“No? I’d think he’d be pleased.”
“You’d think so.” He gave her a crooked smile.
In the bright sunlight, chestnut highlights glinted beneath the waves of his dark hair, cut in layers and so thick she could drown in it. She curled her fingers around the bench seat to keep herself from touching it while he watched the dogs play.
“That’s a neat thing about dogs.” Steph uncoiled her fingers. “We can read them because they’re honest. If they like you, they wag their tails and lick your hand. If they don’t, they growl and bare their teeth. You know where you stand.”
“Wouldn’t that be nice?”
Nick didn’t look at her, but she spotted tension in his jaw.
“Once a dog is socialized, you can trust them. In life, people aren’t that open. We hide a lot of things.” The truth struck her hard. She’d spent much of her life hiding things about her marriage and Doug’s death. She’d felt to blame no matter how she tried to convince herself otherwise.
Nick didn’t speak. He continued to stare at the grass as if he were miles away. Finally he lifted his head. “You’re right. It’s not only Martin who reacts without making sense. We’re all affected by our mistakes and experiences.”
Though she didn’t understand what had triggered the thought, a thread of understanding connected them.
When Steph turned her attention to Fred, her heart rose to her throat. She leaped from the bench, seeing the dogs had strayed too near the road. She clapped her hands. “Fred, come.”
Fred’s head snapped her way and his body followed. So did Suzette.
When he trotted to her side, she captured his collar. “That was a close one.”
“I should have been watching, too.” Nick clicked the leash on Suzette. “Sorry, I was distracted.”
“We both were.” She hooked her hand through the leash. “I should get back.” This felt too good and made her uneasy. Her uplifted spirit began to droop. She headed toward the sidewalk while avoiding getting her feet tangled in the leash.
Nick fell into step beside her as his cell phone jingled. He slipped it from a pocket and flipped it open. Hello faded to an apology. “I’m sorry, Al. I had some business and didn’t realize how late it was.” He tilted his wrist and eyed his watch. “I can be there in twenty minutes.”
Steph hated to listen, but Nick stayed in step with her while the voice on the other end sounded unhappy.
“Can we make it another day?”
Nick’s head lowered, and he kicked a stone. “Oh, I didn’t know. When will you be back?”
The voice was softer so Steph didn’t feel like an eavesdropper.
“Another time, then, and have a nice trip.” He flipped the lid and slid the cell phone into his pocket. “I was supposed to meet a friend for dinner.”
“I’m sorry, Nick. I hope you didn’t let me cause you to be late.”
“Not at all. Martin asked me to walk Suzette again, and I thought I could do both.” He shook his head. “When I saw you, I forgot.”
She suspected his friend hadn’t been thrilled. “You can’t do that to friends.”
He released a ragged sigh. “I know. I’ve been told that before.”
She’d wondered about him. Nick spent too much time doing his brother favors, and it seemed to affect his own life. Why did he do that? The question clogged her mind, but she kept it there and didn’t ask.
“You’re quiet.” He plopped his hand on her shoulder.
“Busy thinking.” He should do the same. “I have to do some housework today that I normally do Saturday.”
“What’s happening Saturday?” His voice faded, and he patted her shoulder. “Sorry. That’s a personal question I shouldn’t have asked.”
“It’s not personal.” His expression confused her—curious, yet wary. “Saturday I’m spending the afternoon having a dress fitting for a wedding.”
His eyes widened, and his hand slipped from her shoulder.
“Not my wedding, naturally. A friend’s. She’s getting married June 6. I’m a bridesmaid.”
He looked embarrassed and grinned. “Sounds like fun.”
Not really. She hated going dateless to a wedding. “I hope so.”
His hand rose to her shoulder again and gave it a squeeze. “Oh, come on. You’ll look beautiful in that gown, and you’ll have a good time.”
She gave a shrug and managed to grin. If she knew Nick better, he would make a good escort. Going alone was the pits. But she would survive without him. She’d been doing it for years.
They were silent, and Nick’s hand slipped from her shoulder. And why hadn’t he suggested taking her to the wedding?
The warmth faded, and Steph felt horribly alone.
Chapter Two
Nick sat beside his mother’s bed, studying the butter colored walls with the large clock and a card with the day and date. Everything in the facility was geared for helping the elderly men and women hang on to what mental capacity they still had.
His gaze slipped to a vase of dying flowers on his mother’s bed table. The signature on the card was Martin’s. Nick winced, then lowered his eyes and spotted the menu sheet below it. He grasped the paper, reading the choices she would have for her next meals—meals she couldn’t eat without help. He looked everywhere but at his mother. The sight broke his heart. If he had Martin’s disposition, he could deal with this horrendous situation. Whenever Nick came to visit her, a lump grew in his throat so huge he thought he would choke on it.
A guttural sound caught his attention, and he shifted toward his mother. Her glazed eyes stared at him.
“Do you want something?” Nick knew he’d never understand what she needed.
He listened to her sounds, forcing an attentive look on his face rather than the frustration he felt. She tried so hard to form words.
His pulse skipped. “Water? Do you want water?”
The expression in her eyes validated his question. He grasped the water carafe, poured a fresh glass and bent the straw. She drew in droplets of water, some running down her chin, and when she finished, he took a tissue and wiped it away while searching for conversation.
“Martin’s new house is nice.”
An attentive look swept over her. “I helped him put away some dishes in the kitchen.” Should he or shouldn’t he? He decided to go with his instinct. “I found some of your crystal. A serving bowl and some dessert plates. A sugar bowl and creamer. They took me back to when we were kids. You always used those fancy dishes for holidays, remember?” The nostalgia twisted through him. No wonder he avoided these visits.
Her foot shifted, the only one that she could move, and she nodded.
Nick caught her flicker of gratitude. “We had a good childhood, Mom.” His mind flew back to his fights with Martin over toys and chicken breasts. Nick hated thighs, and he often confused one for a breast since they often looked alike to him. “Remember, Mom, when you gave up cooking whole chickens and only bought white meat?”
A grotesque sound burst from her throat until he realized she was trying to talk while laughing.
He’d