I hesitated. I probably had even less electrical knowledge than your average person. But the alternative was standing here with Julian, pretending he wasn’t angry and I wasn’thopeless.
“Oh, Daniel would love to,” Julian said acidly. “He’s kind of a renaissance man, you know? Go get ‘em, BearGrylls.”
I ground my teeth together. “Yeah,” I told Angela. “Happyto.”
Julian didn’t even look up when we left thebooth.
The sky was nearly dark now, even though it was still early, with a turquoise sunset on the horizon that reminded me of waterfalls in places way warmer than here. I jammed my hands in my pockets and tried to match my steps to Julian’smother’s.
“You can call me Angela,” she said out of nowhere, and for a second I blinked, wondering if she could read my mind. “I mean, I’d say call meMama, like my other boys do, but it’s likely early days for that yet. Nopressure.”
“I…” I swallowed.Shit.No wonder Julian hated lying to her. I barely knew her and I could hardly get the words out. “I really appreciate you being so kind tome.”
She made a noise that could either have been agreement or disagreement. “We didn’t get off on the right foot. Myfault.”
“You love Julian. I get that. You want what’s best forhim.”
She nodded. “I definitelydo.”
“Well, hey, Angela!” A young-ish woman in theugliestugly sweater I’d ever seen laid a hand on Angela’s arm and flipped her blonde ponytail over her shoulder. She was visiblypregnant.
“Karen.” Angela kissed her on the cheek. “How’s thebaby?”
“Exhausting. God.You haveno idea,” the blonde said to the woman who had three grownsons.
“You should sit!” Angela said sympathetically. “Maybe over atFanaille!”
“Cal gives me dirty looks,” the blonde sighed. “He’s theworstbrother-in-law. I think it’s because I told him he couldn’t be a godparent unless he and Ashley were married. But it’s notrealunless they’re married, is it? They could break up whenever they wanted, and then what would happen to Blakely?” She patted her stomachprotectively.
Meanwhile, I rubbed a hand over my mouth to keep from inadvertentlyspeaking.
“Caelan’s a curmudgeon just like his grandmother before she retired,” Angela said. “He’s a good man, and I guarantee he only wants what’s best for the baby, godparent ornot.”
Karen made a noise like she wasn’t convinced. She darted a look at me from under her lashes, then stuck out her hand. “I’m Karen Mitchener-Martin.”
“Uh. Hi. DanielMichaelson.”
Her fingernails were bright red with little green decorations, and they dug into my skin as we shook hands. She smiled broadly. “Where are you from,Daniel?”
“Oh, I live out on the Camden Road,” I told her, pretending that’s what shemeant.
Angela pursed her lips like she was fighting asmile.
“Well, you’ve certainly made waves in our little town,” Karen said. “You andJulian.”
“Have we? We’ve almost entirely minded our business, as far as Iknow.”
“But Doc Ross is such a dark horse! If you’d asked me to pick a man in this town who was most likely to run off and fall for someonenobody knew, it wouldn’t have been him. Right, Angela? Always rock-steady andreliable.”
“He hasn’t run off,” I tried to say, but Karen talked overme.
“I didn’t know him when he was in school, but Janice Turner said that he was thequietestchild. Like, unnaturally silent and cheerful. But suddenly—Ow!” Karen grabbed at her backdramatically.
Angela frowned in concern. “Oh, honey. Go find somewhere to rest, why don’t you? Mackie will be worried if he finds you’ve overdoneit.”
Karen nodded pathetically. “It’s these shoes.” She lifted one slim red-soled stiletto off the frozen grass. “They’re the worst for trekking around like this. But I refuse to yield, you know? I refuse to be one of those women who just lets herselfgoonce she getspregnant.”
“No one could accuse you of that,” Angela said. “But remember what’s most important now. LittleBlakely.”
