that fateful after-party, laughing whenever she wobbled.
Grand sycamores, pines, and willows blocked the property from nosy neighbors, and she knew for a fact that the backyard dipped onto a forested ravine, going on for miles and miles onto undeveloped land. It was hard to believe that in just a few short—or long, depending on how she looked at it—months her mom would call the sprawling estate her home.
“Does… Van still live in Cascade Falls?” she asked, as her mom brought the car to a stop by the front steps. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted someone hurrying toward the vehicle. Her mom shot her a wide smile, nodding.
“Oh, yes, and he’s done quite well for himself, too. I believe James asked him to be here today, so we can all get reacquainted.”
April pursed her lips. We obviously referred to her, James, and Van. “Great.”
Thankfully, her mom missed her sullenness, as the man who’d approached the car opened the door and helped the woman out.
“Pleasure to see you again, Miss O’Hara,” the man said, and once April was out, she watched, stunned, as the fellow hopped in and drove the car away. Valet parking? At a home? Seriously? This might prove to be a little more trying than she’d expected. A cool spring breeze tickled her calves, as she waited for her mom by the wide-set front steps, her floral sundress fluttering around her legs. It was cooler in Cascade Falls than Bowmansville, and she almost wished she’d worn pants instead.
The dress was just so flattering, clinging to her in all the right places and hiding her problem areas. She’d wanted to look good if it meant meeting a certain Palmer boy again after all these years—if only to remind him of what he’d missed out on by not calling her.
It was petty, sure, but it was hard not to act like a teenager when she was back in the place where she’d last been one.
“Renee!”
“Darling!”
Vomit. April forced a smile as soon as she was in the immense foyer, a crystal chandelier hanging from the cathedral ceiling over gaudy checkered tiles. If her mom planned to live here, she’d need to do some serious redecorating. James, meanwhile, looked like he’d had a little redecorating of his own—in the Botox department anyway. He descended the stairs with his arms outstretched, still the man she vaguely remembered from her high school era. Tall and lean, his hair had that salt-and-pepper look that so many in the older crowd were sporting these days, and it definitely worked. She could see why her mom might have fallen for him initially; he was, in a way, attractive—though his skin was pulled a little tight. Plus, April wasn’t a fan of his charcoal gray suit.
Her forced smile grew bigger as soon as James turned his eye to her, honing in like a seedy predator who’d just spied his next meal, and she gulped as he swooped in. Much to her relief, he held out his hand once he was near enough, forgoing the hug he’d given her mom.
“April,” he said, his voice taking on a deep rumble, “I’m so pleased you could take the time off to visit. I really feel that this will be a wonderful opportunity to reacquaint ourselves.”
He was eloquent, she’d have to give him that—something he must have done when he started dating her mom, who also spoke quite primly. If memory served her correct, James had been much gruffer when she was a teen, particularly with Van.
“Thank you for inviting me to your home,” she managed to get out, as he squeezed her hand just a little too hard. She held firm though, not wanting him to see her flinch. “It’s as beautiful as I remember.”
His thick black eyebrows shot up, and he finally released her hand. “You’ve been here before? I’m afraid I don’t recall.”
Just as she opened her mouth to remind him, someone else beat her to it.
“April was here for the prom after-party, Dad. Don’t you remember? When
Grand sycamores, pines, and willows blocked the property from nosy neighbors, and she knew for a fact that the backyard dipped onto a forested ravine, going on for miles and miles onto undeveloped land. It was hard to believe that in just a few short—or long, depending on how she looked at it—months her mom would call the sprawling estate her home.
“Does… Van still live in Cascade Falls?” she asked, as her mom brought the car to a stop by the front steps. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted someone hurrying toward the vehicle. Her mom shot her a wide smile, nodding.
“Oh, yes, and he’s done quite well for himself, too. I believe James asked him to be here today, so we can all get reacquainted.”
April pursed her lips. We obviously referred to her, James, and Van. “Great.”
Thankfully, her mom missed her sullenness, as the man who’d approached the car opened the door and helped the woman out.
“Pleasure to see you again, Miss O’Hara,” the man said, and once April was out, she watched, stunned, as the fellow hopped in and drove the car away. Valet parking? At a home? Seriously? This might prove to be a little more trying than she’d expected. A cool spring breeze tickled her calves, as she waited for her mom by the wide-set front steps, her floral sundress fluttering around her legs. It was cooler in Cascade Falls than Bowmansville, and she almost wished she’d worn pants instead.
The dress was just so flattering, clinging to her in all the right places and hiding her problem areas. She’d wanted to look good if it meant meeting a certain Palmer boy again after all these years—if only to remind him of what he’d missed out on by not calling her.
It was petty, sure, but it was hard not to act like a teenager when she was back in the place where she’d last been one.
“Renee!”
“Darling!”
Vomit. April forced a smile as soon as she was in the immense foyer, a crystal chandelier hanging from the cathedral ceiling over gaudy checkered tiles. If her mom planned to live here, she’d need to do some serious redecorating. James, meanwhile, looked like he’d had a little redecorating of his own—in the Botox department anyway. He descended the stairs with his arms outstretched, still the man she vaguely remembered from her high school era. Tall and lean, his hair had that salt-and-pepper look that so many in the older crowd were sporting these days, and it definitely worked. She could see why her mom might have fallen for him initially; he was, in a way, attractive—though his skin was pulled a little tight. Plus, April wasn’t a fan of his charcoal gray suit.
Her forced smile grew bigger as soon as James turned his eye to her, honing in like a seedy predator who’d just spied his next meal, and she gulped as he swooped in. Much to her relief, he held out his hand once he was near enough, forgoing the hug he’d given her mom.
“April,” he said, his voice taking on a deep rumble, “I’m so pleased you could take the time off to visit. I really feel that this will be a wonderful opportunity to reacquaint ourselves.”
He was eloquent, she’d have to give him that—something he must have done when he started dating her mom, who also spoke quite primly. If memory served her correct, James had been much gruffer when she was a teen, particularly with Van.
“Thank you for inviting me to your home,” she managed to get out, as he squeezed her hand just a little too hard. She held firm though, not wanting him to see her flinch. “It’s as beautiful as I remember.”
His thick black eyebrows shot up, and he finally released her hand. “You’ve been here before? I’m afraid I don’t recall.”
Just as she opened her mouth to remind him, someone else beat her to it.
“April was here for the prom after-party, Dad. Don’t you remember? When
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