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Surprise brought Tess's head up.
Jack flashed her a smile that lasted no longer than a heartbeat, then his mouth drew back into its customary scowl.
Tess felt as if she'd been struck. The memory of his smile lingered long after he'd looked away from her, floating down to that small, dark, frightened corner of Tess's soul, and brought with it a quivering ray of light. Somewhere deep inside Jack was a sense of humor, and with laughter there was always hope.
Tess smiled. For the first time since meeting Jack, she thought maybe she could really, truly fall in love with him. Maybe ...
Chapter Eight
After supper was finished and most of the dishes had been washed and dried and put away, Tess clapped her hands for attention.
Jack regarded her warily. "What now? You want us to call you Queen Victoria?"
"Vicky is fine," she shot back with a grin.
"Mama, what do you want me to do with these . . ." Savannah eyed the flat brown patties, as if uncertain whether they deserved the title biscuits.
"I'm glad you asked," Tess answered, tossing her soggy dishrag over the dry sink's rim. "I'm going to go check on Caleb, and while I'm doing that, I want you three to go stand by the tree swing. I'll be right out."
Savannah looked at her in horror. "But?"
"Damn it, what?" Jack cut in.
Tess ignored them. "Go on, all of you. I'll be out in a minute." When they didn't move, she looked pointedly at Jack. "I could cook something else. Maybe a nice three-layer cake."
Jack flinched. "We're going. Come on, girls."
They filed out of the house like silent, resentful soldiers. Tess checked on the sleeping baby, then grabbed the biscuits and ran outside.
The fresh, salt-limned night air immediately filled her with a giddy feeling of anticipation. Moonlight illuminated
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the three people standing in the small yard. Behind them, the farm buildings were a charcoal-hued range of shapes and rooflines. The barn was a hump of black in the distance.
She looked around. "Do we have a dog?"
Katie burst into nervous laughter.
Jack's eyes narrowed. "No, we don't have a dog."
"Too bad." Tess plucked up her hem and balanced the heavy pan on one hip, making her way carefully down the steps. "Gather round, y'all. We're going to play Frisbees."
They shuffled reluctantly toward her. Tess set the pan down in the middle of the dirt driveway. "Savannah, run down there to the edge of the chicken house. I'll wing one to you."
As Savannah did as she was told, Tess grabbed a biscuit from the pot. "Here it comes," she yelled, flipping the leadlike pancake with an expert flick of the wrist.
The pale brown circle flew through the air.
"Catch it!" Tess hollered.
Savannah reached high and just missed. The biscuit glanced off her fingertips and exploded against the chicken house wall. Rock-hard bits flew everywhere.
"Is the wall still standing?" Tess yelled.
Beside her, Katie clamped a hand over her mouth.
