Lindsay felt a gentle pinch on her toes, then on her foot, up her calf and to the back of her knee. She grinned and buried her face deeper in the pillow, not quite ready to wake up yet. She'd had a hard time falling asleep, not used to the heat. Eventually Adam had opened the window and she'd fallen into a shallow sleep for a few hours.

"Babe, shower's free."

"Mmm."

"Are you going to get up?"

"Mmm."

"Aren't you going shopping with my mom?"

"Yeah."

"So are you going to get up?"

"You're nagging," she muttered, rolling over but keeping her eyes closed. He chuckled and leaned down to kiss her.

"Excuse me," she said, pulling away after a moment. "But what in the name of shave and a haircut did you do?"

She ran her hand over his completely bare face, not sure what to think.

"See, I have a good reason for this…"

"Adam, you don't even like it when I get my hair trimmed. You just changed your whole face!"

"Honey."

"I mean, I love you to death, but you look like you're twelve."

"Hey!"

"What did you do this for?"

"Because. I'm going to get a lot of sun and I don't want beard lines when I trim up later."

She grimaced a little.

"It'll grow back in a week."

"Promise?"

"I swear. Is it really that bad?"

"No sweetie. I mean, I don't think I want to see it again, but I won't leave you over it."

"That's encouraging."

"Hey, if I had met you bare-faced it would be fine. This would be like if I decided to go bleach blonde."

"I am truly sorry for this then."

"It's okay. I still think you're totally hot."

"Thanks babe."

He pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek, then moved off of the bed.

"I am going to go procure some breakfast."

"Take your son with you."

"Alright. C'mon buddy. Let's see what kind of cereal grandma's got in this joint."

They left the room and Lindsay waited until they were safely out of earshot before she picked up her cell phone and dialed.

"Hello?"

"Aust, my husband has a naked face and I am not sure how I feel about it."

"Linds?"

"I woke up just now and he had shaved his beard. Not a short trim. It's totally gone."

"What?"

"Something about beard tan lines? I don't know. Am I allowed to tell him I hate it? Have we been married long enough for that?"

"You're asking me, the woman born without a filter?"

"I am not sure of my next move here."

"Do you really hate it that much?"

"I guess it's not the end of the world and he says it'll grow back in a week. I don't know how I feel about a clean shaven man."

"It's definitely a change. Did I ever tell you about the time Danny grew a Unabomber beard?"

"And you let him?"

"It was kind of cute."

"Aust."

"I hated it, but he really wanted to see if he could do it, so I just… dealt with it."

"That is so not like you."

"I was in love and he looked rough. I call it the lost winter."

"If you can deal with that, I can deal with this."

"That's my girl."

"I'd better go."

"Hey, send pictures."

"I don't know if I want to immortalize this, but for your entertainment I will."

"I love you too. Stay safe out there and don't melt."

"I won't."

She hung up the phone and took a fast shower, then dressed and headed downstairs. Everyone was in the kitchen eating cereal and making plans for the day.

"Han, are you going to go shopping with me and Lindsay or are you going to the auto show with daddy and Adam?"

"Um…" Hannah replied as Sharon pulled her hair back into a ponytail. "I think I'll go with daddy and Adam. They always get good junk food."

"Oh really?"

"She's right mom, we do. Dad knows the best way to order a hot dog."

Dave just nodded.

"You two," Sharon said with a shake of the head. "I guess that just means us girls can go at a much slower pace."

"And use your credit cards more often," Lindsay added with a grin.

"I'm gonna see that bill, just you remember that," Adam reminded her, shaking his finger.

"Hey, you need new clothes."

"I do not."

"Honey, as much as I respect the Van Halen t-shirt, I don't want to be seen with you in it."

"You are just dissing me all over today."

"I'm also getting you some pants that fit."

He grimaced at her while she sat down next to him and stole some of his cereal.

"What? I just want you to be acceptable to people with taste."

"So does that mean you have none?"

"Sure why not?"

"Then how are you going to pick out my clothes?"

"He's blinded me with logic."

"I don't get it, Linds," Sharon started, scrutinizing a dress to see if it would fit Hannah.

"What?"

"New York City is supposed to be the shopping capital of… well, of something. But you want to do your shopping here? In Phoenix?"

"Do you know how far I have to go for a regular shopping? I can buy a shirt here for twelve bucks or the same shirt at home for forty-five. On clearance."

"That bad?"

"That bad."

"I was afraid you would be shopped out."

"I never go shopping. Not just for fun anyway."

"Good."

"Besides you have a knack for finding really good deals."

"When you're married to an accountant you start to think like that."

"Mama!" Colton shouted from his stroller.

"What baby?"

"Nnn-dah!"

"Water? Your bottle is right there."

He just looked at her, his bottom lip coming out ever so slightly.

"You are your father," she sighed, putting the bottle in front of him. He took it slowly, looking it over before putting it into his mouth. "Silly goober."

"Carrie!"

Lindsay looked up at Sharon's greeting, seeing a blonde woman approaching them from across the store.

"Hey Sharon. I haven't seen you in so long!"

"I know, I think Hannah was still in diapers."

"How old is she now?"

"She just turned eight."

"Eight? Oh man, I must be getting old too."

They continued catching up and Lindsay left them to it, retying the shoe that Colton had managed to kick off again.

"Lindsay, I want to meet Carrie. She's been a family friend for… well about 25 years now."

"Nice to meet you."

"Carrie, this is my daughter-in-law."

Lindsay sensed something shift in the woman's eyes as they shook hands. It felt as if she was being sized up and put down all at once. It was just about the least comfortable she had ever been simply meeting someone in her life.

"Nice to meet you too," Carrie said after a second.

"And this is my grandson Colton," Sharon continued, oblivious to the awkwardness.

"Wow. He looks like Adam," Carrie said a little breathlessly.

"Yeah he does."

"Mama!"

"What, sweetie?" Lindsay asked, thankful for the distraction.

"Nuh."

"Nummies?"

She found a baggie of goldfish crackers in the diaper bag and put a few in the tray of his stroller, blocking out Sharon and Carrie's continued chatter and wondering how much longer this moment was going to last.

Apparently a lot longer.

"So we'll see you around six?" Sharon confirmed.

"Um, sure, six is good."

Carrie bid them a goodbye and headed back across the store.

"I figured we'd invite her over for dinner," Sharon explained with a smile. "I don't think she and Adam have seen each other since college. They were pretty good friends in school."

"He never mentioned her."

"Yeah, they weren't as close as they got older. She was always like a cousin to him though."

Lindsay nodded, wondering why she still felt so uncomfortable with the whole thing.

"You're starting to look shopped out my dear."

"Yeah maybe a little. Probably jet lag."

"Did you get everything you came for?"

"And more," she said with a little grin.

"Want to go?"

"Yeah. We can always come back later if I think of something."

"But of course. C'mon we'll get some coffee on the way home."

"You're my favorite mother-in-law of all time."

When they arrived home Dave was snoring on the couch while Adam and Hannah played in the pool. Lindsay helped Sharon put away the groceries they had stopped for, then took Colton upstairs so they could change into bathing suits. Colton giggled and patted his bare stomach as they walked back down the stairs, poking at his belly button as if he had never seen it before.

"Hey babe," Adam greeted as they came outside.

"Hey," Lindsay said, sitting down on the side of the pool and letting her feet dangle into the water.

"How was shopping?"

"I'm exhausted."

"Did you get a lot done?"

"I've got Austin's birthday done, half of Christmas, and you are the proud new owner of jeans that will fit your non-existent butt."

"You're awesome."

"So can I ask you a question?" she said, watching Colton closely as he played with a pebble he had found on the ground.

"Sure."

"Who's Carrie?"

"Who?"

"Carrie? Family friend for the last 25 years."

"Oh. Carrie."

"Who is she? And why did she give me the stink eye when your mom and I ran into her at the mall today?"

"Um…"

"You dated her."

"A little in high school."

"Adam."

"A little in college."

She fixed him with a stare, knowing there was more to it.

"Okay, we were talking about getting back together, she was going to move to New York."

"When?"

"Linds-"

"When, Adam?"

He sighed, letting water droplets fall from his hand to her knee.

"It was a month or so before you and I started dating," he confessed finally.

"What?"

"It was a long time ago, honey."

"You didn't think you needed to tell me?"

"You didn't tell me about Brian until a few months ago and even then it was only because you had that nightmare."

"That's not the same."

"Why are you so bugged?"

"I don't like the idea of you with anyone else."

"Babe, it's not me with anyone else. I have only ever really loved you. Whatever happened with anyone else is over and doesn't matter now."

"You guys had closure?"

"Linds, there was nothing to close. We were only ever together because we were both there."

"Did you end plans with her because of me?"

"Yes."

"Does she know that?"

"Yes."

"Adam."

"I'm sorry, honey. You and I were just… I knew something was happening with us and I knew she wasn't right for me."

"Adam, did you say that to her?"

"No, not like that. I was much nicer, believe me."

"No wonder she looked at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like they way Stella used to look at Peyton when she thought no one was looking."

"Ouch."

"There's still feelings on her end."

"Maybe, but there aren't any on mine."

"Well I guess that's good because your mom invited her for dinner."

"She did what?"

"It shouldn't be a problem, right?" she asked again with a mischievous smile.

"No, not at all," he sighed flicking a little water at her. "Hey Colton, want to come swim with daddy?"

Lindsay watched as they boys played together, Colton giggling and splashing as if this was the best day of his life. She supposed that the awkward meeting didn't matter, the look didn't matter, the past didn't matter, because when all was said and done, she was the one that was chosen and loved and cherished.