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“Is that for crumble?” he asked, hopefully pointing at the mixing bowl.
She nodded and Leo cheered. She knew it was a favourite of both father and son, so of course it was on the menu.
Derek took charge. “Okay, kids, let’s leave Auntie Linney to finish up, and we’ll see her at the picnic. Ivy, don’t touch anything!” he added as he picked his daughter up off the kitchen stool and set her on her feet. “You’re going right into the bath.”
* * *
When the kitchen was finally clean, Linney changed into a sundress and put on mascara and a little bit of lipstick, probably the first time she’d worn makeup in the last five weeks. She left early so she could help Anna set up. Danny had found out about the party, but Emma and Gabby were still keeping him away so he wouldn’t see the decorations.
They were not quite finished when Kirsten pulled in with Will and Elise. Elise was a medical sales rep who Kirsten knew from the hospital. She had a large territory and travelled around it from her home base in Bridgegrove. She wore a sundress like Linney, but where Linney had hers paired with a pair of practical flat sandals, Elise wore three-inch espadrilles, and a face full of makeup. She brought an orchid for the host and was happy to sit in a lawn chair while the rest of them scurried around with last-minute preparations.
They heard a car in the driveway and quickly Emma and Gabby appeared. “Is everything ready?” Gabby asked. Receiving confirmation, she continued, “Okay, Dad, you can come back!”
Danny came through the house to rousing birthday greetings from family and guests. Anna delivered a beer and a kiss.
“Derek and the kids?” he asked his wife, knowing they were meant to be there.
“I’m sure they’ll be here soon. You remember how we were always late when the girls were young,” she reminded him. “And there were two of us!”
Soon enough, the last guests arrived. “Sorry, everyone,” apologized Derek. “We had a temper tantrum to deal with.” Leo’s sulking face made it clear who his father meant. “But we’re here now. Happy Birthday, Danny!” He gave him a clap on the back and looked around, his eyes stopping on the man and woman sitting next to Kirsten. He let go of his children’s hands, getting ready to meet the unfamiliar guests. Ivy made a beeline for Linney and Leo dropped to the ground melodramatically.
Linney jumped up to make introductions. “Derek, this is Kirsten’s friend Will. And this is Elise.”
“Good to meet you both,” he said, shaking hands.
“Elise works in medicine, Linney continued. “I’ll get you a drink and you two can get to know each other.” For a fraction of a second, Linney saw the equivalent of a thunderstorm in Derek’s eyes, but he recovered and started making forced small talk.
* * *
He was trying to be friendly with Elise. He honestly was. It wasn’t her fault she was here, but Derek was beyond furious that Linney was setting him up, at Danny’s birthday party of all places. She was trying to foist a woman on him when he’d been abundantly clear to all of them he had no interest in dating.
“Thank you,” he said through gritted teeth when Linney returned with the cold drinks. There was no way she couldn’t know he was annoyed at her.
Before too long, Anna fired up the barbecue and soon hotdogs, hamburgers, and corn were on the grill. Leo joined Gabby on the swings, but Ivy wanted to stay where she was. It wasn’t lost on Derek that it was in Linney’s lap his shy daughter was opting to find comfort, with all the barbecue activity.
It turned out Elise liked her beer and was on her third before the food was ready. She was getting loud and had touched his arm one too many times for his liking. Ivy hadn’t left Linney’s lap. This was going to be a problem in a week when Linney left again. His head felt like a band was being tightened around it.
The day went from bad to worse when Leo tripped and skinned his knees, howling as blood dripped down his dusty shins.
“Excuse me,” Derek said to Elise. “I’d better deal with this.” He scooped up a wailing Leo and took him into the house.
Kirsten followed behind him. She wanted to make sure it was just a scrape and nothing more serious. She found the pair in the powder room, Leo sitting beside the sink with his Dad pressing damp washcloths on each knee. “Everything okay?” she asked. “Can I help?”
Derek didn’t turn around. “Leo’s fine. We don’t need any more help today, thank you very much.” His voice was tense. He wasn’t going to let any of them off the hook.
“We just thought?—”
“None of you thought. I said no. More than once.”
“But—”
“But nothing. Go back out there and just let me take care of my son.”
Kirsten rejoined the picnic where people were loading plates with food. Everything smelled delicious, and she was going to join the line when she realized Linney was sitting off to the side with Ivy.
“Everything alright?”
“She says she doesn’t feel well, and I think she might be a bit warm.”
