I, for one, am happy about,” Nealy said. “You’re still going to make your gourmet mac and cheese for the welcome party, right?”
“Yes. You might be an event planner extraordinaire, but you can’t boil water.”
“We can’t all be gifted in the kitchen.”
“True.” Jenna smiled. “Thanks for throwing a party to welcome us to Cypress Pointe. It’s nice of Dane to hold the shindig at his hotel.”
“Anything to show off the Grand Cypress. Of course, it does help that he’s wild about me.”
Jenna laughed. “I still can’t believe he came to LA with you to pack up your belongings. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I’d never believe just how crazy Dane is about you.”
She also couldn’t imagine a love that strong and found herself a bit envious.
“After being apart for so many years, we have a lot of catching up to do. And besides, he’s happy to have the party for you.”
“I gotta say, I thought the guest of honor only had to show up and meet her new neighbors, not bring the food.”
“True for most mere mortals, but you make a mean mac and cheese. Since I’ve bragged about your culinary prowess nonstop since you told me you were moving to town, you can’t show up empty-handed.”
“Fine. Besides, you know I would have brought something even if you didn’t ask.”
“Yep, so why not put my order in?”
Jenna admitted that spending time with Nealy went a long way to easing her insecurities.
Nealy glanced at her watch. “I need to get going. Will you be all right?”
“Yes. And, Nealy?”
Her friend raised her eyebrows.
“Thanks. For everything.”
“Anytime.” Nealy swooped in for another hug. “Actually, all the time now that you’re here in Cypress Pointe.”
Jenna’s heart lifted with affection for her friend. “I hope I don’t become a nuisance.”
“Unlikely. Once you figure this motherhood thing out, you’ll feel better.”
Jenna crossed her arms over her chest, rubbed her chilly forearms. “We’ll see.”
“Hey, quit with the gloom and doom. You can do this.”
“You’re right.” Jenna dropped her arms. Tilted her chin. “I can do this.”
“That’s my friend.” Nealy walked to the front door. “Don’t forget. Tomorrow night. Six. Grand Cypress Hotel.”
“Got it.”
Nealy’s smile softened. “I promise, once you meet my family and get to know the wonderful people in Cypress Pointe, you’ll be glad you came.” That said, she swept out the door into the hot, humid August night.
Watching her friend get into her car and drive away, Jenna tried to take Nealy’s confidence in her to heart. She could do this, right? Be a single mom? But the doubts and worries continued nagging at her. Take today, for example. As much as Wyatt’s response made her angry, he was right. She had to do better.
Still, grief weighed on Jenna. As much as she tried to keep a sunny outlook for the girls, at times, the sorrow took her to her knees. Mostly in the quiet, late at night after the girls went to bed and she only had herself for company. Missing Carrie, asking why she’d been taken from them at such a young age, made it difficult for Jenna to find any kind of normalcy in her life. And it was even worse for the twins. As much as Jenna tried to console them, at times her efforts seemed ineffective. Lacking. And with two strikes against her when it came to the girls’ safety, she couldn’t afford any more close calls.
More unnerved than she cared to admit, Jenna marched back into the kitchen to rinse out the mugs. Resting her palms on the sink ledge, she leaned forward, staring out the window. The moon emitted a small sliver of light, barely illuminating the backyard.
Lately, the direction of her life seemed just as dark. As it had numerous times tonight, the scene at the beach flashed in her mind.
Next time you might not be so lucky.
At the memory of Wyatt’s parting words, she straightened her shoulders. No way would she let his prediction come to pass.
Nealy was right. She had to stop second-guessing herself. Enough worrying over the things she couldn’t control. Time to focus on what she could do. With the single-mindedness that had gotten her through years of foster care and then advanced her career, Jenna vowed to be the best mother possible for Abby and Bridget.
“GUESS WHAT I have planned for today?” Jenna said at breakfast the next morning,
The girls sent each other a questioning glance. The silent twin communication freaked Jenna out. She’d probably never understand it, but whenever it happened, self-doubt twisted in her. Once again, she found herself on the outside. Unsure. Not very motherly.
“Why don’t you just tell us?” Abby asked.
“Because it’s a good surprise.”
Bridget frowned. “You told us you don’t like guessing games.”
Holding back a sigh, Jenna said, “You’ve got me there. But for today, let’s play.”
“We aren’t going to the beach again, are we?” Bridget asked before taking a spoonful of cereal.
“No. I think we had enough fun in the sun yesterday.”
“Our new school?”Abby asked.
“No. I already registered you so we’re good.”
Abby pushed the cornflakes around her bowl. “Shopping. You promised we can get new stuff for school.”
“I know I promised, and we will go to the mall, but you’re still not close.”
“I give up,” Bridget informed her with a very mature sniff.
Jenna bit back a grin. Was she ten going on sixty? “So soon? We just started.”
The girls stared at her.
Jenna threw up her hands. “Now I give up.”
“So you’ll tell us?” Abby asked with a giggle.
Despite yesterday’s close call, the girls were in a cheery mood today. Most mornings the twins would hide out under the makeshift tent they’d built in the bedroom. Missing their mother, the girls sometimes refused to leave their safe place. Jenna learned from the counselor in LA that this was part
