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“He went to Northeastern. I went to Stanford.”
“Let me guess. He found someone else in college.”
She shook her head. “Not in college. He did a summer internship for an international bank. He was extremely excited that he was going to spend the summer in Switzerland. That’s where he met her.”
“How long did it take to get over him?”
Teddy lowered her chin and looked up at him. “Is that the question you really want to ask?”
“Perception kicking in again,” he admitted. “Have you ever gotten over him?”
“I think so.”
“But…” he prompted.
“Diana wouldn’t agree with me.” Before he could ask what that meant, Teddy explained. “Diana thinks I don’t date seriously because I never got over Chad.”
Adam leaned in close and his voice was conspiratorially low when he spoke. “Since we’re baring our hearts here, in your heart of hearts, is that the truth?”
Teddy didn’t have to think about it, but she took a moment to let the question gain weight. “At first I did. After a couple of years, I discovered it was up to me to decide if I was going to let my life be determined by that one incident or if I was going to pick up the pieces and build on my abilities.”
“Since college you haven’t been in a serious relationship?”
“Like I said, I just haven’t found the right guy.” She smiled and sipped her coffee again. “And that’s why my mother is on the husband-hunting warpath.” Teddy laughed hoping to lighten the mood. “Was Veronica the catalyst for your mom?”
Adam shook his head. “My mom has been on the marriage path since I was old enough to date. We have a family joke, that we can see the wheels in her head turning every time one of us goes on a second date.”
“I guess she’s not one of those mothers keeping her sons tied to her apron strings.”
Adam shook his head. “She’s the kind running with scissors. Secretly, I believe she’s always wanted a daughter.”
Teddy wondered what his mother had thought of his ex-wife, Chelsea, and Veronica. Had she embraced them, thinking they would be her daughter-in-law? Had she dreamed that one of them would be the daughter she wanted?
Teddy wondered where she would fit in the mix. Could she fulfill those requirements? Would any woman do, or did his mother have specific requirements that she wanted in her son’s wife?
“What’s she going to think of me?”
Adam reached over and took Teddy’s hand. “She’ll be more than thrilled.”
Chapter 4
Cocking her head to the side, Teddy listened. She heard the slamming of car doors. Her parents had arrived. Her mother was already rushing to the door when Teddy opened it. Grabbing Teddy and folding her into a bear hug that could break a normal person’s back, her mother was genuinely happy to see her. Released, Teddy hugged her dad—not quite as exuberantly as her mother’s hug. Still she was happy to see her parents.
Out of the blue, her mom called on Monday to say they were coming up midweek. Teddy had to work doubly hard to get everything in order for the weekend wedding she had on her calendar and take a day off to spend with her parents.
“This is a surprise. Did you just decide to drop by for a visit?” Teddy asked. “Not that I’m not glad to see you.” When her mom called, she didn’t give any other information except they were coming up for two days and that she had to rush and finish packing.
“I’m giving a lecture,” her dad said. “Apparently the main speaker for Princeton’s journalism symposium is ill. They asked me to fill in.”
“I’m impressed,” Teddy said with a smile and a hug.
As the owner/editor of a small town newspaper, Kevin Granville found wide distribution due to his various editorials. This wasn’t the first time he’d been asked by universities to speak, but it was the first time he’d be going to Princeton University. And it gave Teddy the opportunity to see her parents other than over holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“Come on in. I’ve made lunch,” Teddy told them. “I’ll help you with your luggage.”
