Page 18 of The Dangers of Daydreaming (Love Connections #2)

Ex tricated

Lucy

Crap. I couldn’t look at him, and it wasn’t because of how bright it was up here at the top of the lighthouse. I was such a jerk—I should have just said yes to the date, but old habits died hard. I hadn’t said yes to a first date in a year. Hadn’t said yes to a second in even longer.

And really, it was true that it wasn’t a good idea.

But that didn’t mean I wasn’t interested. A date with Finn? He already opened my doors and let me control the AC, so things wouldn’t be that different, would they?

Except I would know we were on a date. I would know we were there because he liked me and wanted to spend more time with me. He might hold my hand. Split dessert with me. Tell me I looked good. Kis—

My eyes caught on Finn, hovering by the door, still watching me, and my cheeks burned. Okay, the overactive imagination needed to take a breather.

My phone started buzzing, and I was never so grateful for an interruption. I didn’t even glance at it before I sent an apologetic look to Finn while pointing at the phone and answering.

“Hello?” I asked.

“Lucy!”

Had I just answered a call from my mother? Seriously? Of all the people it could be… Anyone from work. Any of my cousins. A friend. A freaking tel emarketer… it had to be Lisa Sinclair, the woman who’d birthed me, raised me, and I’d been rudely ignoring?

“Oh, hey, Mom, what’s up?” I did a fantastic job of hiding my dismay. Go me!

“I’m so glad I got ahold of you. I was starting to think your phone must not be working in Canada… I was about to send you an email.” She laughed, and I gave myself a stern talking to. This was my mom. I loved her. I disagreed with the decisions she was making right now, but I needed to be nice.

“I’m so sorry, service has been spotty.” Which was true. Usually, I had to leave the B&B to get calls and messages.

“I completely get it. It’s good to know, actually, since Brian is finalizing the honeymoon plans, and maybe those international phone plans aren’t worth it then.

We wanted to stay in touch with our kids, but you guys might just have to get emails when we’re on Wi-Fi.

Honestly, you’d probably prefer that over constant updates, although Alexandra has said she wants all the pictures.

She is so jealous that we’re headed to France.

She says she wants to live vicariously through us.

I told her she and John should go next summer.

Brian and I will keep the kids, and they can go on a vacation.

I don’t think they’ve had one since they were married five years ago, so it's definitely time, and what else are grandmas for?”

There was so much to unpack there. The fact that my mom hadn’t used me to plan her honeymoon—though really, I wouldn’t have been thrilled so I was trying to keep that in mind.

The fact that my mom’s future stepdaughter was everything I wasn’t—namely excited for the marriage.

The fact that said future stepdaughter talked to Mom more than me.

The fact that Mom already considered Alexandra her kid and Alexandra's children her grandkids.

Why did that hurt? Why did that feel like I was being replaced?

I pressed my eyes closed. A hand touched my arm, and I jumped.

Sorr y , Finn mouthed. Do you need an escape?

I nodded, not even caring that I probably looked crazed and frantic.

“Hey Lucy!” Finn called, way too loudly for someone right next to me. The couple across the room looked over at him. “Time to get going! We’re going to miss the train!”

I gave him a shaky smile. “Sorry, Mom,” I said into the phone. “I need to run, but I will text you tonight. Promise.” I would. I needed to connect with her, and I missed talking to her as much as I used to. I just needed to not be blindsided by the conversation.

“Oh sure, sure, honey.” She didn’t even sound too disappointed. Was this just the new normal, so it was no shock that I was evading a conversation with her? “Brian and I need to go meet with the florist in half an hour anyway. Love you.” So, no, she just had more wedding stuff to deal with.

“Love you.” I hung up. Or she did. I’m not sure which of us got to the red button sooner.

I stared down at the phone, blinking back dumb, unnecessary tears. What was wrong with me?

“You okay?”

I bit my lips together, nodding but not meeting his eye.

“Well, come on then, we’re going to miss the train, after all.”

That made me laugh, a stupid watery chuckle. But it was forward momentum, so I wasn’t complaining.

We made it out of the adorable lighthouse.

I felt like I was leaving a scene from Road to Avonlea behind when we walked down the dirt path toward the van, and I glanced over my shoulder to capture a mental image.

And then a physical one with my phone. “Thank you,” I said, when enough time had passed that I wasn’t afraid of crying.

“You probably think I’m crazy for needing an escape from my mom. ”

“Not crazy. But I hope you’ll return the favor. I told you about my dad—if he comes calling, I may need you to extricate me.”

“Extric ate? Yes, your vocabulary is definitely expanding. I’m so proud.”

His eyes crinkled, and he opened my door.

“I think that’s my problem, though,” I admitted when he turned the car on. “Outside of the occasional forgotten dentist appointment, my mom has never let me down. I should be happy for her.”

“It’s a big change, Luce. Lots of emotions are going to be involved. That’s okay.”

For some reason, that made me feel all teary again, so I just nodded. Finn’s phone started buzzing.

“We are so popular today,” he said, picking it up. “Oh dang, it’s my Gram. I forgot she might be coming home today.”

“That’s great news,” I said, smiling and pulling my laptop from the bag I’d stuffed under the seat. “Go ahead.”

He answered the call, and I got back to work.

And just like that, everything was normal again. No crying Lucy. No Finn saying he liked me. No date.