Everlasting Love. Valerie Hansen

a gracious host. She frowned at him as she passed, unsure if she was reading him right. While her stomach was still tied in knots and her hands were trembling from their encounter, he seemed calm, totally in control.

      Everyone stared at them as they left the kitchen together. James headed for his normal spot at the head of the table, escorting her as he went.

      Megan slid into the place where she’d been sitting, directly to James’s right, because it was the only available space. There was no gracious way to move away from him as she had on the porch. Therefore, she figured she’d better follow his example and start acting more normal or the boys might get the idea they could pit them against each other again.

      Seated beside Aaron and Roxy at the opposite end of the long table, Inez quietly bowed her head. Megan was expecting someone to say a blessing on their meal but no one spoke. They simply observed a quiet moment while she used the time to pull herself together.

      When everyone suddenly looked up and began talking, she felt much better, much more at ease. She decided to break her silence and let James know she’d simmered down by asking him a question. “You don’t say grace?”

      “Can’t. Separation of church and state,” he said. “The silent prayer was Inez’s idea. So far, nobody’s questioned us about it. Most folks are pretty tolerant out here in the sticks. It’s when the kids go home that we may hear complaints.”

      “I see.” Megan lowered her voice for privacy, though she wasn’t too worried about being overheard above the boisterous conversation going on at the table. “Speaking of home, tell me about Bobby Joe. What’s his situation?”

      “He’s temporary, like all the others. I’ll give you access to our files as soon as you set up your computer.”

      “What about Zac? Why do you let him pick on Bobby Joe so much?”

      James chuckled. “Let him? Not hardly. I do my best to keep them apart. Being brothers, they naturally gravitate to each other.”

      “Brothers?” Megan was flabbergasted. “Those two are related? They’re not a bit alike.”

      “Lots of siblings aren’t,” he said, offering her the platter of chicken before taking any for himself. “My brothers are far different than I am.”

      “Oh? How so?”

      Passing the mashed potatoes and picking up the bowl of green beans, he spooned some onto his plate. “They were always perfect saints. Sons to make their parents proud.”

      “And you weren’t?”

      James chuckled. “According to my folks I was the exact opposite. I got tired of not being able to live up to their ideals, gave up trying and let them think what they wanted.”

      “I’ll bet they’d be proud of your work here.”

      “I don’t care one way or the other. It’s enough to know I’m doing the right thing. I don’t need validation from them or anyone else.”

      Nodding, Megan sighed. At the far end of the table, her sister was carrying on an animated conversation with Aaron Barnes, leaning close and fawning over him. The poor guy was blushing, obviously embarrassed by all the extra attention.

      Megan shared the young man’s discomfort. Though she felt sorry for James because of his estrangement from his family, there were times, like now, when she wished she didn’t have to worry about anyone but herself, either. To make matters worse, James was also watching the young people. Judging by the look of consternation on his face, he wasn’t any happier about their interaction than she was.

      Softly, Megan said, “I’ll take care of that as soon as Roxy and I are alone. She’ll back off. I promise.”

      James, who had been taking a sip of ice water as she spoke, looked incredulous, burst into laughter and promptly choked.

      Megan slapped him on the back. “Serves you right. It wasn’t that funny.”

      “Yes, it was,” he managed, while coughing into his napkin. “I can just picture that little sisterly talk.”

      “I’ll expect you to speak to your helper about it, too,” Megan added. “We can’t put all the burden of good behavior on my sister.”

      James coughed again, finally getting his irritated throat under control. When he lowered the napkin he was grinning like he’d just heard the best joke of his life and was still chortling over the punch line.

      “Okay,” Megan said, “what’s so amusing?”

      “You are. Anybody who thinks she can convince a fifteen-year-old girl to stop making eyes at a good-looking college boy is out of her ever-lovin’ mind.”