Feels Like Falling - Kristy Woodson Harvey Page 0,58
questioningly, then asked, “Who are you?”
Diana stuck out her hand to shake Greg’s. “I’m the new Maria.”
I burst out laughing and put my arm around her. “Greg, Brooke, this is Diana.”
She gave Brooke a once-over that would have made anyone feel extremely self-conscious. “Geez,” she said to me out of the corner of her mouth, “neither one of you can date someone age-appropriate.”
“What?” Greg said.
I elbowed Diana. “Nothing. Thanks, guys, for bringing my boy back in one piece.”
Greg squeezed Brooke’s arm. “I’ll be right there, hon.”
She rolled her eyes and turned to go to the car, obviously irritated that she was being sent away. But this was what you signed up for when you set out to marry another woman’s husband. I wanted to tell her thank you for making the tooth fairy so special, but the words got stuck in my mouth. Oh well. I was trying. For today, that was enough.
Greg looked at Diana, then back at me, and said, “I’m glad you found someone to help you, Gray. You deserve it.”
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Then he said, “Are you doing okay? I mean, I know this is hard for you.”
“Yeah,” I said, “not seeing Wagner was a nightmare, but I’m glad he had this opportunity.”
He nodded. “Good. But I really meant with the whole Brooke thing.”
I was feeling warm toward him for a half second until he said that. I thought Diana was going to choke beside me. I smiled tightly. “I’m a grown woman, Greg. I’m fine.”
Diana chuckled. “I’d say she’s more than fine.”
Greg looked at her questioningly again. “Okay. Well, good. Because Brooke and I want to go on a trip this fall, and we really want to take Wagner—”
“Greg, you just got back. I am dying over here and have hardly been able to function for the last three weeks without him, so maybe we could talk about this—”
“Why don’t you let me finish?”
I crossed my arms.
“What I was going to say is that Brooke and I want to take Wagner to Disney World for a week this fall, and we were thinking that maybe you could come too. I know you don’t want to miss that.”
I could feel my stomach turning over. I had had more than a year to get used to the Greg and Brooke situation. Things were better. I was feeling stronger. But a joint vacation? He couldn’t be serious.
I didn’t say anything, and Greg continued, “You were the one who was so big on us still doing things together as a family, on not having to have separate birthday parties and trying to keep Wagner’s life as normal as possible. So why don’t you come?”
“You’re bringing Brooke,” Diana chimed in. “Shouldn’t Gray get to bring somebody too?”
“Diana,” I said sharply, under my breath.
Greg looked amused. “What? You mean you?”
“Nope,” Diana said, grinning broadly, “I most certainly do not.” She paused. “Although I have always wanted to go to Disney World.…”
I grabbed her wrist and spun around, calling to Greg, “I’ll think about it, okay?”
He just stood there, looking confused—and kind of pissed. And I have to admit that that made me happy.
“Are you crazy?” I said to Diana, laughing.
“What?” She shrugged. “I’m not going to let him stand there all holier-than-thou like you can’t move on. Hell no. My girl’s already found her the hottest, youngest piece of meat on the beach.”
“I thought you thought he was too young for me. I thought you said it was inappropriate.”
She stopped walking and shrugged again. “What the hell do I know? I’m forty and single.”
That quick wit was one of my favorite things about Diana. What I loved the most about her, though, was how, already, she always, always had my back. No questions, no hesitations. She was Team Gray all the way. I hoped I was showing her that I was Team Diana too.
“I’m coming in to make dinner in a minute.”
“It’s Saturday, Diana. You don’t have to. Get some rest.”
She smiled. “I need to get to know that cute boy of yours. Now seems like as good a time as any. What’s his favorite dinner?”
I could feel a lump in my throat, the burn that meant I was in danger of crying. “Fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and butter beans.”
Diana nodded slowly, registering the tears in my eyes. “Your momma’s specialty, huh?”
I nodded. She acted like she was going to say something else, like she wanted to ask me something more. But instead, she said, “Okay. I’m