“Nell called this morning and said we had to come up for the night,” my mother said as my father pulled their bags from the trunk.
“Oh, really?” I laughed. “I wonder why.”
“She said there would be something happening I wouldn’t want to miss.”
“She did?” I glanced over my shoulder at Oliver, who was grabbing our bags from the back of his SUV. “I wonder what it is.”
“Probably just a ruse to get us up here,” said my father as he shut the trunk.
“Is April watching the desk?” I asked.
“Yes. Mack and Frannie are both working overtime too,” my mother said as we made our way toward the front porch. “I think they even drafted Mack’s girls to work.”
I laughed as we climbed the steps. “Good. We’re going to need extra help. Oliver and I have big plans for Cloverleigh.”
“Do you?” My mother glanced back and forth between us, obviously thrilled. “I can’t wait to hear about them.”
The front door of the cottage flew open and Oliver’s mom appeared. She was slender and maintained her physique with plenty of tennis and golf. Her shoulder-length hair was the same shade of auburn it had been as long as I’d known her, and she always wore it down with a headband that matched her outfit—today it was white shorts, a hot pink cardigan sweater set, Jack Rogers sandals, and pearls. Always pearls.
“Hello, darlings!” she called. “I’m so happy you’re all here!”
“Sorry we’re late,” I said as she embraced me. Her perfume smelled like lilies of the valley. “We got a slow start this morning.”
She released me and winked. “I totally understand. Don’t worry about a thing, I’m just delighted you’re here. I’m delighted about absolutely everything!”
I wasn’t exactly sure what she meant, but I smiled. “Me too.”
There was a whirlwind of hugs and kisses and greetings. Uncle Soapy came in to give stiff hugs and hearty back slaps. Oliver took our bags upstairs, then came down and took my parents’ luggage up as well. Hughie came in to shake my father’s hand and kiss my mother’s cheek. Aunt Nell shuffled us all through the house and out to the back patio. Through it all, I barely had time to exchange a glance with Oliver, but every time I looked at him, he seemed a little more miserable.
Out on the back patio, Soapy made drinks at the “bar,” which was really just a table set up with glasses, ice, and bottles of gin, vodka, scotch, and mixers. The rest of the extended Pemberton family gathered on the patio—Lisa, pregnant Charlotte and her husband Guy, Lisa and Hughie’s children, Joel and Toddy, and of course, Gran.
She ambled over, tiny and frail but still stylish in her trousers and blouse, a sweater draped over her shoulders and a strand of pearls around her neck. Her hairstyle was identical to Oliver’s mother’s, but the color was entirely silver. She held a G & T in one hand and the handle of a cane in the other.
“Hello, Gran. Happy birthday.” Oliver dutifully kissed her cheek. “How are you feeling?”
“Never better, darling. Thank you.” She turned to me. “So good to see you, Chloe. I couldn’t be happier about everything.”
Again I wondered what the heck everyone was so happy about—did they know about the business already? “I’m so glad to hear it. Happy birthday.” I kissed her cheek. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you. You’re looking well.”
She laughed graciously. “Thank you, dear. I try. I’ve got two new hips now, did Oliver tell you?”
“He didn’t.” I winked at her. “But you know men. They forget all the important things.”
She winked back. “They certainly do. If you just accept that, you can avoid a lot of fights in married life.”
“Gran, can I get you a chair?” Oliver asked. “Why don’t you come sit down?”
“Thank you, dear, but I think I’m going to go up to my room for a little rest before dinner. I don’t want to fall asleep before the excitement.”
“Sounds good, I’ll help you up the stairs,” said Oliver quickly, taking her arm. “Be right back, Chloe.”
“No rush.” I smiled and let my mother tug me over to the bar, where Uncle Soapy poured me a drink. I sipped it and smiled and chatted with everyone, keeping one eye on the patio door, watching for Oliver.
When he came out about fifteen minutes later, he grabbed a drink from the bar and came over to where I sat with my parents. He took a great big gulp before sitting in the chair next to me.
“Everything okay?” I asked him.
“Everything is great,” he said.
But he wouldn’t meet my eye.
Everyone wanted to know about our business venture, so we described our trip to South Manitou, regaled them with the story of Jacob Feldmann, told them all about the farm we wanted to purchase, about the heritage rye we wanted to plant, about our plans to build new facilities at Coverleigh in a partnership with Brown Eyed Girl. I blushed listening to Oliver heap praise on my marketing skills, on all I’d accomplished at Cloverleigh, at how thrilled he was I’d agreed to work together.
He went into his usual showman mode as he told the tale of Jacob and Rebecca, and he seemed to recover some of his usual charisma and spark in front of the crowd. We stayed mum about our personal relationship, although he did take my hand at one point, and I know my mother noticed. She and Aunt Nell exchanged what can only be described as an Aren’t They Adorable look, as if we were five years old again.
But his leg was twitching beneath the table, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something with him was off.
20
Oliver
NOW
I was starting to panic.
Somehow, I had to get Chloe alone and tell her the whole story and why it was necessary, but I didn’t see how it would be possible before dinner. My mother, who, as predicted, had no poker face whatsoever, was already ushering us from the patio into the house.
“Dinner is nearly ready, everyone,” she said. “After you change and freshen up, we’ll all meet in the library for cake and champagne in ten minutes. We have to do it before dinner, since Mother gets tired easily. I guess when you’re ninety, you get to have dessert before your vegetables!”
Everyone laughed, while I thought, fuck—ten minutes is not going to be enough time to explain things.
But it was all I had.
I grabbed her by the hand and tugged her toward the stairs ahead of everyone else. But just as we reached the landing, my mother caught up with us.
“Darlings, I have you together in Oliver’s old room,” she said with a knowing smile. “I hope that’s okay. With John and Daphne here too, there weren’t quite enough bedrooms for you each to have your own.”
“It’s fine,” Chloe said.
“Normally, I wouldn’t put two unmarried people together in a room with Gran here. It’s a bit too contemporary for her,” my mother whispered. “But I’m a modern woman myself, and I’m sure you two will want to stay together tonight.” Suddenly she threw her arms around Chloe. “I’m just so happy. I hope you don’t mind I invited your parents. I just thought they should be here for this occasion.”