Page 99 of The Banned Books Club
“Where are you going?” her husband asked, but she didn’t answer. She just started over to where Gia was sitting.
“Louisa, it wasn’t just you!” Cormac hissed, feeling as though he’d put whatever was about to happen in motion because of his last dig. It was easier to blame her and Edith than himself for cutting off his relationship with Gia. But he shouldn’t have done it. He didn’t want either one of them to bother her ever again. “Come back here!” he added.
He knew she’d heard him because she glanced at him—but kept on going.
Gia was going through the photos on her phone, selecting images that would be good to put on social media to promote Backcountry Adventures, when a shadow fell across her table. Sammie had originally agreed to come with her tonight, but something had come up at the last minute and Gia had decided to get out of the house, anyway. Wouldn’t you know she’d have to face Cormac and his sisters when she was completely alone and looked friendless and rather pathetic?
Bracing for what could be an emotional encounter—she’d known almost nothing except emotional encounters when it came to Mr. Hart and his kids—she looked up to find that it was Louisa who’d walked over.
“Can I...help you?” she asked uncertainly when Louisa didn’t speak right away.
Cormac’s sister began to dig at her cuticles. “I just wanted to say—” She cleared her throat. “I wanted to say that I’m sorry. I misjudged you and...and I know you were going through a difficult time as it was. When I put myself in your shoes and try to imagine what it must’ve been like, I feel terrible. I hope you can forgive me.”
Gia had never expected an apology. They’d been enemies for so long she figured at some point that sort of thing just became set in stone, because even if they finally believed her, they could still wonder, deep down, if she’d done something to entice their father. It had to be hard to completely give up on the idea and not simply look for different reasoning.
“I appreciate that,” Gia said. “Of course I forgive you. You weren’t in a good position to determine the truth, not with everything your father has said to discredit me.”
Louisa blinked, seemingly surprised that her apology had been accepted so readily. But Gia didn’t see any point in holding grudges. She was just glad the truth had finally come out, and she knew Cormac was responsible for that, so she couldn’t be too hard on those he had to cross to make it happen. “Thanks.” Louisa smiled. “I appreciate it.”
Gia smiled, too. “No problem.”
Louisa started to go back to the other table but turned almost immediately. “Hey, is there any chance you’d like to join us?” she asked. “We’re celebrating Edith’s birthday.”
Looking over at all the faces that were turned in her direction, Gia swallowed hard. “Um...that’s okay. I wouldn’t want to intrude. But I hope she has a wonderful birthday and...and thanks for coming over.” She thought that would be the end of it. She couldn’t believe Louisareallywanted her to join the party. But then Edith got up and came over, too.
“I also owe you an apology. I’m sorry—on behalf of me and my father,” she said. “I hope you’ll come have a drink with us and that we can...start over.”
Gia assured her she harbored no hard feelings, then tried to decline again. But Victor and Dan joined their wives and pressed her to accept.
“Come on over, really,” Victor said.
“We’d love to have you,” Dan added, and the next thing she knew, Gia found herself sitting by Ruth at one end of the table, with Cormac on the other end and his sisters and brothers-in-law in between.
“I never dreamedthiswould happen,” Gia joked as they signaled the waitress that she’d moved.
Cormac caught her eye and smiled. She could tell he was looking for some type of forgiveness, too. But the way she felt when she looked at him, she knew that would only lead her right back to his bed.
26
Cormac couldn’t keep his eyes off Gia. He kept looking for some sign that she wasn’t angry since he’d cut her off, but he couldn’t tell. At least she was sitting at the table with him and his sisters were being kind. He was so proud of them for apologizing.
It was easy to see Gia didn’t feel as though she belonged in this small family celebration, and Cormac could understand. They ended up ordering some appetizers as well as drinks, and after a while, as they all told stories and began to laugh, she seemed to relax and start having fun, too. Then the waitress carried out a big cake—thanks to Louisa, who’d had the foresight to make it happen.
Eventually, Louisa asked Gia about Sheldon, and she told them what Ruth had already said—that he was becoming a persistent problem. Louisa followed up by asking if she’d heard from Margot. She insisted that she hadn’t, but Cormac wasn’t sure he believed that. He wouldn’t tell anyone whether he’d heard from Margot, either, if he were in Gia’s place.
They were all a little tipsy when they walked out, except Dan, who was the designated driver since he was raised by an alcoholic and had sworn off drinking. He took the birthday girl, Louisa and Victor home. Then he came back for Cormac, Ruth and Gia.
Cormac was hoping to sit in the back with Gia, but Ruth insisted he take the front seat since his “legs were longer.” He tried to tell her he was fine in the back, but she was so insistent that he got the impression there was more behind it than mere courtesy. She didn’t want him to sit by Gia. It didn’t ultimately matter that much, though, because Dan dropped Ruth off before driving Gia and Cormac home.
Cormac wanted to get out with Gia, so that maybe they’d have a chance to talk. But she didn’t invite him. As soon as Dan pulled into her drive, she thanked him, told them both goodbye and got out. That was it.
Cormac wished she’d been more encouraging, but when he got home, he texted her, anyway.
Is there any chance you’d be willing to come over so we can talk?
She answered right away:I’m not sure I want to get involved with you again.
I’m sorry, Gia. You have to admit things were going pretty fast. I just needed to slow us down for a second. I won’t change my mind again.
