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Chris’s words spread love through her body, warming and pleasant. “Our baby.” She smiled up at him again, happy for the moment, alone in the house.His house.Sounds of male voices talking, the resonance felt deep in her chest, echoed down the hall to Chris’s bedroom. All the positive feelings slowly disappeared. She was a guest.
“What just happened?” Chris asked, seeing her eyes fill with tears.
“Nothing. I’m being ridiculous. I need to pull myself back to one day at a time, because right now with all that”—she pointed to the area where the laughter came from—“I don’t feel like this is going to be my home anytime soon.”
Hugging her, Chris didn’t want to validate her fears, but what she said was probably true.
“We’ll work on it once things settle down. The boys have to get back in school and I’m starting the job. Kirk said he’s thinking about moving here to be close to the boys. He even mentioned getting a big enough house so they could stay with him if they wanted. So there goes the theory that he couldn’t wait for them to leave.”
“Wow, I can see that being close to Cindy’s kids would be a source of comfort for Kirk. It’s kind of exciting that he wants to move here because there will be another place for the boys to visit.”
“Lunch is on the way if you’re hungry,” he said, taking her hand. “You’ll have a meal with my sons and see if you can stand eating with them.”
Laughing, she knew where he was coming from. When they first met, Chris told her one thing that bugged the crap out of him was having to sup with people who talked with a mouth full of food and he was constantly on his boys about their table manners.
“I’m sure they’ll be fine. I eat with a toddler who hasn’t mastered the fork.”
“You’ll love Ben, then,” he said, grimacing.
Out in the living room, a bright, airy space, Kirk and the two Harcourt boys lounged on Chris’s minimalistic furniture. When they saw Annie, they all stood up to greet her, and she had to admit they made her feel welcomed and wanted.
“Well, isn’t this nice. Chris’s house is already a home.”
“Sorry again for coming unannounced so early,” Kirk said.
“It’s fine,” she repeated.
“Food’s here,” Chris called. “Come in the kitchen, please. I don’t want chili sauce on my white upholstery.”
“I have to set up the den because Stevie will destroy this room.”
“The den’s back here,” he said, pointing to a large space on the other side of the living room fireplace. At the present time it was empty.
“My furniture will fit in here perfectly. That is if I move in,” she said, looking at him sidelong.
He grabbed her to dip, kissing her passionately. “What’s if? You’d better.”
They worked together, putting out platters of po’boys and muffuletta sandwiches, crawfish, and for dessert, bananas foster, filling glasses with ice and soda and placing pitchers of lemonade and iced tea out on the counter.
“This is exactly the way I imagined us entertaining,” Chris said. “This island is perfect.”
The conversation was easy, the food delicious.
“It’s one,” Annie said. “I’d better get back home. I’ve got the afternoon to work before I pick up Stevie.”
After she said goodbye to everyone, Chris walked her out to the car.
“I wish you could stay, but I get it. I’ll talk to you later?”
“Of course. Love you, Chris.”
He pushed her gently against the car, out of sight of the household when he kissed her.
“It’s so hard to say goodbye! Harder than when you lived in Mobile, and you’re right here for the taking.” She giggled, hugging him tight.
“Pack your bags and move in,” he said, grinning down at her.
“I’ll think about it. Maybe after Kirk moves out.”
