Cadence of Cranberries - Valerie Comer Page 0,26

“Thanks, Uncle Ray.” Then his questioning gaze met Charlie’s.

“He’s right. You got in some great shots.”

Michael offered a fleeting grin. “Thanks.” He grabbed a navy parka out of the stack and shoved his arms into it. “What’re you doing here, anyway?”

“Saw you playing and thought I’d stop for a few. Glad I did.”

“Oh, yeah?” The boy’s chin lifted slightly. He looked about to say more, but shook his head and dashed away.

Winnie’s youngest was going to be a tough nut to crack.

Winnie looked up as the front door slammed.

Michael. He usually came back from three-on-three looking a bit more pleased with himself.

“Hey, Squeak.” Brittany went over and reached to hug him.

He ducked away. “Stop calling me that.”

“Why?” She sounded genuinely perplexed. “It’s a term of endearment.”

“Doesn’t sound like it to me.” He glared at her as he toed off his tennis shoes.

Great. Just the opening Winnie needed for this discussion with her kids. She set the zucchini lasagna on the trivet on the table. The kids had grown to prefer this carb-free version their cousin Tony, owner and chef at Antonio’s had perfected. Didn’t stop the girls from making garlic toast to go with it, of course, but Winnie had also tossed a large salad. It would pass for a well-balanced meal.

“Wash up and call your brother, Michael. Dinner’s ready.”

“Fine.” He sent her a frustrated glare.

“Michael.”

“Yes, Mom.”

If his eyes rolled, it was only a little, and she could pretend she hadn’t seen.

He jogged down the stairs to the walkout basement he shared with his brother.

“You’d never have let us get away with that kind of attitude,” Brittany said.

“I agree.” Gabby licked garlic butter off her fingers. “How long is he allowed to play the my-dad-died card? It happened to all of us, but the rest of us aren’t jerks about it.”

“You’re also not fledgling teen boys.” And they also hadn’t witnessed as first responders descended on the scene of their dad’s crushed truck.

“Mom, seriously—” started Brittany, but the boys’ footsteps on the stairs silenced her.

“Smells good, Mom.” Landon slid into his chair. “My fave.”

Gabby set the platter of garlic toast on the table as everyone else took their seats. Winnie said grace, and the kids dug in to whatever was in front of them.

“Thanks for the dinner invite, Mom.” Brittany heaped salad on her plate. “Ava’s working with the church dance troupe these days, and she’s never at the apartment. Fixing food for one is getting old.”

“I bet.” And that only reminded Winnie of the things she wanted to say to her children. Now? Or after they were sated by a delicious meal? She listened to the ebb and flow of conversation, of Landon complaining about his English teacher, of his sisters commiserating — Ms. Thomas had never been a favorite. Only Michael seemed quiet after his outburst, but that wasn’t completely unusual.

Winnie waited for the meal and conversation to slow then took a deep breath. “There’s something I wanted to talk to you kids about.”

Four pairs of eyes glanced at each other then swung to her.

Gabby broke the sudden silence. “What’s up, Mom? Don’t keep us in suspense.”

Please, Lord, help me here. And don’t let me make a huge mistake. She’d worry it was kind of late for that prayer if she hadn’t been praying it all week. “You guys know that Dominic and Katri asked her dad and me to plan their wedding.”

Heads nodded. Landon’s eyebrows tilted up.

“I first met Charlie months ago. He brought his coffee truck to the Kendall Yards Night Market every Wednesday evening, and I’d buy a coffee.”

“You mean a salted caramel latte...” Brittany snickered.

“Yes, well, it has coffee in it. Anyway, I didn’t know his name, and I didn’t know he was Katri’s dad until he came in the door at Thanksgiving.”

Michael leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest.

Not a good sign. Winnie took a deep breath. “To make a long story short, we’ve met a few times to work on the wedding plans and... he asked me out. On a date. We’re going to skate at the Ribbon tomorrow evening.”

The girls gave each other a high-five and a big grin. Landon smirked and shook his head. But Michael... he glowered at her. “Why?”

“Sweetie, your dad is gone. He’s not coming back. I will always love him. You know that, right?”

He swept his hand to one side. “Then why?”

Because she wasn’t over the hill? Because, hopefully, she had a lot of good years left in front of her? Because she