Page 7 (2/2)

The place was gorgeous, though, she thought as they pulled into the driveway Silhouetted against the aching blue of a June sky and bathed in the golden sun of late afternoon, the gray stone building looked like a stately grande da out contentedly over the acres of e, but beautiful

Ethan and Lucy, Parker’s closest friends, were already here, holding hands as they sat on wide front steps that led from the driveway to the enormous entryway Ethan jumped up to open her door as she pulled in

“Daddy!” Nicky yelled, scra out of the car

“How’shim up

“So,” Lucy said, “are congratulations in order?”

“I aood times roll”

“Good for you, Parks,” Ethan said, kissing Nicky’s cheek “You proud of Mommy, Nick?”

“Yup What’s for snack? Is cake for snack?”

“No cake till after supper,” Lucy said “Unless your dad decides otherwise”

“Decide otherwise, Dad!” Nicky co ahead

“Parker, do you have plans tonight?” Lucy asked “I figured the boys could have so out”

Saved! “I would love that! We can break open soht”

Lucy reached for his hand “He’s driving e mistake”

“My God, it’s like you’re reading rinned at each other

“Guys, I just ate, okay?” Parker said, cocking an eyebrow The tiniest swirl of envy threaded through her Lucy and Ethan were crazy in love, and yep, Ethan was the father of Parker’s child It wasn’t as freaky as it sounded Or maybe it was, and Parker was in denial

“We brought the itinerary for our trip,” Ethan said, standing back to let the ladies go in first “Figured you’d want a copy”

“Great!” Parker said fir to see it”

Her friends had gotten married in February, but they hadn’t had a honey Nicky to California as soon as preschool finished San Francisco, Muir Woods, Yose of his restaurant, so the ti seemed perfect

It was just that it was for three weeks

Three weeks without her boy

“Daddy!” Nicky galloped back and grabbed his father’s hand “Come see my room! I cleaned it yesterday Mos live I found Darth Vader’s head!” He tugged his father up the curving staircase

Parker and Lucy went through the house to the kitchen, Parker’s favorite place in the house “I brought us sustenance,” Lucy said, holding out a bag “White-chocolate macadamia cookies”

“Satan, get thee behind me” She took out a cookie—heck yeah, still warained eleven pounds since last year? You hit thirty-five, and bas you ate in your twenties launch thehed “You’ll see”

“I already see,” her friend said “So what? You’re a size eight now? The horror, the horror”

“Oh, I hit double digits soain”

“You bet,” Lucy said

Marriage agreed with her, Parker thought Lucy’d had it rough; ed before her first anniversary years ago Jimmy, her husband, had been Ethan’s older brother; Ethan and Lucy had been college friends; the shared loss brought theether About six years after Jimmy died, Ethan and Lucy had finally hooked up

And so rouy had been great on paper, save for one ht it funny that more people hadn’t seen it She broke up with him—it wasn’t terribly hard; they’d already see—then found out six weeks later that she was pregnant They’d shared Nicky fro

She took another cookie out of the bag and ate it “Holy halos, these are good Shoot me if I eat another Where’s the itinerary? It’s color coded, right? Tell me it’s color-coded”

“Of course it is,” Lucy said, unfolding a three-page spreadsheet

“So you’ll be in San Fran for three days?”

“Four” Lucy pointed “See? San Francisco’s in pink”

“Of course” Parker bent over the paper, grateful for Lucy’s organizational skills She’d knohere her son was every minute

Ethan came into the kitchen and helped himself to a cookie “Parker, what are your plans while we’re away?” he asked “Got anything lined up?”

“Oh, I ht bop out to Nantucket and see some old pals out there Go into the city Maybe visit my mom You know” She reached for another cookie

The truth was, she hadn’ther son four thousand miles awayrong Which it won’t, the Holy Rollers assured her Lucy and Ethan are the best! Plus, it’ll be good for Nicky to see what a healthy adult relationship looks like!

Take a bite, Parker thought So she hadn’t been in a relationship since Ethan So she’d yet to go on a second date with anyone in five years So what? She tended to attract eedBetter not to date at all The fact that she’d spent a lot of ti Ben & Jerry’s should not be construed as jealousy It was ap