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On second thought, he felt certain it was concern he read in those eyes. Probably thought he’d joined some kind of cult, when he’d done nothing of the sort. Instead he’d found a great group of guys at Trinity Bible Church, some of whom happened to work in law enforcement.
He walked over to the grill to check on those hotdogs. “It’s true. Please don’t tell me you’re worried about me.”
“Not worried, just hoping that it doesn’t mean you’re still seeking some kind of absolution.”
“More like redemption.”
“Uncle Jack! You’re here.”
Amber opened the sliding glass door to the back yard and proceeded to launch herself into his arms. He spun her aroundand set her down. Alison wasn’t far behind, but her age showed as she went for a friendly hug instead.
“Calm down. He’s staying for dinner, so you’ll have plenty of time to maul him later.” Kimberly got up and went inside the house, leaving him with the girls.
Alison began to rearrange the place settings Kimberly had already put out. The girl was a little perfectionist, Kimberly’s mini-me.
“Are you still sick?” Amber asked.
“Sick?Me?” He hadn’t taken a single sick day since he’d been back.
“Mommy said you’re sick. Really bad,” Amber said as she moved a napkin out of alignment and earned a glare from her sister.
“She didn’t say he was sick, dummy.” Alison, sounding ten going on thirty, frowned. “She said he was heartsick.”
“Oh,” Amber said. “Is your heart better now?”
Alison rolled her eyes.
Jack was transported back in time to another girl who had perfected that look.
“It’s not the same thing, doofus,” Alison said.
Wonderful. Overnight he’d become the kind of person whose thoughts could be read that easily.
“I’m fine,” he said, turning to the sliding glass door where Kimberly stood, red-faced.
He walked to her and took the plates that she carried in her hands.
“Busted.”
“Alison, would you and your sister go inside and finish prepping the potato salad?” Kimberly asked.
Once the girls were inside, Jack turned to Kimberly. “Tell me I’m not that obvious.”
“I can’t do that. You know I tell it like it is.” Kimberly took the hotdogs off one by one, placing them on each plate as he held it out.
“By all means, please do.” There wasn’t anything he could do to stop it anyway.
“C’mon. I was there, and I saw the way you looked at Maggie. I saw the way she looked at you. Don’t tell me you didn’t notice.”
He’d noticed, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it when he wasn’t the man he’d have to be for Maggie’s sake.
“So?”
“Honestly, I didn’t expect you to come back. I didn’t expect her to tell you to come back. The two of you are made for each other. You both want to do the right thing despite how much it hurts you.”
He hadn’t thought about it quite that way, but essentially the choices they’d made for each other had led them apart. Ironic. “I would go back, if I thought I could be half the man she deserves.”
Kimberly stared at him. “Really? Because from where I’m standing she’d be lucky to have you. Maggie is a beautiful woman and very sweet, too, but she’s not perfect.”
