Epilogue
Abigail clutched the baby blanket tight as she and Simeon stepped onto the hospital elevator. They’d just been here a couple of months ago to welcome Asher and Ireland’s new bundle of joy, whom the couple had named Caroline Rose in honor of Carly. And now it was Joseph and Ava’s turn.
Simeon pressed the button for the second floor, then wrapped an arm around her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m wonderful,” she answered honestly, the anger and jealousy that had consumed her when she’d learned her sisters-in-law were expecting replaced by nothing but joy for them.
Over the past few months, she and Simeon had completed the adoption home study process, and after extensive interviews that had included painful questions about her past, they’d finally gotten word last week that they’d been approved to adopt. Their caseworker Janice had warned that it could be months or even years—or possibly never—before someone chose them.
As much as Abigail was ready to raise a family with Simeon, she was also willing to surrender the timing—and everything else—to the Lord. Looking back over her life, she could see his faithfulness in so many ways, and she was ready to trust this to him too.
She glanced at her wedding ring again, admiring not only its shine but also the way it reminded her of all their marriage had endured—and how God had strengthened and refined them through it. Every day, she remembered Pastor Calvano’s—Dad’s—sermon message about finding peace in remembering what Jesus had done for her. It didn’t mean she had completely forgotten her past—but it did mean she didn’t feel captive to it anymore.
The elevator door opened, and they stepped into a lobby already filled with Calvanos. Ireland was the first to notice them, and she descended on Abigail with a one-armed hug, her other arm cradling a sleeping Caroline Rose, wrapped in the blanket Abigail had made for her.
“Joseph was out a second ago to announce it’s a boy,” Ireland related happily. “Noah Paul. We can see him in a minute.”
Abigail nodded. Noah was one of the names she and Simeon had considered for a boy before their first miscarriage, but she was glad Joseph and Ava had used it.
Behind them, the elevator opened again, and Zeb and Benjamin stepped out. The two men were laughing together, and Abigail’s heart filled as Zeb stepped to Ireland’s other side and gathered baby Caroline into his arms. Though Carly’s death obviously still weighed on him, over the past months, he’d seemed to be coping better.
“I call dibs on holding Joseph and Ava’s baby first,” Benjamin announced loudly.
Simeon snorted. “You are such a textbook youngest child it’s not even funny.” But he grinned as he shoved his brother’s arm.
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Benjamin snickered. “Anyway, I may be younger than you, but I can kick your butt in football. Or do I need to remind you of our Christmas Day game?”
“Ah, no. I still remember.” Simeon rubbed at the wrist he’d sprained in the game. Fortunately, he’d only had to wear a brace for a couple of weeks. “Anyway, it wasn’t my fault. I was distracted by my beautiful wife on the sidelines.”
“Hey, don’t blame me.” Abigail laughed at the same time Benjamin made a retching sound.
“Excuses, excuses,” he said, grinning at both of them.
Simeon shrugged. “Maybe you should find your own excuse one of these days.”
“Yeah, how’s Summer?” Abigail asked in a teasing tone. She’d finally managed to pry it out of him that he and Summer had been friends until the end of high school, when they’d dated briefly. But they’d broken up when he’d left for culinary school. Abigail had been encouraging him to ask her out again.
But Benjamin’s brows lowered. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Uh oh. What happened?”
Before Benjamin could answer, a beaming Joseph strode into the room. “Y’all can come meet my son now.”
“I’m first.” Benjamin pushed past the rest of the crew to get to Joseph’s side. The others gave half-hearted protests and laughs as they followed Joseph down the hall.
Abigail and Simeon fell to the back of the group, and Abigail allowed herself a brief moment of sadness that she and Simeon would never spend a night in one of these rooms, waiting for their own little one to be born. But she pushed the sorrow aside. God had a different plan for her and Simeon—and whatever it was, she trusted it was for their good.
By the time they stepped into Ava and Joseph’s room, Benjamin had already staked his claim to Noah, standing with the baby cradled in his arms, making silly faces, though the baby’s eyes were closed.
“You know he can’t see you, right?” Asher called.
“That’s okay.” Benjamin made another face. “This way, the moment he wakes, he’ll know I’m the funny uncle.”
As if on cue, baby Noah opened his eyes, blinked at Benjamin, and let out a wail.
“Guess he doesn’t like your jokes.” An exhausted but radiant-looking Ava laughed.
Benjamin scowled good-naturedly and passed the baby to his dad.
Little Noah quieted and gripped Pastor Calvano’s finger. “The Lord bless you, little one,” Pastor Calvano murmured.
After a few minutes, he passed the baby to Lydia, who held him for a bit, then passed him on to Liam, who then turned to Abigail. In the middle of their handoff, Abigail’s phone burst to life with a loud ring.
Noah startled, and Abigail winced, sure he was going to cry again, but instead, he waved a little fist. Liam eased his arms back, and Abigail nestled the baby closer, wrapping the new blanket around him.
Her phone peeled again, and she turned to Simeon. “It’s in my purse. Can you turn it off?” She ran a finger over the baby’s smooth cheek, and she was almost sure he smiled up at her.
The rush of awe nearly knocked her off her feet. This baby was perfect. And someday, maybe someone would give her and Simeon the gift of their own child.
“Ah, Abigail?” Simeon’s voice sounded weird, and Abigail wondered at first if she was holding the baby wrong.
She glanced at Simeon, who was grasping her still-ringing phone.
“Hit the power button, and it’ll stop,” she said.
But instead of turning it off, Simeon shook the phone. “It’s Janice.”
“Janice?” The caseworker had said everything was squared away and she’d check in with them in a few months, unless . . .
Abigail met Simeon’s eyes.
Unless she had news sooner.
“Answer it,” she rasped, the air suddenly too thin and dry.
Simeon nodded tightly and hit the button to answer the call, then beckoned Abigail to follow him into the hallway.
She hurriedly passed baby Noah to Asher, then raced after Simeon. He had the phone pressed to his ear but lowered it and hit the speaker button, holding the phone between them.
“I know this is unusual, but it’s kind of an emergency situation,” Janice’s voice echoed into the hallway. “We have a birth mom who thought she had a couple more months to decide, but she went into preterm labor last night.”
“Preterm?” Simeon closed his eyes, and Abigail reached for his hand.
“Almost thirty-two weeks.” Janice’s voice was somber. “The baby was born at 1:30 this morning. She’s three pounds, twelve ounces and sixteen inches. She’s had some breathing problems and is on a ventilator right now, but the doctors think . . .”
Abigail missed the rest of Janice’s sentence as Simeon dropped his arm to his side, muffling the phone against his leg.
“We can’t,” he whispered, his voice choked.
Abigail shook her head but stooped to peel the phone out of his hand.
“ . . . Reviewed the files this morning,” Janice was saying. “And she chose the two of you.”
Tears overran Abigail’s eyes and clogged her throat. They had been prepared to wait months or even years, and now God was answering their prayers, right here, right now, today?
“We can’t,” Simeon repeated.
“We can.” Though Abigail was still crying, the words came out with a certainty she felt all the way to her soul.
“If something happens— If she doesn’t—” Simeon shook his head. “I can’t risk losing you again.”
“You won’t.” Abigail stepped forward and threaded her arms around his shoulders. “No matter what happens. We’ll get through it together.”
“I understand if y’all need to talk about it,” a voice interrupted, and Abigail startled. She’d forgotten that they were still on the phone with Janice. “It’s an unusual situation. And obviously the baby will be in the NICU for a while.”
Abigail stared at the phone. She’d noticed the sign for the NICU on their way to Ava and Joseph’s room. “The NICU where?”
“Brampton Memorial,” Janice answered.
Abigail grabbed Simeon’s arm. “That’s where we are right now.”
“Is everything all right?” Janice sounded concerned.
“Yes. Great. Simeon’s brother and his wife just had a baby.” Abigail was still staring at the phone. This felt too good to be true.
“Well, no pressure, but I’m here right now too, if y’all wanted to come meet her,” Janice said.
Abigail glanced at Simeon. He had been so patient with her all these months, never pushed her or pressured her as their relationship redeveloped. And she wasn’t going to pressure him into this if he didn’t think it was best for their family. It had to be something they both wanted.
“Can we pray about it and get back to you?” Simeon directed his question at the phone.
“Of course. I’ll pray for you too. Just give me a call back whenever you’re ready.” Janice’s name disappeared from the screen, but they couldn’t seem to look away from it.
“We should, ah—” Simeon stammered.
Abigail nodded. “Let’s ask everyone to pray with us.”
Simeon’s eyes met hers. “You’re sure?”
She nodded. “They’re our family. I want them to be part of this. Whatever we decide.”
The tension in Simeon’s face loosened a little. “Me too.”
Every Calvano eye seemed to be on the door as they stepped back into the room.
“Well?” Benjamin asked first.
“They have a baby for us,” Simeon choked out, and Abigail grasped his arm as the whole room erupted into cheers.
But Simeon held up his other hand. “There are some complications. She’s a preemie—and she’s having some breathing problems.”
The room quieted, and everyone’s gaze seemed to shift to Noah and Caroline, both healthy, strong babies.
“What are you going to do?” Zeb asked quietly.
“We thought we’d pray,” Abigail said tentatively. “We were hoping y’all—”
Before she could finish her request, they were all folding their hands and bowing their heads. Tears pricked her eyes as she followed suit. How had she not realized before that this family would be at their side, rooting for them, praying for them, supporting them, no matter what happened?
“Dear Lord,” Simeon started, but his voice cracked, and he went silent. Next to her, Abigail could feel him trembling, and she wrapped both of her arms around his, pressing herself close to his side.
“Dear Lord.” She tried to take up the prayer, but she didn’t get any farther than Simeon had before her voice was swallowed up by the enormity of the choice before them.
“Dear Lord—” This time it was Pastor Calvano’s voice that lifted them in prayer. “We come before you on behalf of Simeon and Abigail. We thank you, Lord, for the love you have given them for one another. We thank you for their desire to raise a child together in you. We ask that you would give them wisdom and guidance as they decide whether to adopt this child. We ask that you would watch over your newborn babe and give her healing and health and, most of all, lead her to know you.”
Simeon wrapped his arms around Abigail as Pastor Calvano continued his prayer, followed by everyone else in the room. By the time the whole family had finished praying for them, Abigail’s face was drenched with tears, but her heart was buoyant with the love in the room.
Peace filled her as she realized—God had made this baby, whom they hadn’t even met, for them. She belonged in this family, where she would be loved and cherished and told of God’s love every day.
She pulled back to meet Simeon’s eyes, praying he felt the same way. “What do you think?”
“I think,” he said slowly, “that we should go meet our new daughter.” A giant smile overran his face, and Abigail lunged to wrap her arms around him, a laugh-sob exploding out of her as the room burst into a chaos of congratulations.
Abigail groaned as the baby’s cry interrupted her line of thought. She loved little Genevieve with all her heart; she just needed her to nap five more minutes so she could finally finish writing her book.
At first, Abigail had resisted Simeon’s suggestion that she use the time she sat at Genevieve’s side in the hospital to continue working on it. She’d even come close to deleting the whole thing. But as she’d reread it, as she’d remembered the pain of the guilt she’d been tormented by when she’d started writing it, she’d realized maybe it was a story she needed to finish. To share the hope that God had given her after all the pain.
She’d changed names and details so that it wouldn’t cause problems for her parents—whom she’d finally reached out to a few weeks ago. They’d talked on the phone a couple of times since then, and though things had been stilted and awkward and difficult, Abigail was determined to keep trying. God had forgiven her for every awful sin she had committed. And with his help, she was learning to forgive her parents too.
“I’ve got her,” Simeon called. “Keep writing.”
“Thanks,” Abigail murmured, already sucked back into the world of her book. She’d already incorporated the parts Simeon had written—she hadn’t even known he was doing that until he’d presented them to her a few weeks ago. And now she was finishing up with the day they’d met Genevieve. The moment Abigail had laid eyes on her tiny, frail body attached to tubes and monitors, something strange had happened.
Her tears had dried, and her fears had eased, and her heart had grown a thousand times—because she had known without a doubt that this was her daughter, the child she would raise and discipline and laugh and cry with.
When Simeon had asked what they should name her, Abigail had answered instantly: “Genevieve.” It was her favorite name from the list they’d made during their first pregnancy.
Simeon had laughed. “That’s a big name for such a small girl.”
But Abigail had been sure the name fit her. “It means God’s blessing.”
Simeon had pressed a kiss to Abigail’s forehead as they’d both stood over the incubator. “Hello, Genevieve, we’re your mom and dad.”
There had been a few scares during Genevieve’s first several weeks, but God had seen their little family through them, and after just under two months in the hospital, Genevieve had finally been able to come home three weeks ago.
Now that they were home, Abigail and Simeon were getting used to their new role as parents. And even though Abigail had never been more exhausted in her life, she’d also never been happier.
“Rejoice in all circumstances,” she tapped on her computer. “The first time I heard that verse, I thought the person who wrote it must be crazy. But now I know, it’s not craziness. It’s faith. Faith that God is with us, regardless of our circumstances. That he doesn’t change, even when we do. That nothing can separate us from his love.”
She chewed her lip. How did she want to end this?
“Even when I forgot everything about my life,” she typed, “God was there. And he surrounded me with everything I needed. With all the people who loved me. With a family.”
Her vision blurred, smearing the words on the screen. But that was okay. Because they were written on her heart.
“Hey.” Simeon popped into the room, Genevieve snuggled in his arms. “Someone wanted to see Mama.”
The word filled Abigail’s heart to overflowing, and she held out her arms to take the baby. “I just finished.”
“You did?” Simeon threw his arms around both of them. “What are you going to call it?”
Abigail had given the question a lot of thought, and she kept coming back to one phrase. “I think, Memories of the Heart.”
Simeon considered the title. “I like it. Can I read it?”
“Yes. But only if you promise me one thing.”
“Anything.”
She knew he meant it.
“Read the end first.”
Simeon laughed. “Won’t that ruin the story?”
Abigail shook her head. “Trust me, it’s the best part. Because it brought us to where we are right now.”
Simeon dusted a light kiss over her lips then pressed one to Genevieve’s head. “I do like where we are right now.”
“Me too.” Abigail leaned back contentedly in the rocking chair, her baby in her arms and her husband next to her, and thanked God for all he’d brought her through. Even when she’d forgotten him, he’d never forsaken her. And she finally understood: he never would.
Thank you for reading MEMORIES OF THE HEART! I hope you loved Simeon and Abigail’s story! Find out if things will ever work out between Benjamin and Summer in the next River Falls book, WHISPERS OF TRUTH. And, of course, you’ll also get to catch up with the rest of the Calvano family, including all those new little ones.
Also, be sure to sign up for my newsletter to get Asher and Ireland’s story, REFLECTIONS OF LOVE, as a free gift.
Visit https://www.valeriembodden.com/freebook to sign up or use the QR code below.
Chapter 1
Summer peeled her fingers off the steering wheel, then swiped her palms over her cheeks, wiping the moisture they came away with on her t-shirt. She pulled down the sun visor and flipped up the mirror to assess the damage. Fortunately, she hadn’t done her makeup yet, or her face would be a disaster. But she looked bad enough the way it was. A full night of crying had left her with puffy eyes and a red nose, and this fresh round of tears had created great pink splotches on her cheeks. She’d have to tell Mama it was a cold. Or allergies.
She supposed other women might turn to their mothers for comfort after a breakup. But she wasn’t other girls. And Mama wasn’t other mamas. If she knew Nick had dumped Summer, it would be just one more weapon in the arsenal of insults she could hurl at her daughter.
Taking a shaky breath and letting it out slowly, Summer opened the car door and made herself get out. Instantly, the July humidity sucked to her already sticky face. She let herself gaze into the distance for a moment, her eyes roving hungrily over the lush green mountain slopes that ringed the town of River Falls. They always looked so inviting, and more than once as a kid, she had dreamed of running away from Mama and living out there on her own. If it hadn’t been for her brother TJ, maybe she would have.
She let out a long breath and moved resolutely to the trunk to unload the groceries, then hurried to the door. She might as well get this over with. She only had a couple of hours before she needed to be in costume and ready to entertain a roomful of giggling girls.
She probably should have saved the shopping for tomorrow and gone to church this morning, but the thought of showing up there all red-faced and puffy-eyed had been less than appealing. Especially knowing that Benjamin would be there, and he would be all sweet and concerned and wonderful—and she couldn’t take that right now.
Besides, this way she wouldn’t have to do Mama’s shopping after the party, when she’d be completely worn out.
She tromped to the stoop and set one of the bags down to fish out her keys, then took another breath and forced herself to unlock the door and step through.
“Good morning, Mama.” She didn’t bother to try to sound cheerful—that would have made Mama suspicious—but she managed to keep the tears out of her voice.
From her chair in front of the TV, Mama grunted something in Summer’s direction. Summer kept going until she reached the kitchen and deposited the packages. She made two more trips to the car, relieved that Mama never once glanced in her direction.
Summer made quick work of unpacking the groceries, then emptied the dishwasher and sorted through the refrigerator for leftovers that had gone bad. She held her breath as she opened the garbage can, hoping against hope that she wouldn’t find—
She let the breath out. Sure enough, an empty bottle of whiskey nestled on a bed of beer bottles. Summer tossed the rotten food on top of the pile, her stomach churning. She never bought alcohol for Mama, but somehow it always found its way into the house. Summer suspected that Mama paid a neighbor to pick it up for her.
She did a quick search of the cupboards but didn’t find any more. And even if she did find it, she wasn’t sure what she would do. The last time she had dumped Mama’s stash, her mother’s wrath had been intense. Summer had learned to face the fact that if end stage liver disease wasn’t enough to stop Mama’s drinking, there was nothing she could do to stop it either.
“Bring me a sandwich,” Mama called from the living room.
Summer bit back a reply of, What’s the magic word? and started putting together a ham and cheese sandwich.
TJ was constantly asking her why she still came over here, why she took care of Mama when Mama had never worried about taking care of them. It was a question Summer had asked herself more than once. And she still didn’t have a good answer.
She finished making the sandwich and poured Mama a glass of milk, then carried them both to the living room. “Here you are, Mama.”
Mama’s eyes flicked from her soap opera to Summer. She took the sandwich but waved the milk away. Summer sighed and set it on the TV tray that lived next to Mama’s chair. “It’s good for you.”
Mama grunted. “I’m not thirsty. What’s the matter with you, anyway?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why’s your face all splotchy and your eyes all puffy?”
Summer wished she could believe that was concern in Mama’s voice.
“It must be allergies.” She sniffed to make the statement convincing.
Mama snorted. “Yeah, and I have a touch of the flu.” She turned toward Summer, her yellowed skin gaunt on her cheeks. “Your boyfriend dump you?”
Summer winced even though the comment was exactly what she’d been expecting. She sniffed back the fresh burst of tears that threatened. “He got a job offer in California.”
A wave of humiliation rolled over her as she recalled her reaction to his announcement: “I can’t move to California.”
And his response: “I wasn’t asking you to.”
But that was nothing Mama needed to know.
“Yeah, well.” Mama glanced at her, and Summer couldn’t tell if it was her imagination or wishful thinking, but she could have sworn she saw a flash of sympathy in Mama’s eyes. Before she could analyze it, it was gone, replaced by Mama’s signature cynical expression. “It’s like I always told you. A man will amuse himself with you until something better comes along and he realizes he doesn’t really want you.” Her eyes swung back to the TV.
Summer wondered for the eight-millionth time if Mama would have been like this even if Summer and TJ’s father hadn’t left the day Summer was born. “Took one look at you and that’s the last I ever saw of him,” was the way Mama told it, making it abundantly clear that it was some undesirable quality in the newborn baby that had chased him away.
Maybe that was why Summer was so driven to take care of Mama—she felt like she had to make it up to her.
“Do you need anything else before I go?” Summer picked up a throw pillow off the floor and tossed it on the worn couch Mama never used.
“What about the laundry?”
Summer checked the time. If she didn’t get going, she wouldn’t have enough time to get ready for the party. “I can start it. Do you think you can put it in the dryer later?”
“Yeah, sure. Maybe I’ll have a dizzy spell and fall down the basement steps and then you won’t have to worry about my laundry ever again.” Mama’s eyes remained glued to the TV the entire time she spoke.
“Don’t talk like that.” Summer grimaced. “I’ll put the laundry in now and then I’ll come back after my party to finish it.”
“Isn’t twenty-two a little old to still believe in fairy tales?” Mama rolled her eyes. “Aren’t your tears plenty proof that there’s no such thing as a happy ending?”
Summer ignored the questions—Mama was still absorbed in her TV show anyway—and marched to the bedroom to grab the laundry. But just because she hadn’t answered out loud, didn’t mean the thoughts weren’t bouncing around in her head.
Did she believe in fairy tales and happy endings?
Yes, absolutely.
Just because she was unlikely to ever experience one didn’t mean she should keep other girls from that dream.
She carried Mama’s clothes down to the basement and dumped them into the washer, thinking, as she poured in the detergent, that at least it wouldn’t be much of a stretch for her to play Cinderella today. Even if her Prince Charming was some high school kid she’d found through an online ad. He had only one qualification that had gotten him the job: he was the only one who applied.
There was another, a little voice reminded her. But she pushed it away. Benjamin Calvano had only been joking—that man didn’t know how to be serious.
And anyway, if there was anyone she didn’t need to play her Prince Charming right now, it was Benjamin. She could only imagine the havoc that would wreak on her heart. Aside from Nick, he was the only other guy she’d dated—and it had turned out that he hadn’t wanted her either.
She closed the washer harder than she meant to and pulled her phone out of her pocket as she walked up the stairs. If she left right now, she should be—
She stopped in the middle of the steps, as her eyes fell on the text that had popped onto her screen.
Can’t make it today. Sorry.
She didn’t recognize the number, but a sick feeling in her stomach told her she already knew who it was from. She clicked over to the string of earlier texts to check. Sure enough, it was her Prince Charming.
She groaned.
She never should have agreed to Mrs. Feldman’s request that she provide not only a princess but also a prince for this party. She was a solo act. She’d told Mrs. Feldman that. But the influential woman had insisted, and Summer knew this party had the potential to bring her a bunch more clients looking for princess parties. It seemed like her last chance to finally get her fledgling little business off the ground.
Which was why she couldn’t afford for anything to go wrong.
She scanned the dingy stairway, as if a Prince Charming might suddenly materialize.
When none did, she fired back a quick text. The party starts in two hours. I don’t have time to find someone else. She sent it, even though she already knew it would do no good. The kid hadn’t exactly struck her as the reliable type.
She marched up the stairs, calling, “I’ll be back in a few hours, Mama,” on her way through the living room. Mercifully, Mama’s only answer was a light snore.
When Summer got to her car, she checked her phone again, but her text remained unopened. She let out a breath, wracking her brain for a solution. She couldn’t show up without a prince, not when she’d promised Mrs. Feldman. It would be the end of her business, for sure.
With a resigned sigh, she tapped her brother’s name. TJ had taken his four-year-old son Max fishing after church, but Summer knew her nephew well enough to know he wouldn’t last long before getting antsy anyway, and if they left right now, they could get back in time for the party.
Still, she hated to ask TJ to rescue her yet again. He already let her live with him and Max rent-free so that she wouldn’t have to live with mama. Sure, she babysat Max while TJ was at work and covered as many other expenses as she could, but that came nowhere near to making it even.
But she didn’t see what other choice she had right now. She sent a quick text asking him, then started the car and backed out of the driveway. If she didn’t get going, there wouldn’t be a princess party at all. Fortunately, the drive through downtown River Falls—where families mingled on the streets in front of the bookstore and the art shop and Daisy’s pie shop, and where couples strolled the riverfront walkway, and where everyone’s smile seemed to mock Summer’s loneliness—took less than ten minutes. The instant she pulled into the driveway, she grabbed her phone and found a reply from TJ.
You know Benjamin offered to do it.
Summer made an annoyed sound. Her brother’s obsession with getting the two of them back together was wearing on her. The first thing he’d said when she’d come home crying last night was, “Nick is an idiot. And so are you if you don’t know who you should call now.”
I’m sure he has to work, she texted back. And I’d rather go princeless than ask him.
Ouch, TJ replied. You better hope I don’t tell him that.
TJ, was her only reply.
Yeah, I’m on it, his text came back a moment later. Bring the Prince Charming costume with you and send me the address.
Summer heaved a sigh of relief and sent a Thank you, thank you, thank you message.
Then she headed inside, stubbing her toe on one of Max’s dinosaur toys. She hobbled toward her bedroom and opened the door of her small closet, smiling as she always did at the gem-colored ball gowns hanging there. It was her five-year-old self’s dream come true. Her heart suddenly lighter at the thought of making another little girl’s dreams come true, she grabbed the blue dress and prepared to transform into a princess.
Chapter 2
Benjamin pulled his arm back, pumping the football a few times as he waited for his brother Joseph to get open in the makeshift end zone of Dad’s front yard. The moment he saw his opening, he let the ball fly, the satisfaction of a perfect spiral coursing through him with the same power as it had at the state championship game he’d led his team to three years in a row in high school.
Joseph caught the ball effortlessly, and Benjamin threw his arms in the air with a cheer. “And that’s how the kids do it,” he called to his older brothers Zeb and Simeon and his brother-in-law Liam.
“I’m not sure I still qualify as a kid,” Asher muttered to him. “But I’ll take the win anyway.”
Together, the sweaty brothers jostled and laughed their way to the porch where Simeon, Joseph, Asher, and Liam all went instantly to their wives. Zeb, whose wife had died just over a year earlier, scooped Asher and Ireland’s little girl, Caroline, off of Dad’s lap and kissed her cheek.
Benjamin debated between claiming Ava and Joseph’s six-month-old Noah or Simeon and Abigail’s little Genevieve, born the same day in the same hospital.
“Ah, I think this guy needs a diaper change,” Ava announced, and that decided that.
Benjamin reached for Genevieve, and Abigail handed her over with a smile. The little girl grinned at him, two teeth poking through her gums, and patted his face.
He listened as multiple conversations flew around him, soaking up the sounds of his siblings’ chatter as he made faces at Genevieve. The little girl’s giggles were contagious.
“So.” Abigail looked up at him from the rocking chair. “How are things?”
“Good. Why?”
“Any news on the dating front?” Abigail smiled knowingly.
“Oh. That.” Benjamin shrugged. He’d been planning to wait until he saw how things went before he brought it up with his family. Otherwise, they were likely to blow everything out of proportion. As the youngest and the only remaining unmarried sibling—although they hadn’t seen Judah in so long that it was entirely possible he was married and had a family they knew nothing about—he was often the victim of unwanted matchmaking. “I have a date tonight.” A Sunday night date might seem strange to some people, but Jasmine hadn’t batted an eye when he’d mentioned that he had Sunday-Monday and Tuesday-Wednesday off on alternating weeks. As a realtor, her weekends were busy too.
“I know.” Abigail grinned, and Benjamin didn’t bother to ask how. River Falls was a small town, and he had a big family, so it was pretty much a given that nothing could be kept secret.
“Oh, who is it with?” Ava joined the conversation eagerly.
“Jasmine,” Abigail answered for him.
“The real estate agent who sold you the house?” Ireland jumped into the conversation. “She’s nice.”
“She is,” Abigail agreed. “Although I wish you would have asked Summer out. I still don’t get what happened there. You’re the most impulsive person I know, and you dragged your feet for months on that. And then it was too late.”
Benjamin shrugged, even though his heart agreed with his sister-in-law one hundred percent. He had been an idiot not to ask Summer out before that Nick guy got to her.
He’d spent the last four months kicking himself for that. But now it was time to move on. Besides, it wouldn’t be bad to have a fresh start with someone who had never broken his heart before.
“Where are you taking her?” Lydia joined the conversation too, and Benjamin rolled his eyes. So much for keeping this under wraps. “The Depot?”
Benjamin snorted. “So all of my coworkers can ogle us? No thanks. I was thinking that pizza place up on the ridge, but I should text her to see if she’s okay with that.”
He adjusted Genevieve so he could reach into his pocket, but his phone wasn’t there. “Where is my . . .” He glanced around. “I must have left it in the house.” He planted a big kiss on his niece’s cheek and gave her back to Abigail, then traipsed into the house.
His phone was on the kitchen counter, and he swiped a cookie as he picked it up.
A string of texts from his friend TJ lit the screen, and he scrolled through them.
You busy? Summer needs a Prince Charming. 3pm to 5pm.
Benjamin grinned, his eyes flicking to the time. It was 2:15 now. And his date wasn’t until 7.
You there? If you don’t do it, I’m going to have to. But I think we’d both prefer if it was you. Benjamin stared at that one for a moment, trying to decide if both referred to TJ and Benjamin or to TJ and Summer.
Before he could figure it out, another text came through. I guess you’re busy. I’ll go. But don’t say I didn’t give you your opportunity. She and Nick broke up last night, btw.
Benjamin blinked at the words, his heart racing and breaking at the same time. He hated to think of anything hurting Summer, and yet . . . If she wasn’t with Nick—
He stopped himself right there. He had a date with another woman tonight. And anyway, if he and Summer started dating again, chances were good that it would only destroy the friendship with her that he’d worked so hard to rebuild over the past year.
Still . . . Friends helped friends out.
I can do it,he texted TJ.
Three seconds later, TJ texted an address in the foothills on the outskirts of town. Benjamin was going to have to leave right now if he wanted to get there on time. He slid his phone into his pocket and made his way back through the house and out the door.
“So I guess she likes pizza?” Lydia asked with a laugh.
“Huh?” Benjamin halted. “Who likes pizza?”
“Jasmine.” Lydia rolled her eyes.
“I don’t know. I didn’t get a chance to text her.”
“Then what were you doing, and why are you grinning like a fool?” Abigail asked.
“Eating cookies.” Benjamin grinned back easily. It wasn’t a lie. “I gotta take off.”
“Where are you going in such a hurry?” Joseph asked. “Don’t tell me it’s going to take you four hours to get ready for your date.”
Everyone laughed, but Benjamin didn’t care. “I have to do a favor for a friend first.”