Home to Stay (The Long Road Home #2) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,46

angry vibes coming from her. “I don’t understand. She didn’t just leave her marriage. She left her child! I can’t even believe that. To leave and not have a continued relationship with you.” She heaved out a breath that sounded a lot like righteous indignation. “Can I ask where she is now?”

“I used to ask about her but my dad just said he didn’t know. It was my grandmother who told me several years later that Mom had died of breast cancer. She’d remarried but never had more children.”

“Oh… now I’m even more sorry. How tragic for everyone. How did your dad deal?”

Thinking for a moment, John tried to mesh his thoughts with his memories. “My dad was a good guy but he was gone a lot. I don’t know what kind of relationship we would’ve had if he had lived, but I’d like to think that we would have forged some kind of friendship, at least based on mutual military service. But as a ten-year-old kid, he was angry that Mom left and that it made things a lot harder for him. Sometimes, I wondered if anyone even saw me.” He had no idea where that last sentence came from, having never verbalized that thought before, but somehow, with Lucy, it was so easy to talk.

“You stayed quiet, hoping if you didn’t rock the boat, your Mom would be happier. And then you stayed quiet, not wanting to rock the boat to make things easier on your dad.”

He nodded, rubbing his thumb over her fingers. “I think you’re right.” He glanced at a road sign for an upcoming town and said, “We’ll find an all-night gas station. We can go to the restroom, grab some food, and I can fill up the SUV.”

Nodding, she smiled as she pulled her hand away, and the cool air swept over his palm as he immediately missed her warm touch. It only took five minutes for him to find an open convenience store. He filled the tank before escorting her inside. He checked the hall and nodded for her to enter the ladies' room. “I’ll be right here.”

She soon finished her business and stepped back into the hall. Her hair had been pulled into a messy bun held by a large clip, and her face was bright, a few water droplets still visible on her neck.

He inclined his head toward the men’s room. “Stay here, and I’ll be out in just a moment.” She followed his directions, smiling as he approached a few minutes later. “Let’s get some food.”

She lifted a brow and teased, “Junk food?”

Chuckling, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “Get whatever you want. I’ll grab a couple of their breakfast bagels since it seems like they just made some.”

“Ooh, that sounds good. I’ll get the coffee.”

She moved to the coffee station and began fixing two cups while he ordered breakfast bagels with egg, cheese, and bacon. Paying for everything, they had just made it to the car when the sound of a motorcycle roaring down the street met their ears. She startled, almost dropping the coffee, a gasp rushing from her lips as her wide-eyed, fear-filled gaze shot up to his. The bike continued past and John kept his eyes on it until it was out of sight. Looking down, he said, “Breathe, Lucy. It was no one.”

The air left her lungs and she nodded, mumbling, “Sorry.”

He assisted her into the SUV, then climbed in, handing her the bag of food. “You’ve got nothing to be sorry for. So far, you’ve handled yourself perfectly.” She offered a smile, and he pulled onto the road, letting her unwrap the bagels to give her something to focus on.

They ate in silence, and when finished, he glanced to the side as she took the wrapper from his and wadded it up, placing it into the bag. “You gonna be able to sleep now?”

She laughed, shaking her head. “Now I’m jazzed up on coffee.” After a moment, she turned back to him and asked, “Will you keep talking? Tell me about your dad and then your grandparents?”

He reached out, laying his hand on the console, palm up. It was a simple invitation, and as soon as her fingers linked with his again, he smiled. Once again, the feel of her hand in his sent warmth throughout his body. “I spent the next couple of years in the schools on our base and the summers in Maine with my grandparents. Dad did not get