The Winters(40)

“Max, she’s never going to come around.”

“That’s not true. I saw something last night. A glimmer. Something softened in her. You saw it, too. With the kitten.”

Before I could tell him how quickly she had hardened, he reached into his front pocket and held up my engagement ring, given to me after a different taxi had once nearly separated us.

“Remember when you met me by the car yesterday, before you took me down to see the boat? I told you I had something I wanted to talk to you about. This isn’t how I planned it, but here it goes. I can’t bear to be away from you. Put this back on, because what I’m trying to say is we should get married. As soon as possible. Why wait?”

There were many good answers to that question, chief among them being the way he had looked in the greenhouse, haunted and aggrieved, confirming we’d be wise to put more time between Rebekah’s death and the start of our marriage. But there was such naked need in his eyes. I was flattered to be wanted this much, to know that Max Winter was desperate to marry me.

So instead of no, I said, “I don’t know why we’re waiting, Max. Yes. Let’s do it. Let’s get married right away.”



* * *



? ? ?

The first person Max suggested I call was Louisa. Perhaps he felt I needed to be buoyed a little before we broke it to Dani. When Louisa squealed with delight at the news, I could have cried.

“Have you told Dani yet?”

“Not yet.”

She offered to come over right away to help with the planning. “I’ll make it so all you have to do is show up,” she said.

I thanked her and told her that wouldn’t be necessary. We wanted it to be very small, and I had plenty of time to tackle most of what needed to be done. “But I would love your advice, Louisa.”

“Well, here’s some: Don’t worry about what Dani says or does. Just plow ahead. She’ll catch up. She always does.”

Finally Max texted Dani to come down and join us in the den. I still hadn’t told him she had absconded with my kitten. When she made her entrance holding Maggie, my heart hurt all over again. She was trailed by Claire, an arresting beauty whose height and bearing made her seem closer to my age than Dani’s. Though Claire was dark where Dani was blond, her eyes icy blue where Dani’s were brown, they dressed alike, both wearing pastel cotton shorts that they likely slept in, and both were braless, the points of their nipples tenting their loose white T-shirts.

I spoke first. “You must be Claire. We sort of met last night.”

“Yeah. I was a little distracted. She’s just so cute,” Claire said, giving the kitten a scratch behind her ear, then drawling, “Hi, Mr. Winter.”

“Claire. Dani, we have something we want to tell you. Claire, would you mind waiting for us in the kitchen?”

Claire went to leave.

“Stay,” Dani commanded. “Anything you tell me I’m going to tell her anyway.”

Max looked at me for permission. I shrugged. Now was the time to cultivate some of that grown-woman insouciance. Whatever Dani’s reaction, I would weather it, as Louisa suggested. As for Claire, I was glad for her to stay, if only to witness the fact that good things can happen to not so beautiful women, too.

“First of all,” Max began, “I want to apologize for how angry I got last night in the greenhouse. I had no right to yell like that. It was wrong. I was wrong.”

“It’s okay, Daddy,” Dani said. “I know no one is supposed to go in there.”

“Yes, well, with everything that’s happened . . . it’s just made me realize how short life is, and how lucky I am to have you both in my life.”

Dani began to pet Maggie more aggressively, perhaps less to soothe the kitten than herself.

“You know I love you very much.” He looked at me. “I love you both. And I know we got engaged pretty quickly. Well . . . we’ve decided to push up the wedding. We haven’t really talked about the details yet, but it will be here, and soon, and though we’d love your blessing—”

“You’re going to do it anyway,” she said with a shrug.

“Yes, Dani, we are.”

“So why do you want my blessing?” She looked at me and then at her father, back and forth, trying to knit us together in some logical way in her mind, her chin quivering. I almost felt sorry for her, standing there barefoot, holding a squirming kitten.

“Well, may I be the first to say congratulations, to both of you,” Claire said, smiling and nudging Dani.

“Yes. Congratulations,” Dani said, her voice flat, her eyes dead. She handed the kitten to Claire, took a breath, and walked over to me, opening her thin arms wide.

“Oh, well, thank you,” I said, and entered her awkward embrace.

Then she walked over to Max and searched his face before giving him another stiff hug.

“I hope you’ll both be very happy,” she said, returning to stand next to her friend. “Can we go now?”

“Of course,” Max said, unable to hide how pleased he seemed by her rough attempt at sweetness. “Thank you so much, Dani.”

“Sure, Daddy. Let me know if I can help you in any way.”

When the door shut behind them, Max and I looked at each other with astonishment, mouthing Oh my God! Then we threw up our arms in silent victory.