en carefully civil, but still the air between them seemed charged with tension. The guarded conversation was beginning to remind her of the pinball games Simon had played that morning. Every time they encountered a topic that made Adam uncomfortable, he bounced to a new one. “You implied to Trevor that you’re making a career change, too. Are you looking for something different in Georgia or moving to a new state?”
She tasted a fresh coating of salt when she moistened her lips. “Actually...I’ve accepted an offer in Seattle. Of course, it means a big change for Simon, so I had to consider it very carefully, but I decided I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.”
Adam didn’t quite stumble, but his steps faltered. His eyebrows drew together when he repeated, “Seattle?”
Was he thinking of how far Washington was from South Carolina? Was he wondering how he could get to know his son at all if they lived three thousand miles apart? Because she certainly was.
She nodded. “I’ll be working with patients and their families dealing with long-term disabilities as the result of stroke, traumatic head injuries and other catastrophic health issues. It’s always been a particular field of interest for me. I’ve been to Seattle a couple of times to observe their program, and I think it will be a good fit for me.”
His face was hard to read when he asked, “What does your family think?”
“My family has always encouraged me to pursue my career goals.” More than encouraged, actually. Her parents had been almost obsessively single-minded about making sure she and Maddie were studious and career-focused from an early age. Their mission had been easier with her than with her obstinate younger sister.
“And they aren’t opposed to you moving so far away?”
“My parents aren’t exactly the clingy type. They’ll expect regular visits home, of course, but they won’t try to stop us from going. My sister...well, my sister will miss me,” she said with a faint sigh, thinking of how much she’d miss Maddie in return.
She found it rather ironic that it was because of Adam, in a way, that she and Maddie had bonded so tightly during the past years. Maddie had stood by her during her pregnancy, helping her with doctor appointments and nursery preparation, serving as her birthing coach, spending a lot of time with her during those first few weeks of adjustment and sleep deprivation. Their mother was useless at that sort of thing, having mostly turned her own daughters over to the care of nannies during those early months of feedings and changes and colic.
“You never mentioned if you have siblings,” she said, looking up at him. Did Adam have anyone who would be excited to know about the newly discovered nephew, or parents who would be anxious to meet their five-year-old grandson?
“No. I was an only child.”
“Are your parents still living?” If so, how would he tell them about Simon?
But he shook his head again without looking at her. “They’re both gone.”
So her sense of him being alone in the world was proving correct. She wondered how long ago his parents had died, but something about his posture let her know he didn’t want to get into it at the moment. She didn’t press, though if Adam became a part of Simon’s life, he would have to tell her more about himself.
Moving a clump of dried sea grass aside with one foot, Adam kept his gaze on the damp sand ahead as he asked, “When are you making this big move to Washington?”
“In a few weeks. I’d like to get settled there before the school year begins so Simon won’t have to start after his classmates. This vacation is sort of a last break for us before we have to dive into packing and preparing to resettle.”
Adam reached up to squeeze the back of his neck. She considered recommending the spa, but thought maybe he wouldn’t appreciate the lame attempt at humor.
“How does Simon feel about all this?”
“He’s excited to move to the Puget Sound area, considering his recent obsession with oceanography. He’s always eager for new experiences and new things to learn.”
“It’s a big change for him.”
“Yes.” She brushed a blowing strand of hair out of her mouth and tucked it behind her ear. “I think I’ve prepared him as best I can. Of course, now I’ll need to prepare him for another change. Once we decide how and when to tell him who you are to him.”
Adam didn’t respond.
She stopped moving, catching his right arm to bring him to a halt. They’d walked beyond the lifeguard-monitored swimming beach onto a more natural stretch of scrubby dunes and sand. No one else was on the beach, though out in the water two teenagers, a boy and a girl, floated on boogie boards they didn’t appear to handle very well. Probably vacationers from inland, she thought fleetingly before turning her full attention to Adam. “You do want to tell Simon who you are, don’t you?”
The corners of his mouth tightened. “I need some time, Joanna.”
Puzzled, she studied him. He still gripped the back of his neck with his left hand, and she couldn’t tell if his discomfort was physical or emotional—perhaps a combination.
“I don’t understand. Are you saying you want time to decide how to tell him—or time to decide if you want to tell him at all?”
“I don’t know. The latter, I guess.”
His reply took her aback. Through all that worrying she’d done about how Adam’s presence in their life would affect her and Simon, it had never occurred to her that he might choose not to be a part of that. Even to acknowledge his connection to them.
His voice was emotionless when he said, “Whether or not we choose to clue him in, I realize I have certain financial obligations to the boy. I’ll pay my fair share. We’ll work something out.”