“A corset? Damn, Roar, you would have left withmethat night.”
She turned three shades of red, then busted out laughing. “You’re funny.”
“I’m serious! How did Jeff not push you up against a wall?”
“This was before I met Jeff.”
“Did he see this outfit?”
“He might have.” Aurora’s eyes shifted from side to side.
“Lucky bastard.” His declaration only made her laugh more. “I think I would have recognized you.”
“You wouldn’t have taken me home if you’d recognized me though.” A deep blush filled her cheeks. Whether from laughter, embarrassment, or wine, he was unsure. Probably all three.
She was wrong. He’d have had her six ways to Sunday if he’d been at whatever party she was at that night. But one look at her, and Duncan knew this was not the night to have that conversation. She was pouring her third glass of wine, no doubt thinking about her cemetery trip tomorrow. He’d already said too much.
“Sorry.” He licked his lips as he watched her, his mind on the photo. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
Aurora hid her face behind her upturned glass. “Enough about me. How did you meet your wife? I don’t think you ever mentioned her name.” She refused to meet his eyes until the question came out.
His throat constricted, and his mouth dried up. “Her name was Mariah …”
Aurora slapped a hand over her mouth as she realized her mistake. “I’m so sorry! What a bad subject. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“It’s fine.” At least he wouldn’t need that cold shower now.
She stifled a yawn.
“You’ve had a long day. Think you can sleep now?”
“After half a bottle of wine? I sure hope so.” Her musical laughter rang through his speakers. “Good night, Duncan. Let’s hang out again.”
“Definitely. Good night.” Duncan closed the video call, but left the picture up on his screen as punishment. He was such an idiot. It had been there, on the tip of his tongue. He’d almost told her. Coward … No. You don’t tell a grieving widow on the eve of her husband’s death date that you have a crush on her—had a crush on her—whatever. No, he’d made the right decision. He gazed at the photo of a young twenty-something Aurora, and his thoughts drifted to how different his life would have been if it had been her, and not Mariah.
Aurora drove the familiar winding road through the cemetery. She no longer remembered what number and section Jeff’s plot was but knew the location by memory. Katie sat at her side in the passenger seat. They rode together in silence to the grave. Walking up the hill to the gray stone plaque in the ground, Aurora bent to pull the bronze vase out of its slot and set it into the plaque. She poured water from her water bottle into the vase, Katie placed the bouquet of daisies she’d picked out. A breeze rustled the leaves in the oak trees.
“Hi, honey. I know it’s… it’s been a while. Katie’s so grown up now, isn’t she? I know you’d be proud. You’ll never guess what she’s got me doing now.” She giggled about how Katie had decided she needed a project and proceeded to talk about the reunion. “She’s something else. She’s so much like you it’s almost like you never left sometimes.” Two tears tracked down her face. “I’ll let her talk to you. I’ll see you again, my love.”
Katie returned to the grave as Aurora headed back to the path. She caught snatches of what Katie’s soft voice was saying when the wind quieted down.
“Dad, I have a favor… about Mom. She’s not … lot of stress and I think she needs … I don’t know how you feel … if you pick him out … okay? … I haven’t even told her about … I don’t want her to be lonely. Please give it some thought, okay? I love you, Daddy.”
Katie met her mom on the path, and they walked back to the car.
Once they were out of the cemetery, Aurora found her voice. “Want to go see what’s on sale at the mall?”
Duncan dove into the shared pool in his condo building; he did his best thinking in the water. But try as he might to focus on business, his thoughts drifted to Aurora as he swam laps. Was she okay? Did she have anyone to help distract her after the cemetery? Would she want to talk with him again so soon? Duncan got so lost in his head that he forgot to count his laps. By the time he came up with an idea, he’d doubled his time spent in the pool. He’d be sore later. Technology was amazing, and he had just the thing to take Aurora’s mind off her grief; if she was interested, that is.
Duncan: How are you feeling?
Aurora: I’m all right. We went shopping and got dinner after we saw Jeff. It’s what we do.
Duncan: Do you have Netflix?
Aurora: No, why?
Duncan: They just got the original production ofInto the Woods.I thought maybe you’d like to know.
