Jamie leaned forward eagerly in his booster seat, hanging on Adam’s every word. “Is that the ocean down there under the bridge?”
“That’s the Cooper River.” Adam didn’t let a trace of amusement into his voice. “Look at all the boats.”
Jamie pressed his face against the window, peering down. “Wow. I wish I could go on a boat.”
“Don’t talk foolish. You don’t need to go on any boats.” Grandpa’s voice was sharp, startling her.
Jamie’s eyes filled with tears at the unexpected rebuke. She patted him, biting her tongue to keep from snapping back at her grandfather. They were all tired. Now was not the time to talk about it.
“We’ll see,” she said quietly. “Look, we’re coming down off the bridge.”
“This is Mount Pleasant,” Adam said. “It’s where I grew up. You’re going to sleep in the house where I lived when I was your age.”
“I am?” Jamie clearly found that idea exciting. “Are your toys there?”
“Jamie,” she said, a warning note in her voice.
“That’s okay.” Adam’s gaze met hers in the rearview mirror. “Tell you what, Jamie. If my mama didn’t think to get some of my old toys out of the attic, you and I will go up there tomorrow and find some for you.”
Uneasiness edged along her skin. She didn’t want Adam doing anything for her son out of pity. Maybe that was irrational, but that was how she felt about it. And she certainly didn’t want Jamie to start relying on him. Who knew how long Adam would be a part of their lives?
She should talk to Adam about it. Just explain her feelings calmly and rationally. He’d understand.
But no more private talks alone in dark kitchens. Her cheeks flamed at the memory. What had possessed her to tell him anything about her past?
At least she’d had the sense to keep it brief. She’d make sure he wouldn’t be hearing any more. And maybe she’d best be on guard that she didn’t start relying on him, either.
She was here for just one reason—to grasp any opportunity that would help Jamie. Nothing else mattered. She summoned up the image of Jamie walking. Think about that, nothing else.
Adam turned onto a narrow residential street that seemed to jog right and left without rhyme or reason. The antebellum-style houses were so close together that the neighborhood felt claustrophobic to her. It was a far cry from their isolated farmhouse.
Adam pulled up in front of a graceful brick home, its small front garden filled with flowers.
“Home,” Adam announced. “Let’s go meet the family.”
With a wordless prayer, Cathy reached out to unbuckle Jamie’s seat belt. This was what she’d wanted. Now she had to face it.
Adam was there suddenly, lifting Jamie out of the car. “There you go, buddy. Let’s go see if my mama got out any toys for you.”
Cathy took her grandfather’s arm. To her surprise, he didn’t pull away. Together, they walked up the brick path to the house and the people who stood outside, waiting for them.
The next few minutes passed in a flurry of introductions. Adam’s father, Ashton, was an older version of Adam, with chestnut hair touched with white at the temples and calm, judicious eyes that seemed to take her measure. His mother was casually elegant, so perfectly coiffed and clad that Cathy felt instantly disheveled and dowdy next to her.
Then a pair of warm arms encircled her as the third member of the welcoming party grabbed her in an unexpected hug.
“I’m Georgia, Adam’s sister. Welcome, Cathy. We’re so glad you’re here.”
Nobody could doubt the sincerity of Georgia’s greeting, and the cold ball of uncertainty in Cathy began to thaw. “Thank you.” She drew Jamie close to her. “This is my son, Jamie.”
Georgia knelt, dark curls swinging around her face. “Hey, there, Cousin Jamie. It’s so nice to meet you.”
Jamie seemed struck dumb by the attention. Then he looked up at Cathy. “Is she really my cousin?” he whispered.
Georgia chuckled. “Sugar, it’s too complicated to be anything else.”
Cathy reminded herself that they weren’t really cousins of hers at all, but if they were willing to see the relationship that way, she wouldn’t argue.
Georgia’s mother elbowed her aside and held out her hand to Jamie. “Why don’t you come with me, Sugar, and we’ll see if we can find some toys for you?”
Jamie looked up at her for permission. She fought back the urge to keep him close. “Go along, but don’t forget your manners.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He took Georgia’s mother’s hand tentatively.
Georgia grinned. “Mama loves having a child around to fuss over. Now, you come along, and Daddy and I will show you to your rooms. You just feel free to rest if you want. If I know my brother, he probably got you up at the crack of dawn to drive here.”
“Something like that.” She glanced at Grandpa and saw the tiredness and tension in his drawn face. “Maybe a little lie-down would be good.”
Georgia nodded, understanding in her eyes. “Come along, then, and we’ll get you settled. Adam can bring in your bags before he heads on home.”
She turned toward Adam, not that she hadn’t been aware every minute of exactly where he was, standing quietly behind her.
“I guess we should say thank you and goodbye, then.” She held out her hand, because if he followed his sister’s example and hugged her, it might weaken her resolve to keep him at arm’s length.
He took her hand in both of his, closing them warmly around hers, and she felt that warmth spreading through her. “Don’t be so eager to get rid of me.”
“I’m not.” Her cheeks warmed. “I just thought you…Well, you probably have things to do besides babysit us.”
“No chance. I’ll be back later with Miz Callie.” His fingers tightened on hers, and his voice lowered. “Relax, Cathy. You have family now.”
That hit her right in the heart. She wanted to believe that, but could she?
By the time supper was over, Cathy had hit a wall of exhaustion. Too little sleep and too much worry combined to rob her of even the ability to chat.
Fortunately nobody seemed to expect much of her at the moment. Adam had returned with his grandmother, and just now Miz Callie, as they all called her, sat next to Grandpa, talking away a mile a minute. To her relief, Grandpa looked more relaxed than she’d seen him in days. She’d been half-afraid he’d explode at these new relatives and ruin whatever chance they had.
Jamie sat on the floor of the family room, playing a game of Chutes and Ladders with Georgia. Georgia was apparently about to become the stepmother of an eight-year-old, and she’d said she’d learned to love children’s games again.
Adam had laughed at that, telling her she’d never stopped, and Georgia gibed back at him. For a moment, Cathy had thought they were on the verge of argument, but apparently this sort of good-natured teasing went on all the time between them.
Miz Callie had announced that they were giving them a little time before inflicting the rest of the family on them. Cathy could only feel grateful for that respite.
As it was, the talk, even the kindness of their welcome, was a bit overwhelming. Could anyone really be as warm to a bunch of unknown relatives as the Bodines seemed to