Once in Every Life

Savannah gave a forlorn sigh and went back to her sewing. "I don't know how to dance anyhow. Probably make a fool of myself."

Tess stared at Savannah. She was working so hard on her dress, trying desperately to make it ready in time, and yet she had no hope that they were even going. No hope at all.

Please, Jack, Tess prayed, don't let her down. Please ...

The next evening, Jack returned to the island, his pockets filled with money, and Jim Hannah's barn filled with the supplies they'd traded for the fleece.

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From the road, he stared down at the house. It lay like a perfect white pearl amidst the darkening twilight.

He clutched the packages to his chest and began to run. His bootheels crunched through the rock and dirt road, his breathing sped up. That ridiculous smile came back to his face, and he couldn't?didn't want to?shake it free.

Panting and out of breath, he rounded the last corner and sprinted toward the house, bounding up the sagging slatted steps and bursting into the warm, golden kitchen.

"Jack!" Lissa whirled around at his entrance. Her face revealed first shock, then a joy that matched his own. She picked up her skirts and ran for him, throwing herself into

his arms. .

It was the greeting Jack had waited for all his life. He dropped his packages and bear-hugged her, twirling her around and around in the warm, mutton-and-potato-scented kitchen.

"Oh, Jack," she whispered, gazing up into his eyes, "I

missed you."

He kissed her full, pink lips, and when he did, he felt as if a very special, very important part of him had just been given life. "I missed you, too."

"Daddy!" Katie came running into the room, her skirts hiked up to her knees. She flung herself into the hug, and the three of them whirled around, laughing.

Jack smoothed the tangled hair from Katie's face and planted a kiss on her flushed cheek. "Hi, little Katydid. I missed you."

She gave him a bright, gap-toothed grin that twisted his heart. "I missed you, too, Daddy. Know what?"

"What?"

"Mama burnt supper tonight." Her voice dropped to a giggly whisper. "Really bad."

Jack tried valiantly to remain serious. His mouth

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twitched traitorously. "Really? Well, we'll have to do something about that."

Lissa looked up at him. There was a fire in her eyes that made his blood turn searingly hot. She pressed a hand to his shoulder. "What sort of ... thing did you have in mind?"

He licked his lips. His eyes glittered with promise. "I don't know. We'll have to think of something ... fitting. Something that teaches you how to put out a fire."

She smiled. Her hand slid down from his shoulder and moved dangerously close to his groin. "I'll have to build one first."

He laughed. "Shouldn't be any problem there." Lissa laughed and slipped her hand in his. He loosened his hold on Katie and let her glide down his body to the floor. Her feet hit with a click of heels.

Savannah came around the corner, her schoolbooks clutched to her chest. "Mama, I?" She saw Jack and froze. The smile slid from her face. "Daddy." She started to come toward him, then paused. The hands around her books curled into taut fists.

Jack felt her hesitation like a blow. Savannah, of all of them, would be the

most difficult. She'd seen so many of his little failures, so much of his weakness. She'd been afraid of him for most of her life.

The realization was like a burning coal in the pit of his stomach. How the hell did a man say I'm sorry to an innocent child? And was an apology enough? Could years of neglect be simply forgiven?