“I’m only kidding,” I say.
“I know. And you’re right. He’s just…well, yeah. He’s really something.”
“I’m happy for you. Logan was singing his praises last night.”
Jane sits up, taking her sunglasses off and looking at me with big comic book eyes. “Let me get this straight. Logan was dishing up some sweet morsels aboutWilliam Lino,and you didn’t tell me thesecondI walked through the door.”
She’s laughing and so am I.
“What did he say?” Jane asks, wiping a tear from her cheek.
“He’s been a silent donor to Never Alone for years. He doesn’t want his name out there, but he does a lot. And Logan knows a mutual friend of his. Apparently, he’s a really good, honest person.”
“So it’s not all fake Hollywood bullshit?”
“I can’t say for sure. But….”
“But it’spossible.” She grins. “It’s hard with men sometimes. Well, except for you and Logan.”
“Yeah,” I agree, nodding. “It was easy for us. Once we knew.”
Jane smiles and lies back on the recliner, putting her sunglasses back on. “This is all good material for a book, you know. I could write a grand story about the two of you.”
“Oh, yeah,” I say, laughing.
“I’m serious. It’s so unique, Lucy. I’m honestly so happy for you. It’s just…you knew, love at first sight.”
The phrase rings in my mind.
“Like some people clearly do,” she goes on. “I was never sure if I believed in it. But Isawit. You had a crush, and it became real…and now look at the two of you.
“Lucy, I was thinking the other day, if I came here for the first time, not knowing either of you, and you told me you’d been married for ten years…. Hey, Luce?”
Tears have filled my eyes, the happiness flowing out of me.
Jane comes and sits on the edge of my recliner, touching my shoulder and smiling. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
“They’re not sad tears.” I laugh through a sob. “Thank you for saying all that.”
“I mean it.”
“Love, though,” I murmur. “I don’t know….”
She frowns. “If you love him?”
“No,” I say quickly. “Not that. I’m sure about that. Ifhe….”
“He does. I canseehe does.”
“Then why hasn’t he said it yet?”
She looks at me with a challenge, the same way she would in high school if I was chickening out of something I had to do. The same wayI’dlook at her if I needed to.
“Why haven’tyousaid it?” she counters back.
“Because I’m not insane. What if I say it and he doesn’t say it back?”
“But he will. I’ve seen you two together.”