Aftershock Read online

  “I sort of like camping.”

  “Do you really?”

  “I don’t want to go every weekend . . . or even every month, but it’s a fun way to spend time with friends. We should go sometime with Sandy and Suzanne.”

  Lily looked at her dubiously. “Are you serious?”

  “Sure. We need to do more things you like instead of spending all of our free time with my family.”

  Lily picked up her hand and kissed it. She loved Anna’s family, and was especially close to her stepsister Kim. “You’re sweet. But I enjoy being with your family, so you don’t have to feel like it’s a burden on me.”

  “I know. And I love the way you torture my father, but we should try to get out more with other lesbians. It’s fun when we get to be ourselves.”

  “Excuse me, but did you just refer to yourself as a lesbian?”

  “I did not.” Anna looked away to hide her smile. This was one of their running jokes.

  “Are you sure? Because I’m almost certain you did.”

  “You must have misheard.”

  “So that bit about getting out with other lesbians . . . I misheard that?”

  “Oh, I said that. But I was talking about getting out with lesbians other than Vicki and Carolyn, or Sandy and Suzanne.”

  “So you didn’t mean other lesbians besides us?”

  “Oh, no. That would mean we were both lesbians,” Anna said, still smirking.

  “And you’re not.”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “Which is not the same as not saying it.”

  “Yes, whatever you just said.”

  “You drive me crazy, woman.”

  It was Anna’s turn to pull Lily’s hand for a kiss. “At least that settles which one of us is crazy.”

  Lily shook her head and smiled. “So what did you think of Carolyn and Vicki’s news? Wasn’t that cool?”

  “It was. With both a baby and Carolyn, Vicki’s going to have her hands full.”

  “I thought the same thing. Vicki waits on her hand and foot.”

  “She doesn’t seem to mind it. I think she just likes that,” Anna said.

  “Maybe, but if you were pregnant, I’d be doing everything for you—fixing dinner, cleaning up, taking out the trash. Oh, wait. I already do those things. Is there something you want to tell me?”

  Anna burst out laughing. “I’m not pregnant, but that doesn’t prove I’m a lesbian.”

  “You’re hilarious, Amazon.”

  “You know, I woke up thinking about babies. I like having a nephew I can spoil totally rotten, especially since I can give him back to my sister. I always thought I would have children, but I haven’t felt that urge in a long time.”

  “Did you and Scott ever talk about having kids?”

  “More than that. We actually tried for a couple of months just before we ran into his ex-girlfriend and their baby. And what was really freaky was right after that happened, my period was late. I was climbing the walls. God, what a mess that would have been.”

  “What do you think you would have done?”

  Anna shuddered to think about it. “I would have stayed married. And I probably would have been thrilled with my baby and miserable with everything else.”

  “You’d be a great mom, Anna.”

  Ironically, her decision to try to have a child with Scott was something she had hoped would bridge their differences and help them connect. She didn’t need those things in her relationship with Lily, but it was almost sounding as if Lily was open to the idea. “Kids are a big commitment.”

  “Yes, they are,” Lily said.

  Anna had another commitment in mind first. All she needed was the right romantic moment to test the waters. Then maybe they could elope.

  Chapter 3

  Moments like these were Lily’s favorites.

  It was rare for her to wake before Anna, but when she did, she relished the chance to watch her in repose. Anna had migrated in the night to the center of the bed, twisting the blankets along the way to leave a bare hip exposed. If this was like every other Monday, she would awaken soon already in work mode, the instantaneous creases of her brow a sign she was thinking about marketing or payroll . . . and she would smile because she loved everything about the car business.

  That was one of Lily’s favorite things about Anna, that she enjoyed her work so thoroughly. But they had struck a deal when they moved in together not to take for granted the time they shared at home. Both tried hard not to bring home work unless it was absolutely necessary, even if it meant staying late at the office on occasion.

  Lily felt good about how their relationship had progressed.

  In many ways, they were behaving like partners, each taking responsibility for certain things. Knowing Anna’s aversion to the kitchen, she had agreed to handle the cooking and grocery shopping. Anna managed the household finances, which included paying for someone else to clean the house, maintain the pool and care for the lawn. Lily had bucked this arrangement earlier, feeling that such luxuries were beyond her means. Anna had thought her silly for resisting the help, insisting Lily had no obligation to work off a debt just because Anna made more money. They settled the question of disparate finances once and for all when Anna sarcastically suggested she sell the house and they buy something smaller they both could afford.

  Another good sign for them was how easily they seemed to talk about things. Anna had finally opened up about her sexuality, and was learning to give voice to her wants and needs without getting embarrassed. And through her trust and total lack of inhibition, she had become the best lover Lily had ever had.

  By all accounts, Lily felt they were moving toward a commitment, meshing their lives as though they expected to stay together. Eventually, Anna would surely recognize that her prior mistake had been the choice of Scott as a partner, not marriage itself.

  Lily had no such hurdles. She would marry Anna tomorrow.

  “That’s right, a Cinco de Mayo sale, weekend after next. A full-color double truck.” Anna spoke crisply into the speakerphone, using the newspaper lingo for an ad stripped across two pages.

  Her father loomed in the doorway, waiting while she finished the phone order.

  “No, just the usual for this weekend. I’ll have Brad send you the VINs this afternoon.” Anna waved her father in. “Thanks, Steve. So long.”

  “I can’t believe you’re still nice to that jerk. He had a lot of nerve pulling that stunt down in San Diego.”

  “Pfft.” She waved her hand in the air. She had told her family the whole story of Steve French’s presumptuous gambit at the Hotel del Coronado, reserving a room and champagne on the off chance she might stay with him for the night. “I got over it. Lucky for Steve I didn’t turn Lily loose on him. She would have tied his teeth in knots.”

  “You should have asked for a new rep.”

  “That was personal. This is business. He does a great job with our account, especially since that fiasco. I think he works harder for us than he used to.”

  “Still, you shouldn’t have to put up with that.”

  “It was my own fault for mixing business with pleasure. You warned me about that.” She gestured toward a chair in her cluttered office. “You want to talk about something?”

  “I’m having another birthday, you know.”

  “Believe me, Dad. We all know. You remind us every day.”

  “We reserved the big round table at Empyre’s on Saturday night. I might have some big news.”

  Anna leaned back and studied her father with amusement. “This is interesting. What kind of big news?”

  “You’ll have to show up on Saturday if you want to find out. But I’ll give you a hint.” He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “I’m more likely to tell you if you bring me a nice present.”

  She rolled her eyes dramatically. “Is Jonah coming? If you want me to come, you have to guarantee he’ll be there.” After all, her nine-month-old nephew was the center of the
entire Kaklis universe.

  “Are you kidding? He’s the only reason I invited Kim and Hal.”

  Anna loved her father as a father, but she adored him as a doting grandfather. “And Lily is invited, of course?”

  He gave an exaggerated groan. “I suppose so.”

  Anna wasn’t quite sure when she realized this was merely his shtick. Over just a few months, Lily had met his resistance with offhanded humor, wearing him down. If this level of acceptance was the best he could manage, she could live with it.

  “Sounds good, but let me check with her first.” This was going to put a dent in her romantic weekend plans, but it would give her a little more time to plan everything so it would be perfect. The idea of getting away for another weekend soon was growing on her.

  Lily pulled her X3 into the valet line at Empyre’s. The steady rain, though much needed in Southern California, had ruined her plans for a hike today. But Anna had surprised her by coming home at lunchtime, and they had spent the whole afternoon napping on the couch while basketball games played in the background.

  “Did Kim have any ideas about what your father was up to?”

  “She thinks he might be planning some big trip for their twentieth anniversary, which is next month. She was over there a couple of days ago and saw a bunch of brochures.”

  “Your dad only acts like a beast. In reality, he’s a teddy bear.”

  “What did you get him for his birthday?”

  “A digital picture frame with nineteen pictures of Jonah, and that one of us at Yosemite.”

  “He’ll love it . . . until he gets to that one.”

  “That’s the whole idea. He learns to associate smiling and being happy with seeing us together.”

  “It may take more than that.”

  “I know, but I couldn’t figure out how to gift-wrap a lobotomy.”

  They reached the entrance and got out. Lily pocketed the valet check and walked around to loop her arm through Anna’s as they walked in the door. The maitre d’ nodded his hello and they proceeded to a large round table near the back.

  “Look. Jonah saved me a seat,” Anna said excitedly, hurrying to sit next to her sister. “Come to Auntie Anna, little man.”

  Kim looked relieved to give him up, and relaxed against her husband’s shoulder. Lily was thrilled for Kim and Hal. Their son was a handsome, healthy child with a sweet disposition. Though at nine months, he still wasn’t sleeping through the night, and the weariness showed on his mother’s face.

  “Where’s George?” Lily sat next to Anna, leaving empty the two seats beside her.

  “They’re running late,” Kim said. “Mom was at our house all day with Jonah while Hal and I papered the guest room.”

  Anna held Jonah up and made a wide-eyed face. “Tell your daddy there are people who hang wallpaper for a living so he can sit and daydream about when he used to go out on his boat.”

  Kim snorted. “You seem to forget I’m married to an accountant.”

  “Look at it this way, Anna,” Lily said. “Martine’s been with Jonah all day, so you don’t have to share him tonight.”

  She bounced the baby gently on her lap. “That’s true, isn’t it?”

  George and Martine cut through the crowd to join them, and Hal jumped to his feet to hold his mother-in-law’s chair. George seated himself next to Lily, glancing briefly at the wine list before ordering two bottles of his favorite for the table.

  “Good evening, Lilian,” he said formally, turning to face her.

  “My, aren’t we polite? I’m not moving out, George.”

  “You keep saying that. But it’s going to get crowded when Anna’s new husband moves in.”

  “I hate to tell you this, but Anna’s new husband is a wife.” Under less playful circumstances, she would never have said something so presumptuous, but she loved the contortions such a prospect produced on George’s face.

  He tasted the wine and motioned for the waiter to fill the glasses. “Give her a little extra . . . and be sure to bring her the bill.”

  Martine talked about spending the day with baby Jonah as everyone nibbled on olives, peppericcini and feta chunks. The waiter filled their wineglasses again before taking their order, and at George’s signal, brought two more bottles.

  Chattering between Anna and George, Lily became aware she was getting a nice buzz from the merlot. It felt good to relax, even though she and Anna had lounged around all afternoon. Thanks to their time with Carolyn and Vicki last weekend, she had been mired all week in thoughts about what was next for their relationship. She reaffirmed her decision that bringing it up with Anna was out of the question. Though they talked about everything else, Lily wasn’t about to risk setting off a panic about making another commitment so soon after Scott. The ball was in Anna’s court. It was up to her to decide what she wanted, and Lily would force herself to wait.

  She smiled as she watched Anna fuss over Jonah. “He looks good on you, sweetheart,” she whispered. “You’re a natural.”

  “You want to hold him?” Anna asked.

  Lily almost laughed at the expression on Anna’s face. It was obvious she was only being polite. No way did she want to give up the baby. “No, that’s okay. I mean I do, but he looks happy where he is.”

  As if on cue, Jonah sputtered and laughed, waving his arms up and down as Lily made exaggerated happy faces. His delighted squeal commanded the attention of the entire table.

  Once dinner was ordered, all eyes finally turned to George. The excited smiles around the table made Lily giddy with joy at being part of this celebration, whatever it was.

  “So what’s up, Dad? Spill it,” Anna said eagerly.

  George leaned back and smiled at the expectant faces one by one. “Where should I start?”

  “You mean when,” Kim said. “And the answer is now.”

  “Very well.” He chuckled and took a sip from his wineglass. “My sixtieth birthday has given me a reason to reflect on my blessings. I have a wonderful family and a loving wife. And thanks to Anna’s hard work, I sit at the top of a very successful business. I’ve been thinking that I’d like to start spending less time with that business and more time with my family, especially this beautiful woman beside me and that little fellow over there.” He took Martine’s hand and nodded toward the infant, who was nodding off in Anna’s arms. “And who knows, I might even enjoy playing a little more golf.”

  Everyone turned and exchanged astonished looks.

  Anna was the first one to find her voice. “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying I’ve decided to retire.”

  Martine was obviously flabbergasted. “George, do you mean it?” She was already out of her chair reaching for her husband.

  “Absolutely, darling.” They shared a hug and then a kiss so deep everyone looked away embarrassed.

  George then turned to Anna, who seemed stunned by the news. “Anna, I think you’re ready to move up into the big chair now. I know this is going to mean a lot more work for you, and I wouldn’t mind helping out on a part-time basis. But I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t think you were ready to take the helm.”

  Lily grinned at Anna’s stupefied look. She had listened for hours on end to Anna’s ideas for the dealership when the day finally came for her to take charge. But neither had expected it to come so soon.

  Martine could hardly contain her excitement. “Does this mean I can start planning a real vacation?”

  George smiled at her and looked at Anna. “I’ll have to ask the boss if I can have a little time off, but I’m in pretty good with her, so I think she’ll say yes. Besides, I already have a little trip in mind.”

  Anna finally broke into a sly grin. “I think a vacation is a great idea, Dad. In fact, you should make it a long one. I have to order new furniture and get your junk moved out of the corner office.” She handed Jonah back to his mom, stood and walked behind Lily to give her father a hug.

  “Congratulations, sweetheart,” he
said. “You’re going to make a great boss.”

  Lily beamed at the news, excited at what this meant for all of the Kaklis family, but especially for Anna, who she knew relished the opportunity. Premier Motors was in for some very dramatic changes, many of which would take everyone by surprise. But having the chance to implement her vision for the dealership was a dream come true for Anna. She took Anna’s hand as she slipped back into her chair and raised her wineglass in salute. “I’m so proud of you, honey. This is exciting.”

  Anna clinked her glass and took a sip, while Lily drained the last of hers. George quickly reached over and refilled the glass.

  “When does this all happen?” Hal asked.

  George pulled a packet from inside his jacket. “Pretty soon, I think. I’ve booked us on a cruise of the Greek Isles to celebrate our twentieth anniversary. We leave a week from tomorrow.”

  “The Greek Isles!” Martine clapped her hands together. “You sneaky devil.”

  “I figured you deserved something special for putting up with me for so long.”

  “What about us?” Kim asked. “Don’t we deserve something too?”

  “What did you have in mind?”

  “You could keep Jonah and send Hal and me. That would be nice.”

  Martine shook her head. “Not this time.”

  Anna dug through her purse on the floor and pulled out her planner. “We should call our agency first thing Monday and ask them to prepare a press release. You can let the staff know at the end of the day and it will come out in the business section of Tuesday’s Times.”

  George’s look was priceless as Anna immediately fell into her new role as the dealership’s CEO. Lily couldn’t resist leaning over to whisper her taunt. “Not that she’s in a hurry or anything.”

  “I wonder if she’ll stay through dinner,” George whispered back.

  Anna missed the playful exchange, her mind obviously elsewhere. Suddenly she turned to her brother-in-law. “Hal, are you ready to come to work in the car business?”

  Hal was too surprised to speak, but Kim was grinning from ear to ear.

  “Seriously, I’ve got some things in mind that could be fun for a bean counter like you. At least think about it.”