy. He and Bert were full of plans for Thanksgiving. Sam was making paper hats for everyone to wear.
“Is Joe coming?” Bert asked.
“No. He said he’d be going to San Jose to stay with some old friends of his that weekend.”
“That’s too bad. Devin is bringing that woman. Janelle. I was hoping we’d have an even number.”
So, she would be there. That depressed Lindy even further.
Jake did nothing to lift her spirits when he picked her up on Saturday evening. Gone was the affable, charming guy she’d known for most of her life. In his place sat a sullen man with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. During the drive to Joe’s house, she bravely brought up the subject of Annie.
Jake’s hands clenched the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles shone white. “I’m done with her,” he said with icy conviction.
“What? No!”
“I couldn’t reach her, Lindy. The Annie I knew isn’t there anymore.”
“I don’t believe it. She’s there. That man—”
“Don’t you think I tried to get her to realize he was no good for her? Believe me, I didn’t pull any punches.” His face was sullen and brooding. “It’s done. It’s over. I’m moving on.”
There was no response she could give to his stark pronouncement he would heed at that moment. He’d shut himself off. “Now I feel bad for asking you to come with me,” she said worriedly.
“No,” he said, his tone one of forced cheer. “This is a good thing. I need to venture out and meet new people. Don’t worry. I’ll put on my best face for your brother and his friends.” He reached across the console and gently squeezed her shoulder. “I can let down my guard with you, Lindy. You’re one of the few.”
At the end of the night, Lindy was confident she and Jake had both put on their best faces. She was truly delighted to meet Polly Winslow, and she could recognize at once that her brother was in love with the woman, though Polly appeared not to know that yet. After cornering her brother in the kitchen while Polly was occupied in the other room, she gave him a teasing nudge. “Anything you want to tell me, brother dear?”
He smiled candidly. “Head. Heels.”
“She doesn’t seem to know that.”
“Oh, she will. Soon.”
Thrilled as she was for her brother, the thought of his impending happily ever after only disheartened Lindy more. She put on a bright face for her choir on Sunday morning. At least Devin hadn’t been there. After the service, Bert and Jo informed her he was on his way to the airport to pick up Janelle. Neither woman looked too pleased about it.
Lindy endured three afternoons of piano lessons with students who were too excited about their upcoming school break to focus on their music.
She wished Thanksgiving was over with already.
Her mother phoned at seven o’clock on Thursday morning to wish her a happy Thanksgiving.
Lindy, startled awake from the one solid hour of sleep she’d had all night, grumbled her reply.
“Did I wake you, Lindy?”
“It’s seven in the morning.”
“But you’ve always been an early riser.”
Lindy plumped her bed pillows and sat up. “It was a bad night.”
“Sorry to hear that. I’ve been taking this amazing herbal supplement that has me sleeping like a baby. I’ll send you some. Have you seen your brother recently?”
“Yes. He hosted a dinner party the other night.” Lindy decided not to say anything to her mother about Polly Winslow. Joe had never confided much of anything to their mother.
There was a catch in Noreen’s voice as she said, “I received the most beautiful card from him yesterday. He wished me a Happy Thanksgiving, and he said he looked forward to seeing me soon. I was so touched.”
Lindy was too. Her brother had made some amazing changes in his life in the past year. She was proud of him. “He said he’s going to San Jose for the weekend,” she shared with her mother. “What are you doing today?”
“Oh, just having a few friends over. We’re having turkey goulash. Then we’ll hold a drum circle.”
“That sounds, uh, nice,” Lindy said dryly.
“Well, I understand it’s not your thing. Don’t worry. When you come here next year, I’ll put out all the traditional fixings. Are you going to Zelda’s today?”
“No. Actually, I’m going to the Wakefield’s.”
“Oh, my. Lucky you. So, the rumors are true.”
“What rumors?”
“About you and the nephew.”
“How do you know about that?”
“Honey, I lived in that town for over twenty years. You don’t think I have little birdies keeping me up to date on things?”
Lindy groaned. “Oh, Mom.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t pry.”
“Good. Because there isn’t anything to tell. He’s just a friend.”
“Hmm. Well, have a splendid day, regardless. I’ve got to run now. I’ve got a turkey to catch. Bye-bye, sweetie.”
“What?”
But her mother had ended the call.
Lindy held the phone to her ear for a second longer before returning it to the nightstand with a dismissive clunk. She slid back under the bedcovers, hoping to catch at least another hour of sleep. It was a holiday.
The phone rang again.
“Now what?” she yelled at the ceiling. She reached for the phone and muttered ‘hello,’ not bothering to hide her irritation.
“Hello, Lindy-girl,” Mr. Atkinson said cheerfully. “Happy Thanksgiving. I’ve been sitting in my kitchen looking out the window waiting to see your kitchen light go on. Are you still in bed, young lady?”
“Yes.”
“Well, get up! You need to bake those pies, and I decided I’d come over and help. Then you can help me pick some lettuce for the salad and make the green bean casserole.”
Lindy now regretted the offer she’d made to Bert the other day to bring two pecan pies to the dinner. She heaved a sigh of surrender. “Okay. Give me some time to shower and get dressed. It’ll take about twenty minutes.”
“Good girl.”
One hour later, Lindy set two pecan pies in the oven and untied a flour-splotched apron from her waist. Her neighbor’s idea of help had been to sit in the breakfast nook and read yesterday’s edition of the King’s Valley Courier. His bushy white eyebrows quirked over the top of the newspaper as Lindy draped the apron across the back of a chair and walked over to the sink. She delved through the corner cupboard for a bottle of aspirin. She filled a glass with water and swallowed two tablets.
“Headache?” Mr. Atkinson inquired.
“I’ve been having trouble sleeping for the last few days,” she admitted. “And my mom called this morning. Just before you did.”
“Ah.” He nodded sagely.
She avoided his keen scrutiny as she returned to the oven and set the timer. “These should take about an hour. Want to pick the lettuce now?”
He set the newspaper aside and rose from the table. “Let’s go.”
Louie met them at the garden gate, tail wagging. It’d been a while since Lindy had taken him for a long, rambling walk. Maybe this weekend they’d go to the regional park. She patted his head as he rubbed his furry body against her legs.
Mr. Atkinson handed her a plastic bag. “Hold this,” he said before carefully kneeling down in the soil to gather the lettuce.
“You should let me do that,” Lindy offered belatedly.
“Why? I might have some hitch in my giddy up these days, but I’ve still got some moves in these old bones.” He chuckled richly.
Lindy smiled and shook her head at his wry humor. She stood beside him, ready with the bag. Except for the clip, clip, clip of the scissors, and the snuffling sounds Louie made as he pushed his nose into a pile of lawn clippings, the garden was peaceful and still. Fall leaves, musty from the morning damp, blanketed the ground.
She gazed absently at her surroundings, appreciating the beauty, but acknowledging a growing dread in the pit of her stomach. The day was passing too swiftly. Soon, she’d have to get ready for the dinner. She didn’t want to see Devin with Janelle, didn’t want to smile at them and pretend she didn’t mind they were together. She had no desire to continue pretending she only wanted to be Devin’s friend.
“Sure is a beautiful day,” Mr. Atkinson said over his shoulder, drawing her attention.
Suddenly, it struck her how different her neighbor looked. He’d always appeared younger than his years, but today his wrinkled skin shone with a radiant glow. His thick, white hair was neatly trimmed, and his eyes were brighter than usual. What had caused this transformation?
“Something on your mind?” he asked, catching her curious expression.
She shook her head and looked up at the sky. She breathed in the fall air. “It’d be a perfect day to burn leaves.”
“Yes,” he agreed distractedly. He dropped more lettuce in the bag before rising to his feet. “Let’s sit down for a bit,” he suggested.
He led her towards the stone bench, and they sat down together. The stone was chilly. Lindy shivered a little, tucking her hands into the pockets of her fleece pullover.
“I have something to tell you,” Mr. Atkinson said, startling her with the serious tone of his voice.
She gave him a questioning look. She sensed his hesitation but also his excitement.
“Josephine Wakefield and I are getting married.”
She stared at him, mouth agape. She wondered for a split second if he might be teasing her, but he wasn’t. His eyes were honest and shining with joy. She closed her mouth. She was momentarily at a loss for words. His revelation was poignant and wonderful, and she suddenly felt more miserable than ever. “Does Devin know?” she blurted before she could stop the words.
Mr. Atkinson didn’t seem surprised by the question. “Not yet. Nobody knows but you. Jo and I didn’t make the final decision until last night.”
She realized she was being selfish, thinking about herself and not her dear friend. She clutched his gnarled hand, and then she turned and embraced him. “Oh, I’m so happy for both of you!”
And then she burst into tears.
He was wearing a plaid wool shirt, and it was scratchy beneath her cheek. The material smelled of pipe tobacco and moist earth. Lindy pressed her face closer, her voice muffled and interspersed with choked sobs. “I’m sorry. I’m being such an idiot. I don’t know why I’m crying. It’s probably because I haven’t been getting enough sleep.”
Mr. Atkinson patted her back. “Oh, Lindy-girl,” he soothed. “This has nothing to do with lack of sleep.”
She pulled her head away and stared at him through a haze of tears. “What do you mean?”
He placed a finger under her quivering chin and leveled his gaze at her. “You’re in love. With Devin Wakefield.”
“How do you know?” she asked incredulously.
Her neighbor laughed gently at her befuddled expression. “I knew it at the piano recital. It was obvious the moment he entered the room. And he loves you too. I noticed how he looked at you when he and Sam came over for that picnic.”
“What? That’s ridiculous.” She sniffed. “He considers me a friend. That’s all. Besides, he has a girlfriend. Janelle. She told me they’re getting married.”
“Did he tell you that?”
“No. But he hasn’t denied she’s his girlfriend.”
He snorted. “Have you asked him directly?”
Had she? “I’m not sure. Maybe I haven’t.”
He patted her knee. “There’s no time like the present. Jo told me that girl will be at the dinner today. Here’s your chance to set things straight. Ask him.”
She shook her head. “No. What if you’re wrong? If he only considers me to be a friend, then I’ll make a fool of myself.”
“Humph. Where’s that brave Lindy I used to know? Now, you go see to those pies while I set out the casserole fixings.” He gave her a gentle shove. “And not a word about the engagement. Jo and I will tell everyone at dinner.”