AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It smells great, Mom.”
I lifted the bottle of wine. “I brought this. We can open it now or you can keep it for later.”
“Thank you.” She came around the counter and pulled me in for a warm hug before taking the bottle. “Would you like a glass?”
“Yes, please.”
“Honey, would you mind opening this for me? Zachary, do you want some?”
“Sure,” he said.
While Paul busied himself with the wine, I took off my coat and set down my things so I could help get dinner on the table. I got the bowls and plates out of the cupboard and Zachary set out silverware. Then I poured us all ice waters to have alongside our wine.
All things I’d done before. And yet, this time it was different.
The Havens had always made me feel like part of the family. It was one of their gifts. And I realized as I sat down to dinner with them that this was a little piece of what my heart had longed for. Maybe this was a part of why I hadn’t been able to give up my crush on Zachary, even when it had felt like folly. I loved his family too.
Zachary set his hand on my thigh underneath the table while we ate. It felt the tiniest bit naughty.
I loved it.
“Did they ever find that missing girl?” Marlene asked. “It seems like no one’s talking about it anymore.”
“Don’t think so,” Paul said.
“So sad,” Marlene said.
My heart hurt for the poor girl. “I hope she’s somewhere safe.”
“I do too,” she said. “I can’t imagine not knowing what happened to my child.”
Zachary paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. “I hate to bring up a sore subject, but don’t you know exactly what that’s like?”
Paul’s expression hardened and he kept his eyes on his plate.
Marlene’s gaze darted to her husband. “I’ve heard from him.”
Zachary’s fork clattered to the table. “You’ve heard from Reese? When?”
“He’s called a few times over the years. Not often, and he never tells me anything. Just enough that I know he’s alive and well.”
“Did you know about this?” Zachary asked his dad.
Paul just grunted.
Zachary started to speak but I recognized I could read this situation better than he could. The subject of Reese Haven was a painful one for both Paul and Marlene, and it was clear to me they’d each handled the reality of their wayward son in their own way. This was not something Paul wanted to talk about.
I put a hand on Zachary’s arm. “I’m glad you’ve heard from him, at least to know he’s okay.”
“I’m sorry, Zachary. I thought I’d mentioned it,” she said.
“No, it’s okay, Mom.”
“I hope the missing girl reaches out to her family,” I said. “Or to someone, if her family isn’t safe.”
“I don’t know her parents well, but it sounds like it wasn’t a good situation,” Marlene said.
“Don’t think it was,” Paul said. “Poor kid.”
