Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“I wanna play,” Kola called over to his father.
“Oh, I dunno,” Sam said drolly, glancing over at his son. “I thought you and Harper were just eating alone over there and not offering other people any culinary delights.”
“No, no, no,” Kola assured his father quickly, carrying the platter of death over, Harper walking quickly behind him with plates and a roll of paper towels.
Normally I would have threatened Sam within an inch of his life over the nachos-from-hell, because no, the man had thus far never had heartburn in his life, but when he was home, I tried to make certain he ate far more cleanly.
“Jory?”
I looked over at my love.
He gestured at the nachos, and then I got a face. “I don’t suppose we have any snacks.”
“I’m very proud of you for not eating that.”
“I have to be honest and admit I don’t actually want to eat that,” he said with a shudder.
Chuckling, I went to make him a roast beef sandwich.
Moments later I was surprised to see Hannah coming inside with her grandmother, her grandaunt, and the others from earlier.
Barbara walked right over to me.
“Jory,” she murmured, taking a breath, “I realized what I said came out wrong, and…I didn’t mean to insinuate that you and Sam don’t have an amazing marriage and life and kids and everything. I just––”
“Always thought Sam would have pretty kids.”
She exhaled sharply. “Yes, God. That’s all.”
I nodded. “Me too. I have no doubt his offspring would be stunning. All the people in your family are.”
Her eyes filled quickly. “You’re in this family too.”
“Yes, I know,” I told her.
She took hold of my hand. “Forgive me for saying something stupid. Your family is perfect just as it is.”
“Thank you,” I replied, tipping my head as I regarded her. “And we’re not perfect, but you have to understand, they’re mine.”
She nodded quickly.
“And I couldn’t love them more, and neither could Sam.”
“Yes.”
I sucked in a breath as it hit me, suddenly, what Sam would say and do if he had heard what Barbara insinuated. “Please don’t ever mention this to Sam. It would be…ill-advised,” I finished, holding her gaze.
It must have hit her then too, because her hand clutched at imaginary pearls.
“Uh,” Kola said, leaning into the kitchen. “My father, your husband, bids me to inquire as to the status of his sustenance.”
I squinted at my son.
“I promise you that’s better than what he wanted me to say.”
Snorting, I assured him it would be right out.
Kola glanced around the room, seeing his grandmother, who had clearly been crying, his sister in the same state, and the other women looking a bit bereft.
“What happened in here?”
“Never mind,” Hannah told him.
His scowl, all Sam Kage, was there quickly before he left.
As I made Sam’s sandwich, I saw Regina showing the other women the earrings Hannah had given her. My daughter drifted over to me, leaning over, picking at the roast beef until I offered to make her a sandwich as well.
“Are they real gold or costume?” I whispered.
She gasped, which of course turned all heads toward me.
“Jory,” Regina whispered, walking over to me with the box. “Did you just ask if these were costume?”
“Forgive me,” I imparted quickly. “I have no idea about jewelry, so––”
“These are Metier,” she said, as though I should know what that was. “These are the exact Victorian, fourteen-karat-gold, fringe drop earrings Sam’s father gave me that were stolen by that woman.”
I sighed deeply. The only person “that woman” referred to was Beverly, Michael’s ex. Now, did I ever think they should have gotten married? No. They were an odd pairing from the start. Michael is an architect, reserved, with a dry sense of humor and a need to fit in with everyone around him. Bev, on the other hand, is an extrovert who needed other people, more people, constantly filling her time. Most importantly, Bev craved romance. She wanted to be the center of another person’s world. All the previous men in her life had lavished her with gestures. Not gifts, per se, but cards and notes and baubles. Michael was raised…differently.
Did Thomas Kage lavish his wife with affection and attention? Now he did. But theirs was a more private kind of relationship. Beverly was the type of person that if she sent you something, she had better see it on your Facebook page or on Instagram, with you gushing about how much you loved it. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that; it just wasn’t how the Kages, as a whole, tended to be. They were private. Even as pleased as Sam was last Christmas by the fishing lure Dane got him, the hug was the important part, and Dane never expected to see it on any social media platform. Not that Sam could, as a federal marshal, but even if he could, it simply wasn’t his way. If Sam loved and appreciated something you gave him, he told you once, and once only. If you ever saw it again, if he wore the T-shirt or the cufflinks or the tie, used the lure or the tackle box, that was high praise of your gift-giving skills. The earrings Hannah had just gifted her grandmother, her wearing them, after the hug she’d just given my daughter, was all the thanks she was going to get.