Aurora snorted. “But why …? You know what? Never mind. I have a teenager to check on and work in the morning. I’ll talk to you later.” She shook her head as she opened the door, tossed her purse into the passenger seat, and slid into her car. She paused as she went to shut the door. “I just don’t understand how on Earth you two can think someone likeDuncan freaking Sullivanwould findthis—”she gestured down her big belly, “—attractive.”
She slammed the door on them and turned the motor over. Dave tapped on her window. She pushed the automatic down button and held back a grumble.
“How much alcohol do we need to give you before you tell us who you sent that green candy cane to?”
“Not for all the vodka in Russia!” she spat, Then she drove off, leaving Mike and Dave in the dust.
“How did you not know what that meant?” Jen asked Aurora as she followed her down the cement block hall to the cafeteria.
Duncan was there as well, which made her a teensy bit uncomfortable because of the sexual term she’d been explaining. But he didn’t seem to be comfortable with what Jen asked either, so at least she wasn’t the only one.
“Because I’m too bloody sheltered.” Aurora walked a couple more steps, then stopped at the top of the stairs, causing them to pause behind her. “Scratch that. Because I’m toofuckingsheltered.”
Their mouths dropped open as she all but ran down the staircase, her cheeks starting to redden. She could hear Duncan exclaim behind her,
“Did Roar just drop the F-bomb?”
The minute she got home from work that Friday, Aurora threw herself at her craft room. This was her most ambitious sewing project thus far, and she needed the distraction of her gala gown, at least until her friends arrived Sunday afternoon. She was too busy to think about the conversation in the parking lot when she was pinning pleats into the perfect place on her dress form. Pin, baste, press, stitch. Pin, baste, press, stitch. She put it back onto her handcrafted body double between each step to ensure nothing was out of place. Taffeta was an unforgiving mistress, and she still had to line the dress!
Katie stayed out of her mom’s way; she probably didn’t want her to lose steam. Tears pricked at Aurora’s eyes as she remembered all the times Jeff had prepared for company while she was busy at work. She never had to worry about asking someone over to dinner because she knew he had her back. Katie had even prepared his taco recipe in the slow cooker tonight.
The doorbell rang through the house. “Hi, Aunt Lizzie! Oh, everyone’s here at the same time!”
“Hey, Katie! Where’s your mom?” Lizzie, Aurora’s younger sister, led the gaggle of women standing on Aurora’s steps.
“She’s sewing. I’ll get her. Come on in!” Katie opened the door for her mother’s friends and ran upstairs. “Mom!” She knocked on the craft room door. “The aunts are here!”
Aurora opened the door. “I lost track of time. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. I have everything set out.”
“You absolute treasure.” Aurora hugged her daughter tightly and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Thank you.” She was so much like her dad.
“You’re welcome!”
“Aurora?” Lizzie called from downstairs.
She rushed down with Katie behind her. “Sorry, guys, new project.”
“What’cha working on?” Adele asked.
“Hugs are in order first,” Stacey said. “Sorry about the scrubs. I just came from my shift.”
“No problem, glad you could come.” Aurora hugged her fellow medical friend. Her sister Lizzie was next in line. “Oh my gosh, Adele, I love the purple hair! It’s so chic on you.”
Adele motioned with her arms for Aurora to come over. “Hug me!”
“Hi, Rory!” Carrie didn’t do hugs, even with old friends, but Aurora knew that.
“Man, am I glad to see you gals. You know the drill. Make yourselves at home. Katie has taco meat in the slow cooker. Let’s eat!”
Dinner was buffet-style, with food in the kitchen and eating in the dining room, which Aurora only used for company now. Since it was just her and Katie, they’d started eating meals at the kitchen island. They sat around her mahogany table, the lights in the china cabinet twinkling for once. She’d never gotten around to painting it, so the walls were white, the dark turquoise drapes added plenty of color, and the photos on the wall gave it an air of elegance. Once the food disappeared and all they had left to do was talk, Katie went to clear the table.
“No, hon. I’ll clean up. You’ve done plenty. Go play your game. I have something I want to discuss with the adults,” Aurora told Katie, who grinned and ran upstairs.
“Katie seems excited about taking photos of your reunion.” Lizzie looked at her thoughtfully.
“Yeah, she is.” Katie had told Aurora’s friends that her mom was going to be the prettiest one there. “She helped me make a dress form out of duct tape to work on the dress.”
