Chapter 6 #2
Rafe stood abruptly, a flash of irritation crossing his face. But it was gone almost as fast as it’d come. “I should probably check on my pie anyway.”
“You made a pie?” she asked, impressed. “What kind?”
“Hillbilly Pie.” At her confusion, he added, “It’s pecan pie for po’ folks. Ma ran out of nuts.”
Ahri gave a soft hmm as she rose and followed the guys inside. Maybe Bill hadn’t exaggerated when he said Rafe was a good cook. Whatever was for dinner smelled heavenly.
Ezreal sat in a corner playing cars with a little boy. The child must be the baby Rafe’s mother had held at the grand opening of the complex. That had been a rushed visit for Ahri because she hadn’t had much vacation time.
“You know the guys,” Kayn was saying.
Ezreal gave her a nod but didn’t meet her gaze. Kayn had warned her the first time she’d been introduced to Ezreal that the man suffered from extreme shyness, so she didn’t expect more.
“Nice to meet you again.” Darius extended his hand, and she shook it. He’d grown a beard since she’d last seen him. He was the oldest of the four and had been working as an art teacher when they’d created the first game.
“Same here,” she said. “How are you liking Boone?”
“It’s a nice little place.”
“Come meet Rafe’s parents.” Kayn took her elbow and pulled her away.
“Hello again, Ahri,” Rafe’s mother said, taking her hands in both of hers.
“Thank you for having me.”
“This is my husband, Alex Diederik.”
“It’s a pleasure.” The handsome man with gray at his temples extended a hand.
“I understand you teach at the university.” Ahri said, shaking it. “What subjects?”
“History.” He put his hand on the head of a dark-haired little girl. “This is Lessa.”
The child was scrutinizing her.
“Hello,” Ahri said.
“They said Kayn is your brother,” Lessa said.
“Yes, he is.”
“But he’s Korean. How come you got green eyes?”
“Lessa!” Mrs. Diederik put her hands on her daughter’s shoulders. “I’m so sorry.”
“No, it’s all good.” Ahri smiled at Lessa.
“Kayn and I are only part Korean. He looks it more than I do. Someday you’ll learn about how genes work, and it’ll make more sense.
Green eyes aren’t very common among our mother’s people, but her grandfather was from Australia and had light eyes.
” Ahri didn’t like to talk about him. He’d just been another man who’d acted like he loved a Korean woman and then left her.
Maybe that was a curse on the women of her family. The men never stayed.
“That’s Nikolas over there playing with Ezreal,” Francie said.
“You have beautiful children, Mrs. Diederik.”
“Oh, heavens, call me Francie.” She glanced around the room. “Supper’s ready.”
Once again, Ahri held back as the others went into the large dining room. She glanced around the place, impressed by the attention to detail on the stained beams. The subtle yet bright colors on the walls lit up what could have been a dark room.
The only empty chair at the table was between Kayn and Rafe. When she reached for it, Rafe jumped up and pulled it out for her. Kayn shot him a quizzical look—because why would a brother ever get a chair for his sister? Ahri had to bite back a smile.
She didn’t take part in the various conversations but simply enjoyed the comfortable banter. Darius was asking Alex his opinion about some of their weapons designs, while Francie and Kayn talked about the garden.
Rafe and Ezreal were going on about the music. When the musician realized she was watching them, his face colored, and he stumbled over his words in a stutter. He snapped his mouth shut and his food seemed to steal his attention.
Kayn had mentioned that Ezreal had stuttered as a child and was self-conscious about it. She’d asked her brother how the man led a team of musicians, including women. Evidently, once he knew he was safe around someone, he did just fine. Poor man. Somehow, Ahri had to help him see her as safe.
She made sure not to look his way again, not wanting to make him uncomfortable.
The children were now laughing at something their father had said.
The people in the room—except for her—had a sense of connection.
It was a sweet feeling to be around them.
That was the only word she could think of for it—a sense of family.
No wonder Kayn was so happy here. On the ride over, he’d raved about what a great place it was.
She glanced around the room again. It was so much more than simply a house.
Growing up, a house had been all her mother had been able to provide, too consumed with the grief of being abandoned.
She’d gone to work every morning only because Ahri had made her get up and be the adult.
By the time Ahri had married, she’d been confident that her mother could at least take care of herself physically.
How to help her find happiness alone had been a different thing altogether.
Ahri shifted away from such a negative thought. It wasn’t like she’d done any better in choosing a husband.
After dinner and the cleanup, they played a few games that the children could take part in.
Even Ezreal participated, though Ahri sensed that he glanced at her a lot.
She was careful to keep her eyes on others in the room, letting her peripheral vision follow him.
Did he know that he actually brought more attention to himself when he did that?
More than once, she caught Rafe watching Ez and shaking his head at him. Ahri’s gaze met Rafe’s, and she had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing. She determined then to make Ezreal as comfortable around her as he was with Francie.
When everyone was ready to leave for the evening, Ahri held back. Her brother glanced at her.
“You sure you’re okay with this?” he asked.
“Oh, yes.” She glanced around the room and sighed. “This is perfect for me. You don’t have to worry.”
“Give me a shout if you need anything.” He gave her a quick hug and bounded down the steps to his car. Darius went right behind him, waving as he left. Ezreal had to extricate himself from the children before he could follow.
“If you find there’s anything you left at the complex,” Rafe said, stepping next to her, “let me know. Ma reminded me that I need to take more time for myself. I’ll try to swing by a couple of times a week to get away from the office.”
“She told you that, and you listened?” Ahri couldn’t help teasing him.
In some ways, his obsession with work reminded her too much of her brother.
She’d have to ask Francie about it and see if it was possible to convince Kayn to do the same thing.
Ahri understood that they had a deadline to meet, so she’d be patient until then.
“Sometimes I do, especially when she’s right.” He put his hands in his pockets and skipped down the steps to his car.
Ahri thought the visit had invigorated him. In fact, thinking back, she decided all the guys had left lighter of step than when they’d arrived.
“I’ll take your luggage upstairs for you.” Alex picked up her bags and headed up the stairs.
“I hope you like your room,” Francie said. “It’s the only one in the gable and has a lovely view.”
“Thank you for letting me stay here.”
“Thank me tomorrow after we’ve worked in the garden for a few hours.” Francie indicated they should go up the stairs.
“You have a beautiful home.” Ahri glanced around, wondering what it’d looked like when they’d been poor. “I love your taste in decorating.”
“Some of that comes from Alex,” Francie said. “He’s the historian. We found some old photos in the attic from when my great grandparents lived here. A lot of our ideas came from those. It’s too bad I wasn’t able to keep their wonderful antiques.”
“You had to sell them?”
“Yes. I suppose Rafe already told you. He doesn’t mind people knowing he hasn’t always been rich.” She pointed to a photo on the wall. “This was from high school when he thought he wanted to swim competitively.”
“Wanted to?” Ahri stepped closer. She’d know those blue eyes anywhere. His younger self looked up at the camera from the pool, his hair messed and dripping. “Didn’t he stay with it?”
“No. The coach told him he had the enthusiasm and dedication but lacked one thing.” His mother’s eyes twinkled, evidently waiting for Ahri to guess. She shrugged, and Francie said, “Speed. He’d work so hard, but everyone was faster than him in the water.”
“That’s too bad.” Ahri understood that frustration. “I always wanted to play basketball in high school. I was good at it but I lacked one thing.” She shot Francie a sidelong glance.
“Height?” Rafe’s mother said with a chuckle.
“Exactly.”
“You’re taller than I am.”
“Not by much. Kayn got our father’s height, but I inherited our mother’s. I was so happy when I discovered the Petite section at the thrift store.”
When Ahri had gone up a few more steps, she noticed a painting of the house. She glanced back at Francie, her brows raised.
“That’s one I couldn’t bring myself to sell.
” Francie ran a loving hand down the frame.
“We’re slowly replacing pictures. Alex is quite the sleuth.
It takes time because we’re not rich, but I think that makes it more fun.
” Her expression clouded. “My two youngest children are experiencing a much different childhood from the one Rafe had.”
It didn’t sound like that was a bad thing.
“Well, here’s your room.”
Ahri followed her hostess inside. The decor was very different from some of the colorful rooms downstairs.
It was less fashionable and had a log cabin feel to it.
The wood beams on the ceiling had a lighter stain, and the walls were cream-colored.
That let the colorful patchwork quilt on the bed take center focus.
“This is beautiful.” Ahri touched the fabric, noting the individual hand stitches.
“It was a wedding gift from my Granny Gladys, the only present we received from anyone in my family.” Francie ran her hand over it.
The only wedding present Francie had received?
The sadness in her hostess’s eyes kept Ahri from asking about it.
At least Zed’s family had come to the wedding, though it’d been obvious they’d only done it for show.
Francie must only be in her early forties and been right out of high school when she’d married Rafe’s father.
“Granny left me this place. She’s the one who’d wanted to make it into a bed-and-breakfast.” Francie gave a soft sigh. “It’s been fun to bring her dream to life.”
“It’s a beautiful room.”
“Thank you. Now, about tomorrow.” Francie crossed her arms. “I usually like to get as much done as possible in the morning when Alex and the children are in school.”
“I warn you I’ve not had much experience with gardening, but I’m a quick study. It’ll be nice to have something productive to do.” Ahri rubbed her temples. “I’ve had too much free time the last few days.”
“Free time to think about things you’re not ready to.”
“Yes.” Ahri couldn’t keep the sadness from her voice.
“I’ll keep you busy then.” Francie gave her a one-armed hug. “Make yourself at home here. Let me know if you’re missing anything. Our guests frequently forget important things like toothpaste, so we keep a supply on hand. Good night.”
Ahri put the glass case with her mother’s Korean doll in the center of the dresser. Having that in place already made her feel like she was home.
She took her time unpacking. Funny that she’d just done it a few days ago at Kayn’s place. Why had that seemed more like staying in a hotel than this did? She tried the bed and found it a comfortable fit for her back.
Yes. Now, if she could stop worrying that she’d still heard nothing from or about Zed, she thought she should enjoy it here.