“Yup, and I have the pills to prove it.” Blythe rubbed her eyes before opening them. “Seriously, though, sweetie, you need to take my advice and make more time for yourself. You’re working way too hard. When was the last time you called a guy up when he gave you his number?”

“Let me see… Yeah, that new lawyer I hired.”

“Is he cute?”

“God no. He looks like Gollum. But he’s as smart as they come.”

“Okay, when was the last time you went out on a date?”

“Mom, stop.”

“Why? I know you have tons of offers.”

“Yeah, well, so does eBay.”

In between sips of her iced tea, Blythe rolled her eyes. “I was like you for a while before college. I didn’t want to get stuck with one of the guys from my home town just because they were there, because of a lack of options; it made no sense to me. Geography determining one’s future? I hated that idea. So, I left as soon as I could to see what else was out there.”

“And you met Dad in college, and never lived in your home town again. Woohoo! So, you were right all along. You were right not to settle for those limited options. You went out and found new ones. Which is exactly what I’ve been saying. Dating should be an adventure; it should be about wanting to take risks. But like you said, I have to be the one doing the choosing. I’m not going to let geography determine who I end up with.”

“You didn’t let me finish.” Blythe solemnly traced her finger around the rim of her glass. “There’s a part I left out, a part I’ve never told you before.”

Rose tilted her head slightly to one side and leaned forward then, ready to listen closely.

“It’s about what really happened in college,” her mom went on. “I think it’s something you should know…before…it might explain…” She glanced outside to where Bellamy now appeared to be mingling with the crowd a little.

“Explain what?”

“It might help to explain…a number of things that have happened.”

“Like what?” Rose looked outside again, scrutinizing their mysterious chaperone. “Who is he, Mom? Who is he really? I could swear I’ve seen him before, but I can’t place him.”

A long, weary sigh that Rose could tell contained all the answers to her questions, brought Blythe back to her story. She either would not, or could not, betray Bellamy yet. And the more she dodged the question, the deeper the hole she was digging for him, and for herself.

“You know your dad and I met in our sophomore year, at a beat poetry night, right?”

“Uh-huh. Some Bohemian dive with no windows. I remember the story.”