“I know this sucks, but try and get some sleep. I’ll call you in the morning when I have news.”
With that, the line went dead, and Ian was left staring at his phone.
In a daze, he put away the garden shears and hurried back inside. He spent the entire night pacing the living room and clenching his keys. Eventually, he ended up on the steps of the back porch, waiting for the sun to rise and for Marissa to call him back.
Don’t do anything stupid, Ian. Marissa is right. There’s too much at stake here.
But waiting wasn’t something Ian was ever good at, and the more time that passed by, the more anxious he became.
Chapter Twelve
“Is Mom still asleep?” Dean slammed the cupboard shut and set the cereal down on the counter. Then he swung the refrigerator door open and poked his head inside. “She’s been sleeping a lot lately. Should we be worried?”
Ian glanced up from his cup of coffee. “Her new client is really stressing her out. This is just her way of coping.”
He hated lying to his son, but he desperately wanted it to be true.
If he prayed hard enough, maybe it would be.
Dean reemerged with a carton of milk and his hair in tufts on top of his head. “I’ll pretend I believe you. How are Thanksgiving plans going?”
Ian hid his grimace behind his mug. “You know how your mom gets.”
Everyone in the Wilson clan took turns hosting Thanksgiving, and whenever it was their turn, Lucy ended up breaking out into hives. Regardless of how much everyone pitched in to help or how much Ian took on, the end result was still the same. For someone who planned events for a living, whenever it came to their own events, Ian had no idea how she let it all get to her.
It made no sense to him, but he knew better than to push her to give up, especially when they’d already discussed the menu and seating arrangements last night.
“Kelli and Dana are going to pass by a day earlier to spend the night.” Dean poured himself a generous amount of cereal and followed it up with half and half milk. “Do you think that’ll help?”
Ian set his mug down and cleared his throat. “I hope so.”
“I might bring someone over,” Dean said between mouthfuls of food. “Do you think Mom will mind?”
“The sooner you let her know, the better.” Ian pushed his chair back with a screech and stood. Then he took his mug over to the sink and rinsed it. “And I’d suggest you ask your friend soon, too; otherwise, she’s going to think it’s a last-minute thing.”
Dean swallowed and twisted to face his dad. “What makes you think it’s a she?”
“Because you never ask when it’s your guy friends. They just kind of show up, and your mom has gotten used to it.”
Dean stood up straighter. “Fair point. Don’t tell Mom yet. I’m not sure what I’m going to do, and I want to tell her myself.”
Ian patted his hands dry and gave Dean a quick clap on the back. “Son, I learned a long time ago that women have a way of finding things out. I wouldn’t hold off on telling her for too long; otherwise, she’s going to take it the wrong way.”
Dean grimaced and returned his attention to his cereal. “Good point.”
“I’ll be in the garden if you need me,” Ian called out over his shoulder.
As soon as he stepped outside, he tilted his head back to enjoy the sun’s warmth. Then he rolled up the sleeves of his hoodie and picked up the hose.
He was watering some of the bushes and inhaling the sweet scent of freesias when he spotted Maggie through the glass door.
Her back was facing him, but he could see the tension there.
With a frown, Ian turned the hose off and hurried up the stairs. Snippets of conversation rose when he slid the back door open and stepped in. As soon as his eyes adjusted, he saw Lucy standing next to Maggie, both of their backs turned to him.
“You need to tell Ian about the hospital visit,” Maggie said in a low voice. “And your test results. You can’t keep hiding this from him.”
Lucy shook her head. “He’s got a lot on his plate, and I don’t want to bring it up now. It’s not the right time.”
