Don't Forget to Write: A Novel(74)

“Then how—?”

“I was fishing. You took the bait.”

I looked at her in the mirror. “You’re the most aggravating—”

“Careful or I’ll take it back.”

I pursed my lips at my reflection. “Thank you for the lipstick—even if you originally stole mine.”

Lillian held Sally up—Sally hadn’t been more than a few inches from Lillian since she returned, and I had begun to wonder whose dog she actually was. “Ada just likes to be the alpha dog, doesn’t she, sweet girl?” Sally licked Lillian’s nose, and Ada made a face.

I expected Ada to have a snappy reply, but she said nothing. It dawned on me that Lillian may have been the real alpha of this house. Ada didn’t fight her decision that Dan would stay here, and I doubted she would give me the lipstick without Lillian’s prompting.

“How do I look?” I asked, twirling around.

Ada frowned. “Don’t ask questions you already know the answer to.”

But Lillian shook her head. “Don’t listen to her. You look lovely.”

All three of us looked up at the sound of a car outside the open window. “That’ll be him,” Ada said.

“I’ll get it,” I said, moving past her to the door.

“Don’t be silly,” Ada said. “He’s going to be our guest after all. Come on, Lillian. I’ll introduce you.”

“Wonderful,” Lillian said, heading into the hall. Sally jumped down and followed her.

I trailed after them, wondering if the lipstick was worth the price.

Ada reached the door just as Dan was raising his hand to knock, two bouquets of flowers in his other hand. “Welcome,” she said, suddenly all sunshine and rainbows. “Come on in. I’d like you to meet my friend Lillian.”

Dan shook her hand warmly, but looked down, biting the inside of his cheek. “I would have brought a third bouquet if I’d known.”

“Don’t be silly,” Lillian said. “We can happily share.”

Ada took both from Dan and handed them to me. “Go put these in water,” she said, taking Dan’s arm and leading him toward the living room.

He looked over his shoulder at me helplessly. “Hi. You look beautiful.”

I smiled, then went to the kitchen, where I attempted to hand the flowers off to Frannie. “What on earth do you want me to do with those?” she asked, a hand on her hip. “We’re out of vases.”

“I don’t know. Use a milk jug?”

“Were you raised in a barn?” She shook her head and stormed into the dining room, returning a moment later, her arms laden with three vases full of extravagant blooms. “Miss Ada better not mind me consolidating some of these.”

“I doubt she will.”

Frannie shook a finger at me. “It’s on you if she does.”

“I didn’t bring the flowers!”

“No, but you brought the boy who brought the flowers.”

I shook my head. “Love you too, Frannie.”

She grumbled something that might have been “Too much trouble” or “Go blow a bubble.” Either way, I wasn’t her favorite person, and she attacked the flowers.

Dan was seated on the sofa, Lillian and Ada opposite him in chairs. “Shall we go?” I asked.

Dan started to rise, but Ada stopped him with a look. “Go?” she asked. “He just arrived. No. We have arrangements and rules to discuss.”

I looked to him in alarm, but he didn’t seem concerned. “Arrangements?”

“Yes. Dan will sleep in the spare room. And there’ll be no funny business while he’s here. I run a respectful house.”

“Ma’am, I would never—”

Ada made a wry face. “Never say never—you might live to regret that.” Dan blushed, and I stifled a laugh. He had a lot to get used to with Ada.

“Don’t mind her,” I said. “She had an affair with Hemingway.”

Dan looked from me to her and back to me. “You’re joking—aren’t you?”

“Yes,” Ada said at the same time I said, “No.”

Lillian leaned forward and put a light hand on his knee. “Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer the Princeton after all, dear?”





By the time we left for dinner, Lillian had obtained most of Dan’s life story. “Sorry about that,” I said sheepishly as we walked down the stairs.

“Nothing to be sorry about.” He took my hand and pulled me in, giving me a quick kiss. “Hi though.”

I smiled. “Hi.” But when we reached the car, he handed me the keys. “What do you want me to do with these?”

“Hop in. Your first lesson can be taking us to dinner.”

“I can’t drive us to dinner. I’ve literally never driven.”

“No time like the present. Come on. I’ll show you.”

“But there are children in town. What if I hit a child?”

Dan chuckled. “Try not to do that.”

“No. Shouldn’t we go to a parking lot or an abandoned road for this?”

“Marilyn, you’ll never find a more abandoned road than the streets here. Most people walk everywhere. You’re the one who taught me that.” I looked at him uncertainly. “Have I finally found something you’re afraid of? Other than marrying me?”