Dune Road (42 page)

“Edie,” she says gently, “we love you as well. She isn’t replacing you and, frankly, you’re more of a grandmother to my children than she will ever be, wherever she ends up buying a house.”

“Thank you for saying that,” Edie says, her relief apparent.

“And you’re also more of a mother to me. You know that, right? Nothing will change if she’s here.”

“Are you okay with her buying a house here?”

“Well, my first stipulation is that Edie has to be her broker, and the second is that I shall have to keep reminding myself that as long as I have no expectations, it will be fine. I will say that she’s surprised me recently. I know that people don’t fundamentally change, but she seems more at peace now, and she’s really been there for me during all this in a way she never was before. And she’s really a great grandmother. Much better than she ever was as a mother. I’m just going to sit back and see what happens.”

Charlie sighs. “God, all these difficult relationships. Life is so goddamned complicated at times.”

Kit shrugs, then smiles with a twinkle in her eye. “And so goddamned
good
at the same time. I’m glad for the hard times, they make me appreciate the good so much more.”

“Like right now?”

“Exactly. Like right now.” The phone rings, and Kit looks down to see Adam’s familiar number flash on the screen, and as she picks it up, her eyes soften and her face lights up.

“Oh God,” Charlie groans, picking up her mug and downing the rest of her coffee. “First love, round two. Here we go again.”