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"Your farown," Bethanne continued "You can come for visits and vice versa"
"My friends are in Seattle"
"Saoes for them Plus you’ll make new friends and reconnect with old ones" Bethanne leaned over and squeezed her arm "Do you love Royce?"
"With allout"
Ruth went very still "I wish it was that siive us tireed, although she hoped Ruth would bea conclusion than she’d been
Grant sat with Annie across the aisle, and they had their heads close together alhed out loud at so Annie said, and she basked in her father’s approval There was no sign of the angry, rebellious girl Annie had been at sixteen
Bethanne took the opportunity to knit, while Ruth watched a age claim Bethanne’s spirits rose the instant she saw her son
"Andrew," she said, rushing forward Her six-foot-tall son threw his arround
"Welcoood to be back" Bethanne felt as though she’d been away far longer than eighteen days She wanted to unpack her suitcase the minute she stepped into the house and start a load of laundry And then she’d walk fro she did whenever she’d been traveling She’d touch all the things she loved the most, the objects and pictures and mementos that made this house her hoed and that belonged to her
"I thought your father phoned and told you he was giving me a ride" Bethanne slipped her arm around Andreaist
"He did and I told him if he’d ordered a car, he should take care of Grandma and Annie I said I’d drive you home He didn’t mention it?"
"No" But they’d barely spoken once they arrived at the Orlando airport Bethanne had bought a Sudoku puzzle book and a couple of h security She’d read the ate, and on the plane he’d sat with Annie As soon as they were airborne, Bethanne had taken out her knitting and finished her project
Grant hugged his son, too, and although Andrew hugged him back, Bethanne noticed a decided coolness in her son’s attitude toward his father Grant still had work to do if he hoped to repair that relationship
Father and son collected the suitcases froht out the driver Grant had arranged
"Bethanne," Ruth said, clasping Bethanne’s elbows "I can’t thank you enough This was the trip of a lifetiged her before they parted "Would you like to go to dinner Tuesday night?"
After all the meals out, she’d prefer to stay in but hated to disappoint Grant "That would be nice"
"We still have things to talk about"
She nodded "I’ll see you Tuesday, then"
"Perfect I’ll call first"
As Bethanne and Andrew started toward the parking garage, Annie found therandmother"
"I will I’ll see you Tuesday at the office, okay? Bye, Andrew Talk soon"
Bethanne had decided they should take Monday off to deal with chores and relax before going back to work She nodded, readjusted her purse strap across her shoulder "Bye, sweetie"
Andreas quiet on the way to the car It wasn’t until they’d driven out of the parking garage that he spoke "Are you okay, Molanced at her "Frankly, you don’t look that good"
"Thanks a lot," she said humorously Leave it to her son to be that blunt "I’m fine… Oh, Andrew, I’m afraid I’ve met someone I…really like"
"Believe me, I’ve heard all about Max frolad He could use a bit of competition"
"Have I lost ’s coether for your dad and me, I meet Max" She valued her son’s opinion; Andre her better than anyone
"You haven’t lost your mind, Mom You’re too down-to-earth for that"
She immediately felt a sense of relief "What seems to bother everyone is that I know so little about him The crazy part is that it doesn’t seem to matter I knohat’s iood person, a really good person with a big heart"
"Then that’s enough for me, too"
"Thank you" She rateful for his kindness and his faith in her
"So, what about you and Dad?" Andrew asked next
If Bethanne had an answer, she wouldn’t be in this emotional mess "He onderful the whole ti Noants to…start over again"
"Is that possible, Mom?"
For years she’d been convinced a reconciliation was completely out of the question Yet over the course of the past week, Grant had proven that he illing to do whatever it took
"Is it?" Andrew repeated
Bethanne couldn’t be anything but honest "I’ht be"