“What?”
“There’s no reason we can’t come there. Hester would love it—and we’ll make sure her doctors clear it. Your sister and her family would love it, too. It’s past time we had the whole family together for a holiday at Bluff House.”
His first reaction had been panic. Now it shifted. She was right, past time. “I hope like hell you don’t want me to bake a ham.”
“I’ll take care of that, and whatever else. We’ll let Selina hunt eggs—oh, remember how you and Tricia used to love doing that? We’ll come up Saturday afternoon. This is better. Better than you coming here. I should’ve thought of it in the first place.”
“I’m glad you thought of it. Ah, listen, I’d like Abra to come, too.”
“That would be perfect. Hester especially would want to see her. You know she calls every couple of days to talk to your gran. We’d love to have her.”
“Okay, good, because I’m actually seeing her.”
There was a pause, long and buzzing. “Seeing seeing?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, Eli, that’s wonderful! That’s so, so good to hear. We love Abra, and—”
“Mom, it’s not like . . . It’s just seeing. Seeing.”
“I’m allowed to be happy. You haven’t . . . It’s been a long time since you had someone in your life. And we’re especially fond of Abra. I love you, Eli.”
Something in the tone had his stomach jittering. “I know. I love you, too.”
“I want you to have your life back. I want you to be happy again. I miss my boy. I miss seeing you happy.”
He heard the tears, closed his eyes. “I’m getting it back. I feel more myself here than I have in a long time. Hey, I’ve put on ten pounds.”
When she burst into tears, the panic returned. “Mom, don’t cry. Please.”
“It’s happy. It’s just happy. I can’t wait to see you for myself. I’m going to go tell your father, Hester, and call Tricia. We’ll bring a feast. Don’t worry about a thing. Just keep taking care of yourself.”
When he hung up he just stood for a moment getting his bearings. Ready or not, his family was coming to Bluff House. And his mother’s “Don’t worry about a thing” wouldn’t cut it.
He knew damn well his grandmother would expect Bluff House to shine, and he couldn’t dump all that on Abra.
He’d figure it out. He had better than a week to figure it out. He’d make a list.
Later, he decided. Now, he discovered, he really did want that beer. And he wanted it in a noisy bar. With Abra.
So, he’d grab a shower, and maybe he’d walk to the village. That way she could drive them both back after her shift.
He headed for the steps, realized he wore a grin. Yeah, he thought, he felt more like himself than he had in a very long time.
Sixteen
ABRA WOUND HER WAY THROUGH TABLES, BUSING EMPTIES, taking orders and checking IDs as the Boston-born band pulled in a hefty share of the college crowd. Following bar policy, she rewarded each party’s designated driver—when they had one—with free non-alcoholic drinks through the night.
Otherwise, tonight’s crowd leaned heavy on beer and wine. She kept her tables happy—casually flirting with guys, complimenting girls on hair or shoes, laughing at jokes, quick conversations with familiar faces. She enjoyed the work, the noise and the hustle. She liked the people-watching, the speculating.
The stone-cold-sober DD from her table of five channeled any desire he might have had for beer into hitting on a nearby table of girls, particularly the milk-skinned redhead. From her reaction, the way the two of them danced, the whispers when the girl group trooped off as a pack for the ladies’, Abra figured the DD might just get lucky later.
She served a round to a pair of couples—she cleaned for one set—and was pleased to see earrings she’d made dangling from both women’s earlobes.
Boosted, she made her way to the back table, and its single occupant. No familiar face here, and not by her gauge a particularly happy one. Anyone who sat alone at the back of a bar nursing tonic and lime didn’t project happiness.
“How’s it going back here?”
She got a long stare and a tap on the now empty glass in answer.
“Tonic with lime. I’ll take care of that. Can I get you anything else? We’re famous for our nachos.”
When all she got was a shake of the head, she took the empty, tried an easy smile. “I’ll get right back to you.”
Thinking the likelihood strong that the tonic-and-lime would be a lousy tipper, she headed back to the bar.