WENDY CLUTCHED THE banister and looked down the stairs at Seth.
This was the moment she’d feared, the one she’d known was inevitable ever since her father said it was probably going to take longer than he’d expected to get time alone with Dr. Pommier. The longer she stayed in town, the greater the risk Seth would learn she was here. It was one of the reasons she’d come up with excuses yesterday, when her father asked her to go with him while he ran some errands.
“Are you afraid people will recognize you?” he’d said, and then he’d answered the question himself. “I suppose you’re concerned they’ll ask you questions. We won’t tell them a thing until after you’ve seen Dr. Pommier and he’s agreed to do that surgery. Okay?”
What could she have said after that? That she didn’t want people to see her limp, or risk bumping into Seth? Either answer made her sound like a coward, so she’d smiled and said, sure, she’d go with him, now that she’d had a little time to get used to being back in Cooper’s Corner.
But she was afraid of what she would see in the eyes of the man who’d loved the girl she used to be.
Looking down at him, Wendy knew with relief that she’d had nothing to worry about. What she saw in Seth’s face was anger.
“Seth,” she said carefully. “You’re looking well.”
“Hello, Wendy.”
“How have you been?” There. There. Wasn’t that good? Her voice was steady, her smile surely pleasant.
“Fine.” His gaze swept down her body, lingered on her leg, then turned to her face. “And you?”
“Oh, I’m—well, thank you.”
“Last I heard you’d been putting in long hours at rehab.”
“Yes, that’s right. I still do.”
“And it’s paid off, I see. It’s good to see you on your feet again.”
“Thank you. Mom?” she said pleasantly. “If we’re going to get to that mall—”
“Are you happy, living in France?”
“Very happy, thank you for asking.”
“I was surprised to hear you were back.”
“Why?” She turned to him again and smiled politely. “This is my home. Why wouldn’t I come back?”
“Is this a visit? Or have you come home to stay?”
“Seth, really, it’s very nice to see you, but—”
“You didn’t answer my question. Why haven’t you come home before?”
“Because I didn’t want to,” she said holding the smile. “Anything else?”
“Wendy,” Gina said sharply, “there’s no need to—”
“That’s okay, Gina. Wendy’s right. Where she lives, what she does is none of my business.” He stepped back and put a hand on the doorknob. “I probably should have called first.”
What had happened to all that calm certainty she’d felt when she first started down the steps and saw him? He was nothing to her now. Then why was the sight of him making her feel as if she was seventeen again and he’d just come to pick her up for their very first date?
“Yes,” she said, “you should have.”
“Yeah.” He cleared his throat. “Well, it’s good seeing you again.”
“Thank you.”
“This is where you’re supposed to say it’s good seeing me again, too.”
“Goodbye, Seth.”