Drew’s face fell as he frowned. “Do what?”
“He and Janey broke up,” Gretchen said. “Remember I told you that?”
Drew whipped his head to her and back to Adam. “No, I don’t remember that. What happened?”
“I got hurt.”
“That’s not why,” Gretchen said.
Adam looked at her, a growl starting somewhere in the bottom of his gut. “Oh, no?”
“She’s just scared,” Gretchen said.
“Of what?” Drew asked.
What a great question. Adam wanted to know the answer too. Surely she understood that people got in car accidents. Survived broken legs—and much worse.
“I don’t think she even knows what she’s afraid of,” Gretchen said, her blue eyes wide and worried. “She’s here?”
Adam nodded, short little bursts of movement. She walked away, her feet crunching on the gravel before she reached the house.
“You’re really not going to come in?”
“How can I?” Adam looked at his brother, his emotions rolling through him like an angry wave. “She broke up with me because I got in a car accident.” He leaned his weight against the cruiser to alleviate the pressure of the crutches under his arms.
Drew joined him, and together, they faced the water in the distance. “You’ve loved her for ages,” he said. “You’ve loved her from across a table for twelve years, man. What’s one more meal?”
He stayed for a few more moments and then said, “I’ll buy you some time.”
Adam wasn’t sure how Drew would do that, but he let him go without asking.
What’s one more meal?
Adam took a moment to enjoy the Thanksgiving sunshine, and then he turned and made his way inside. The kitchen was a flurry of activity, with Jess, Dixie, and his mom manning different pots and pans on the stovetop.
“There you are,” his mother said. “Take these napkins into the dining room.” She tucked them between his arm and the crutch, leaving him little choice but to do as she asked. Joel was the only one in the dining room, setting out plates, and he smiled and retrieved the napkins from Adam.
“How’s the leg?” he asked, placing a burnt orange napkin beside each cream-colored plate. If there was something his mother knew how to do, it was make a meal festive.
“Getting better every day,” Adam said. “The doctor says I’ll be off the crutches by the wedding.”
“Great news. What about getting back to running?”
“She wants me to wait until the new year, and then I have to go into the physical therapy unit to use the treadmill so they can test the strain.” Adam missed his morning beach runs more than he thought he would. For the first few days, he’d enjoyed lying in bed later than he normally did.
He did not enjoy the attitudes and high-energy shenanigans the dogs got into when he didn’t run them for an hour in the morning. With the rain this fall, his yard hadn’t been a great option, especially because Gypsy gravitated toward mud like it was beef liver.
Joel nodded and said, “You lay out the silverware, and I’ll be right back with the cups.”
Adam did as his mom had taught him, and put the knife and spoon on the napkin, on the right side of the plate, with the fork opposite them. He’d only made it halfway around the table before Joel returned.
Working together, with the busy kitchen as background noise, they had the table ready in only a few minutes. Janey entered the room from the door that led to the living room, in the middle of a conversation with Gretchen, and they both froze when Adam glanced up from where he’d been adjusting the salt and pepper shakers at the end of the table.
Silence fell on the room; even the happenings in the kitchen seemed to mute. Joel had disappeared somehow, and Adam hadn’t even seen him leave.
He could barely take in a breath, but he did. His lungs still worked. All the necessary functions, so it was nice to know he wouldn’t die from a broken heart.
“Hey,” he said. “Place cards?”
She nodded, her big brown eyes wide and beautiful. Now that Adam had held her hand, kissed her, smelled the scent of her hair, he didn’t have to fantasize about how wonderful those things would be.
The loss of them hurt, and badly.
“I want to sit by Jess,” he said. “If that’s not too much trouble.”
“He made the same request,” Gretchen said, plucking a couple of cards from Janey’s fingers and starting around the table away from him. Janey followed like a lost lamb, and Adam thunked his way after them until he could escape through the door they’d come through. He went past the bathroom and down the hall toward the living room, and right on out the front door.
The air out here wasn’t as filled with Janey’s sweet scent, and he simultaneously enjoyed that and loathed it. He took a few breaths to cleanse his mind before turning to go see what else his mother needed him to do.
He caught sight of her back as she went in the dining room, leaving the kitchen empty. The stove was off, and it looked like a bomb had detonated.
“Where’s Adam?” she asked.
“Coming,” he called, hurrying as fast as the crutches would allow him to. He entered the dining room last, which made for an awkward dance between chair legs and people as he tried to get to his spot in the far corner.
Janey and Gretchen had placed him beside Jess and Drew, thankfully. Next to Drew was Gretchen, and then Janey, Dixie, and his parents. She was in his direct line of sight, and practically across from him. Where was he supposed to look for the whole meal?
He focused on his plate as Joel said nice words about being grateful and gathering together as family and friends. A bitterness entered Adam’s throat, and it wasn’t until Joel finished his speech and everyone reached for their sparkling cider glasses that he could swallow it away.
“Okay, so there’s turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and gravy,” his mother said. “Creamed corn, rolls, butter on both ends of the table....” She scanned like she’d forgotten something. “Leave room for Adam’s pies. He outdoes himself every year.” She beamed at him and sat down. “Let’s eat.”
Adam reached for the stuffing that had been placed directly in front of him and scooped some onto his place. He offered it to Jess, who said, “I only like the crispy parts on the edge.”
“Then that’s what you get.” Adam gave him some, and dishes got passed around, and conversations started. Laughter rang out, and Adam was able to endure one more meal with Janey where she wasn’t his.
It was different though, and the feeling writhed deep down in his stomach. Because this time, she knew how he felt about her. Every glance her way said something to her he didn’t want to say. Every time he heard her say something, he tensed.
But he made it through and even managed to ask her for the pepper once without acting like a fool.
Adam gripped the overhead bar on the ATV tightly, hoping Jess didn’t smash into the wishing well. He brought the vehicle to a stop—herky jerky style—and Dixie hopped out of the backseat while Adam was still making sure he had all the right pieces in all the right places.
“Hey!” Jess yelled after her. “You said I could go first.” He twisted and pulled the key out before racing after her.
Adam chuckled, glad the actual meal of Thanksgiving had ended. The real grown-ups—the people with significant others and too much to do during the day—had been pouring coffee when he’d left with the kids. They’d probably converse and laugh and reminisce before pie made an appearance.
He’d much rather be out here than stuffed in the too-small farmhouse, wishing Janey would say something to him. Heck, at this point, he’d take a glance from her.
Sighing, he got out of the ATV and followed the kids over to the wishing well. Both of them stood on their tiptoes, peering over the edge at something inside.
“You guys don’t tell each other what you wish for, do you?”
Dixie rounded on him, her cherubic face set on serious. “No way. Drew
said the wish won’t come true if you tell.”
Adam leaned his right hip against the stones to give his injured leg a break and looked down at the brackish water too. “Sometimes that’s true, and sometimes it’s not.”
Jess copied his stance but looked at him. “What do you mean?”
“My dad built this well,” Adam said. “Because I wanted to make the football team. Everyone knew that was why I ran out here every morning before school and every day after school too. After a while, he bought me weights to carry. But the wish stayed the same.”
Dixie started nodding before Adam finished speaking. “My teacher was just talking about this.”
“About Adam running out to the wishing well?” Jess asked.
She glanced at him and then Adam, her bright purple coat making her pale skin seem even more translucent. “No, about not just sitting back and wishing for things to happen. She said you have to work for them.”
“A-ha,” Adam said. “What was I really doing when I came out to the wishing well?” He watched the line between Jess’s eyes deepen as he frowned, thought, worked through the problem.
“You ran out here,” he said. “You were conditioning.”
“Exactly. I didn’t have an ATV, and it’s what? A mile out here? Maybe more.” Adam smiled at the kids. “So sometimes, even if someone knows your wish, it can still come true. If you work at it.”
Dixie fished a coin out of her pocket. “I’ve made lots of wishes here.” She flipped the coin up in the air and caught it again. “I’ve learned that it’s best to only wish for something you can actually control.”
Adam looked at the twelve-year-old who was wise beyond her years. “That’s also true,” he said. “Like it would make no sense for me to wish that, oh I don’t know, that one of my officers would start bringing me lunch every day.”
“Or for me to wish my mom and Drew would get married,” she said.
“But your mom and Drew are getting married,” Jess said.
“Now they are,” she said, giving him a small glare. “But I spent a lot of wasted wishes on it, and it wasn’t even something I could control.” She flipped the coin again, but Adam snatched it out of the air.
“So, what are you going to wish for today?”
Her cheeks grew rosy. “I don’t want to tell.”
Jess peered down into the well. “I wish I could get my coin back. I think I’ve been wishing for the wrong thing.” He spoke in a hushed, emotional voice, and Adam’s heart twisted in his chest.
He wanted to make everything right for Jess. Give him whatever he’d been wishing for. Drive him to school and spend time with him on the weekends.
Not up to you, he reminded himself. But he could wish Janey could figure things out faster. Couldn’t he?
Probably not. He couldn’t control her.
He handed the dime back to Dixie. “Go on, then. The wind’s starting to pick up and if we don’t get back soon, all the pecan pie will be gone. My mother loves that stuff.”
Dixie grinned at him, pressed the silver coin to her lips, and tossed it in the well. She turned away, a proud smile on her face.
“What did you wish for?” Jess asked, falling into step beside her. Adam liked that neither one of them seemed concerned about his crutches and this uneven, rocky ground.
“I can’t tell you, Jess.” Dixie’s voice suggested her statement had come with an eye roll, and Adam made his way back to the ATV with a genuine smile on his face—his first since Janey had left his house and cut off all communication with him.
Chapter Twenty-Five
One Friday night a couple of weeks later, the doorbell rang. Janey was curled up on the couch, the television blaring something she wasn’t watching. Jess was with Matt’s parents, so she got up and went to see who it was.
Mabel Magleby stood on the porch with a huge tray in her hands. Janey lunged forward to take it from her at the same time she said, “Mabel, how good to see you. Come in.” She backed up with the heavy tray, wondering how in the world the older woman had carried it.
“It’s quick bread,” she said as she followed Janey inside and closed the door behind her. “We had a reception at the Mansion for this tech business something or other.” She spoke with disapproval, like technology shouldn’t be developed.
Janey put the tray on the counter in the kitchen and swept the aluminum foil off the top. The scent of lemons and sugar met her nose, and her mouth started to water. “Wow, this looks amazing.”
“There’s chocolate chip.” Mabel pointed to one wedge of the tray. “This is orange marmalade. Coconut lime. And lemon zucchini.”
Janey selected the lemon zucchini and took a bite of the top part of the bread, where the sugary lemon glaze was. A party exploded in her mouth with sweet and sour, and of course, the lovely, dense bread.
“This is so good.” She smiled at Mabel and gave the old woman a hug. “Do you have time to sit and talk?” It had been so long since she’d shared an evening with someone. Jess got home about the same time she did each evening, and promptly went into his bedroom. He always said he wasn’t hungry, and claimed to have homework that required his utmost attention.
Never mind that he usually ate a couple sandwiches for dinner, or several bowls of cereal, or half a pizza if she’d ordered in. Never mind that he normally sat on the couch with her to do his homework, asking her questions about the math he already knew the answers to.
Jess was simply upset with her that she’d broken up with Adam, despite the fact that she’d told him that Adam had ended things with her.
Not that you gave him much choice, she thought.
“I always have time to sit and talk.” Mabel gave Janey a smile, and she returned it, more relieved to have company than she expected to be. As Mabel moved back toward the living room, she asked, “How’s Jess doing?”
“Oh, he’s okay.” Janey switched off the TV and tucked her legs under her as she took her spot on the couch again. She wrapped her arms around herself and tried to give Mabel a smile that would smooth over the worry that had come through in her voice.
“And you?” Mabel perched on the wingback chair in front of the window, the coldest spot in the house. Janey needed to put in more energy-efficient glass, but she didn’t have the time to research it, nor the money to actually get the job done.
Janey glanced away. “I’m doing okay too.”
Mabel scoffed, drawing Janey’s attention back to her. “I took one look at you and knew you weren’t okay,” she said. “Why do you think I brought you a platter of bread?” She cocked her head, her eyes as sharp as a falcon.
The front door opened and Jess came inside with both of Matt’s parents. Janey jumped to her feet. “Hey, everyone.” She smiled at them, Matt’s eyes looking back at her from Jess’s face and from Mav’s.
He stepped up to Janey and hugged her. “Hey, Janey-girl.” He’d always called her that, and she held onto him for an extra moment as a rush of love flowed through her.
“Hi, Mav. How’s the tile business?”
“Thrilling.” He let his wife step in and embrace Janey too.
“Something smells good,” she said as Jess walked away.
“Hey,” Jess said from the kitchen. “Can I have some of this?” He stood down at the end of the hall, a slab of bread in his palm.
“Of course,” Janey called. “But Mabel’s still here. Come say hello.”
He obliged, returning to the living room with a stack of chocolate chip bread. “Hey, Mabel.” He gave her a quick hug, gave each of his grandparents a slice of bread, and collapsed onto the bean bag. “This is great. What’s it from?”
She told him, and Janey marveled that he spoke more to her in the next few minutes than he had to her in days.
“Well, I should go,” Mabel finally said, exchanging a glance with Mav and LouAnn. “It’s already dark, and Jaime’s waiting for me to get back so he can go on home.” She scooted to the edge of the chair and pushed herself up.
> Jess leapt to his feet and steadied her with his elbow, his dark eyes smiling down on her.
“You’re such a good boy.” Mabel looked up at him. “Don’t change that, all right?” She seemed to say more than that with just those words, but Janey didn’t understand the message.
Jess obviously did, because he nodded.
“She’ll come around,” Mabel said, walking past Janey with a steady glare. She paused, Jess just on the other side of her, and both of Matt’s parents standing there watching. Janey felt like they’d all ganged up on her and she wasn’t even sure how it had happened.
“You broke up with the Chief.” Mabel wasn’t asking.
Janey blinked, uncomfortable talking about Adam with Mabel, and in front of Jess and Matt’s parents. She wasn’t exactly sure what her hesitation with Adam was, which only complicated explanations. “I...needed some time to think.”
“Oh, boo.” Mabel waved her hand like thinking was the stupidest thing to do. “You think too much. He’s a good man.” She took a few more steps and called back over her shoulder. “I told him not to break your heart, and he told me it would be the other way around. I didn’t believe him.”
“I didn’t break his heart.” She got to her feet and followed Mabel and Jess around the corner to the front door.
“Yes, you did, Mom,” Jess said in a real quiet voice.
Mabel, however, wasn’t nearly as nice. “Of course you did, Janey. He’s in love with you, and you’re trying to figure out an answer to an unanswerable question. He’s confused. Lonely.”
Janey held up her hand. “All right, Mabel.”
Her blue eyes sparked with lightning. “Don’t let him go because you’re scared,” she said. “You’ll regret it forever.”
Jess opened the door and Mabel shuffled through it. He went with her to make sure she got down the steps and into her car okay, leaving Janey numb and frozen to the spot.
“We’re okay with it,” LouAnn said. “In case you were wondering.”
“You’ve done so great with Jess,” Mav said. “He’s so much like Matt.” He pressed his lips together for a quick minute. “Grief sneaks up on me sometimes.” He looked away, and Janey felt the pinch of emotion in her heart too.