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“Did you say your late husband?” Maggie asked.
“In the line of duty.” Kimberly said, avoiding Maggie’s gaze.
“I’m so sorry, Kimberly.”
“I don’t talk about it much because I’m in a good place now. Here’s the thing. Robert had a great sense of humor. In fact, he told a joke right after he’d been shot. Classic Robert. And so after the first week of bouts of constant sobbing, I could almost hear Robert’s voice in my ear: ‘Apparently I really was ready to do anything to avoid remodeling the kitchen, just like you said.’ You might think I’m weird, but I burst out laughing. Robert would have never let me get away with feeling sorry for myself. And so now, I make it my duty to honor him by remembering to laugh. Life is short, and soon enough we’ll be together again.”
Maggie wished she’d thought of that and bounced back instead of acting like the tragic widow, but the words stuck in her throat. Anyway, it was hard to get a word in with Kimberly.
“I hope I’m not speaking out of turn, but it’s been tough for Jack since my husband passed away. Robert was like the big brother Jack never had.”
Everything began to click into place for Maggie, from his attachment to the cigar to the crinkly worried forehead. Her heart hurt for Jack, a man who obviously kept his feelings under lock and key. He’d been grieving, just as she had, and as Lexi still grieved.
“It must be so hard. For both of you.”
Maggie struggled with the right words. In her experience, words were useless in this situation, but they had to be given anyway.
“I’m only telling you this because I can see that you and Jack, well, let’s not kid ourselves. Something is going on between you two. I know Jack, and I think I can tell when he’s a goner for a woman.”
“What makes you say that? We’re friends. That’s all,” Maggie protested, feeling her cheeks burn.
“If you say so. Anyway, women are often the ones to decide these things. And I’m so glad to hear that.”
Not exactly what she’d thought Kimberly would say, and she fought not to be offended. Maybe she wasn’t the best option for Jack, but she could think of a lot worse women he could date.
Kimberly laughed. “That came out wrong. Oh, goodness, I really do have to stop talking so much. This is where I miss Robert the most. He’d give me a soft nudge, and it would be my hint to stop talking. What I meant is that Jack needs to come back home, and I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”
“I wouldn’t want that either.” Maggie frowned.
Believe me.
“But you won’t be, since, as you told me, you two are just friends. So no matter what I think Jack might be thinking, and believe me I do mean might, I still haven’t managed to read hismind. There’s no future for the two of you. Right? So maybe you’ll help me convince him to go back?”
“Now?”
“No, not right now. I’m sure he has to give his notice at the station, give his thirty day notice for the rental. You’ve probably seen he doesn’t have much to pack. Something tells me he’s ready to leave at any moment. He just needs a little push.”
Maggie swallowed. “And you think I should be the one to give him a push?”
“You’re his friend, aren’t you? There’s one thing I know for sure: Jack won’t be able to move on until he has closure. And that’s waiting for him in Virginia.”
“Sure. I’ll talk to him, and if I can find a way I’ll tell him he should go back.”
Which as it so happened, was the last thing she wanted to do.
Chapter 11
Outside, Jack took a deep breath and let his constricted airway fill up.
The sun hid behind a cloud, but it was only late March. Soon the sun would be out in full force, and the last of the snow banks would be gone.
What he needed was a hike or a run, but he couldn’t very well take off right now. He had Kimberly to think about, inside making friends with Maggie, telling her who knew what. He should go back inside and implement damage control, but what was the point? Sooner or later Maggie would have to know he was a failure, and maybe it would be better if it came from Kimberly.
A torn basketball net on a worn out backboard stood on the front of Maggie’s driveway. How had he never noticed that before?
Within seconds he’d run back home to get his ball, and when Chief whined for him at the front door Jack let him come out, too. Chief sat on the edge of the driveway and watched the first of several shots. The tightness in Jack’s chest eased. When heglanced to the sidelines, Lexi stood next to Chief, hands thrust in her jeans pockets.
“He doesn’t like it when you ignore him,” Lexi said, bending to pet Chief.
