One of the first things she had done when she came back was to revisit the old house on the edge of town where she had grown up. Someone had taken pains to repair the signs of neglect her parents had left behind when they’d moved away. The little house bore new siding, shutters and shingles, and the carport had been enclosed to make a garage. It was obvious that whoever lived there now took pride in the place. But Jamie had been unable to appreciate the improvements. She had looked at the house and had remembered the unhappiness she’d known there. She’d spent a long time parked on the side of the road, staring at the darkened windows, and putting those memories to rest.
Since then, she had found fulfillment here in several ways. Her teaching job—the chance to be a positive influence in so many students’ lives, the opportunity to encourage their creativity and talent. Her participation in the fledgling community theater—a chance to be actively involved in the community, to encourage the arts in Honoria. The new friends she had made and the old ones she had reconnected with.
And she had fallen in love.
She had watched Emily and Wade having their picnic with their children yesterday, and she’d found herself envying them. Wondering if she would ever have what they’d found—commitment, security, children.
She wondered if there was even the slightest chance that she would have those things with Trevor.
He’d had it all before. She realized that, and she was honest enough to admit to herself that it bothered her sometimes. Mostly because she knew so little about his marriage. Had he loved his late wife so much that he would never recover, never love anyone else that much again?
He wanted her—she could hardly doubt that now—but could he ever love her?
HIS SISTER SEEMED happier than Trevor had ever seen her. She looked both beautiful and relaxed, he decided. Less driven than she had been only a co
uple of years ago. Losing her job with a stuffy old legal firm, meeting her unpredictable P.I. husband, starting her own two-person law firm, having her first child—all the changes had combined to make her look happy, contented and fulfilled.
Trevor was happy for her.
Tara’s home was filled with the cheerful noise of family—adults laughing, children babbling, babies fussing. In addition to Trevor, his children and his parents, Emily and her family were there. Everyone wanted to celebrate the newest addition to the McBride family—even if this one’s last name was Fox.
When the boys grew restless, Emily and Wade volunteered to take them out for ice cream. They took Abbie, too, leaving Trevor and his parents to visit with Tara and Blake.
Bobbie fretted a bit that little Alison had been exposed to so many people that day, but Tara pointed out that the baby might as well get used to being surrounded by family. As fast at the McBride clan was growing, there were many noisy gatherings ahead.
“I only wish Trent could be here,” she added. “Did everyone see the beautiful roses he sent me? And the ridiculously big teddy bear he included for the baby?”
More family talk followed. Then Tara turned to Trevor. “Anything new going on in your life lately?”
Glancing suspiciously at his suddenly innocent-looking mother, Trevor replied, “Not much.”
Tara gave him her patented big-sister grin. “No new ladies in your life?”
Bobbie, Trevor noted, did everything but look up at the ceiling and whistle to distance herself from this particular topic. “What did Mom tell you?” he asked fatalistically.
“Only that you’ve been spending a lot of time lately with Jamie Flaherty.”
What the hell. “She sends her regards to you and Blake.”
“How sweet. Please send mine in return.”
“Yes, of course,” he answered dryly, preparing to be interrogated.
“I’ve seen her on TV,” Blake commented, looking up from little Alison cradled so securely in his strong arms. “She’s certainly attractive.”
“Blake’s a soap opera buff,” Tara explained with a chuckle. “He saw Jamie when she played a visiting vixen on one of his soaps.”
“She was good, too,” Blake added equably. “She almost broke up Dirk and Velvet on Private Lives, and their marriage has survived numerous other near disasters. Then Jamie—her name was Veronica on the show—died in a suspicious skydiving accident. Her body was never recovered, though, so there’s always a chance she could come back.”
Trevor didn’t particularly like hearing that. He didn’t take time to analyze the reason—probably because he already knew. “I’m sorry I missed her performances.”
“It must have been so exciting living in New York,” Tara mused. “I wonder why she moved back to Honoria.”
“Her aunt Ellen thinks she was getting exhausted from the hectic pace there,” Bobbie commented, rejoining the conversation. “Jamie’s a small-town girl at heart. Once she’d had her fill of the big city, she was ready to return to her roots. Like Trevor.”
“You don’t think it had anything to do with that scandal that made all the tabloids?” Tara asked.
The silence that followed her casual comment was a heavy one.