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The twins were already in the pool doing handstands and chicken fighting and making tons of noise while Mark tried to make sure no one drowned and that they all applied sunscreen periodically.
“How’s everything?” I asked her.
“Another tragic date in the books,” she said, rolling her eyes. She looked so much like the twins it was unnerving sometimes. I would see one or both of them make an expression or say something a certain way that was a carbon copy of their mother.
“Oh, do tell,” I said, popping a strawberry slice into my mouth.
Sadie sighed and told me how the guy she’d been talking to for weeks didn’t seem to remember their conversations, and definitely thought she was someone else. He’d even gotten her name wrong.
“And then he claimed his wallet was stolen, so I didn’t even get a free dinner out of it. Can you believe that?” Sadie asked.
“You are just cursed when it comes to online dating, I swear.”
“Mom? Layne?” Riley called, sticking her head through the glass door that separated the house from the backyard with the pool.
“We’re coming,” I yelled back and picked up one of the trays. Sadie grabbed two others and followed me to feed the monsters.
* * *
I only endedup having to break up one fight before dinner, and only a few tears were shed. When you were a tween, everything felt like too much, and I could remember that feeling well, so I gave as much grace as I could.
Honestly, I’d wanted to confiscate their phones when they arrived, since so much of their drama took place online and was fueled by the ability to post fast and think later.
The most I could do was monitor them as much as possible. Eleven-year-olds weren’t as sneaky as they thought they were, and when things got quiet, that was usually a sign something was going down.
Mark spent a lot of his afternoon blowing up floats so the girls could stay in the pool for their movie. I ran out to get the pizza and when I came back Sadie was on her way out.
She laughed as she accepted wet hugs from her girls and kissed them on their chlorine-scented heads.
“I’ll see you on Monday,” she said.
I also watched Mark walk her out and damn, there was some tension there.
I was smiling to myself at their chemistry when a familiar car pulled into the back of the house right next to Mark’s SUV.
“Shit,” I said under my breath. Couldn’t she leave us alone?
Honor got out of her car, her blonde hair falling perfectly on her shoulders in styled waves. She looked like she traveled everywhere with a glam squad. She’d probably put that in her wedding vows if she could. In sickness and in glam…
I was surprised to see her wearing a flowing black dress instead of her usual work attire.
She was dressed for an evening near the pool.
Sadie drove off and Honor approached Mark, a smile on her face. He nodded and jogged back to the house.
Had she come over here dressed like that, pretending she needed some paperwork, hoping that Mark would just invite her to stay?
She had guts, I’d give her that.
If only Mark could see what the hell she was doing.
He came back out and handed her a folder, which she took from his hand.
I watched as he gestured toward the party and she nodded and followed him toward the pool.
“What are we looking at?” Riley said, pushing at my arm. Zoey was on my other side.
“Nothing,” I said.
