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“Perfect. I’ll let you know our new plans. And now that everyone will think we’re coming for your wedding, we will fly into Jackson Hole. I’m sure Drake won’t mind paying for the upgrade. And maybe you and Patrick can come pick us up since it’s so much closer. It will be cozy just the four of us.” If you considered going over a mountain pass with a 10 percent grade in the middle of winter cozy, sure. To me it was the stuff nightmares were made of.
This was so not how I envisioned the next month. “Uh, well ... maybe. He has two kids in school, so it would depend on their schedules.”
“Oh! My! Goodness!” she shouted from the rooftops. “He has children? Oh, this is perfect for you, honey. I’m packing now. Well, that is, unless the mother is still heavily involved in their lives; that could be an issue for you.”
“Actually, she died earlier this year.”
“Thisisperfect,” Mom sang.
“Mom, she’s dead. It’s a terrible thing to have happen to a child.”
“I’m just looking at the bright side of things. You want children, and they need a mother. And now you won’t have to worry about an ex-wife. Praise.”
I wasn’t so sure about that. I had a feeling Nina haunted Patrick. It worried me how reluctant he was to talk about her. Not to mention how unhappy, and even lost, he seemed.
“Mom.” I paused. “Patrick was married to Nina.” I thought I should let her know before she got here. Before she embarrassed herself more than she would be embarrassing me.
“Nina? Your old roommate Nina? The valet girl?”
I didn’t realize that’s how my family had thought of her all these years. “Yes, that Nina.”
“Uh. That doesn’t say a lot about his taste.”
“Mother,” I berated her.
“What? I’m just saying the girl was swimming in the shallow end of the pool.”
“Be nice. She’s dead.”
“Let’s hope in heaven she’s learned it’s normal for people to park their own cars.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m sure she’s well aware now.”
“I have to say, honey, I find this all odd. Did you and Patrick have a fling in Colorado? Was he with Nina then? What about Jared?” she said his name, cursing him. “I’m worried here.”
I let out a heavy breath, trying to think of the best, most rational way to explain it. “Mom, what Patrick and I had was ... well ... it was kind of perfect. And no, he wasn’t dating Nina then.”
“So how did they end up together?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, if I were you, I would find that out, and quick. Sounds like your father and I better get there sooner rather than later. Don’t you worry—we will get to the bottom of all this.”
Oh, I was worried all right. Worried I was about to lose my ish. “I can’t wait to see you and Dad. And I’m sure Charlotte is just asexcitedabout it as me.”
“I know how much you girls miss us. See you soon, honey.”
I dropped the phone and rubbed my hands over my face. To think I started my day just worried that I’d told Patrick he was welcome to me. I guess the good news was that he kind of did want to help himself to me. The bad news was that with my parents here, they would make sure that didn’t happen. Then there was the little matter that the entire world thought I was engaged and looked like Ron Swanson. Dirtbag Dave was so going down for that one. Or at least I would make sure he never knew about Charlotte’s wedding. If that wasn’t enough, I was worried about what happened between Nina and Patrick. Why was he so reluctant to talk about her? And why had Patrick lost himself?
Charlotte strolled through the front door of the cottage, interrupting my thoughts.
“Where’s Jameson?” I thought she was picking him up from school.
“He’s in the kitchen with Paul, making homemade peanut butter and a mess.” She grinned, plopping down next to me. “I wanted to talk to you alone.” She threw her arms around me and squeezed the life out of me. “You are the best sister ever,” she gushed. “I can’t believe you are faking an engagement just for me. Drake thinks you’re amazing too. We can’t thank you enough.”
“You’ll be thanking me all right. Think new car, vacay, and plenty of spending money,” I half teased. “And it might not work out; you know that, right?”
She laughed and kissed my cheek. “Anything you want. It’s yours. And you know I don’t want you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. If you need for this to end, we’ll deal. Promise. In the meantime, name your price.”
