Five Years Gone by Marie Force

Author:Marie Force [Force, Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HTJB, Inc.

Chapter Seventeen

AVA

Miles and Skylar hit it off like a house on fire while the rest of us spend the evening pretending we aren’t watching them. I’ve never seen him so animated or engaged, and she looks positively gobsmacked. If this isn’t a love connection in the making, then I’ll hang up my matchmaking cape forever.

It’s a fun evening all around. Everyone loves my lasagna, and the Tildens are entertaining as always, especially now that some of the dust has settled on their parents’ breakup. For a while there, I wondered if they would ever be the lighthearted, fun-loving group they once were, but they’re slowly getting back to normal, or what counts for normal these days.

“I had lunch with Dad yesterday,” Jules says when we gather in the living room with after-dinner drinks. “He seems really good, better than he’s been in a long time.”

“I’ve thought that lately, too,” Rob says. “Ever since Mom left and he announced he’s not running for reelection, he seems unburdened.”

“Imagine knowing for years that your wife is cheating and having to sit on that while you’re responsible for the entire state of New York,” Amy says, shuddering. “It’s a wonder he didn’t have a breakdown.”

“I talked to him about online dating,” Jules said.

“He can’t do that!” Rob says, horrified. “He’s the freaking governor.”

“Not for much longer.”

“For the better part of another year,” Rob replies. “He cannot be on those sites while he’s still in office, Jules. Seriously.”

“I hear you. I was just planting the idea for later.”

Rob relaxes, but only slightly. What he doesn’t say, but we all know, is that some of the shine has gone out of the Tilden family name since the scandal hit. He thinks his siblings don’t know that he wants to follow their father into politics. Their parents’ messy split makes his path much more fraught with pitfalls than it was before. Eric told me that Rob has big plans, but he doesn’t talk about them.

“Dad’s had enough bad press to last a lifetime. The last thing we need is the Post catching wind of his online dating profile.” Rob cringes. “I can’t even imagine what they’d do with that—and I don’t want to.”

“I hear you, big brother,” Jules says. “Loud and clear.”

“Nothing says he can’t try online dating when he leaves office,” Camille says.

“Maybe he’ll meet someone the old-fashioned way long before then,” I offer from my perch next to Eric on the sofa. His arm is around me, and my hand is on his leg. His body heat keeps me nice and warm as the temperature drops outside and puts a chill in the loft. We’ll have to turn on the heat before much longer. “Too bad there’s not another family wedding coming soon. I hear that’s a great way to meet people.”

The others laugh as Eric tightens his hand on my shoulder.

Rob’s phone buzzes with a text that has him sitting up straighter. “Holy fuck,” he says in a tone that sends shivers down my spine.

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