Garrett's hand rubs up and down on my thigh because he wants the anxiety attack that's teetering in my body to calm.

A two-hour drive home from the best weekend of my life has had my emotions swirling like a unicorn’s horn and I'm desperate to calm down before we reach Melissa’s parents’ house.

“You know them.” He squeezes my knee. “They know you.”

Boys are such clueless creatures.

“They might think I'm too young or—”

“Shh.” He shakes his head. “They already know about you, and they are okay with me moving on.”

I nod my head like a damn bobblehead trying to convince myself they aren't going to go all Benson on me and give me the third degree when I get there.

Maybe I’ve been watching too much Law & Order lately.

Garrett's right, I know Phil and Violet. Not terribly well, but enough that'd we exchange pleasantries if we saw one another on the street. Violet threw herself into mothering Sydney right after Melissa passed and I don't blame her.

“So, Sydney's close to them?”

Stupid question, Charlie. I have this annoying habit of needing to fill the silence when I’m nervous.

“Well, they are her grandparents, but I’ll admit that their relationship is changing with Sydney growing up. Trips to the candy and toy stores are no longer the way to Sydney's heart. Violet is struggling a little, but she asks Sydney’s help with how to work social media to try to stay connected.”

I pull out my phone, laughing. “Violet is on Facebook?”

“Not only Facebook, but she's got an Instagram and she's been asking Sydney about Snapchat.” He looks at me from the corner of his eye.

“Who are her friends?”

I find her account. A nice picture of her and Phil on a cruise is set as her profile picture.

“Sydney.”

We laugh and the truck seems a little less stifling.

* * *

Garrett parks on the street in front of a nice log cabin style house in Wet Rock.

“Did you build this for them?”

The architecture looks very similar to his other ones.

“They used my same architect and I had my crew do most of the work.”

We exit the truck and this immediately feels like the most awkward situation I've ever been in.

“I should have brought something different to wear.” I pull my sweater down as far as it can to cover my leggings.

“Don't be silly. I love these things you wear.” His hand slides down my back to my ass and he squeezes it.

“Nope.” I circle out of his hold. “No touching.”

“No touching?” he questions. “That's not what you said last night.”

“I'm serious, Garrett. No wandering hands under the table.” I point to him and he crosses his heart with his finger, but the smirk on his face says I can't trust him one bit.

“Here we go.” I mumble as we walk up the paved walkway, Garrett in front of me, leading the way. “What a cute goose.” I pat its head. It’s so cute all dressed in a turkey outfit.

“I'm surprised he isn't changed into Santa yet.” Garrett looks at it with an exasperated expression and I laugh.

“I think you should get one.”

He rings the doorbell and I try to distract myself with the goose.

“A big one for you and a small one for Sydney. I think Georgette Heinemann makes their clothes. At least she had a craft booth at the last festival with a bunch of these.”

His hand lands in mine and his free hand brushes against my cheek.

“Relax, baby.”

I quiet and pretend I'm not hyperventilating inside.

The door opens and Violet smiles, her hair much grayer than I remember. She's wearing jeans and a knit sweater that says, Bring on the Merry Balls, with giant ornaments adorned to the front.

“Charlie.” Her arms outstretch.

Okay, we can pretend this isn't awkward. We can act like we’re best buddies.

“Hi, Mrs. Bender.”

She doesn't squeeze hard and our bodies barely touch, but it's a nice gesture.

“Please, call me Violet.” We separate and I catch Sydney on the couch in front of the television inside. Shouldn't this be a big thing to her, too?

“I'm so happy you both could join us for dinner.” She ushers us in and I might have entered a time warp from twelve years ago.

Pictures of Melissa from birth to what looks like just before she died are hung on every wall. Her in gymnastics, her in girl scouts, and her as a cheerleader. I can’t help the feeling that her eyes are staring at me, judging why I'm here.

Garrett's hand slides in mine and he pulls me toward the family room.

“Hey, Syd. Did you have a good weekend?” Garrett asks her and he sits us down on the couch.

I cross my legs, trying to concentrate on everything but the giant water-colored portrait of Melissa when she was in her teens.

“Not as fun as skiing.” She glances to her side at us both.

“I told you, we'll plan something during Christmas break. This was a couples thing.” He places his hand on my knee and squeezes.

“So, Charlie, how is that brother of yours? Vance? I heard he's a big movie producer or something in California.” Violet joins us in the family room and I slide a good foot away from Garrett.

She drops a tray of veggies and dip and those hot dogs wrapped in dough on the table.

“He's actually back in Climax Cove at the moment,” I say.

Garrett closes the distance between us, reaching over my lap to grab an appetizer. I'm not sure the man ever saw food he didn’t like.

“Oh, I'm surprised the Climax Cove gossip hasn't hit me out here yet.” She sits in the chair opposite us. “Sydney, let's turn off the television,” she says in a nice voice that sounds like she’s giving her granddaughter the option.

Sydney does as she's asked but just replaces it with her phone.

Mr. Bender enters the room with a beer for Garrett.

“Thanks, Phil.” He's so at ease around them and the shrines of Melissa on every surface.

“Hi, Charlie.” He nods, a folded piece of paper under his arm and a pen above his ear.

“Hi. Mr. Bender.” I raise my hand in a small wave.

“Phil.” He stares down at me over the rim of his reading glasses. “Can I get you something to drink?”

Violet stands. “I'll get it. I bought us a special bottle of wine.” She winks and then disappears into the kitchen.

She's going to poison me.

Garrett knocks his elbow into me lightly and I give him a tight smile in return.

She's going to poison me.

Maybe if I think it hard enough, we'll telepathically communicate and he'll save me from certain death.

“Charlie, do you like white?” Violet returns with two glasses.

She stops on the other side of the coffee table and I kindly reach for a glass, but she moves it away from me and then gives me the other one.

“Oh, wait.” She stares at them for a minute. “Okay, here you go.” She hands it to me and I grip it not really wanting to take a sip. “I took a small taste in there and I've felt off all day. I wouldn't want you to get sick.” She smiles, sitting in the chair and crossing her legs.

Not sick. Dead.

“Thank you.” I place it on the table.

“Taste it and let me know what you think? There's a new winery my friend's son opened. It's from there.”

All eyes move to me, well, only Garrett and Violet's. Sydney's are stuck on her phone, and Phil’s are on what I think is a crossword puzzle.

Looking at Garrett, I memorize his face.

It's been a nice life I think to myself and then take a tentative sip.

It’s crisp and fresh. “Very good.”

“I know, I might splurge and buy a case.” She cringes like it's the most absurd thing in the world. “You two should go there sometime.”

I nod and look over to Garrett who is busy chomping down on his fifth carrot.

“Okay, Syd,” Phil says and Sydney picks up her head to look at her grandpa. “Temporary cessation of breathing.”

Sydney's thumbs start moving on her phone and a second later, she mumbles, “Apnea.”

“Yes.” Phil's eyes widen and he writes in the answers. “Always so good at these.” He smiles but never looks up.

Sydney sneaks a glance at me and Garrett shakes his head, smiling to himself.

“This is a hard one. Egyptian fertility god.”

Again, Sydney's thumbs move across the phone and Phil's head remains down.

“What does it start with?” Sydney asks, a Cheshire smile on her lips.

“Um...” Phil's eyes scan the page. “A and it's four letters.”

“Could it be Amon?” Sydney asks like she's not staring at the answer on Google.

I shake my head, but when I turn I find Violet's eyes on me. She's not smiling, but she's not frowning.

Once she notices I'm looking her way, her lips curl up into a small grin.

Is she waiting for the effects of the poison to set in?

“Let's eat before Garrett fills up on appetizers,” she says.

I look down at the plate seeing most of it gone and look at him.

“Hey.” He tilts his head. “I had a nice workout this weekend,” he mumbles and I hit him in the stomach, making him laugh loud enough that the other three people in the room turn our way to investigate what's so funny.

“What did you make, Violet?” Garrett asks.

Again, Garrett takes my hand and although I'm slightly uncomfortable with the whole scenario, I'm thankful to have his strength to lean on. Especially knowing how hard this must be for him.

“Meatloaf, your favorite. You're not a vegetarian are you Charlie?” her voice softens the further she disappears into the kitchen.

“No, Charlie loves meat. You should see how she mows down on it,” Garrett answers for me and I hit him in the stomach again.

We sit down at the table beside each other with Sydney sitting across from us.

He leans in close to me and lowers his voice. “Keep doing that and they'll think you abuse me.”

I shoot him an exhausted expression.

“Oh, good.” Violet comes in with meatloaf. “I was worried since I keep reading about all these young kids not eating meat and if they do it has to be grass fed or something.”

“No, I'm still a carnivore.” She looks down from where she’s standing next to me and again that small smile forms. I have no idea if it's real or fake.

The five of us sit down and start to pass around the dishes. Phil continues to do his crossword puzzle and Sydney answers his questions with her phone without him knowing. Violet seems set on asking me about every person in town since she doesn’t get back to Climax Cove as often as she'd like, but I think it might have more to do with the memories that flood her mind when she crosses the city sign. I feel for Violet and Phil, I truly do.

Once dinner is done, Violet starts clearing the dishes.

I scoot my chair out to help. “Oh no Charlie, you’re a guest.” Violet shoos me to sit back down, but where I grow up that doesn't matter.

“Why should you do all the work? If we work together, we’ll get it done faster.” I eye Garrett, who sits there, his arm resting on the back of my chair and looking like he might take a nap from the food coma he’s in.

I kick the foot of his chair and he startles.

“We'll all help.” I eye his plate and then the kitchen doorway.

He scrunches his up his forehead.

“Sydney,” I call to her and she looks at me like I morphed into an alien. “Get your plate and take it into the kitchen.”

Garrett and Sydney pick up their plates and do as I ask. Violet is already rinsing some of the dishes when we enter.

“We'll wash and dry. The two of you clear the table.”

Violet washes and I dry, stacking the dishes on the kitchen counter.

Garrett and Sydney don't argue as they come and go, placing the dirty dishes next to Violet. Garrett even places the salad dressing back in the fridge and throws away the dirty napkins.

“Table is clear.” Garrett comes up to me.

“Okay, we're almost done.” I smile at Violet.

“I have dessert in the fridge. Strawberry Jell-O custard trifle,” Violet says.

“Garrett.” I nod toward the fridge.

For a man who does everything he does, he sure lets Violet cater to him.

“Oh, I'll get it.” He smiles at me.

I find some paper plates in the cabinet as I'm putting away the dishes in the cabinet Violet directed me to.

“Let's use these and then we have fewer dishes.” I smile.

“Good idea, and I have some plastic forks too.” She rushes over to a butler pantry, digging through the bottom until she lifts a box out. “Got them.”

Afterward, we eat dessert and then it's time to go. All in all, it wasn't near as bad as I’d predicted.

“Bye, Grandma,” Sydney says, hugging her much shorter grandma. It’s clear that Sydney’s inherited some of Garrett's height. “Grandpa.” She shifts to give Phil a quick hug.

“We'll see you soon,” Violet says.

Garrett kisses Violet on the cheek and then Phil shakes his hand. They wait for me on the porch, Sydney patting the goose's head.

“Garrett honey,” Violet says as we all step out onto the porch. “Before you go, can you and Sydney get the canopy down from the garage? We're having friends over next weekend and I don't want Phil to hurt himself,” Violet asks sweetly.

“Sure.” Garrett looks at me and I step up to say my goodbyes, thinking I'll help them.

“Charlie, can we have a quick word?” Violet asks and Phil blows out a breath.

Okay, she's going to tell me the poison will hit in a few hours.

“Sure,” I say.

Garrett and Sydney both head around the side of the house, chatting as they go.

I’m still looking in their direction when Violet grips my hand. “Phil and I just wanted to say thank you. We know Garrett and Sydney's situation isn't easy, that this dinner wasn't easy, but we want Sydney to have a mother figure in her life and Garrett deserves to be happy. We had reservations about you because of your age, and I can't speak for Phil, but you're perfect. It’s clear you two love each other.” She hugs me and this time she presses so hard it’s difficult to breathe until she holds me out by my upper arms. “I hope that there will be room for Phil and me in your lives together.”

Did I miss Garrett's proposal? I know I can zone out, but I'm fairly sure I'd remember him down on bended knee.

“No worries there, Violet.” She squeezes my arms and then releases me so fast, I back into Phil.

“Sorry,” I mumble, gaining my footing.

Looking to the side of the house they disappeared behind, I wonder what is taking Garrett and Sydney so long.

“Bye, Phil. I don’t know how you'll do those crossword puzzles without Sydney.” I raise my eyebrows in question.

He chuckles. “You gotta find a way to relate to your growing granddaughter somehow. Am I right?”

“Yeah.” I nod. “Thank you,” I say to both of them and then walk down the front steps, seeing Garrett and Sydney emerging from the side of the house.

We all climb into his truck and wave goodbye to them as they wait on the porch for us to pull away.

“See, not that bad.” Garrett reaches over and squeezes my knee.

“No, not bad.”

“You were worried, Charlie?” Sydney asks from the back seat.

“A little.” My phone dings in the cup holder and I pull it out.

“Looks like Violet Bender follows two people on Instagram now.” I hold my phone up to Garrett and Sydney showing them my new follower.

We all laugh and my heart warms thinking I have everything I could truly ever want.