“And what are you going to do about it, Sheriff?” Amanda teased.
He dug in his wallet and slapped down a twenty-dollar bill. “Guess I’ll be throwing softballs.”
The little girl clapped and bounced up and down in excitement. Amanda handed him three softballs to get him started and then stood back and watched as he mowed through the prize shelf. Over and over again, he threw the balls at the bowling pins and soon he had a crowd of kids surrounding him, each of them waiting to be handed one of the stuffed bears.
Amanda watched him, saw his eyes shining with pleasure, heard him laughing with the children and a part of her wept for what they might have had together. He was so good with kids. He would have been a wonderful father if only.
By the time it was over, the bears were all gone and the last of the children had wandered off, clutching their prizes. When it was just Nathan and Amanda again, he said, “Looks like you’re out of business. What do you say we find Patti and hand over the cash box, then you and I go join Jake and Terri for some lunch?”
“Aren’t you on duty?”
“I can keep an eye on things—and you—at the same time.”
Pleasure whipped through her as she grabbed up the metal cash box and swung her legs over the side of the booth. “I think I’ll let you.”
He took her hand in his and as they walked through the mob of people, Amanda felt that sense of rightness again. Did he feel it, too?
The rest of the day went by in a sort of blur. It had been so long since Amanda had really enjoyed a Fourth of July. When she was away, she would sit on the balcony of her apartment and watch distant fireworks alone. She could have gone out with friends, but her heart hadn’t been in it. Instead, she had wished to be back here. At home in Royal.
And the town wasn’t disappointing her.
After lunch with Jake and Terri and the kids, Nathan and Amanda spent the rest of the day with them. Nathan was called away a few times to settle disputes ranging from an argument over the umpire’s call on the baseball field to a broken windshield in the parking lot. He always came back, though, and Amanda saw that with his family, Nathan was more relaxed. More ready to enjoy himself than she remembered him ever being before.
Back in the day, he’d been too driven, too determined to carve out the life he wanted to take the time to slow down with family. Maybe, she thought, they’d both changed enough over the years that they could find a way back to each other.
With the fireworks about to start, Jake and Nathan walked the kids over to get some Sno-Kones, while Amanda and Terri settled on the quilt and waited for the show.
“I’m so glad you’re home,” Terri said abruptly.
“Oh, me, too. Believe me.” Amanda looked around the park at all the familiar faces and smiled to herself. Older couples sat in lawn chairs, holding hands, gazes locked on the sky. Young marrieds herded small children and the older kids raced through the park waving sparklers, flashes of light trailing behind them like high-tech bread crumbs.
Whatever happened between her and Nathan, Amanda was home to stay. “I really did miss this place.”
“Hmm,” Terri mused. “You missed Royal? Or Nathan?”
“Sadly, both.” Terri knew her too well to believe a lie, so why not admit the truth? “But that doesn’t mean anything, Terri.”
“Sure it does,” she said, biting into one of the last pecan cookies with relish. “It means you guys belong together. Everybody knows that.”
“Everybody but Nathan,” Amanda muttered, glancing at her friend. Terri was tiny, trim and summer cute in a hot pink sundress with spaghetti straps. Her long, dark brown hair was in a single braid that hung down the middle of her back.
As Amanda watched her, Terri licked a crumb from her bottom lip and popped the rest of the cookie into her mouth. As she chewed, she said, “Nathan’s been on edge since you got back.”
“Great. On edge.”
Terri just stared at her for a second, then shook her head. “Seriously? Do you know nothing about men? On edge is just where you want them. That way they’re never sure which way to turn.”
“And that’s a good thing?” Amanda asked with a laugh.
“Absolutely.” Terri grabbed a bottle of water and took a long drink. “Why would you want Nathan all relaxed and complacent about you?”
She hadn’t thought about it that way, but now she was. Maybe Terri had a point. Kicking off her sandals, Amanda folded her legs under her. Bracing her elbows on her knees, she cupped her chin in her hands and looked at her friend. “So, you keep Jake guessing, do you?”
“All the time, sweetie,” Terri assured her with a laugh. “Why do you think he adores me so?”
“Because he’s smart enough to know how good he’s got it?”
“Well, that, too.” Terri laughed. “But mostly because I keep him on his toes. He’s never sure what I’ll do next.”
As she reached for another cookie, Amanda shook her head. “How do you stay so thin when you eat like this?”
“Won’t be thin for long,” Terri said with a smile and a gentle pat on her belly. “I’m pregnant again.”
Instantly, Amanda felt a quick slice of envy poke at her. Terri had three wonderful kids and a husband who really did adore her. While Amanda was happy for her friend, it was hard not to wish that her own life was as full.
“I saw that,” Terri said and reached out to pat Amanda’s hand. “Sweetie, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel badly.”
“Don’t be silly.” Amanda squeezed her hand and shook her head. “I’m happy for you. Really. I just …” She looked out over the park again, toward the booth where Jake and Nathan shepherded twin five-year-old boys and a darling two-year-old girl. As she watched, Nathan scooped up little Emily and cradled her in one arm. The girl laid her head on Nathan’s chest and snuggled in. Smiling sadly, she looked at Terri and admitted, “Sometimes I just wish things were different.”
Terri sighed. “Sweetie, maybe it’s time to stop wishing and start making things different.”
Amanda looked back at Nathan in time to see him laugh at something one of the twins said. A jolt of longing hit her hard. That smile of his would always turn her to butter.
Maybe Terri was right, she thought. Maybe it was time to take a stand. To fight for what she wanted. And what she wanted was Nathan.
When the fireworks started, Nathan settled down beside her and Amanda leaned her head back against his broad chest. They stared up at the sky, which was exploding with sound and color. He wrapped one arm around her and held her close and, despite the fact that they were surrounded by people, Amanda felt as if they were the only two people in the world.
The next morning, Amanda woke up to Nathan’s kiss at the back of her neck. She smiled lazily, remembering the long night before. After the fireworks, they’d come back to her apartment over the diner and created a few fireworks of their own.
“Good morning.”
“Mmm,” he murmured, dragging one hand down her side, following the dip of her waist and the curve of her hip. “It’s looking pretty good right now.”
She smiled, then sighed as his hand moved to slide across her behind. Somehow, they’d crossed a bridge yesterday. Maybe it was the hours spent with his family. Maybe it was just that enough time had passed for them both to realize that they wanted to be together. Whatever the reason, Nathan had stayed here with her last night, not caring that the town gossips would surely notice his car parked in front of her place all night.
When he shifted his