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They take off to do what they agreed to do, while I hang back to apologize to Gage.
“No apology needed, sweetheart. They’re adorable and sweet and confused about what I’m doing here.”
“Are you? Confused about what you’re doing here?”
“Not so much. It feels good to spend the day with you guys and drive the minivan and make deals with kids again.”
“Did you make a lot of deals with yours?”
“All the time. Nat called me Monty Hall, who was the host ofLet’s Make a Dealwhen she watched it with her grandparents, in case that reference is outside your zone.”
I laugh. “I love that.”
“It was how I got them to do what they were supposed to do without a lot of yelling, which I hate as much as I hate racism. Both my parents were yellers when we were kids.”
“I had that teacher who gave me stomachaches. Used to scare me.”
“No yelling allowed on my watch. Lots of dealmaking.”
“That works for me.”
He hooks his arm around me. “It’s too much, too soon. I know that and you know that. But today felt good. Maybe we keep doing more of that and see how it fits for all of us?”
I look up at him as I nod. “You’ve got a deal, Mr. Hall.”
My callwith Eleanor is scheduled for this morning, and I’m as nervous as I’ve ever been in my life. Gage offered to be with me when I talk to her, but he’s meeting with the people buying his company today and has a full day. Even though I wish he was here, I told him I’d be fine.
I really hope I will be. I’m scared of what she might tell me and how it might make this dreadful situation even worse than it already is.
She’s supposed to call me after she drops her son at school.
I should’ve asked what time that would be. While I wait, I stare at the phone as if it’s a bomb that’s going to detonate at any second.
By the time the phone rings at nine thirty, I’m a wreck. I nearly drop the phone as I answer the call. “Hello?”
“Hi, it’s Eleanor.”
“Hi,” I say as if it’s no big deal that I’m talking to the woman who had a child with my late husband.
For a long moment, neither of us says anything, and then we both speak at once. I don’t know what I’m saying and didn’t hear what she said.
We laugh.
“How awkward is this?” she asks.
“Mad awkward, as my nieces would say.”
“Mine say mad awk.”
“That’s even better.” I don’t want to like her, but she doesn’t seem terrible.
“I didn’t know he was married, Iris, until after I told him about the baby.”
“He wore a ring.”
“He wasn’t wearing it when I met him.”
I close my eyes as I absorb that information. He intentionally took off his ring and set out to meet someone.
