“Chloe!” she said as she stood and hugged me. “My beautiful girl. Look at you. You’re glowing! Chloe—” She cut her overzealous self off and asked, in a quieter voice, “Can I tell Hank and Shirley your news?”

I nodded as I hugged her back, soaking in the smell of her lotion and feeling less off-kilter.

“Chloe and Holden Henry got married this weekend!” my mom said, loudly enough that multiple heads turned her way.

Chalk up Operation Going Public as a success then.

Sixty seconds later, fully aware of the stares from all corners of the diner, I’d been introduced to Shirley from my mom’s knitting group—I didn’t even know she had a knitting group—and Hank Moody, friends of my parents, who they apparently had a standing Sunday morning date with.

My parents had friends?

It blew my mind a little, and I was suddenly certain that they fit into this town more than I ever would. I was happy for them but it just showed how disconnected I’d let myself get.

I invited them to join us, and the four of them eventually traded tables with the people next to us. It was a big commotion, but hey, Holden and I were already the center of attention since my mom had told literally half the town about our marriage in a single breath. It made my skin crawl, but hopefully things would die down any second now.

By the time our food was served, my mom and dad had met and oohed and ahhed over little Harrison and been introduced to Zane as well as Faye at the opposite end of the row of tables. I expected things to turn awkward, but my mom became engrossed in a conversation with Hayden about baby food and teething, and my dad, when he found out Zane was a pilot, had a dozen and a half questions for him.

Shirley and Hank had apparently shopped at Hayden’s home furnishings store on Hale Street in Nashville. It was close to my apartment—less than a mile away—but I’d never visited it, because I’d had my furnishings since before she’d gone into business, and home décor was not on my radar.

Hayden and I had reconnected at Mr. Henry’s wedding three weeks ago, but we’d never been what I’d call close, even when I’d spent so much time at the Henry house as a child. The two-year age difference back then had been a barrier, and I’d always gravitated more to Holden, who was my age and grade in school, than his little sister. It hadn’t helped that, back then at least, Holden and Hayden had bickered nonstop, often making me glad I was an only child.