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A shuffling noise directed our gazes toward the front foyer visible through the screen door. Noah's grandfather shuffled out the front door. His brow wrinkled when he saw the two of us, but he tried to cover his confusion. "Hi. I'm sorry. I didn't know we had a guest. I'm Jack Murray."
Darting a quick glance at Noah, I decided to play along to not upset him. I stood and accepted his hand. "Hi, Mr. Murry. It's good to see you."
His head cocked to one side. "Are you one of Noah's friends?"
Memories of Jack tossing a football to Noah and me in the front yard, taking us out to the barn to see a new foal, and offering tidbits of fatherly advice to two fatherless boys assailed me. "Yes, I am. I'm Jax."
Jack's smile was genuine. "Nice to meet you." He focused on some spot over my shoulder and smiled. "I once knew a boy named Jax. Good kid, quiet. Always liked him. Wonder whatever happened to him." He shook his head and refocused on me. "Good to meet you. Noah's a good boy. I like to meet his friends. Can you stay for dinner? Do you like meatloaf? I think that's what we're having tonight. My wife, Alice, makes the best and we always have plenty!"
Noah leaned forward in his chair. His sad eyes glanced at mine before turning to the older man. "I think we have steaks planned tonight, Gramps," he said gently. "How about I get you a drink, and you can sit with us outside a bit before dinner, hmm?"
"Oh, sure, sure. That sounds nice." He sat in another chair and rocked. "Oh, look, there's Sammy. Come here, boy."
I followed Jack's line of sight and sure enough, saw a dog sitting several yards away staring back at us. However, I knew it wasn't Sammy, the family dog from when Noah and I were kids. He'd died when we were still in high school.
When the dog didn't move, Jack stood. "I'll go get him a treat." He went back into the house. Noah's sad eyes followed him.
"You get a dog?" I asked Noah.
"No. He's a stray. He won't let anyone get near him. He growls every time I try. But he doesn't seem to mind the horses. I fill a bowl for him out near the shed. This is about the time he comes around every day. I think it's his way of asking for more."
Leave it to Noah to be struggling financially, but to still find some room to feed a stray, a hostile one at that.
"I better go check on Gram
ps. I'll be right back." They came back out a couple of minutes later. Noah had a bowl of dog food that he walked over to the shed. The dog watched but made no move to claim the food until Noah was back on the porch.
Jack stuck his hand out to me. "Hi. Jack Murry. Always glad to have one of Noah's friends here. Uh, sorry, didn't catch your name." His pale blue eyes gazed warily at me.
This time I didn't let go of his hand when he held it out for another introduction. "Would you show me your horses, Mr. Murry? It looks like you have some fine-looking animals out there." I matched my steps to his slower ones as we headed out the door and across the drive to the nearest pasture. I knew horses were his passion, and if nothing else, he'd be able to pull on the old memories that hadn't yet been touched by his disease.
As we walked, he told me about his home and farm. I was touched by how often he mentioned Alice, the love of his life. I tried to picture myself in his shoes, having a love that surpassed everything else, even living into a diseased mind that eliminated other people. I was glad he could remember her for now; it was obvious he felt at peace when he talked about her. I wondered how long it would be before that, too, was stolen from him.
It wasn't hard to picture that Grace would fill a role like that, at least for someone. Her nature was generous and loving, coupled with a bit of mischief and spunk. An intoxicating combination. She complained she met loser after loser, but it wouldn't be long before she'd find someone deserving of her.
Too bad Jack and I shared one thing in common. Our minds were both haunted by figments of a woman locked inside our head. Unlike Jack, mine didn't have a long and happy history, and unless I was willing to break my rules, they never would.
18
Grace
"I'm starting to think we should've hired a moving company to do everything after all."
I looked up from where I was unpacking dishes in the kitchen and grinned as Derek and Jax placed more boxes on the counter. Derek made a dramatic show of wiping his forehead.
It had been a couple of weeks since he and Maggie returned from their honeymoon. They'd signed the closing papers on their new house a couple of days ago, and now a group of us was pitching in to move them into their new home. Jade and I were helping Maggie set up her kitchen, while Derek, Jax and Derek’s brother, Paul, finished unloading boxes and small furniture from the moving van. Fortunately, Derek had hired a crew of movers to help with the heavy lifting this morning.
His new wife smacked his arm. "Aw, did all that sun make you weak?" she asked playfully.
Maggie squealed as Derek hauled her into his arms planting a big kiss on her lips. "What sun? We spent more time inside hav—"
More than one of us cleared our throats and started fake-coughing as Maggie slapped her hand over his mouth. She turned the cutest shade of pink which had nothing to do with the sun. Derek caught her hand and held it to his lips. I watched my friend melt into his arms all doe-eyed.
Jade pushed them apart and shooed Derek out of the kitchen. "We could've been done an hour ago if you two would keep your hands to yourselves." She wrinkled her nose and crossed her arms as Derek raised his arms in good-natured helplessness as he and Jax jogged back outside to the rented moving truck.
I'd been surprised when Jax showed up here a few minutes after my arrival. He'd greeted his cousins with handshakes and Maggie with a kiss to her cheek, but only a chin nod and quiet "hello" for me. I likely imagined it, but he looked uncertain, like he was going to say something more to me, but then his features schooled themselves back to disinterest.
It seemed naïve of me not to consider that he'd be here helping his cousin, but in the time I'd been around Derek, I'd never seen Jax come to anything. Granted, I hadn't been invited to family affairs. Now that she was a part of Jax's family, I wondered if I'd see more of him at their house during casual gatherings in her and Derek’s house. If so, I was going to have to be able to be around him without recalling how good it felt to be in his arms. For the moment, however, I turned my back on him before I could try to read anything into his frown that he had been casting my way since he'd gotten here.
