Free Perfect Fit by Carly Phillips Page B

glad,” Cara said.
    They talked for a few more minutes about small things before Ella cleared her throat, looking suddenly serious. “Cara, honey…”
    “Yes?”
    “When Michael called and told me you were coming for dinner, he mentioned the incident at your parents’ last night.”
    Everything inside Cara ran cold. Since driving away from her parents’ apartment, she’d deliberately not let herself think about them. She didn’t want anyone else thinking about it either. Knowing. Judging.
    Mike obviously was doing one or more of the above. “So he invited me out of pity, then,” she said without thinking.
    Ella’s frown told her she didn’t agree. “You know better than that. You’re comfortable here and we love having you, and I’m sure you can use being around people who think of you as family at a time like this.” The older woman paused, not breaking eye contact. “Although, family’s more Sam’s way of thinking about you than Michael’s.”
    Cara knew she blushed a deep red, and she couldn’t think of a witty reply.
    “I think Michael just wanted you here,” Ella mused.
    Cara shook her head. This conversation was getting awkward on every end. “I don’t know what to say to any of this.”
    Ella patted her hand. “I just wanted you to know that if you need someone to talk to about your parents, I’m here. And if you’re worried I might not approve of you and Michael, well, you’d be wrong.”
    Cara’s eyes opened wide. “Mike and I aren’t…we’re not—”
    “No worries, dear. We’re all grown-ups.” Ella winked at her, and Cara prayed for strength.
    “Right. Well, thank you for the offer to talk about my parents.” Wow. Her family had suddenly become the easierconversation, Cara thought, still reeling from Ella’s frank words.
    “I mean it, honey. It can’t be easy for you,” Ella said, in a purely motherly way that put Cara at ease.
    “Thank you. I appreciate it, but there’s nothing to say. My mother made her choice to stay years ago. And I made mine not to see her unless she leaves him.” She waited for Ella to condemn her for her choices, but instead she nodded in understanding.
    “I’m sure it wasn’t an easy decision.” Like Mike, Ella and her compassion and understanding made Cara feel more secure and at ease about her course of action than she’d been before. Maybe it did help to share, to have someone to talk to.
    “It was a hellish choice,” Cara admitted. “But anything short of sticking to it will only enable an ugly situation or make me so angry I get physically ill.” She glanced down, embarrassed.
    “Oh, honey, there’s no shame in taking care of you. That was their job, and for whatever reason they fell short.” Ella leaned in close, reassuring as only a wise, loving parent could.
    “That’s what Mike said.” Cara managed to meet Ella’s gaze.
    “I knew I raised that boy right.”
    Cara nodded at that. Mike was a really decent guy.
    “But you still feel guilty,” Ella said, not dropping the subject.
    Cara sighed. “I alternate between feeling like an awful daughter for taking care of myself and a self-righteous one for not understanding where my mother’s coming from. I volunteer with women just like her, and I understand her world isn’t simple.”
    “And yet you beat yourself up over something you can’t control,” Ella said, covering Cara’s hand with her own.
    The warmth she offered caused a lump to form in Cara’s throat.
    “I, of all people, know what it’s like to doubt myself and my choices,” Ella said softly.
    “You do?” Cara would have thought Ella Marsden was so certain in every decision she made.
    “Oh, Cara. You must know the story of how I ended up married to Simon, right?”
    Cara didn’t know which part of the story Ella was referring to. “I know you were involved with someone before Simon,” she said delicately.
    “I got pregnant and he left me,” Ella said bluntly.
    Not expecting such frank talk, Cara