Page 88 of Not So Very Sensible

“Leave it with me. You know Jordan. He’s pretty easygoing, and I’m sure he’ll understand. This is a good cause, after all.”

Jordan was one of the good guys. A keeper, like Liam. He’d loved Emma-Jane for years, then finally found the courage a few months ago to admit his feelings. Now that he was working remotely, living at home for a time with his parents just outside Wattle Vale, he and EJ didn’t see each other as often as they did when they worked together in the city. But they were making their relationship work, their shared history and values providing a strong foundation for the future.

And Ellie was happy for her. And for Liv. It was good to know that two of her sisters had found real love, even if the remaining Bennett sisters seemed to have missed out.

“So, what’s going on with you, Ethan?” Charlene asked. “You don’t seem yourself.”

Ethan paused from rearranging the chairs after youth group. How to answer this when any answer seemed potential for more gigantic mess? “Uh, there’s been a bit happening lately.”

She eyed him, then paused her own cleanup. “Want to talk?”

He hesitated. Yes. But also no. He didn’t want to expose his failures to act like a real man.

Her eyes narrowed, then she pointed to a chair. “Sit. You need to talk, whether you want to or not.”

Fine. He slumped into a chair, and like a blister poked by a needle, out came all the gunk.

Her eyes widened as he talked, and yes, he might have overshared, but he didn’t want to hide anymore. He needed wisdom, needed a way forward. And Charlene had proved her practical wisdom in the past few years he’d worked alongside her.

“Are you seriously saying that Lucinda lied about your engagement?”

He nodded.

“Oh my gosh. She sounds like a stalker.”

Now that he thought about it some more, yes, she did.

“I can’t believe anyone would do that.” She frowned at him. “Or that anyone would go along with it.”

“Not my greatest moment, I admit.”

“What a mess.”

“Amen.” He leaned forward, placed his head in his hands.

“Why would she even do that?”

He shrugged. “Remember that weekend when I went up to the Blue Mountains?”

She nodded.

“I, uh, met someone there.”

“Ooh!”

“You’re not a teenager, Charlene.”

“I know. Working with them has rubbed off on me. Tell me more. Name, deets, now.”

“That’s the thing. She’s the girl who did the youth group promo I shared with you.”

“Huh. So she’s a talented graphic artist.” She smiled. “Does she have a name?”

“Ellie. Elinor. She has a sister called Katie. They live in the Southern Highlands somewhere, and her parents run a café.”

“So, not exactly the same as your family’s background,” she said wryly.

“Maybe that’s why I liked her so much. It just felt like she was real, genuine. So yeah. Nothing like my family.”