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Emma
In all the madness of Dad and Genie, I’d forgotten all about Meredith. I texted her to apologize and she sent a quick reply wanting to meet again. After asking Zach his opinion, I invited Meredith over for dinner. I wanted her to meet him and I knew how curious he was about her.
After my tennis classes on Saturday, Ben caught up with me as I was leaving.
“Can we talk a minute?” he asked.
“Sure.”
He and I hadn’t chatted once since the night I found out about Genie and Dad. I expected awkwardness, but Ben had seemingly moved on. Typical of him, I suppose.
“Genie was here yesterday,” he said once we were safely in the office.
“She was?”
“She was looking to apologize.”
“I don’t want to talk to her.”
“I guess you haven’t talked to your dad either?”
“I’m trying to avoid both of them.”
Ben tilted his head as if trying to read me. “You can’t do that forever.”
“I can try.”
“I thought I’d let you know. Maybe think about talking to her?” he said.
I scowled. Where had that come from? I figured he’d take the opportunity to make derogatory jokes about Dad and Genie. He was slipping. I picked up my duffel bag and headed for the door. “I’m sure I’ll talk to her eventually.”
“People make mistakes. You can’t hold it against her forever.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but stopped. What was going on with Ben? “Why are you defending her? Did you hit your head or something?”
“I’ve gotten to know her over the past few weeks. I can’t believe she wanted to hurt you intentionally. People do stupid things. Happens all the time.”
This was not the same Ben Morrow. “What’s going on?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
“Nothing,” he said too casually.
I shook my head. “No way. You don’t get off that easy.”
Ben shuffled his feet. “She looked pretty rough, so I took her out for a bite to eat. We talked and I got to see a side of her a lot of people likely don’t see. She regrets what happened with your dad. Sounds like she’s been starry-eyed about him for a while, but that’s totally over now.”
How would he know that? Then it dawned on me. “Did you have sex with Genie?”
His grey eyes opened wide. “No! How did you go straight there?”
“Because you have sympathy for no one. This is all a bit strange and very out of character for you.”
“Like I said, I got to know her better. We had a nice time.”
Now it made sense. “You like her. Well, you are her type.”
“I don’t like her . . . never mind.”
I rolled my eyes. “And weren’t you trying to convince me how much she loved you? I suppose you got that wrong.”
“I think there was some underlying tension there. She was fighting her feelings.”
I blinked at him a few times. “Okay. Well, I’ve got to go.”
“Emma, before you go, everything is good now with Walker?”
“Yes. I’m happy.”
He smiled warmly. “That’s great. I want you to be happy.”
I waved and left. I had dinner with Meredith in a few hours and didn’t have time for his sudden weirdness.
#
“WHAT ARE WE EATING?” Zach asked.
“Roasted chicken, spicy sweet potatoes, pesto green beans and a fresh mixed greens salad. And for dessert, a peanut butter chocolate cake. I wanted to make a banana cream pie, but I didn’t think I’d have the time.”
“Peanut butter, chocolate and a cake all in one? I’m going to die.”
“Before you do that, maybe you could help me?” I asked, slapping his ass.
“Hey, careful. I kind of like that.”
“Fun times later. You have work to do.”
While he mixed the ingredients for the cake, I prepped the chicken. Meredith was due in three hours, just enough time to make the chicken and the cake. I took the cake batter from Zach, added the peanut butter then poured it into a greased cake pan while he licked the cake spoon before moving on to the peanut butter spoon.
“What’s she like?” Zach asked, putting the spoons in the sink.
“She’s okay. I barely know her. I’m starting to understand why she never came back, but it’s hard getting to know someone who’s been out of my life for so long.”
“Do you think she has some kind of agenda?”
“I don’t know. A part of me wondered if she was trying to get back into Dad’s life, but apparently Genie had that spot occupied.”
Zach grimaced. “Please don’t mention that. I’m still having nightmares.”
I handed him three sweet potatoes and the peeler and motioned for him to get to work. “Have you talked to Genie lately?” I asked.
“Not since that night. Have you spoken to your dad?”
“Nope.”
“I guess we should talk to them soon, don’t you think?”
“I’m not sure what I’d say to Dad or Genie. They were here, doing who knows what right under our noses. I—” I stopped before I thought about it anymore. “I’ll talk to Dad eventually.”
I had chicken and sweet potatoes in the oven and the cake cooling when Meredith arrived. I was finishing up the icing and put it off to the side, took off my apron and set for the door. I met Zach there and I smiled even though my heart was beating wildly. I had no idea why I was so nervous.
“I got it,” I said.
Zach nodded. I opened the door and Meredith was standing there in her red coat holding a bottle of wine in her hand. “Hello, Emma. I brought wine. I hope that’s appropriate.”
“Yes, of course. Thank you. Meredith, this is Zach. Zach, this is Meredith.”
They shook hands and Meredith had a huge smile on her face. Yes, Zach brought that out in women.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Meredith,” Zach said.
“It’s great to finally meet you.”
“Can I get you something to drink? A soda, wine or coffee? We even have boring water.”
“I’ll have whatever you’re all having.”
“White wine?”
“Sounds glorious.”
He wandered off and I escorted Meredith to the living room. She took a seat on the plush leather chair and looked around the apartment. “Your place is lovely.”
“It belongs to the Walkers.”
“Zach’s a nice young man. I’ve heard nothing but good things from your dad.”
I could feel my smile slip a bit. Did she notice? “I don’t have appetizers because we will be eating shortly,” I said, diverting the subject of Dad as quickly as possible.
“That’s all right. I find that appetizers spoil the appetite anyway.”
I took a seat across from her and tried to quell my nerves.
“Before Christmas you mentioned me meeting Cam and my little brothers. I’d like to do that soon.”
“Yes, of course. I’ll set something up and give you a few options. Will Zach be coming along?” she asked.
“I think so, if he wants to.”
“And your dad?”
“Maybe not him,” I said as Zach returned with our drinks.
“He’s welcome if he wants to come.”
“I should probably tell you that I’m moving to New York this fall. I’m going to finish my degree there and take some business courses. Remember you mentioned the idea of opening a bakery? Well, I have a similar idea. Sort of. I want to open a healthier version of a New York-style deli here in Minneapolis.”
“That’s a great idea. You know I can help with that. You can use the trust I set up for you to either finish up school or use it as an investment.”
I smiled. “I was hoping you would say that.”
“Emma, it’s all for you. And you can do whatever you want with it.”
“Thank you.”
She came over and hugged me. “I’m so happy I can help you,” she said. “More importantly, that you’re allowing me into your life.”
“I’m sorry I hated you so much.”
“It’s okay,” she said, wiping a tear that had slipped down her cheek. “I understand. I would have felt the same way.”
“Let’s eat before this becomes a cry fest,” I said, blotting my own tears.
“Yes, let’s eat,” she said.
Dinner conversation focused on Zach. Meredith was fascinated with him.
“Plans for politics?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” Zach said. “Maybe? My dad’s been in politics my whole life, and I’m not sure I want that life for my kids.”
“Being a congressman or senator is a very prestigious job.”
“Yes, with so many limitations. I’m not sure I want to be worried all the time about saying or doing the wrong thing.”
“Those are legitimate concerns. Have the two of you talked about a future together?”
Zach and I looked at each other. “No,” I said cautiously. “Not formally.”
“I hope I didn’t open a can of worms,” she said, biting down on her lower lip.
“You didn’t,” Zach said. “I fully intend to spend my life with Emma, that’s if she’ll have me.”
He wasn’t going to ask me to marry him, was he? Not here? My heart skipped, but when he went for more yams, I knew it wasn’t going to happen. It’s not that I didn’t want it to happen, but like this? With Meredith? Awkward. And we were way too young. Marriage? No.
Zach and Meredith cleaned up after dinner. They seemed to be in a long chat while Meredith washed whatever dishes couldn’t go into the dishwasher. I could have interrupted, but I gave them their moment and puttered around the living room instead.
“I’ve got hockey with the guys tonight, so I hate to rush out, but I have to go,” Zach said when they were done. “Meredith, it was a pleasure to meet you, and I’m sure I’ll see you again very soon.”
He grabbed his hockey gear and was gone.
“I love him,” Meredith cooed.
“Everyone does.”
“He’s a nice young man. The two of you are perfect for each other.”
“I love him a lot.”
“I can tell.”
She poured the last of the wine into our glasses and motioned for me to sit down at the dining room table. She was tapping her fingers nervously and I knew she had something to say that I potentially wasn’t going to like.
“I ran into his sister last winter. She was volunteering at my place of work. I knew who she was because your dad told me about Zach. I wasn’t going to go up to her and tell her who I was, but we got to talking and she guessed. She said you and I looked so much alike.”
“Oh,” was all I could get out.
“We didn’t chat long and I didn’t ask a lot of questions because I knew it wasn’t appropriate, but she told me how wonderful you were. I nearly cried.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
She reached out and grasped my hands. “I know about your dad,” she said. “And Genie.”
My stomach gurgled. “Did Zach tell you?”
“No, your dad did. After the fact, of course. If I’d known sooner, I certainly would have counselled against it. I’m not going to try to sway you at all, but if you want to talk to me, I’d be happy to listen.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“I respect that, but can I say one thing?”
“Sure, why not.”
“I think you’re under the impression that you dad has lived the hermit life. He hasn’t. When you look like Paul Andrews, your dating card is always full. He was just very good at hiding it from you. His attitude has always been that until he met the woman of his dreams, he was never going to tell you about any woman he was dating. Am I condoning what happened with Zach’s sister? Absolutely not! You dad used the poorest judgment imaginable. But you’re going to New York, do you want to leave and still be angry with your dad?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“You deserve to be angry and to feel betrayed, but don’t stay angry forever. He loves you and he’s always tried to protect you.”
“I know.”
We had another round of dessert before she looked at her watch. “It’s getting late and I should go. Cam and I will have you over soon. Very soon.”
“I look forward to it.”
I walked her to the door and watched her put on her coat.
“Meredith?”
“Yes.”
“Can I call you Mom?”
Her bottom lip quivered. “I’d love nothing more.”
“Good. We’ll talk soon? Mom.” Sure, it felt weird saying it, but I’d get used to it.
“See you soon, Emma.”