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Noah frowned, opened his mouth to speak, but then thought better of it. Not quickly enough, because eagle-eyed Genevieve spotted it. “What? You don’t think I need a new project?”
“Not exactly. Look, it’s not my—”
“Tell me.”
He shrugged. “Okay. I think you need a new passion. I mean, your family is obviously your passion, which is all well and good, but it sounds to me like you need something else to care about that’s more than a project.”
“I’m not looking for romance.”
“I didn’t mean that kind of passion. Well, it could be that kind of passion, but I’m thinking more along the lines of an interest like travel or hiking or spelunking.”
“Spelunking?” she said with a laugh. “I hardly think so.”
“I’m talking about something that isn’t finished when your activity connected to it is finished. You’re passionate about your family. Is there something else that pops to mind? What about travel? You mentioned Bora-Bora earlier. Willow told me she knows you wanted to go with your sister to the South Pacific, but she thinks you didn’t go because of her kids.”
“She told you that? You know, Willow and I are overdue a heart-to-heart talk.” Genevieve exhaled a sigh. “I do enjoy traveling with my sister, but I don’t know that I’d label traveling a passion. It’s a lot of work.”
“Well, think about it. Don’t look for a new project. Look for a new passion. That’s my advice, and it’s worth exactly what you paid for it.” The song was drawing to an end—thank goodness. Noah figured he’d stepped outside his comfort zone plenty far enough already.
“I will think about it. Thank you, Noah. You’ve been so kind to a crazy old woman.”
“Not crazy.”I claimed that song earlier tonight.“And you are far from being old.”
“I like you, Noah Tannehill.”
“I like you, too, Genevieve Prentice. Thank you for the dance.”
Noah escorted Willow’s mother back toward her table, and then he truly did need to get off his feet. He headed back toward the lakeside bench that had been his original destination before Genevieve rushed past him. Happy to find it unoccupied, he sank into the seat with a little groan.I’ve lost my ever-lovin’ mind.
He had maybe three minutes of peace. He wasn’t even that surprised when Drew sat down next to him. “Hi, Mr. Tannehill. I hardly got to talk to you at all today.”
“You talked to me plenty.”
“Not about your dog. I heard you have a dog! I want to know more about him. Why didn’t I meet him when I visited your house? I love dogs. I want a puppy so bad, but Mom won’t let me have one until we’re settled. I don’t know when we’re going to be settled. Are you having fun? Are people being nice to you? I hope so. I’ve told everyone you’re my friend, but sometimes, that’s when they act like bullies. It’s ’cause they’re jealous. How come you walked away into the dark? I wanted to go after you and make sure nobody was mean to you, but Mom said to leave you alone. Are you okay, Mr. Tannehill?”
Not to Noah’s surprise but to his consternation, the boy’s little sister took a seat at Noah’s other side. She spoke to her brother. “Don’t be stupid, Drew. He’s not okay. He has a bad boo-boo on his leg.”
Then little Emma Eldridge leaned over and killed him.
She kissed Noah’s knee.
Willow worked into the wee hours of the morning following the wedding reception overseeing the cleanup. She would have liked to sleep in, but duty called early Sunday morning when she and the kiddos went to her mom’s for the final event of the wedding weekend: a brunch Genevieve hosted for family and out-of-town guests. She had insisted that Willow be nothing more than a guest at the event, and Willow happily complied.
Maggie and Tom attempted to corner her and discuss their “gift,” but Willow successfully avoided the conversation. Before they left to drive to Durango to catch their flight home, she promised Maggie a phone call on Wednesday. When their car pulled away from Genevieve’s curb, Willow drank a celebratory glass of champagne and ignored her mother’s curious look.
After the brunch, her family dispersed. Jake and Tess headed off to the Maldives on their honeymoon, Lucas traveled home to Texas, and Brooke resumed the extended tour of Europe she’d interrupted for her brother’s nuptials. Before gathering up her children and carting them back to Raindrop Lodge, Willow summoned her courage and asked her mother to meet her for coffee on Monday morning.
After that, Willow decided to ignore the anxiety Maggie Eldridge had introduced into her world during the past week and give herself a lazy Sunday afternoon.
It was heaven. The weather was fabulous, and the kids played outside most of the time. They were tired, too, so they didn’t wander off for once. Willow sat in the sunshine, read a book, and tried not to think about tomorrow.
Confessions of secret keeping about her marital troubles and seeking advice for life-changing decisions could wait another day. If she spent a little of her downtime dreaming about Noah Tannehill, well, a little fantasy didn’t hurt a girl, did it?
But like always, Monday morning did arrive. Willow had hired an off-duty employee of Raindrop Lodge to watch the children for a few hours. The talk she needed to have with her mother required privacy and zero interruptions—neither of which she’d get if her children were around.
Willow put hard rock on her stereo and thrummed herfingers nervously on the steering wheel as she approached her mother’s home. She’d stopped at the bakery on her way for cinnamon rolls. If ever a conversation needed sugar courage, this was it.
She pulled into the drive, shifted into park, and shut off the engine. Where was she going to start?
