Chapter 9 #2
‘I’m having lunch with Ray and um… uh…’ I blinked. My mouth opened and closed a few times, but my mind had gone completely blank.
‘Jack,’ Jack supplied, watching me curiously.
I clicked my fingers at him. ‘Yes, Jack. I knew that.’
‘I’m well aware of who Jack is,’ Celia said, her eyebrows arched. ‘I meant, what are you doing here in Pine Harbor?’
‘Oh, right. That.’
‘Yes, that.’
‘She’s here to stay with me while Moira’s away,’ Ray said gruffly. ‘And if you’ve got a problem with that, Celia Hamilton, then you can take it up with me.’
She shot him a glare and checked to see if anyone in earshot was listening.
‘I don’t have a problem with it, Raymond,’ she said sharply.
‘But it would have been nice to have a bit of warning that she was coming home so I didn’t have to find out like this.
But then I suppose I shouldn’t expect that level of consideration from your family. ’
‘You can get off your high horse,’ he shot back. ‘Talking about families, as if your lot are the bloody Kennedys. Don’t forget, your son is the one who had an affair and ran off with someone else.’
‘I’m well aware of that, and while I’m not proud of how he went about it, it was a little more nuanced than that, as I’m sure Taylor is aware,’ she sniffed.
‘At the end of the day, Adam found someone who treats him right and makes him happy. We all know that life is unpredictable, and opportunities for happiness should be seized.’
‘What about Taylor’s happiness?’
‘Oh, I’m fine,’ I said. ‘Honestly. Never better.’
‘There, see?’ Celia said, waving a hand in my direction. ‘She’s fine.’
‘It’s obvious to anyone with half a brain that she’s putting on a brave act,’ Ray said.
‘It’s not an act,’ I argued feebly.
‘Good,’ Celia said. ‘Because you should know that Adam and his fiancée are already discussing a spring wedding, here in Pine Harbor.’
‘I’m sorry, did you just say fiancée?’ The news that Adam was engaged hit me in the guts like a sucker punch. ‘We haven’t even discussed divorce yet.’
She shrugged. ‘Merely paperwork, and shouldn’t take too long to sort out I imagine. Especially if you really have moved on, as you say.’
I nodded, refusing to let her see she had rattled me. Obviously, I’d known that Adam and I would have to go through the official separation channels at some point, but I’d expected to have that discussion with him. Not his bloody mother.
‘I’ll sign whatever you need me to sign.’
‘Excellent.’ She looked me up and down again. ‘You’ve lost weight.’
‘I know.’
‘It doesn’t suit you. And didn’t I send you a link to that article about the best hairstyles for women in their thirties to attract success?’
I nodded. ‘You did.’ I’d deleted it without evening opening it.
‘Well, it was good to see you again.’ She smiled, but it was a smile without warmth. ‘Enjoy your lunch. Jack, you haven’t forgotten the meeting about the festival, have you? It’s just to go over a few final things.’
‘Of course not,’ Jack said. ‘It’s highlighted in my calendar.’
‘Good.’
‘I’ve already gone over the info you sent, and I’m happy to help out however I can.’
‘This town needs more people like you,’ she said pointedly. She was staring at him, but the volume and delivery of her words was clearly directed at me. ‘Community-minded people who are keen to stay and help make this town a success.’
‘Remind me where your son lives again?’ Ray enquired. ‘New York, isn’t it? And didn’t your daughter move to Boston?’
She ignored him. ‘We’ll be in touch regarding the divorce, Taylor. Now I must go, so much to do, but I’ll see you at the meeting, Jack.’
I watched her leave, feeling slightly shell-shocked, as I always did after any length of time in her presence.
Somehow, one withering look from her and I regressed to my seventeen-year-old petulant and self-absorbed self.
She brought out the worst in me, always had, and for as long as I’d known her she’d made it quite clear that I wasn’t good enough for her son, or her family for that matter.
‘So,’ Jake said, his tone conversational but his expression shrewd, as if he could see how rattled I was. ‘Your mother-in-law is the town chair.’
‘Ex mother-in-law,’ I corrected him. ‘And soon to be absolutely nothing to me at all, once the divorce is done and dusted.’
‘She’s a horrible woman,’ Ray said, using a finger to run around the rim on the bowl to wipe up the last traces of his chowder.
Normally I’d have told him to stop being so disgusting in public, but right at the moment I was just grateful that he’d stood up for me.
‘And that son of hers is a coward. Always has been. Imagine getting your mother to do your dirty work for you.’
‘I don’t think that was planned,’ I reminded him. ‘She had no idea I was even in town.’
‘Maybe not. But she has no business getting involved. What you do in your private life is nobody’s business. I’ve half a mind to go to that meeting too, just to annoy her.’
‘Thanks for sticking up for me.’
‘You and I might not be best friends,’ Ray replied. ‘But that woman is insufferable. Always has been. If your mother was here she’d have told her where to go.’
‘Yeah she would have. But I didn’t expect you to.’
‘Don’t make a big deal out of it.’
‘I’m not.’
‘Good. I’m tired. Let’s go home.’ He glared at Jack. ‘Shift, will you?’
I gave Jack an apologetic smile. ‘Sorry about him.’
‘Don’t be. He’s entertaining.’
I slid out of the booth, shaking my head. ‘I guess that’s one word for it.’