kid. My kid. And I want—”
“I know you blame Dad for dying.”
As soon as the words left Kylee’s lips, she turned pale, her eyes wide. She chomped down on her lip.
Heat bloomed in Angela’s cheeks. “What?” She could barely choke out the word. How could her daughter possibly know that?
“I read your diary.” Kylee looked like she might cry again. “You were mad all the time, and one day when I was in your room borrowing some jewelry, I saw the diary on your bedside table, and I couldn’t stop myself. I’m sorry. I just wanted to know what you were thinking.”
She’d only written in her diary once since Wes died, and her daughter had read the words she’d slashed there? Angela wanted to feel enraged, to push away any other emotions, but what rose instead was great sorrow. Sorrow that she’d had to write the words at all. That her daughter had felt the need to snoop instead of simply asking Angela how she felt. Regret that she probably wouldn’t have told the truth if Kylee had asked.
“Baby, those words were very raw. I haven’t been great about . . . well, any of this. I’ve never done this before. I know you haven’t either.” She picked up the pieces of Kylee’s tissue and tossed them in the garbage.
“So you aren’t mad at Dad for dying?”
Honesty . . . or protection? Angela sighed. “To tell you the truth, sometimes I am.”
“I was, too, at first.”
Angela took her daughter’s hand once more. “Really?” How could she not have known that? She and her daughter were more alike than she’d ever wanted to admit.
“Yeah, but Juliet helped me work through it at group.”
“Well, it’s something I’m working through too.” She could finally say those words truthfully, even though she didn’t know what the final result would be. How would she know when she was done “working”? “I don’t want you to worry about it, though.”
Kylee studied her for a moment. “Are we ever going to be okay again, Mom?”
“Someday, sweetie. I know we have a long way to go, but I’m willing to walk that path if you are. Together?”
Kylee’s nod was so slight, Angela almost missed it. But when she saw it, she felt like doing a victory dance herself.
25
“My girlfriend is going to love this.” A short twentysomething Kiwi man with a collared shirt buttoned to the top handed Eva his credit card while admiring the simple bouquet of calla lilies she’d arranged for him.
“I’m glad.” Eva ran the credit card through Joanne’s register, tapping her finger along the metal edge while it processed. She’d offered to watch the flower shop for an hour or two so Joanne could run out for a quick lunch with Graeme, who was feeling much better after his asthma attack over a week ago.
The register whirred as it spit out a receipt. Eva ripped it from the spool and handed it to the man along with his credit card. “Thank you for your business. And good luck with the proposal.”
With a thank-you and a wave, the man left. The shop was quiet once more, only the hum of the hanging glass lights buzzing in the air. She tucked her hair behind her ear as she straightened a carnation spray here and a ribbon there. Eva hadn’t been back to the shop since she’d created some of the most beautiful wedding bouquets of her career. Hadn’t chatted with Marc since then either.
Because there was a profound awareness in her gut, and she wasn’t ready to deal with it. If he saw her face or heard her voice, he might realize it too. So anything she’d needed to say to him, she’d texted.
At least some good had come from the strife. She and Angela had been on surprisingly close terms. Her sister-in-law had even gone out of her way to check on Eva last night after she’d spent most of the day curled up in bed.
The bell over the florist shop’s door dinged, and Joanne walked in, followed closely by her husband. They held hands and she laughed at something he’d whispered in her ear.
When Joanne saw Eva, she beamed. “Thanks so much for letting us step out for a bit, love.”
“You weren’t even gone that long.” Eva ducked into the back room to check her phone messages, giving Joanne and Graeme a moment of privacy. She only had one text from Angela confirming their plans for an early-evening hike.
Eva sent Angela the thumbs-up emoji