“That’s terrific, Rob.”
“You two know each other?” Brooke glanced back and forth between Rob and Kate. “Well, of course you do. Everyone here knows everyone else.”
“We went to high school together,” Kate said.
So far, this first meeting with her former fiancé was going better than she’d expected. All these years she’d carried a burden of guilt because she’d thought she’d broken Rob’s heart, ruined his life. He didn’t appear damaged, not a bit. He’d survived the departure of Kate Wallace quite well.
The old Kate would have been angry to be so easily forgotten. The Kate she’d become was glad Rob could greet her with a smile and an almost hug. Just because her life was in shambles was no reason to hope his was, too.
“In fact, we nearly got married before Kate left town,” Rob added.
Brooke’s mouth dropped open. “Really?”
“Yes, really.” Kate nodded at Brooke before she turned her attention to Rob. “How is Junie?” she asked about Rob’s wife.
Brooke and Rob looked at her for a few seconds, then at each other and finally back at Kate again.
“Junie died two years ago,” he said. “Cancer.”
“Oh, Rob, I didn’t know.” Kate put her hands to her mouth and shook her head in disbelief. “She was so young.” Only five years younger than Kate. Junie’d had the most beautiful red curls and was always filled with life and joy. When Kate heard through one of Abby’s infrequent letters that Junie and Rob had gotten married, she’d thought their home must be the happiest place in the world.
“I can’t believe it.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry.”
“Thanks.” Rob didn’t meet her eyes.
Kate expected him to drop his head and study his athletic shoes, the move she remembered so well. Rob had always done that when he was uncomfortable or didn’t want to discuss something.
But that didn’t happen. Instead his jaw clenched, his eyes narrowed and he lifted his head to glare over everyone’s head.
He’d changed. For a moment, she’d wanted to see the young man she recognized who’d been so courteous and kind. But he’d vanished and a man filled with rage had taken his place.
Almost immediately, he wiped the expression of anger from his face and, as if that reaction hadn’t taken place, said to Brooke, “Show me what needs to be moved.”
“I put a mattress in my room to sleep on.” Kate waved toward the room. “I’m not going to be here very long, so I don’t really need much furniture.”
“You’re not planning to stay around?” Rob asked. “Everyone’s speculating, wondering if you’re back for good.”
“I’m leaving after Abby recovers from surgery. The reason you’re here is that Abby thinks I need a bed frame.” She shrugged. “I’m okay with only a mattress, but my sister seems to think the neighbors will talk if I don’t have a complete bed.”
“How would the neighbors know?” Brooke asked.
Kate didn’t answer. She’d stopped trying to figure out Abby years ago.
“Well, if it makes Abby happy…” Rob said. “Someone show me the way.”
“I think there’s a frame upstairs,” Brooke said.
“If you’ll get that, I’ll clear a place for it,” Kate volunteered.
Rob started up the steps after her niece, then stopped on the landing to ask, “What size?”
“Single. Grab the easiest one to get to.”
“I plan to.”
She went back to the bedroom and shoved the sparse furnishings toward one side so Rob could set up the bed. She’d just leaned the mattress against the wall when she heard the sound of scraping across the kitchen floor. “In here,” she called.
Rob and Brooke moved gingerly around the corner, each holding sections of the metal bed frame.
“I’m sorry. I should’ve helped you.”
“There isn’t room for anyone else,” Rob said as he leaned the metal rails against the wall. “Fortunately this won’t be hard to put together.” He wiped a little perspiration from his forehead. “Do you want a headboard?”
“Do I need one? Will the frame hold the mattress without it?” When he nodded, she said, “This is fine.”
The three worked in the small space, running into each other as they joined rails and turned knobs until the rectangle came together.
“We’ll need to get a box spring to hold the mattress,” Rob said. All three went upstairs, found what they needed and shoved it down the stairs and into the bedroom.
Not that it was as easy as it sounded. They’d had to move several chairs and a bag of pillows to drag the springs from the room. When Rob and Kate pushed it down the hall, they nearly impaled Brooke against the wall.
The laughter that followed caused Abby to look into the hall and glare at them. “I’m trying to rest.” She slammed the door shut.
The movers bit their lips and guided the springs down the staircase, barely missing Coco, who waited for them at the bottom of the steps. Once in the bedroom, they all fell on the floor and laughed until Brooke jumped to her feet and ran from the room.
“What’s the matter with her?” Rob asked as he stood and held his hand out to help Kate to her feet.
“I think she’s embarrassed she was having so much fun.”
He lifted an eyebrow.
“I know. It doesn’t make sense.” She shook her head. “You know I never understood my sister. Now I find her daughter nearly as baffling.”
In no time, they shoved the springs on the frame and placed the mattress on top.
As they turned to congratulate each other on the accomplishment, their eyes met and the years fell away. During that moment, Kate didn’t feel like the young woman who had the world before her and had traded Rob for that dream. No, for just a second, she felt like the girl he’d taken to the prom, like the girl who’d loved him so much, like the girl who’d always planned to come back to Silver Lake and marry Rob.
But she never had, and she was no longer that girl. And Rob had married someone else and been very happy.
“Daddy, Daddy.” A little girl’s voice came from the porch outside the kitchen door.
Immediately Rob stepped back and the fragile connection vanished.
“Yes, kitten?” He turned toward the door as a tornado with short red curls wearing pink overalls rushed inside and threw herself at Rob’s knees. Laughing, he picked the child up. “This is my daughter, Lora,” he said, his voice full of love and pride. “She had a birthday last month and is three years old.”
“Three.” Lora hesitated for a few seconds before holding up the correct number of fingers.
“Oh, Rob, she’s darling.” Kate started to reach her arms out to take the child, then stopped. Where had that reaction come from? She was not good with children, not a bit, and hadn’t had the slightest desire to pick one up for years. She stepped back a little and said, “She looks like her mother.”
He nodded as he nuzzled Lora’s hair.
“Puppy, Daddy. Puppy.” Lora wiggled in her father’s arms to get down as Coco ambled from the bedroom and gave a soft woof.
“She’s