In a Book Club Far Away(19)

Adelaide’s eyebrows rose.

“At the bakery,” Henry confirmed.

“Right, and instead of heading all the way back to Georgia, which was my true intention, because I’m mad at you, Adelaide Wilson-Chang. So mad I could scream.” She took a deep breath. “But… I realized, or he helped me realize, that I would have regretted it if I left without trying to stay under this roof, with her.”

Adelaide nodded. The change in her expression was so drastic that a part of Regina wished she could have taken the serious stuff back, because Adelaide was fun, and damn, did Regina want to discuss Henry. She wanted to model-walk around like a queen because this man she’d known only through the internet was actually and truly real. Online friends didn’t always translate to in-person friends. How many times had she attempted to meet people online, only to be catfished by their seemingly good looks and ability to write the perfect profile? Or the times when she’d been ghosted because there had always been something wrong with her.

Henry clapped his hands together. “Well, I think that’s my cue. Regina, you’ve got my digits.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll text you later.” He kissed Regina on the cheek casually, as if this was their usual farewell. The touch of his lips on her skin melted her insides like chocolate over heat.

When the door closed behind him, Regina lifted a hand toward Adelaide before she decided to say anything else. “We can talk about him later. Where’s Sophie?”

“Sophie is right here.” Sophie descended the staircase like a formidable ghost. She was a reminder to Regina that friendships and relationships could dissolve in a matter of days.

Stop it. That was the divorce talking. The breakup and the resultant breakdown of what had been her life had done a number on Regina’s psyche. Hands down, her divorce from Sophie had been equally as devastating as her divorce from Logan, and even more difficult to reconcile.

Toe to toe, and no longer under shadows as they had been in Baby, Regina cataloged Sophie, ten years later. Could it be possible that she appeared stronger now? Because her posture was more confident, more poised than before. She was the kind of nurse all patients wanted around.

That was precisely why Regina had to return. She couldn’t allow Sophie to be indispensable. Regina was Adelaide’s best friend, too. Regina had something to offer as well. Was it competition? Hell yes.

She stood straighter. “I’m staying, Sophie.”

Sophie responded by raising an eyebrow.

“Do I like that you’re here? No. But Adelaide called me, too. And as much as I don’t want to admit it, you were right. This whole situation isn’t about the two of us. It’s about her, and it’s about Genevieve, and we know that while you’re a whiz in that hospital room, you’ll need help with Gen. And frankly, out of the two of us, I’m the better cook.”

Regina winced at her own words. She wasn’t the only one who could cook out of the three of them, but being a credentialed chef was her only one-up.

Sophie crossed her arms. “You’ve always got something to say.”

“That’s right, just like you.” Regina quipped back. “And I’m not done. I’ve got some house rules.”

“Technically this isn’t your—”

“It’s okay, Soph,” Adelaide said, then nodded for Regina to continue.

“The first rule is that I’m not sharing a room with you.” She pointed at Sophie.

“That’s fine.” Adelaide answered quickly. “You can take Genevieve’s room. A daybed’s already set up. Genevieve is fine to stay with me, in her portable crib.”

“Second is that I don’t want to talk about the past. At all.” She leveled a stare at the two of them. “Not even a whiff. I’ve moved on. It’s been ten years.”

Sophie crossed her arms. “Believe me, it’s not on my docket to discuss.”

Regina bristled at her answer, at the way Sophie had brushed off the event as if it were just a silly fight they had. It had taken months, years even, for Regina to even talk about what happened.

“Third—the kitchen is mine.”

“Now, wait a minute.” Sophie’s face wrinkled into a frown. “You’re being ridiculous.”

“Hey. There can only be one in charge, you should know that. I’m a chef. This is my thing. I won’t micromanage your care of Adelaide, you don’t step into my kitchen, and we share Genevieve.” At the expression that the two of them gave her, she added, “Years of therapy after a divorce, ladies. I’m asking for what I want. And I want boundaries.”

“It’s a yes from me, of course,” Adelaide said.

They both looked at Sophie, whose face didn’t betray what her upcoming decision would be. If she was being honest, Regina hadn’t been worried about Adelaide agreeing to her terms. Adelaide knew how to apologize; Adelaide had actually gotten on the horn to weather her anger.

Sophie, on the other hand… she had sent weak emails and a passive-aggressive friend request on Facebook.

But finally, after enough mind-numbing seconds in which Regina was on the cusp of turning and walking out the door, Sophie nodded.

“Agreed.”





CHAPTER TWELVE

Adelaide