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“Auntie Ellie, they match your hair exactly!” Savannah said.
Elle grinned. “They do, don’t they?”
“Only the best for LC.” Asher winked as I handed Elle her phone. “I know it’s your favorite color.”
“LC?” Gloria frowned. Actually, I wasn’t sure she’d stopped frowning the entire evening. Except when one of her constituents might be watching, of course.
Asher cleared his throat. “Good evening, Madame Mayor.”
Oh jeez. What a suck-up.
“Good evening. Thank you for the pastries, Asher.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll, uh, leave you to your celebration.” He backed away from the table, clearly not wishing to be under the mayor’s scrutiny any longer.
“Here,” Gloria said, sliding a gift bag toward Elle. “Happy birthday.”
“Happy birthday,” Dan echoed.
“What is it?” Savannah asked at the same time Maddox bounded over to Elle’s side and said, “Can I help you open it?”
“Of course.” She smiled at Maddox and wrapped her arm around him.
He tugged out the tissue paper, casting the contents on the table.
“Um. Thanks,” Elle said, her tone flat.
“What is it?” Maddox asked, frowning at the plastic card.
“A gift card to Bibliolater.”
“I bought it on Meghan Hart Day,” Gloria said. “So a portion of the sale went to fund Teresa’s new library.” She smiled expectantly, as if this comment deserved extra praise or gratitude.
All the while, I tried to focus on my breathing so I wouldn’t make a bigger deal out of her comment than it warranted. I didn’t understand why Gloria always took something that should be about Elle and turned it into something about Tessa. We all loved Tessa. We all missed her. But Elle deserved her moment to shine too.
A glance at Dan told me he was just as uncomfortable. He tugged on his collar and sipped his wine but said nothing. I wanted to roll my eyes.
“A gift card. Sweet,” Maddox said. Despite Elle’s smile, I could sense her disappointment.
I didn’t blame her. It was such an impersonal gift. And while Elle enjoyed reading, she was about to move to Japan. She couldn’t take many books with her even if she wanted to. Besides, a gift card to Bibliolater was the type of gift Tessa would’ve loved, not Elle.
“When Ellie graduated, we gave her a charm for her necklace,” Savannah said. “Isn’t it pretty?”
“Let’s see,” Gloria said.
Elle laughed, though I sensed it was out of discomfort more than anything else. She lifted her necklace and showed Gloria the new charm. I loved seeing it around her neck, knowing she was wearing something I’d given her. That a piece of me was constantly touching her skin.
Gloria smiled, but her shrewd gaze was on Elle and me. I wasn’t sure what she was thinking, but I felt like sheknew. Like she could see what we’d done written on our faces as if we were wearing a neon sign.
“There’s Aiden!” Savannah pointed to the far side of the room. “Can I go say hi?”
“Of course,” I said, sensing Gloria was about to blow. And, as usual, Dan would stand by and do nothing. “Why don’t you take Maddox with you?”
“Okay.” She grabbed Maddox’s hand, and they raced across the restaurant.
“Are you sure that’s…appropriate?” Gloria asked me after the kids had left.
I frowned. “The charm?”
