A Turn in the Road - Debbie Macomber [55]
Finally, Annie broke the ice. “Will you be seeing Max again?” she asked from the backseat. Although the question was thrown out casually, Bethanne could see that both her daughter and Ruth were keenly interested in her answer.
Would she see him again? That depended on what she decided about Grant—a decision that was hers alone. She’d told Max she’d contact him after Andrew’s wedding. The beginning of August, he’d suggested, but that seemed so long to wait. Even after she’d slipped into bed beside Annie, all Bethanne could think about was the kisses she’d shared with Max. No man had affected her the way he did, not since she was in college and first met Grant.
“Mom?” Annie prompted.
“I…I don’t know,” she said. “Will you be seeing Jason again?”
“Probably not,” Annie admitted reluctantly, “but he has my cell number.”
Max had hers, too, but he wouldn’t use it, wouldn’t phone until she’d called him. That was how they’d left it.
“We’re in a different time zone,” Ruth announced, changing the subject as they crossed the state line. “Arizona isn’t on daylight savings.”
Bethanne knew that her mother-in-law had always been uncomfortable with conflict and tried to avoid it whenever possible. Bethanne had been much the same for most of her married life. But that had gradually changed; she’d reinvented herself as a businesswoman, which had required her to negotiate, to compete and to promote her services. A woman who lacked confidence couldn’t do those things.
The tension in the car eased, and the silence became companionable. Bethanne turned on the radio, filling the car with ABBA and the Fifth Dimension. It wasn’t long before Ruth and Bethanne were singing along and Annie’s voice harmonized with theirs.
“That’s just plain good music,” her daughter said, apparently surprised that she’d be enjoying the same songs as her mother and grandmother.
They drove out of range and lost that station after half an hour or so. Bethanne snapped off the radio, and they lapsed back into silence.
“How are the wedding gloves progressing?” Ruth asked after another lengthy period when no one seemed inclined to talk.
“When has Mom had time to knit?” Annie joked. “Frankly, I never imagined I’d see my mother on a Harley.”
Her daughter didn’t know her nearly as well as she thought, but Bethanne didn’t say anything. Annie’s vision of her was a contradictory one—including both the independent businesswoman of today and the complacent wife of years past.
“This is all too weird for me,” Annie was saying. “My mom and Mad Max? It’s just…odd, you know.”
“Odd?”
“Don’t get me wrong, Mom. I realize this is your life and everything, but a guy on a bike? Really? My mother?”
“I don’t find it odd at all,” Bethanne muttered. But it was a moot point, since she likely wouldn’t see Max again, although the prospect saddened her.
Ruth broke into a half smile.
“That reminds me of my family’s opinion of Royce and me.”
“Who’s Royce?” Annie immediately asked.
“I think he’s another friend your grandmother hopes to see in Florida.”
“Oh-h-h,” Annie said, dragging out the word in a meaningful way.
Bethanne could only assume her mother-in-law wanted to discuss this man—or else why bring him up?—but she had to grin at Ruth’s blush.
“So, tell us about Royce,” Bethanne said, taking advantage of the change in subject so she wouldn’t have to answer questions about Max. She wasn’t so different from Ruth, after all, trying to maintain the peace and avoid discord. Perhaps she hadn’t changed as much as she thought….
“Oh…” Ruth stared down at her hands. “As you’ve already guessed, we dated during our senior year. We broke up after I went to college and he became a marine.”
“So he’s attending the reunion, too?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re hoping to reconnect with him?” Bethanne asked.
Ruth nodded. “We had a…nasty falling-out, so I’m a bit apprehensive.”
“Oh, Grandma, he’s probably just as excited about getting together as you are.”
“Do you really think so?”
Ruth’s question was so sincere and charming that Bethanne wished she could lean over and hug her.