Page 61 of The Homemaker

I never said my friend was a “he,” and I don’t think I used the words “lost his mind.” But it doesn’t matter. Alice clearly didn’t lie about her amateur acting. She keeps a stiff upper lip, not so much as a flinch of recognition or glance in my direction.

“Maybe I can get him a beer,” she says to Blair as if I’m not in the vicinity.

“Babe, will you drink a beer?”

“I’m good, but thanks.”

“Callen?” Blair looks at him.

“No, thank you.”

“Fine.” She plops down onto the lounger and lifts her wine glass in a toast. “To me. The only one who knows how to have fun on a Friday night.”

“So how did you two meet?” I ask as Alice reenters the pool and everyone ignores Blair.

Callen immediately grabs Alice to use as a shield again, and he kisses her neck. “She was at my son’s soccer game by accident.”

“How does that happen?” Blair asks.

Alice scrapes her teeth along her lower lip and dips her chin while shaking her head. “Just something stupid. It doesn’t matter.”

“She was at the wrong field. Her nephew was playing on the field across the street,” Callen says.

Alice said she was an only child. Either she lied, or shehas a nephew by marriage.Wasshe married? I need the truth. I gave up on knowing and walked away. But now she’s here, and not knowing is drivingmefucking crazy.

“The following weekend, I saw her again at the soccer complex,” Callen says. “She was in line at the concession stand. I think I said something cheesy like, ‘Isn’t this a lucky coincidence?’ And that led to her agreeing to have dinner with me.”

Alice doesn’t look at me or anyone else. Her discomfort is palpable.

“What does yournephewthink of you dating a college lacrosse coach?” I ask.

Alice offers a quick glance and a one-shoulder shrug.

“I haven’t met him. We’re not at the meeting family part of our relationship,” Callen says.

“Do you have a brother or sister, Alice?” I slant my head to the side.

“What’s with the personal questions?” Blair asks me with a little laugh.

“Didn’t you say you have an older brother?” Callen asks Alice. “And very protective?”

My mind is so twisted into knots that I don’t know what’s up or down.

Alice turns in his arms and kisses him, and not a quick peck. She kisses him like she used to kiss me. The intentional PDA makes me nauseous. Then she whispers in his ear.

“I guess we’re leaving,” Callen says, like it’s an afterthought not meant for anyone’s ears in particular.

She wraps her legs around his waist, and he carries her out of the pool and straight toward the guesthouse without grabbing towels, saying goodnight, or offering a look in mydirection.

“Well, damn.” Blair whistles. “Alice is getting some tonight.” She waggles her eyebrows at me before sipping her wine. “I guess we can lose our suits now that they’re gone.” She stands, sets her glass on the table and unties her bikini top, unbothered by potential neighbors seeing her.

Closure has always seemed like a cliché. But right now, I’d do anything to get closure before the unanswered questions upend my future.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Alice

Ask him to wait. Forgive him when he doesn’t.