Love and Secrets - Kit Morgan Page 0,36
years ago when she and Zane dated, but she’d never spent much time with his parents.
Parents. She missed Mom and Dad. She should call them when she got home.
They reached the car and, as Holly started the engine, she wondered if having dinner with the Brody’s was such a good idea. She didn’t want to start to feel comfortable. She didn’t need a sense of family to replace what she lost when her parents moved down south.
But she wanted it. And Janet Brody was handing her an evening of it on a silver platter. Zane, Sophie, the Brody’s, one elderly church janitor and an un-assembled crib. It was the stuff of family, of laughter and good times. Things she’d not had in a while. What could one evening hurt?
They reached the house and went inside. Janet whipped up a batch of lemonade, handed a glass to Holly then motioned her toward the front door. “I can’t imagine where Zane has gone to.”
Holly followed her out the door to the porch swing. “Maybe he went to visit Bill Comfort. I know he wants to see him.”
“He should have waited until we got home. We could’ve watched Sophie for him.”
Holly smiled at Janet’s inclusion of her. “Yes, that would be fun.”
“Sophie is a lovely child, don’t you think?”
Holly smiled again and nodded. If she ever had a little girl, she hoped she’d be as lovely and happy as Sophie.
Her heart sank at the thought. Who knew when she’d ever have children?
“We could make fried chicken for dinner …”
“Huh?” Holly said, startled from her thoughts.
“I said fried chicken.” Janet sipped her lemonade. “Is something troubling you?”
“What? Me? No.”
Janet’s eyes skipped over her. “Are you sure?”
“Of course. In fact, I should probably get going.” She stood.
“Why?”
“Well, I’ve been cleaning out my closet …”
“You’d rather spend time with your closet than us?”
She had her there. “Um, well …”
“Sit down, dear.”
Holly held her glass with both hands, as if it would slip at any moment and shatter on the porch.
“You seem nervous,” Janet commented.
“No, not me.” She shook her head for emphasis.
“Then why the sudden need to run home?”
Holly stared at the porch. She had no reason other than the fact she knew this was dangerous territory. But Janet would not be deterred.
“Stay. I know Zane will enjoy having you here.”
Her jaw went slack and she bit her lip to cover it up.
“Is that so hard to believe?”
Holly stared at her. “Excuse me?”
“You mean after all these years you can’t see it? Holly Kupiec. What’s the matter with you?”
“Er, see what?”
Janet smiled then rolled her eyes. “That my son still has it for you.”
A tingle went up her spine. “What?”
“If you have to ask, then you clearly don’t feel the same about him. Forget I brought it up.”
She left the swing. “More lemonade?”
Holly didn’t answer. Her heart was beating so loud she wasn’t sure she heard her. Zane … still had feelings for her? But … how could that be? Another chill went up her spine as she followed Janet back into the house. The sooner she got out of there the better.
Chapter Twelve
It was all Holly could do to tear herself away from the Brody’s house that evening. Janet was right, everyone had a wonderful time. Who would have thought watching two — make that three — grown men arguing over how to put a crib together could be so much fun?
For one, none of them read the instructions all the way through. That’s what got things going. Mr. Drake and Zane tried to read them, but eventually tossed them off to one side and tried their best to do things on their own. Even Holly had to admit the instructions were vague. Mr. Brody stepped in to help and made it a bigger comedy of errors. Many of which Holly got on her cell phone and was sending via text to Katie.
But as the saying goes, you can have too much of a good thing, and in this case, that thing was Zane.
Holly sat up in bed, drew in her knees and rested her chin on them. The evening had been magical. Sophie was all smiles and fun. Zane and Mr. Drake talked about growing up in Clear Creek, and Zane’s parents watched everything with the light of happiness in their eyes. They’d accepted Zane’s situation without remorse or angst. Yes, Janet said she was still in shock, but Holly saw the way she and Mr. Brody watched Sophie. They loved her already. How