“How much do you need?” Nevada asked.
“I’m not sure. He’s very solitary. I can’t figure out how much of that is by circumstance and how much is by design.”
“You mean, is he mysterious, or is there something wrong with him?” Dakota asked.
Montana grinned. “Exactly.”
“You could find out,” her mother reminded her.
“I could.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
DENISE TIGHTENED THE BELT on her cotton robe as she waited for the coffee to brew. Although she’d grown used to having the big house to herself, it felt good to have some of her family back home with her, even if it was only temporary. She’d been a widow for more than ten years—she’d long since gotten used to the silence. But having people in the house was better—especially when those people included any of her grandchildren.
Kent walked into the kitchen. He’d already showered and shaved. She studied his dark slacks, light blue shirt and patterned tie.
“Nervous?” she asked as she poured them each a mug of coffee.
“A little. I really want to get the job.”
Kent was back for a final interview at Fool’s Gold High School. He would be coming in with the possibility of running the department when the current head retired in a couple of years.
“Not that I’m not thrilled to have you moving back to town,” she began, staring at her son. “But I want you to be sure.”
Kent gave her a smile that was so much like his father’s it made her chest hurt. “Mom, we’ve talked about this already.”
“As if that matters. I want you running toward something, not running away.”
He held up his hand. “Don’t hold back, Mom. Tell me what you really think.”
“You know what I mean. You and Reese have gone through so much in the past couple of years. I want you to be sure.”
“I am.” He set down his coffee and leaned against the counter. “Lorraine isn’t coming back. I know that. Staying in that same house is hard on both Reese and me. Too many ghosts. I want to start over—it’ll be good for both of us. Where better than here? The town is great. Reese already has friends here from all our visits. We have family. I want to be here, Mom.”
“Okay. If you’re sure.”
“I am.”
She took another sip. “I’m sorry about Lorraine.”
“No, you’re not.”
She sighed. “I’m sorry you’re hurt.”
“That I’ll believe.”
Denise had hated being one of those mothers-in-law who never approved of the woman their son married, but she’d been unable to help disliking Lorraine from the second she’d met her. Clichéd or not, the woman wasn’t good enough for her son. She was beautiful but cold. Denise remembered wondering why someone so ambitious and determined had married a guy who wanted to be a math teacher.
Their marriage had been tumultuous from the first day, with Lorraine walking out several times. Eighteen months ago she’d announced she wanted a divorce. She’d left again, but that time she hadn’t come back.
While Denise felt terrible for Kent, the person she most ached for was Reese. Lorraine rarely saw her son and had missed his birthday a few months before. Talk about a selfish…
“You sure you don’t mind me staying here?” Kent interrupted her line of thinking.
“It’s a big house. I’ll enjoy having the company. I’m more worried about you.”
He grinned. “A guy in his thirties, living with his mother? I’ll be a chick magnet.”
“I think you will be. When you’re ready.”
The smile faded. “I’m not. I thought I’d found what you and Dad had. I thought she was the one. Maybe for me she was, but it doesn’t really matter. She’s gone.”
Denise wanted to tell him not to give up. That he was too young and there was too much life to be lived. But she learned a long time ago that it was better to hint and nudge than outright direct her children’s lives.
“All that can wait,” she said, while thinking that once he was here and settled, she would find a way to introduce him to a few women around his age. There were plenty in town. “First you have your final interview.”
“Speaking of which, I’d better get going.” He crossed the kitchen and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Mom. You’re the best.”
“I’ll believe that when you get me a plaque.”
Kent left. Denise walked to the window and looked out at her backyard, remembering how life had been different when Ralph was alive. Better. Before him, there had been Max, whom she’d also loved. She’d been very lucky, she reminded herself. Even now, as she kept her secrets, she couldn’t ask for much more than she’d been given.
About a half hour later, a very sleepy Reese wandered into the kitchen. He wore a T-shirt over loose pj bottoms and his hair was sticking up all over.
“Hey, you,” Denise said fondly, walking over and hugging him. “How are you feeling?”
“Better. My face doesn’t hurt at all, just like Dr. Bradley said.”