Child of His Heart. Joan Kilby
the fire, his hair lifting with the breeze from the backdraft, and his grin of delight. She had to laugh. As annoyed as she’d been with Gran for orchestrating this event, she had to admit she was enjoying his company.
Nick moved around the barbecue and stood beside her. His gaze on the flames, he leaned sideways, his bare arm brushing hers, and the faint scent of his woodsy after-shave came to her over the pungent smells of charcoal and starter fluid. “I appreciate you having us over. It’s nice to be made welcome in a new town.”
She smoothed a hand over her skin where her arm had touched his, wondering if she should move away. Staying put ensured more contact, which seemed to be what he wanted, but was she ready for it? “You’ll soon get to know everyone. And once Miranda starts school she’ll make friends.”
“I hope you’re right. Miranda can be pretty disdainful about small towns.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, effectively increasing the distance between them.
Erin glanced at the girl. She’d put on headphones, and the tinny beat of techno music mingled with the determined chirping of a robin sitting on a branch of the cherry tree above her head. “Raising a daughter on your own must be difficult.”
“Teenagers are like another species altogether. We used to be close, but now it’s hard to find activities we can do together and both enjoy.”
“She went fishing with you.”
“And whined the whole time.”
“Does she like sports?”
“Sure. Let’s see, there’s Internet surfing, telephone marathons…oh, yeah, and she loves racket sports— MTV at top volume.”
Erin chuckled. “I’m coaching the junior girls’ basketball team this year at the YWCA. If Miranda’s interested, I’d love to have her on the team. Our first practice will be a few weeks after school starts.”
“Did you hear that, Miranda?” Nick called.
“What?” she answered lazily.
“Do you want to join Erin’s basketball team?”
“Basketball’s boring.”
Nick picked up the poker lying on the grass and pushed the briquettes around. “According to her, everything’s boring these days except video hits and clothes and—” he paused to shudder “—makeup.” He shook his head and smiled wryly. “I’d give her a few tips but we have completely different coloring.”
Erin glanced at Miranda’s inexpertly applied eye-shadow and dark purple lipstick. Underneath the paint was a pretty, if insecure, young woman. “True, she doesn’t look anything like you,” she said, and added jokingly, “are you sure she’s not the milkman’s child?”
Nick’s smile faded abruptly and he lapsed into stony silence. He gave the briquettes a jab with the poker, raising a shower of sparks.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—” Erin broke off; she was making her blunder worse by apologizing.
When Nick glanced up, he was smiling again, his face blandly cheerful. “You wouldn’t happen to have a beer, would you? It’s a little hot here at the coal face.”
She smiled tentatively. “Sure. I’ll get you one and be right back. Miranda,” she called to the girl, “would you like a soda?”
“Yes, please.”
Erin ran up the back steps and into the kitchen, where Gran was mixing a batch of coleslaw in a big stainless steel bowl. Half a dozen foil-wrapped fish lined the counter. “Gran, what are you doing! I said I’d make the salad. Why don’t you take a cool drink outside and find a seat in the shade.”
Ruth gave the mix a final stir and dropped the spoon into the sink. “How’s Nick going to ask you out if you’re in here and he’s out there?”
“Gran, you’re being silly. No, Gran, look at me. Don’t start matchmaking. It’s embarrassing. Anyone would think I’m the old maid the family is trying to marry off.”
“Aren’t you?” her sister teased from the doorway. Kelly came in carrying a plastic-wrapped bowl in one hand and a cake tin in the other. Tammy and Tina milled around her skirt, while her older two, Robyn and Beth, followed carrying extra lawn chairs.
“Here, let me help you.” Erin unloaded the bowl and gave Kelly a hug. “Hi, girls. Robyn, Beth, are you looking forward to going back to school?”
Her question elicited loud groans from nine-year-old Robyn and a shy nod from seven-year-old Beth. Both girls had inherited their mother’s dark hair and brown eyes, though they’d likely be tall like their father.
“Where’s Chloe?” the smaller children demanded.
“Outside,” Ruth said, taking off her apron. “Shall we go find her? Come on, everyone.” She and the children went out the back door.
“I’m glad we could get together today,” Erin said to Kelly. “I’ve hardly seen you since I’ve been back.” She went to the fridge for the cold drinks. “Where’s Max?”
Kelly’s mouth dropped at the corners, the way it did when she was trying not to cry. “He’s not coming. We had a fight. He’s ticked off with me because I worked again last night. But he sends you his love.”
“Oh, Kel.” Erin put the drink cans on the counter. She closed her arms around Kelly again. “It’ll be okay. Say hi to Max for me.”
“I will.” Kelly’s voice quavered; she was definitely not her usual happy-go-lucky self. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to fall apart.”
“Shh,” Erin whispered. “What’s a sister for? Today’s not a good time for a heart-to-heart, but let’s make a time to talk, just us, really soon.”
“I’d like that.” Kelly reached for a tissue from the box on the counter and blotted her eyes. “I’ve got a pretty busy schedule this week. I might be able to squeeze in an hour for lunch on Thursday.”
“You know, you’re ruining my image of the slow-paced small town,” Erin teased as she brushed the hair out of her little sister’s eyes and straightened the collar of her blouse. “If there’s anything I can do to help, such as baby-sitting, call me. You and Max could go out for a wild night on the town.”
Kelly’s smile returned, full of mischief. “I’d have thought you’d be more interested in your own wild night out—with our gorgeous new fire chief. I saw the way he looked at you the other day.”
Erin rolled her eyes. “Don’t you start. And keep your voice down. He’s in the backyard.”
“You’re kidding!” Kelly went to the window and peered out. “Gosh, Erin, how can you not be interested?”
“He is nice.” She put the cans and some tall glasses on a tray. “Grab that bag of chips, would you?”
“Nice?” Kelly repeated. “That’s all you can say? Nice?”
“Okay, really nice. But John isn’t totally out of the picture. Come on. Let’s take this stuff out. I promised the man a beer.”
THEY ATE AT A CLOTH-COVERED table in the shade of the big old cherry tree that spread its thick limbs across half the backyard. The mellow afternoon was warm and golden, rich with the aroma of barbecued fish and the honeyed scents of late-summer flowers. The queasiness that had dogged Erin on and off all day had abated. Replete and content, she placed her knife and fork atop her empty plate and sat back.
“That trout was the best I’ve ever tasted,” she pronounced with a smile for Nick. “My compliments to the chef.”
He raised his glass, holding her gaze across the table. “Thank you.”
Erin didn’t miss Kelly’s and Gran’s quick exchange of glances, but she hoped Nick had. Her sister and grandmother