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She told her mother how she and Knox reconnected.
“That’s funny and wonderful at the same time. It’s kind of sweet that you asked him out this time.”
“Do you remember what Brit had said and how upset I was over it?”
“I do now,” her mother said. “It took a big person to do that even back then. I know a lot of adults who wouldn’t do it.”
“I know. I apologized again. He’s this nice guy. He’s hot. I thought if my eighth-grader self knew what I know now, I would have dropped all my friends and told them they were idiots.”
Her mother laughed. “But he moved away,” her mother pointed out.
“Do you know why? I mean, he said his mother left his father.” She wasn’t going to add the part about Knox’s younger brother just yet. She wanted to know what her mother might know.
Her mother sighed. “I do remember a few things now. The area isn’t that big and there were rumors.”
“Tell me,” she said. “I know it has nothing to do with Knox. But he said a few things.”
“I remember his mother was rumored to have had more than one affair on his father. I believe there is another son younger than Knox.”
“Blaze,” she said. “It’s Knox’s half-brother.”
“Yes,” her mother said. “So he told you what I’d heard. That Blaze has another father even though she was married. The guy she was having an affair with.”
“Knox said Blaze was born with red hair. Sorry, but I find the name funny. But that is when Knox’s father started to question things and his mother left. She took Knox with her.”
“That’s what I heard too. I never found out what happened to Knox’s father. Is he still in the area?”
“No. He got a teaching job at Yale. He ended up with a summer home in Groton and then he died suddenly five years ago. I think Knox and his father didn’t have a good relationship for years, but I haven’t gotten much out of him on why. I think those are just the kinds of conversations that will come out organically.”
“You don’t want to ask too much because then he might ask about your past?” her mother asked. “Does he know why you’re in Mystic now?”
“He knows enough. I told him that things sort of imploded at my last job and it was hard to go in each day. I didn’t tell him why. Just that this position opened and I thought why not? That what I always imagined I’d be doing with my career wasn’t happening.”
“And now it is,” her mother said. “Just remember that.”
“Can I ask your opinion on something?”
“You can,” her mother said.
She explained to her mother about what she wanted to ask Kate. That Poppy had told her Lily and Rose were on board butonlyif Sage wanted to do it. And as long as it didn’t cause a rift between Kate and Sage’s relationship.
“Is it horrible of me to ask her that?”
“No,” her mother said. “It’s exactly as you said. If none of Kate’s grandfather’s history panned out, you would have still thought to do this. Not as a favor but as a business move. Kate can say no and she might. She doesn’t have a lot of say in runways either. There are a lot of elements to all of this and you know it.”
“I do. I don’t want to put her in a bind either,” she said.
“I don’t think you are.”
“Mom,” she said. “I also don’t want her to feel she has to do it because of guilt for something her family did.”
“Kate won’t feel that way,” her mother said. “She takes her job just as seriously as you do yours. Just like you won’t be upset if she says no, she won’t be afraid to say it. If you don’t believe me, then ask Trace.”
“I planned on it but wanted your take. She always thought of you as a mother too.”
“She did and she does. And if you asked Nonna you’d get the same answer. Go with your gut and see where it leads you. Seems to be leading you to the right place lately.”
“Thanks, Mom. I needed to hear that.”
