“Good deal,” he answered.
Emily spread a blanket and gave each child a new box of crayons and tablets of plain paper so they could draw.
Natalie joined her and after a few minutes, Emily left to help Tom with the cooking and getting last-minute things on the table.
When they all sat down to eat, she felt as if she were part of the family. Natalie was easy to get to know and Emily already loved the kids. Colby was quiet, sometimes a little withdrawn, but he liked all the toys and gadgets Tom had brought. She took pictures of them and of everybody.
They had homemade strawberry ice cream for dessert along with chocolate chip cookies Natalie had made. As they sat in the shade and ate ice cream and cookies, Miss Molly stretched out at Tom’s feet. Tom ran the toe of his boot back and forth behind her ear and she looked serenely happy.
When they put things away after the picnic, Lexie ran up
to grab Tom’s hand and tug. Colby stood back, holding one of the beach balls. “Back to work,” Tom said, getting up to join the kids again. “Don’t carry anything to the cars. I can do that later.”
“I’ll go with you,” Emily said, smiling at Natalie. “Take a break and sit in the shade. We’ll play with Lexie and Colby. It’ll be fun.”
Natalie smiled. “Thanks. Stop whenever you’ve had enough.”
Tom and Colby moved yards apart while Emily stood near Lexie, who was too little to play but wanted to participate. The adults tossed the beach ball first to one child and then the other. Lexie couldn’t catch it, but she chased it to bat it and Emily helped.
By late afternoon, Lexie was sitting on a blanket alternately playing with a doll and drawing while Colby played with the electronic game that Tom had brought. The three adults sat in the shade and talked.
Emily enjoyed being with all of the Valentines. Lexie brought over her drawing and scrambled up onto her lap. Emily held her, admiring her drawing and talking to her about making another picture. The minute she climbed on her lap, Emily thought of Ryan. She looked down at Lexie’s red hair, thinking she was an adorable child. She took the crayons to draw. As she drew, Lexie listened attentively while Emily made up first one story and then another to go with the pictures. When she finished, she asked Lexie to draw a story and watched and listened as the little girl spoke of a mouse and an elephant and drew unrecognizable creatures. But she was happy with her story and her drawings.
“Emily, you don’t have to do that the rest of the evening,” Natalie said, smiling. “I think you’ve served your time.”
Shaking her head, Emily smiled. “I’m having a good time, too. As long as she wants to. When I want to stop, I will.”
Lexie tugged on her hand. “Let’s do another one,” she said.
“Do you want to tell another story?” Emily asked, looking at Lexie and thinking how wonderful it was to have a little child in her lap again.
Lexie’s eyes sparkled as she nodded. “I have a story about a kitty and a butterfly.”
Emily listened, smiling and smoothing Lexie’s hair, thinking Natalie had a wonderful family. She glanced up to see Tom watching her. Their gazes met and she wondered what he was thinking.
The sun was below the treetops in the west when Natalie announced they needed to pack things up and get home. She called to Miss Molly, and the big dog loped to her side.
“We’ll follow you home and I can help carry things inside,” Tom said.
“You don’t need to do that,” she said, smiling at him. “Emily told me how you’re helping her get her house painted. I know how big a job that can be. Besides, I have four couples at the bed-and-breakfast, just getting away from city life for a weekend. The guys carried the things out for me this morning and have already told me they would carry the stuff in when I get back. Their reward will be the strawberry ice cream,” she said, smiling at them.
“Come see me,” Lexie said, taking Emily’s hand. Her tiny hand felt so small, and Emily’s heart lurched when she thought about Ryan holding her hand.
“I’d love to see your room and Colby’s, too,” Emily said, and Lexie’s smile broadened.
“We’ll be happy to have you come visit,” Natalie said.
They let Miss Molly jump into the back of the SUV and then the kids climbed in and buckled into their car seats, with Natalie checking on Lexie’s. Natalie got into the front and Tom closed her door.
Tom draped his arm across Emily’s shoulders as they walked to the pickup. She wondered if he even gave any thought to what he was doing, but she was aware of it. The minute he put his arm across her shoulders, she was reminded of old times with him. And then she became aware of how close they were. All day he had looked virile, filled with energy, strong and incredibly appealing to her. How much would it tear her up to go back to the house and sleep with him? The thought of making love tonight made her draw a deep breath; she just couldn’t suppress her eagerness.
Tom held the pickup door open and she climbed inside. He got in and waited while Natalie backed out and turned to drive away. Then he followed.
“They look like the all-American family, Tom. Especially with the dog hanging out the window,” Emily said.
“Except the all-American dad was shot dead on foreign soil, defending his country so we can go on picnics. He’s not in that car with his wife and kids and dog.”
Emily wanted to reach for Tom’s hand, just to hold it. At one time in her life that’s what she would have done, but not now. Now they were going their separate ways soon and reaching for him would be almost like reaching to hold a stranger’s hand. “You knew that when you joined the service,” she said.