Loree Lough - An Accidental Family

In the blink of an eye, the child was halfway across the yard. “Don’t worry, Grandmom,” she hollered over her shoulder, “I won’t slam the door on the way inside.”

“Good girl!” Nadine called back. She cast a glance at Lamont. “She’s a pistol, that granddaughter of mine.”

“It’s in the DNA, I reckon,” he said, chuckling as the back door banged shut. “Time to cut the cake, you say?”

Nodding, she began walking toward the paper-covered folding table that held an assortment of desserts. “How long did you know about this shindig?”

“Since yesterday afternoon, when Adam called to invite me.”

“That’s what everyone has been saying. He pulled this thing together awfully fast.”

“I got the impression it was Julie who did most of the organizing. And it’s high time you learned to let people do nice things for you once in a while.”

He’d learned decades ago that Nadine didn’t accept compliments well, that she preferred giving to taking.

“This is Adam’s home. Julie and Amy’s, too. I’m thrilled to have them here, even if it is only temporary.”

“Is it?”

Her brow furrowed as she hung her head and sighed heavily. “I hope so. They have some serious money troubles, but…” She bit her lower lip. “Grace Mevers says I should open the presents, but I’d rather not.”

Lamont chose not to press her for more details. Her kids’ financial situation was none of his business, after all. “Because you want to open them after the cake and ice cream?”

“I don’t want to open them at all, because what about those folks who couldn’t afford to bring a gift? This was so last-minute. And everybody’s lives are so busy. Surely some people didn’t have time to bring a gift.” She exhaled a sigh. “I’d hate for anyone to feel uncomfortable.”

Lamont chuckled and, draping an arm over her shoulders, fell into step beside her. “Nadine Greene,” he said, kissing her temple, “you know what your biggest problem is?”

“I don’t like birthday parties?”

“Nope.”

She looked up at him, a half grin on her face as one brow rose with teasing suspicion. “What?”

“Your heart is bigger than your head, that’s what. And I love that about you.”

He felt her stiffen against him when he said that, and for a reason he couldn’t explain, it cut him to the quick. “Just so you’ll know, I intend to be the last guest to leave.”

“Oh?”

He loved the way she moved her delicate hands and batted those thick eyelashes. Fact was, he loved a lot of things about her—things he hadn’t really noticed until lately. “Because,” he said, “I have something for you. It’s in the truck.”

A little gasp passed her lips as her eyes widened. “Lamont, you didn’t have to—”

“I know. I wanted to.”

She glanced at her watch, and he could almost read her mind: In an hour, maybe two, the party would be over and she’d be faced with Lamont and his gift. Alone.

Would that really be so terrible?

Her friend, Grace, stood grinning alongside the rest of the partygoers, ready to strike a big kitchen match. “Don’t light all those candles,” Nadine warned. “They’ll see the smoke all the way in town and send the fire department!”

Time dragged for the rest of the afternoon, and he wondered how she’d behave when her guests had all gone home. Would she treat him with welcoming warmth, as she had the night when they walked hand in hand around her yard, or with aloofness, as she had on the phone the night after?

Lamont shook his head and focused on the friends and neighbors who’d gathered around her. They pressed close, singing a loud, off-key rendition of the birthday song.

Everyone but Lamont.

There she stood, glowing brighter than the candles on her cake, blue eyes wide and smile sparkling, looking more gorgeous than any woman had a right to. And here he stood, admitting, finally, that he wanted to be more than her friend and neighbor.

A whole lot more.

With the sunset, the last of Nadine’s guests crunched down her narrow gravel drive. As she’d thanked them for the birthday gifts and wished each one a safe trip home, Lamont sat in a rocker on her front porch, her sleeping granddaughter cuddled in his arms.

He couldn’t say exactly when Amy had crawled into his lap, toting a shaggy purple teddy bear. Lamont glanced down at her rosy cheeks and grinned. Long enough for his arm to go numb, anyway. The dull ache seemed small by comparison to the warmth swirling in his heart. It had been a long time since he’d held his own girls this way, and much as he loved what wonderful women they had become, he missed moments like these.

Amy’s steady, restful breaths soothed him. Heavy-lidded himself, Lamont leaned his head against the chair back and closed his eyes. When she sighed and snuggled closer, instinct made him press a soft kiss to her temple.

“If this isn’t a Norman Rockwell moment, I don’t know what is.”

Without opening his eyes, he slurred drowsily, “I’d rather it was a Maxwell House moment.”

“There’s bound to be some left in the coffeepot. Want me to pour you a cup?”

Lamont peered at Nadine through a slit in one eye. She’d pulled out her ponytail, and her golden hair now swung freely around her slender shoulders. Silhouetted by the porch light, he could see every womanly curve. Man, but she was a good-looking gal, even after a long day entertaining guests, their kids and their pets. “What time is it?”

“Time to fix you a nice hot cup of coffee.”

He wanted to tell her to sit with him, instead, but she’d already disappeared inside, like a wisp of smoke blown to the four corners by the spring breeze. Funny, he thought, how in the moment she’d stood there, close enough to touch, the very atmosphere had crackled with excitement. Odder still the knowledge that since she’d left, the air was quiet and still, reminding him of the hush following a thunderstorm. The comparison confused him, because he’d never felt anything but calm and comfortable in her presence. Lamont would have shrugged at the contrasts, if he wasn’t afraid of waking Amy.

Nadine put two big earthenware mugs on the red gingham-covered table between the rockers. “You’d better hope this little nap doesn’t keep her up all night, or you’ll have Julie to answer to.”

“If this li’l munchkin gives you any trouble, feel free to call,” he said, winking. “As you can see, I’m great with kids.”

Doing her best to hide a grin, Nadine crossed both arms over her chest. “You might be sorry you said that, at three o’clock in the morning.”

“Hey, I put in my share of sleepless nights back in the day.”

“I’m sure you did, what with four kids born one right after the other.”

Her expression softened as she tilted her head, and Lamont would have given ten bucks to know what was going on in that head of hers. He didn’t have time to figure it out, because Nadine moved closer and, bending at the waist, put her face mere inches from his.

Disappointment cloaked him like a cool fog when she gently lifted Amy from his arms.

“I’ll just get her tucked in,” Nadine whispered. “If you have to leave before I get back, I’ll understand.”

He hid his discouragement at her not-so-subtle hint behind a slanting grin. “You can’t get rid of me that easily. Your birthday present is still on the backseat of my pickup, and I’m not goin’ anywhere ’til I see you open it.”

“Well, you’re more than welcome to wait inside.” She glanced around the darkened yard, her gaze resting for an instant on paper cups and empty soda bottles. “It’s getting kinda chilly out here.”