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“He’s an old friend.” Rory hustled Joanna toward the gazebo. “We were in the same graduating class.”
“Rory.” Joanna came to a halt and pulled her arm away. She lifted her chin, her features tightening. “Do you know how old I am?”
Rory shook her head. Her heart began a slow, sick descent.
“I’m sixty-one.” Joanna hitched her bag higher on her shoulder. A hard glint appeared in her eyes. “I have spent the last thirty-five years dabbling in my own work, but mostly I have spent it learning how to best support my husband. I’ve socialized with senators and foreign dignitaries. I can host a dinner party that would put the Duchess of Windsor to shame. Everyone who is anyone in the technology industry knows my name. They all want invitations to my parties. I know how terroir affects wine, what the nuances are of Louis the thirteen, fourteenth, fifteenth,andsixteenth antiques, and at any given moment, I can tell you the top players in the NBA, the NFL, the NHL, and the MLB. In other words, my dear, I did not just fall off the turnip truck.”
Hot shame rose in Rory’s chest along with a flicker of panic. “I know you didn’t.”
“Yet youdoseem to think I’m oblivious to what’s going on here.” Joanna fisted her hands on her hips. “You’re in love with my son.”
The earth tilted under Rory’s feet. “Excuse me?”
“You’re in love with my son, and you haven’t told him yet.” Joanna spread her arms out as if that explained everything. “Well, you needn’t worry because clearly he’s in love with you, too.”
A wave of dizziness swept over her. “I…Joanna, I’m not…I mean, I…Grant and I aretogether, but we…”
“I know, I know.” Joanna shook her head dismissively. “You’ve been circling each other for months, trying to keep it casual, and you decided to experiment with seeing other people, but of course such ridiculousness isn’t going to work for either one of you, given that you arein love with each other.”
She enunciated each word with such clarity that they pinged off Rory like shiny little pebbles. “Joanna, I—”
“Edward, over here!” Joanna waved gaily toward her husband as he and Grant maneuvered through the crowd.
She lowered her hand and edged closer to Rory. “I realize there are all sorts of options for you young people today with these dating apps and whatnot, but if I may offer you a bit of advice. Put down your phone and pay attention to the notifications popping up in your heart and your head. If you don’t, you might miss something important. Hello, my two gentlemen! How were the salmon treating you today?”
She stepped into Edward’s arms and lifted her face for his kiss. Rory couldn’t even look at Grant. Her heart was racing wildly. She almost couldn’t breathe.
What the hell had just happened?
“Hey.” He curled his strong hand around her wrist, concern darkening his eyes. “You okay?”
“Yes, I just…” She pulled air into her lungs and exhaled slowly. “I’m just hungry, I guess. A nine-pound salmon, huh?”
She stood on tiptoe, tugging him down to whisper in his ear. “I think your mother is a witch.”
“Hmm. Not the word most people would use, but you got the rhyme right.”
