Another invitation was to Beau’s house. If it worked into her schedule for that day, she would stop by his house for dessert. There were people to meet.

Beau’s brother lived near Alameda, one of his sisters lived in Redding and the other in San Diego. Their mother had recently moved in with their Redding sister and they rarely got together as a whole group.

Lauren did tell Beth all about Beau. Beth, like Cassie, was delighted and nervous.

“They’re afraid I’ll get sucked into some terrible relationship, like the last one,” she explained to Beau. “It won’t do any good to tell them how different this is. Instead, I’m just going to throw you out there and let them have a look. Beth wants to make a big Sunday meal at her house. It’s strategic—you can escape if you get uncomfortable, the boys can run off to Xbox if they get restless and you can help with dishes to keep your nervous hands busy.”

“I won’t be nervous,” he said. “From what you’ve told me about them, I’ll like them a lot. And your brother-in-law has a big screen in his man cave. I’ll be fine.”

“Is this a little quick for us to be meeting the families?” she asked.

He shook his head. “We’re not meeting the families to get their approval so we can get married. We’re meeting so they know who we’re spending our time with. No one has proposed to me. Has someone proposed to you?” he asked, his mouth quirking into a smile.

“We’re going to be dating a long time—it’s not serious.”

But of course it was. Serious. She couldn’t imagine another man ever putting his hands on her. And she knew that in Beau’s mind it had been serious almost from the beginning.

“How do you define serious?” he asked her.

“Engagement or plans for marriage, which will not even be discussed anytime soon,” she answered. “Years, probably.”

“Okay, we have different definitions of serious. My definition of serious is that I miss you every second we’re apart, can’t keep my hands off you, you are my one and only, other women don’t even register in my vision and I plan to be with you and only you for a long, long time. As long as you’ll have me.”

“By your definition, I guess we’re serious,” she said.

“What about Lacey?” he asked. “When are you going to spring me on Lacey?”

“I’ve already told Cassidy about you and she’s anxious to meet you again. Given the strained relationship she currently has with her sister, I doubt she’ll share the news. As for Lacey, if she pops over unexpectedly while you’re at my house or if we run into her while we’re out, I’ll make an introduction. Otherwise, I plan to wait until the holidays have passed or the divorce is final, whichever comes first. My divorce would be final by now if Brad wasn’t trying to make sure I don’t get anything. What he doesn’t understand is I don’t really want anything. I just want to make sure my daughters have some legacy from that marriage. For their education. And for therapy if they need it. I can take care of myself.”

He chuckled and said, “I think at the end of the day, we’ll take care of each other, babe. We know how.”

Lauren saw Beau nearly every day and when they couldn’t spend an evening together, they talked on the phone. She felt thirteen. Every time she said, “I missed you all day,” her cheeks flamed. Was this absurd? To feel that kind of infatuation so soon? Was it soon? She didn’t know the rules. He claimed to have fallen for her instantly and the truth was, she’d fallen for him just as fast. When she showed up in that garden to find the book they had talked about and a couple of coffees, she was doomed. Yes, he was handsome, incredibly sexy, smart and wise, but what registered the most on her poor battered heart was his kindness. His thoughtfulness. He wasn’t only kind toward her but everyone. He held doors, asked after people’s families, carried heavy parcels to cars for older people, made babies laugh, scratched dogs behind the ears. Polite. Sweet. He had not once walked away from a person and muttered a rude or hateful comment. He was completely considerate.

She loved his goodness.

Her eyes were held wide open by her own memories. Beau could not hide an evil or hateful nature for this long. Thinking back, Brad had not hidden his true nature for even a week. There had been red flags all over the place, but she had made excuses. Why had she made so many excuses for him?

“Because you were twenty-two,” Beau said. “Instead of being mad at yourself for missing the obvious, be proud of yourself for trying so hard to keep your family intact. You really gave it all you had.”

“And you did, too,” she said.

“I tried,” he admitted. “I wasn’t hopeful, but I tried. I gave myself a real steep goal—when I had to let go I wanted to be sure I’d done my best.”

“We’re so alike,” she said. “Is that enough for us?”

“I think there’s a lot more to us than that, but I have great instincts. I doubt everything but my gut.”

“There was Pamela,” she reminded him.

“It didn’t feel like this,” he said. “And there was Brad...”

She gave a short laugh. “Nothing like this.”

* * *

The second week in November, Beth hosted a dinner so they could meet Beau. She chose a Sunday because there would be no photography jobs and she guarded the date. She cleaned like a wild woman and rode Chip and the boys hard. She was going to make her best dish, which happened to be a pretty ordinary slow-cooker lasagna that tasted wonderful. Along with that, fresh spinach salad with red onion, mushrooms and hard-boiled eggs. She’d make jalapeño poppers to start—guys loved those. And Lauren promised to bring a cake for dessert.

It wasn’t a complicated meal, but it took Beth two days to get ready. She wasn’t sure exactly why. It wasn’t so much to impress this new guy Lauren said was wonderful. It was more the anxiety of hoping this wasn’t another mistake for her sister. If this was a good guy, she wanted it to work. True, Lauren had only been on her own a few months, but she’d left her marriage and been alone for years. Only Beth knew how truly lonely her sister had been, especially when both her daughters were living away from home.

“No, you’re not wearing that,” she said when she saw Chip dressed in sweatpants and an oversize Giants T-shirt with grease stains on it.

“You said it would be casual,” Chip argued.

“That’s not casual,” she said. “That’s the vagrant look. I put your clothes on the bed.”

“Seriously?”

“When your friends and family come to dinner, you can dress yourself,” she informed him.

She had also put out clothes for the boys. For once in their lives they didn’t grumble or argue because they could tell she was on a tear and life wasn’t going to get any easier until this “introduction dinner” was behind them. Beth put a little extra time into her own prep. Although she kept her hair short and easy, for this party she used the blow-dryer and applied makeup. Even eye makeup, which she never wore because looking into the camera made it smear and glop. She put on a sleek black pantsuit, one she reserved for their nights out. On her way to the kitchen she stopped off at the man cave, straightened up, sprayed air freshener all around.

When she went into the kitchen she saw Chip leaning against the counter, drinking a beer. He tilted his head toward the great room. Stefano and Ravon sat side by side, hair combed, faces scrubbed, wearing the clothes she had put out for them. Ravon held on to Morty’s collar so he wouldn’t run around like a dog. Which he was.

“Look at you,” Chip said to Beth. He grinned lasciviously. “Maybe they’ll go home early.”

“I’m counting on your manners.”

“What happens if we just act normal?” Ravon asked.

“I’ll make your life hell,” she said.

The doorbell rang.

“Showtime,” Chip said. And Beth whacked him in the arm.

Lauren, Beau and Drew came in. Lauren was carrying her cake. She looked like she always looked, slacks pressed with a crease, boots with a heel, cashmere sweater. “Wow,” she said. “Look at the Shaughnessy family. We going to church tonight?”

“Funny,” Beth said. “Hi,” she said, sticking out her hand to Beau.

“Beau and Drew, meet my sister, Beth, brother-in-law, Chip, nephews Ravon and Stefano. And Morty,” she added. Morty was straining at the hold Ravon had on his collar. He desperately wanted to jump on the company.

There was hand shaking, smiling, welcoming.

“Nice place,” Beau said.

“Great yard,” Drew said, stretching his neck to look through the patio door. “Is that a basketball hoop out there?”

The boys nodded. “We’re not allowed to have fun tonight,” Stefano said. “Or she’ll make us pay.”

Drew loved it. “Not if I talk you into it. Show me the back. Come on. And let go of the dog before he passes out.”

Chip put a hand on Beau’s shoulder. “Let’s get you a drink.”

“I’ll take one of those,” he said with a nod toward Chip’s beer.

“Thank God you got here before she made us paint and reupholster,” Chip said.

The table was set, the lasagna was ready and staying warm, the poppers were ready to go in the oven. Chip took Beau outside with the boys and lit the fire pit. The men were going to bond.

“Beth, you went to a lot of trouble,” Lauren said.

“I did,” she admitted. “If we don’t love each other after tonight it won’t be my fault. Want wine?”

“Absolutely,” Lauren said. “And relax—everyone loves Beau and Beau loves everyone. As far as I can tell, Drew is just like him. Michael declined. He’s still struggling with the divorce. I haven’t even met him yet.”

“Does that worry you?” Beth asked.