his mother. “It was way better the second time around.”
“Tell us all about it,” she encourages. She twists on my lap but doesn’t try to vacate it. Another win, I cheer silently. Even if I have to listen to a recap of my son cheering over Team USA beating Team Canada. I pretend Kara’s “Aww, poor Jennings. Your team loyalty is noted” does little to assuage my dignity even as I chuckle.
Right now, life couldn’t be more perfect. My heart feels filled with joy because the two people who have become everything chatter around me on a perfect day under a tree. I give a quick thanks to Jed for giving me the chance for this perfect moment.
Even though I know Kara and I are the reason we got here.
Kara
We’re at a barbecue at Brad and Rainey’s. All of the adults minus Maris are lounging around the picnic table watching Kevin teach the younger kids how to play soccer. Just as Meadow’s daughter is about to take a tumble, he swoops her up.
Jennings presses his chin against my shoulder, resting his cold drink against my thigh. “Every day,” he murmurs, telling me with those two words he just keeps falling for both me and Kevin. “It’s the little things like this, the everyday things.”
I twist my head and shiver. His arms tighten, even as his focus remains on our son lining up the kids for drills. His dark hair is wind ruffled, begging me to sink my hands into it, eyes covered by aviator glasses. This—I lean back, letting him take my weight—is heavenly.
Obviously, the gods don’t agree.
A ripple under my bare foot causes me to snap to attention. My hand braces on the table, and my heart lurches in my chest as I shout, “Kevin!”
“Mom? What’s happening?” He drops to the ground, pulling the others down to sit next to him.
“Earthquake,” I call back. “It’s not unusual here. Just stay where you are. It will be…”
But Jennings is halfway across the yard at a sprint. God, how many times is it possible to fall in love with one man? I wonder as we all wait for a second rumble.
Long minutes pass before Brad calls, “All clear!”
Jennings brings the kids over to the table, which has barely been disturbed. Kevin immediately announces, “I’ll take hurricane season over that,” which causes laughter all around.
Jennings grins as he throws an arm around him. “They have them up here all year round,” he adds helpfully.
“Alaska’s a definite no on my future places to live,” Kevin declares definitively.
Thinking back to everything I gained from living here, I counter, “Never say never, sweetheart.”
Jennings leans down and brushes a kiss on top of my head in response.
“Hey, Kara, you used to be good at guessing the strength and epicenter. Want to give it a shot?” Brad teases.
I groan, just as Maris comes outside frowning down at her phone. “You do realize it’s been sixteen years?”
Kevin’s giving me a look like he just found out I’m a cyborg. “For fun?” he shouts. “No, it’s beautiful here and I love all of you, but you don’t have Zaxby’s and now this? Mom—”
One of the benefits of parenthood is freaking out your child. Calmly, I say to Brad, “No more than a 2.0. If I had to guess range, about twelve miles away.”
Brad whistles, holding out his phone. “Not bad, Malone.”
“A 1.6, nine miles away.” My voice is only mildly petulant. “I’m out of practice.”
Kevin yells, “Let’s not practice, Mom!”
And we all break up laughing. Jennings grins at our son. “Kid, this isn’t anything. I bet Maris will tell us not a single thing crashed inside the house. Did it, Mar?”
But Maris is looking distinctly uncomfortable. “Umm, Kara? Can I talk with you for a moment? Privately,” she tacks on just as Jennings is about to stand.
My heart is so full, I don’t notice the warning on her face. “What is it, Mar? We’re all family here.”
Her face twists. It’s then I notice the phone clenched in her hand. I wonder briefly if she got a message from Nick, when what she tells me is so much worse. “An updated email came in about your flight home. The airline is asking you to call them as soon as possible.” Her voice is riddled with pain.
But it doesn’t equate to the devastation on Jennings’s face.
“Home?” he chokes out. “But, what about…never mind.” Shoving to his feet, he strides away from our beautiful family to go God only knows where.
I don’t