The Summer of Sunshine and Margot - Susan Mallery Page 0,13
the right choice.
“I was such a disappointment,” she said lightly, having long since accepted the inevitable truth.
“We both were,” Margot murmured. “At least you tried. I was a trembling, whimpering mess.”
“Don’t forget the projectile vomiting.”
“Always a pretty memory.”
They smiled at each other.
“How’s work?” Sunshine asked. “Weren’t you interviewing for a new client?”
“I was and I got it. Should be an interesting one. She’s a mass of contradictions. I have to live in, which I don’t usually love, but the house is great.”
Sunshine knew better than to ask too many questions. Margot was very discreet about her clients and never talked in specifics.
“Where will you be living?”
“I’m staying in Pasadena, so not far from you.”
“Nice. Let me know if you want me to check on your condo. You know my schedule is mostly flexible.”
“Thanks.”
The server returned and they placed their order. When he was gone, Margot picked up her champagne.
“So how’s your newest heartbreaker?”
Sunshine laughed. “Connor is totally adorable. He’s such a good kid. He’s still dealing with losing his mom, but he’s so brave. We’re going to be getting an ant farm.”
Margot shuddered. “Why?”
“He wants one. I think it’ll be fun. Do you know the people who sell them refer to the ants as animals? Connor was right there, so I couldn’t laugh, but jeez, really. Animals? So are they ant ranchers or something?”
Margot chuckled. “And the man of the house?”
“I’m still getting to know him. He seems like a good dad. He’s involved with Connor.”
“A nice change.”
“It is.”
Too many of the parents she’d worked for were not very engaged. They wanted a nanny for convenience and to pass on the responsibility of raising their children to. From what she could tell, Declan was a concerned parent.
“It must be so hard,” she said, fighting sadness. “To lose your spouse when you’re both so young. They would have expected to have a lifetime together and she’s gone.”
“Don’t,” her sister said, her voice kind. “You were going to say you want that, too.”
“Not the dying part. Just the rest of it. You know. Love. The forever kind.”
They looked at each other, then Margot slowly shook her head. “You know it’s not in our DNA.”
“It could be. I want it to be. At least Connor has something to mourn. I don’t. Just a dozen or so bad relationships that I knew were never going anywhere, yet there I was, running out on my life at the first sign of interest. Normal, sensible people don’t do that.”
“Is that what we’re going to be?”
“It’s a good goal. You’re halfway there.”
“Oh please.” Margot picked up her champagne. “I’ve spent the better part of five years being stuck because of a man and the last few years trying to avoid him. I spend so much time trying not to think about him, I can’t seem to think about anyone else. I’m great at my job and sucky at my personal life.”
“You’re not.”
“I am a little.”
Sunshine knew that was kind of true. “I want to be proud of myself,” she admitted. “I want to be a better person and fall in love with someone great. I want a future, not a fling.”
“The normal thing you love so much.”
“You mock normal, but you’d like it, too. You’re just afraid to try. You don’t think you’re capable of loving anyone but Dietrich.”
Margot winced. “While true, a little hedging wouldn’t be out of line.”
“Sorry. I’ll hedge next time.”
Margot thought for a second. “All right, I’ll say it. I want to put my past behind me and move on. I would like to find out if I’m capable of loving someone else. Someone who’s actually good for me.”
“Here’s to us being brave,” Sunshine said, raising her glass. “Or at the very least, not being rash.”
Margot laughed. “To avoiding rashes.”
* * *
After brunch, Sunshine ran a few errands before returning to the house. She wanted to spend a couple of hours looking over her incredibly huge math textbook. She’d flipped through the first few chapters twice and still wasn’t sure any part of it was written in English, but maybe this time it would all make sense.
She tried to tell herself that she was taking the class to learn and if she already understood the material, what was the point, but she wasn’t totally convinced. Shouldn’t she at least know something?
She parked her used Honda Civic next to Declan’s BMW SUV, then went inside. After changing into cropped pants and a T-shirt, she headed for the kitchen. She could hear Connor and Declan