The Winding Road Home Read online

  “Thank you for not inviting the girls.”

  “You’re welcome. I think you squelched Chelsea’s infatuation with your Bob Marley comment. Her arty side noticed a flaw, Mr. Dreamboat. That was brilliant.”

  “I really don’t know Mozart from a hole in the wall.”

  She laughed.

  He joined in. Kate had an infectious laugh. He suspected the red hair compounded the effect. Silky and smooth as it was, its usual style could only be described as messy. He imagined her mind an overflowing, chaotic place with no room left over for mundane thoughts such as, “hairdresser, style, hair dryer, curling iron.”

  She pulled money from her coat pocket and shoved it into his hand. “I’m going to get popcorn while you buy the tickets. Want anything?”

  He shook his head and watched her scamper off, pocketing her money until he could find a way to give it back. He could afford to treat her, the nonpaid intern. However, that too smacked of Sir Galahad in her mind.

  A short while later they entered the theater and found seats. Tanner grinned at her as she dug into a large bag of buttered popcorn on her lap.

  She caught his expression. “What?” she asked.

  “Nothing.” He chuckled.

  “You are such a crummy liar.”

  “I know. I’m trying to figure out where you put the food. Didn’t we finish a huge dinner of tacos approximately,” he glanced at his watch, “forty-three minutes ago?”

  “Mm-hmm.” She finished chewing her mouthful and swallowed. “Getting back to Adele and Graham…I think they’re in love.”

  “They just met.”

  “I know, but it’s so obvious. And there is such a thing as love at first sight. That’s how my parents got together, thirtyfive years ago. What I can’t figure out is why Adele and Graham don’t admit it.”

  “Kate Kilpatrick, I never would have imagined you had a romantic bone in your body.”

  “Of course I do. I agreed to come to this romantic comedy tonight, didn’t I?”

  He didn’t remind her that her yes involved her interest in the screenwriter’s work. Nor did he mention that she balked at anything he did or said if it resembled an impractical, Sir Galahad gesture, like driving her tonight in a vehicle that was far more roadworthy than hers. It was almost as if she felt she didn’t deserve to be on the receiving end of such things.

  Instead he went on to explain why he held the opinion of her. “But romance is such an airy, frivolous thing. Not like you at all.”

  “Oh?”

  “No. You’re quirky.”

  She grinned. “Really? As in offbeat? Unconventional?”

  “Yep.”

  “That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

  “Well, don’t let it go to your head.”

  “Things don’t go to the heads of quirky people.”

  “I suppose not.” He reached over and into the popcorn bag. “May I?”

  “I’ll go get you some.”

  Someone bumped into his leg and said, “Excuse me— Tanner! Hi!”

  He recognized the woman as he stood to let her and a companion pass. “Hi.” What was her name? “Sondra.”

  “How are you?” She clutched him in a hug, babbling about how long it had been, introducing her fiancé. At last she spied Kate, who had risen beside him. “You must be Tanner’s little sister.”

  “No.” Kate’s tone was unsteady, disguising a chuckle.

  “Cousin then.”

  He intervened. “Kate Kilpatrick. Date.”

  Sondra’s eyebrows rose perceptibly and a smirk twisted what he had once considered a lovely mouth. “Oh.” It came out as a two-syllable word.

  Kate held up her left hand dripping with butter and wiggled it. “But no ring yet!” she whined, elbowing him in the ribs. “He keeps promising though.”

  Sondra gave an arrogant half laugh before they moved on down the row.

  Seething, Tanner sat again as the lights dimmed. What a snob! And to think I was actually attracted to that. He should march over there and tell her off. He owed that much to Kate. She didn’t deserve that kind of treatment. Man, she had even smiled at Sondra. Not the least bit flustered, she had joined in his charade that they were dating.

  He felt Kate’s eyes on him and turned. The previews had begun, making conversation difficult. “What?”

  She leaned sideways, and he lowered his ear toward her mouth. She said, “You look like you’re about to explode. Don’t worry about it. Quirks are often mistaken for sisters and cousins.”

  He laughed so loudly the guy in front of him turned around and frowned.

  “Sorry.” Tanner called out. He swung his arm across the back of Kate’s seat and gave her a friendly hug. She was so easy to be with. She even knew how to defuse his anger. He felt the tenseness go out of his muscles.

  She stretched toward him again and said, “You’re going to have to do better than that, Galahad. I think she’s watching.”

  “No way. I refuse to hold your hand until you wash off that butter.”

  Now Kate laughed, prompting another frown.

  Same wavelength. Amazing how he could have spent 30 years of his life so blind.

  Adele picked at her dinner and only halfheartedly listened to the orchestra play all of her favorite Mozart selections. By the time they got into the car, she was drained of chipper conversation. Evidently so was Will. The ride home was a silent one.

  As they neared her house, she noticed there were no extra cars parked in front or in the driveway. Tanner and Kate were gone, as was Tara. Graham Logan was also gone. Not that she had expected him to wait for her. Still, the disappointment pierced somewhere deep inside.

  She had to try explaining it to Will.

  “Adele.” He pulled into the driveway, but left the engine running. The car was warm and comfortable under a starry sky. “I need to say something.” He turned in his seat to face her.

  “Do you want to come inside?” She settled back against the door.

  “No. This won’t take long. Listen, something has shifted between us this week.”

  She nodded. The dear man knew. “I’m sorry.”

  “No, don’t be sorry.”

  “I didn’t mean for—”

  “Adele.” He pulled her into his arms. “Shh. It’s all right. Don’t cry.”

  “I don’t know what’s happening.”

  “Yes, you do. You’re falling in love.”

  “But I don’t even know him!”

  “I guess you know enough. He seemed like a nice enough guy. At least in the three minutes I spent with him.”

  She sniffled against the fuzzy grain of his coat, half laughing.

  “I don’t want to interfere. I’ll always be there for you, but I probably won’t invite you out again. I think that’s for the best. All right?”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “You’re a beautiful woman, Adele, and I loved having you beside me at functions, having dinner with me now and then, keeping me company. But we both know it was only a friendship for the time being. I’m not ready for another wife. You aren’t ready to be a stepmom.” He tilted her chin up and kissed her softly. “I will miss you, but there is nothing to be sorry about.”

  Swallowing her tears, she nodded. “I can’t keep the ring.”

  “Yes, you can.” He smiled.

  “No, Will. Wait, I’ll run up and get it.” That had been another source of embarrassment. She had forgotten to wear the amethyst tonight.

  “Another time. I need to get home. I’m exhausted.” He opened his door and she climbed from hers. At the front door he kissed her cheek. “Thank you for the concert.”

  “Thank you for dinner.”

  “Take care, Adele. And if you need anything, call me. Okay?”

  She nodded and watched him return to his car. He waited until she unlocked the door and waved to him, and then he drove away. Reluctant to go in, she ran her hand along the inside wall and flipped off the porch light switch. Cl
osing the door, she remained outside in the cold, looking up at the black velvet sky studded with stars.

  Will was a good friend, a masculine presence that she clung to not only because he was a man but because he was the only decent, successful man who had accepted her for who she was.

  Nearly. Nearly accepted her for who she was.

  She let the thought develop. It had been there all along. She had simply chosen to ignore it every time she scrambled for something to wear that would pass his inspection…every time she spoke her mind in a group setting and caught the subtle raising of his brow.

  She had been forever trying to please him in exactly the same way she had always tried to please her father. But Will had been so gentle about it, nothing at all like the tyrant who had raised her. Silly how she behaved as though by winning Will’s approval she was somehow winning R.J. Chandler’s.

  Silly how she had let that man dictate this relationship. Maybe Will would have changed…in time…

  Now that really was a silly line of thought. He was gone…and she was ignoring the obvious. Again.

  Oh, Lord.

  An unknown future lurked, waiting to devour her the moment she stepped toward it. And so it was fear that rooted her to the porch, her companion for a cold night’s vigil.

  Fifteen

  Sunday morning Kate snuggled under the thick down comforter, relishing in the warmth of flannel sheets. It was nearly time to get ready for church, but she chose to luxuriate for a few moments in the coziness of her room and in the knowledge of how she was loved. God had given her so much.

  “Even though I’m in Valley Oaks for the duration and not Wash—”

  No, she was not going to complain.

  Sunlight already streamed through the blinds she had twisted open last night when she wanted to see the stars. It was a quaint room, located on the first floor with a view of Adele’s backyard. The bed took up most of the space, but it was an old four-poster, and from it she could see out the two windows. A braided rug covered most of the hardwood floor. The vanity and dresser looked like antiques, but knowing her landlady, they weren’t. The closet door’s handle was a glass knob. Another glass-knobbed door led to her own private bath. The walls were papered in a tiny blue floral print.

  The adjoining room was a sitting room, probably a parlor in the old days. Adele designated it as Kate’s space. It contained a desk, a couch, and a chair. Kate had added her own small television, CD player, and bookcase. The kitchen was always open for her use.

  It was a good home away from home. Adele’s character, of course, permeated the situation, welcoming Kate like a beloved relative.

  “Which we are, in a way. Right, Lord? Sisters in You.”

  Chelsea accepted her. Rusty accepted her. The book club women accepted her. She had even been invited to Britte Olafsson’s for an open house that afternoon, a postnuptial shower for Britte’s brother and his new wife. The place would be crawling with resources for Times articles, a perfect networking opportunity.

  Spring was a few weeks away, practically around the corner. Warm temperatures were predicted for Wednesday. The snow could melt and not fall again until next winter.

  And the cherry on top of the chocolate sundae was Tanner. She couldn’t have asked for a better tour guide for this internship phase of her life. The guy was a gem. It was fun being silly with him the previous night at the movies, pretending they were romantically involved. For one brief moment, when he put his arm around her, she was dazzled by what that felt like. She quickly set the impression aside.

  “Lord, thank You for the laughter with him. Please smooth things between him and his dad. I get the feeling their relationship is strained. And please bring Him into Your family. He has that homeless look about his soul.”

  Tanner rubbed his whiskers and poured coffee into a mug. He carried it over to the table and sat in his windowless kitchen, staring at a calendar on the wall.

  He wanted to go to church, out in Valley Oaks.

  That thought had awakened him, and it wouldn’t go away. He let it rumble around in his mind. It was a totally foreign thought that couldn’t seem to find its own niche. What was he to do with it?

  Last week he had attended church simply on a lark, meeting Kate’s challenge. Last night she hadn’t brought up the subject and he wasn’t about to. Not that he had disliked the service. It was fine. And the pastor had actually given him some new concepts to ponder…like Jesus Christ. God’s Son? The way to the Father? A friend who imparts the strength not to drink? Supernatural yet real in the day-today of life?

  But he couldn’t go out there today. He was having breakfast with his dad, the only time available in the busy doctor’s schedule. Not that it was a regular appointment. Today’s meeting had been planned because the down payment for the video store was due on Thursday. Sidney wanted to hand him the check in person, his dad’s feeble attempt to make sure his son knew how much he cared.

  Yeah, right.

  The phone rang and Tanner leaned over to grab the cordless from its cradle. “Hello?”

  “Tanner.”

  “Hi, Dad.” The guy was going to cancel.

  “What are you doing tomorrow morning?”

  Tanner closed his eyes. “I’ll be in Denver. I’m flying a charter out there tonight. Be back late on Tuesday.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “What? Sorry to hear I’m working?”

  “I didn’t mean that. Look, something’s come up this morning. Marnie needs me here. How about if we postpone breakfast and I’ll deposit the check in your account first thing tomorrow?”

  “Not a problem.”

  After a few so-called pleasantries, they said goodbye.

  Marnie. Not work, not patients crying for attention, but Marnie, the wife, a woman not much older than Tanner’s sister. At least he had married her, unlike the handful preceding her.

  Tanner drummed his fingers on the table. It was such a familiar scene, his dad letting him down. He wondered that it still surprised him, still carved fresh wounds. Maybe because for years he had managed to escape it by consistently sinking into oblivion.

  Unaware of his movements, Tanner felt cool air and found himself standing in front of the opened refrigerator staring at a carton of orange juice. Automatically he removed it along with a package of bagels. Still he stood, one hand resting on the open door, one hand holding breakfast.

  And suddenly he realized what he was doing. He was searching for something that was not stashed in the refrigerator nor in any of the cupboards.

  “Okay.” He spoke out loud, his voice strange to his ears. “Are You here, Jesus? Is this where You come in? It’s been six and a half years and still…”

  He shoved the items back into the fridge and slammed the door shut. Swiftly he made his way to the bedroom and grabbed a pair of running shoes from the closet.

  He would run. He’d do the long route, down to the river and back, 5.2 miles, embrace the arctic blast, the sensation of icicles forming on his lungs.

  Then he would go to Valley Oaks Community Church and surprise Kate. It was fun to surprise Kate. Her face would light up like a Christmas tree. He could easily imagine her dancing around like an elf. She was about the size of one, definitely as energetic as one.

  Then, if she didn’t mind, he would hang out with her, go together to that open house at Britte’s. Maybe she had some more of that chili.

  The thing about Kate was, she seemed to like him. Just the way he was. No strings attached.

  “So, Pops, what do you think?” Graham sat on the edge of the bed, holding Rand’s limp hand between his. It seemed swollen. “I’m getting the impression that she is attracted to me.”

  “What’s wrong with that?” His breathing was labored.

  Exasperated, Graham placed Rand’s hand under the covers and stood. Pacing, he fingercombed his hair. “You don’t really mean it. I have no business worming my way into Adele’s life!”

  “It’s not worming.
”

  “Of course it is. I just happened to have become attracted to her in the process!”

  “Shh. You’ll break Heather’s heart.” He breathed a soft laugh.

  Graham ignored the joking reference to the young nurse. “My sole purpose for being here is to grant your last request. Once you’re gone, the strings will be severed. She’ll want nothing further to do with me.”

  “Pure conjecture. Graham, you have my blessing. A relationship between you two is my fondest dream.”

  In reply, he stuffed his hands in the back pockets of his corduroys. Stubborn old coot. “You’re a stubborn old coot.”

  “Thank you. Tell me again about Chelsea. She’s as beautiful as her mother?”

  He nodded. “Taller. Just as confident and independent. Bit of an adolescent’s attitude, naturally.”

  “And when is her birthday?”

  “May twelfth. She’ll be seventeen.” They already knew that.

  “I sure would like to meet her.”

  “She works here sometimes, during school breaks. The next one is mid-April, Easter week.”

  “I’d like to see Easter again too. Make up for all the ones I missed.”

  Graham returned to his side. Rand had had a difficult night. Their hopes to attend the center’s church service that morning were waning. “You know those are forgiven and forgotten. I imagine Easter at Home will be somewhat on the magnificent side, don’t you?”

  He chuckled in his raspy way. “Graham, I have one more last request.”

  “You’re only allowed one.”

  “Don’t fight whatever it is developing between you. She needs someone to take care of her. God told me you’re the one.”

  “Now you’re receiving personal messages from God?”

  He smiled, his eyes closing. “We’re getting chummier every day. He’ll be taking me Home soon, you know.”

  Adele sat in her minivan on the street, a block from the church parking lot, unsure about continuing further.

  She had tossed and turned most of the night, finally falling asleep as the stars faded from view. Chelsea had woken her at eight, but she didn’t move a muscle except to mumble she would catch up later. Chelsea and Kate should go on ahead to church.