The Breakaway(61)

Abby, on the other hand, had stuck to the rules, and had come to dinner every night in cropped cargo pants and a tee shirt, with Keens on her feet and her curly hair in a loose bun. No accessories but the small, sparkly earrings she’d worn every day; no nail polish or makeup… but she must have packed perfume, Sebastian thought, taking a discreet but appreciative sniff when Abby took a seat on the opposite side of the table.

Sebastian leaned over to refill her water glass. Abby murmured her thanks.

“So you and Lincoln are roommates?” Eileen asked. She was on Sebastian’s left side, Lincoln was on his right.

“Housemates,” Sebastian said. “We were roommates freshman year of college, and we’ve lived together ever since.”

Eileen looked puzzled. “Lincoln, I thought you were married?”

“That’s right,” Lincoln said.

“So you’re…” Eileen frowned.

Abby was grinning. “Just say it, Mom,” she urged Eileen. “Spit it out.”

“Polyamorous?” Eileen said. “Or do people just say poly?”

For a moment, Sebastian had no idea what she was talking about. Lincoln figured it out first. “Oh, no, no. We’re not romantically involved. Just roommates.”

“I rent the garden apartment on the first floor of the house Lincoln and Lana own,” said Sebastian.

“Oh, well. That makes much more sense,” Eileen said.

“But it’s a lot less interesting,” Abby said. “I’ve never met a throuple.”

“Who’s a throuple?” Ted boomed. Sue stood on her tiptoes and spoke into his ear. Ted shook his head, looking disappointed.

“Well,” said Eileen. “It’s wonderful that you’ve stayed connected, all those years.” She nibbled at a shred of carrot from her salad.

Sebastian turned to Abby. “Have you tried the falafel?”

“Not yet,” Abby said. Sebastian passed her the platter. Abby speared a ball of fried chickpeas and popped it in her mouth. It crunched as she chewed. She glanced at her mother, who picked up the salad, brandishing the bowl at Abby with a tight-lipped smile. Abby shook her head. Eileen set the bowl down.

“How many miles did we ride today?” Eileen asked.

Abby swallowed and patted her lips. “Sixty-one,” she said, and held up a hand preemptively. “Do not ask me how many calories that burned. I have no idea.”

Eileen looked hurt. “I wasn’t going to ask that,” she said.

“You were thinking it,” Abby said. She was, Sebastian thought, trying to sound teasing, but he heard an edge in her voice. “I know your how-many-calories-did-it-burn face.”

“Oh, Abby!” Eileen said. “You’re such a comedian!”

“Bet,” Abby said flatly. “I’m hilarious.” She scooped hummus up with a wedge of pita. Eileen sat for a moment, before quietly excusing herself and finding an empty seat near Lily at the other end of the table.

Sebastian saw Abby’s shoulders slump.

“Hey,” said Sebastian, a little more sharply than he’d meant to. Abby looked up. “You should take it easy on her.”

Abby’s look became a glare.

“She’s doing this trip with you, right?” Sebastian asked.

Abby rolled her eyes. “Believe me, I’d have been fine if she’d just gone to a spa like usual.”

“But she wants to be with you,” Sebastian said.

“I doubt that she’s doing it just to be nice,” Abby said. “Either she wants something, or she’s trying to make a point. I haven’t figured out which yet.”

“At least she’s here,” said Sebastian, thinking that Abby had no idea how lucky she was, to have a mother who was present and interested. And sober. “At least she shows up for you. You should be grateful.”

“Oh, should I?” Abby raised her eyebrows. A pink flush darkened the tops of her cheeks. She gave him a smile that bared her teeth. “If you’re impressed with her parenting, let her know. Maybe she’ll adopt you. Take you under her wing for the rest of the trip.” She sipped from her glass demurely as Lincoln’s gaze moved from Sebastian to Abby.

“Everything okay here?” he asked, giving Abby a pleasant smile and Sebastian a harder look.

“Fine,” said Abby. “Everything is fine.”





Morgan


Day Six: Utica to Syracuse Sixty-two miles




Can you keep a secret?” Morgan asked Andy Presser, after she’d gotten him alone, away from her mother and his parents, when they’d stopped for lunch, thirty miles out of Utica.

“Uh-huh.” He nodded, bobbing his head up and down. “Why? What’s going on?”

Morgan’s hair swished as she turned around, looking over her shoulder, checking to make sure her mother wasn’t close enough to listen. Lily had looked a little disappointed when Morgan had said, “Is it okay if I sit with Andy?” but all her mom had said was, “Drink lots of water.” It had been fiercely hot that day, and humid, the sun beating down, the air sticky and thick. Morgan had already reapplied her sunscreen twice, and she could feel that she’d already sweated it away.

“I’m great with secrets,” said Andy.