She had the nerve to laugh. “Then it’s a good thing you’ve come home, since you’re such a stellar judge of character.”
Ean didn’t have a response. He wondered about the calm he found in Megan’s company. Every time he tried to strike out, she found the words to defuse his pain and confusion. How was she able to do that?
He studied his father’s headstone. “Did my mother tell you we argued this morning?”
“No. You just did.” Her words were rich with amusement.
“She wants the three of us to have dinner together tonight.” Ean shook his head. “Everything’s changed. It’s not the same here anymore.”
“The people may have changed, but the town hasn’t. Neighbors still keep an eye on each other’s kids and property. The town still goes to church Sunday mornings and takes long walks Sunday afternoons. And everybody thinks they know what’s best for everyone else.” Megan cocked her head. “Maybe that’s what’s upsetting you. Doreen’s dating without discussing it with you first.”
“That’s not true.” Or was it?
“Your mother’s happy, Ean. Isn’t that all that matters?”
“Of course.”
She eyed him shrewdly. “What would it take to make you happy?”
He wished he knew. Then he had an epiphany. “Come to dinner tonight. That would make me happy.”
She stepped back. Confusion merged with the concern in her eyes. “You can’t invite a guest to your mother’s house for dinner without asking her first.”
Ean tried a persuasive smile. “If she says yes, will you come? She likes you.”
“And you’d like a shield for the evening.” Megan’s voice was as dry as the desert. “I’m sure there’s something else I have to do tonight.”
Ean cupped a hand over her left shoulder. When her slender muscles tensed, he let his hand drop. “Please, Megan. It’s going to be awkward—for my mother and me. You being there will keep the tension at bay.”
Megan’s soft laughter challenged him. “So it’s not a shield you’re after. It’s a referee. That sounds like fun.” She turned to walk away.
Panic chilled him. Ean said good-bye to his father before falling into step beside her. He shoved his hands into the front pockets of his gray winter coat to keep from touching her again. “I only found out a week ago about them dating.”
“You and Coach are both important to her. That’s why she wants you to reestablish a relationship.”
“I know, but I’m not ready for this.” Ean scrubbed both palms over his face. “Please come to dinner. I’m not asking for myself. I’m asking for my mother.”
Megan stopped in her tracks. Ean squared his shoulders and waited for her answer. A slight breeze ruffled the dark brown waves of her hair. His gaze followed the delicate line of her profile to her figure, which was masked in a thick navy coat. The memory of her dressed for Halloween as the goddess Isis superimposed itself in his mind. The soft material of her gown had hinted at her slender curves, instead of masking them.
Megan turned and stabbed a finger into his chest. “You’d better be on your best behavior.”
A relieved grin split his face. “I promise.”
Megan sighed again. “All right, then I’ll come.”
“Great. It’s a date.”
There was something incredibly sexy about her long, slow blink. “This isn’t what you expected when you decided to come home, is it?”
Ean let his gaze slide toward a group of trees behind Megan’s right shoulder. “I thought things would be the way I’d remembered them.”
He and Ramona would want the same things. His mother would give him her undivided attention. Quincy wouldn’t hate his guts.
“It’s been fourteen years since you’ve lived in Trinity Falls. You can’t expect people to remain the same. It’s human nature to change.”
Where did that leave him? “I guess you really can’t go home again.”
“That depends. What’s your definition of ‘home’?”