Debbie Macomber - A Turn in the Road

She didn’t answer right away. She could barely take in that he didn’t have an engagement ring in his pocket, let alone the fact that he planned to travel in Europe with his friend and another woman.

“You went to University Jewelers,” she mumbled. She’d assumed that meant he was going to propose. She’d assumed—

“I did?” He frowned and then relaxed. “Oh, yeah. My mom asked me to drop off her watch for repair. It was still under warranty.”

Annie wadded up the linen napkin on her lap. “When do you leave?” She would be adult about this. Okay, fine, he wasn’t asking her to marry him. Instead, he wanted her to twiddle her thumbs for a year while he explored Europe with Matt and Jessie Olivarez. Jessie Olivarez!

“Actually … the three of us are flying out tomorrow night. Do you think you could drop us off at the airport?”

He was out of his mind.

“Matt’s father was going to do it, but he forget and made other plans.”

“You want me to drive you and another girl to the airport?” The insensitive jerk!

“If you could. It’d be a big help and that way you can see me off.”

She’d see him off, all right. “I don’t think so,” she said, then leaned down and reached for her purse.

“You’re upset, aren’t you?”

Clearly Vance had talents she never knew. Now he was a mind reader as well as a jerk. “What was your first clue?” she asked sweetly.

“But you said there wasn’t anything we couldn’t discuss! Come on, Annie, it’s only a year.”

“It’s more than the fact that you’re going to Europe, Vance. You’ve been planning this for a long time. Didn’t you even think to mention it to me?” By his own admission, this trip had been in the works for months.

He did look slightly guilty. “I wanted to tell you, but Matt said it would just cause problems. I can see he was right.”

Annie stood and threw her napkin on the table. “Have a great time, and when you get back, don’t bother to call. We’re done.”

“Annie,” he cried, “you don’t mean that!”

“Wanna bet?” They had the attention of half the restaurant. The entire room seemed to go quiet. Not wanting to be the subject of anyone’s dinner conversation, Annie ran toward the elevator. A line had formed, waiting to be taken down to street level.

Vance hurried after her. “I was afraid you were going to be upset. I wanted to tell you, I really did, but Matt said—”

“I already know what Matt said.” Annie crossed her arms and stared fixedly at the elevator door, willing it to open. Pressing her lips together, she did her best to ignore him. There was nothing Vance had to say that she wanted to hear.

“Come on, Annie. I hate leaving when you’re upset with me.”

She turned her back and looked in the opposite direction.

“Annie, please.”

What was taking the elevator so long? All she could think about was escaping Vance as quickly as possible.

“Okay, fine, be mad.”

She didn’t need any encouragement from him.

“Give me the silent treatment. See if I care.”

She pretended not to hear.

“All I want to know is if this means you won’t be driving us to the airport.”

She whirled around, shocked that he could even ask.

“Well?” He spoke with an air of defiance.

She shook her head. “No, Vance, I won’t be driving you to the airport, but have a nice trip. In fact, have the time of your life because that’s certainly what I intend to do.”

The elevator arrived and, after it emptied, the line moved forward. Annie stepped inside and, just before the doors closed, she took one last look at Vance, standing in front of her, still holding the black linen napkin in his hand. She gave him a short, sarcastic wave.

“Ta-ta,” she said as the door glided shut.

The phone rang, waking Bethanne from a sound sleep. No one called in the middle of the night unless it was an emergency. Caller ID indicated her daughter’s name. With nervous, uncooperative fingers Bethanne answered. “Hello?”

“Mom!” Annie wailed.

Shifting into a sitting position, Bethanne rubbed her eyes. “Annie, what’s wrong?”

Annie tried to speak but Bethanne couldn’t understand a word she said. And what she did grasp made no sense. “Vance is going away?” Bethanne asked.

“To Europe with Jessie.”

This came out in a screech, which led Bethanne to believe Jessie was most likely a girl. So tonight’s dinner at the Space Needle wasn’t the marriage proposal Annie had so eagerly anticipated. While Bethanne was grateful, she hurt for her daughter.

“Oh, baby, I’m so sorry.”

“I … He actually wanted me to drive them to the airport. Can you believe that?” The anger was coming through loud and clear. “He said he couldn’t ask me to go to Europe with him because I had another year of school and … and responsibilities.”

“Everyone has responsibilities,” Bethanne said, stifling a yawn.

“I … Mom?”

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“This is what it was like when Daddy told you about … the lovely Tiffany, isn’t it? You didn’t know, you didn’t even suspect. You were completely oblivious to what was going on right in front of you. Well, so was I.” She sniffed loudly. “I feel so stupid.”

“Oh, Annie.”

“How could Vance be so insensitive?”

Bethanne remembered the shocked, numb sensation that had come over her when Grant left. Unlike her, Annie didn’t have a twenty-year marriage; still, she’d just been given a small taste of what Bethanne had experienced.

“Mom?”

“Yes, honey?”

“Can I go to Florida with you and Grandma Hamlin?”

“Uh …”

“I can’t bear to stay here alone.”

Bethanne resisted the urge to remind her that Grant and her brother would be in town. And she had lots of friends. Annie was far from being alone. On the other hand, having her accompany them wasn’t a bad idea. “I’m sure your grandmother will be fine with it, and I’d love to have you.”

“Thanks, Mom,” she said, still sniffling.

“Do you want to come home and sleep in your old room?” Bethanne asked, thinking that what Annie really needed was to feel loved and protected.

“No … I’ll be okay now.”

“If I could, I’d give you a big hug.”

“I know. You’re the best mom in the world.”

Bethanne smiled sleepily.

“Thanks, Mom … Would you call Grandma in the morning and ask her?”

“Of course.”

“And I’m telling Dad, too.”

“If that’s what you want, go ahead.” Bethanne had no objection to Grant’s knowing her plans but she felt no obligation to tell him herself.

They spoke for a few more minutes and then Bethanne replaced the phone. Resting her head on the pillow, she closed her eyes, trying to go back to sleep.

This would be a fascinating trip across the country now that both her ex-mother-in-law and her daughter were coming…. Well, interesting at any rate. Bethanne drifted off as she began to make mental lists of the clothes she needed to pack and the people she needed to call.

Saturday morning she woke later than usual. Although it was a holiday weekend, she had a hundred things to take care of at work if they were going to head out early Wednesday morning.

After showering and dressing, she set off for the office. She’d wait until after ten to call Ruth regarding Annie.

While she was driving in Seattle traffic, her cell phone rang. The readout on her dashboard showed Ruth’s name and number.

Bethanne pushed a button on her steering wheel to answer the phone, and Ruth’s voice came through.

“Bethanne, where are you?”