"Sometimes," she agreed. "I used to want a bunch of kids, but I think Sarah might be it. Sometimes I wish… But then I count my blessings, because she's a good kid and she and I are tight. Check back when she's thirteen; that might have changed." She looked rueful.
"I'm sure you'll do fine with her, even when she's a teenager," I said. "You both seem to have your heads screwed on right."
"Can you tell my mother that?" She picked up her wine and smiled as she took a sip. "I think she still hopes I'll get married someday. Something about having someone look after me when her and dad are gone. They can be old-fashioned when they want to."
"They sound like my parents," I said. "It's like they can't handle the fact that we grew up."
Fiona groaned. "I know, right? I think mine would like to have bonsaied me and kept me a kid forever. I guess that's why they like grandkids. Someone they can fuss over when their own kids have gotten too old for it."
"Is there such a thing as being too old to be treated like you're fragile?" I said with a snort.
"Good point." She pointed her fork at me. "Probably not. Don't tell my parents. It'll encourage them. Speaking of them, you have to come over for a barbecue sometime. Half the town turns out when they throw one. I'll convince them they should have one asap. They usually don't take much convincing. Any chance for my father to get his hands on the grill. And my mother will take any chance you can get to have a night off from cooking. I guess that runs in the family."
"Do Connor and Riley go to their barbecues?" I asked, trying not to look too much like I dreaded seeing either of them again.
"Usually," she said. "Did you have more trouble with them?" She looked like she was going to storm over to their houses and kick them in the balls on my behalf. If she was going to do that, I'd have to insist on tagging along to watch. Something like that couldn't be missed. Or recorded on my phone for shit and giggles.
"Just a conversation with Riley," I said, trying to keep my tone light, as if I didn't care. After all, I shouldn't let it bother me. I certainly shouldn't let it get me hot and bothered. "He seemed to like my painting." I waved my fork in the direction of where it still sat on the easel, a couple of metres away.
"I like it too," she said carefully. "Why do I sense there's more to this? Was he an asshole to you?"
"Not exactly," I admitted. "He flirted with me. And then he suggested it might be better for me if I leave town."
She frowned. "You're not going, are you? Because if he and Connor make any trouble for you…"
"I'm not going anywhere," I said firmly. "I like it here. Everyone else has been lovely. Whatever they have going on," I waved my own fork in the air, "that's their problem."
"Agreed," she said. "But if they give you any trouble, let me know. I have no trouble whipping their asses for you. I've done it before."
I believed her. "I can handle them," I said. I'd start by staying away from them as much as possible. Sooner or later, they would get over me being here and move on to something or someone else.
"Of course you can," she said firmly. "You know what, you should come to the pub with me after we're finished here. A couple of the girls are going to be there. They'll love you."
"Sounds like fun," I said. It wouldn't hurt to make a few more friends in town. Maybe
I'd never leave. I wondered how Riley would respond to that. He seemed certain I'd fall into bed with him at some point. He might take me staying as a challenge.
Whatever, let him. He'd figure out soon enough that he didn't own me and I owed him nothing.
"It will be," she said. "Whitney and Holly are going to love you. And since I don't have Sarah, we can all get as drunk as we like."
"I can't even remember the last time I got drunk," I said, deadpan.
Fiona stared at me for a few moments, before my words sank in. She tipped back her head and laughed.
"I'll bet you can't. Neither can I. Apparently I had a good time. According to Whitney, I was dancing on the tables in the pub. Lucky those things are sturdy." She grooved in her chair for a few moments while taking a few more sips of wine.
I wouldn't be dancing on any tables, that was for sure, but it would be nice to let loose for a while. To forget about what brought me here to Aurora Hollow in the first place.
"Let me guess, you were wild when you were a kid," I said with a knowing smile.
"Not just then." She shook her finger at me. "I'm still wild now when I get the chance. Just a bit less young and dumb than I was back then."
"I guess we all have to grow up a little bit eventually," I said.
"Just a little." She held her hand up, her fingers slightly apart. "No more going home with people I regret."
"Did you ever… With Riley or Connor?" I grimaced. Did I want the answer to that? For some reason, it was reassuring to know neither of them fathered Sarah. I didn't know why that mattered. Possibly because I liked the kid and she deserved better than to be related to them. Yes, that was all.
