"What do you think, Mom?" Hannah asked.
"It's very nice. Do you still have any of our decorations?"
"They're in the garage."
At Hannah's words, he saw guilt move through Katherine Stark's eyes. No doubt she'd missed more than a few Christmases and probably had no idea where many of her things had ended up.
"Well, good," Katherine said. "I've made spaghetti and salad for dinner. It's ready now. Perhaps we can decorate the tree after we eat."
"Thanks for making dinner, Mom."
"It was nothing." Katherine's gaze finally moved in his direction. "If you'd like to stay for dinner, Jake, there's plenty."
Her invitation almost knocked him off his feet. It was certainly a turnaround from the way she'd spoken to him earlier.
"Are you going to stay?" Brett asked eagerly.
He hesitated, his gaze seeking Hannah's.
"You're welcome to stay for dinner," Hannah said. "You did help me get the tree here. And as I recall, spaghetti is one of your favorite meals."
"It is," he admitted.
"Well, I'll just put the garlic bread in the oven," Katherine said. "Brett, why don't you come with me? We'll get your hands washed so you're ready to eat."
As they left the room, his gaze swung to her. "Are you sure this is all right?"
"I wouldn't have suggested you stay if it wasn't."
"I thought you'd be ready to see the back of me by now."
She met his gaze. "I would have thought the same thing. But you're kind of growing on me."
"Not like fungus, I hope," he joked.
She grinned. "You said it, not me."
He smiled back at her. "What did you say to your mom to get her to invite me to dinner?"
"Nothing."
She was lying. He could see that. "Well, whatever it was, I appreciate it."
"We'll see if you feel the same way after dinner," she said dryly.
The food was good. The conversation and atmosphere were tense, but dinner with Hannah and her mother wasn't as bad as Jake thought it might be, mostly because Brett talked constantly, asking questions about everything under the sun. Katherine was surprisingly patient with her grandson, which was not a trait he usually associated with Hannah's mother. But then how well did he really know her?
When they were in high school, Hannah had never wanted to hang out at her house. He only went there when she was stuck watching her little brother, and on those occasions her mom had not been home. Once or twice, he'd witnessed Katherine come stumbling into the house, but Hannah had always pushed him out the door when that was happening. He'd known there were problems, but he certainly hadn't realized how bad things were or how much Hannah had kept from him. Even now, he didn't think he knew most of it. Or that anyone really knew what had gone on in the house.
But tonight things were different, and maybe that was because of Brett, or perhaps it was because Katherine was now sober. Whatever the reason, he hoped it was a sign of better times to come.
As they finished their meal, Hannah got up to clear the plates and Brett ran off to play, leaving him and Katherine alone at the table. She looked directly at him for the very first time.
"How are your parents?" she asked politely.
"They're well."
"And your brother? Is he still free from cancer?"
"Yes. He's been in remission for eight years now."
"That's wonderful. I heard he's studying to be a doctor like your father."
"He is. He's almost done with medical school."
"And you—you're running a shop now?"
"It's more than a shop," Hannah cut in, as she came back to the table to grab the rest of the silverware. "Jake also runs guided adventure tours, and he volunteers with the search-and-rescue team."
"That sounds exciting," Katherine commented.
"It can be," he said evenly, extending her the same cool politeness she'd shown him. "What are you doing these days, Mrs. Stark?"
She bristled a bit at his question. "I work at Sonia's Flower Shop."
"My mom is very good with plants," Hannah interjected, as she loaded the dishwasher.
Apparently, she'd decided to mediate between them.
"It sounds like the perfect job then," he said.
"I enjoy doing it." She gave her daughter a pointed look. "And I can speak for myself." She turned back to him. "I don't know why Hannah is willing to give you a second chance, but don't blow it. Don't hurt her again."
"I won't," he promised.
"Mom, it's not on you to get Jake to make promises," Hannah said, coming back to the table. "Our relationship has nothing to do with you."
"So, there is a relationship?" Katherine queried.
Hannah sighed. "We're just friends, okay?"
Katherine gave Hannah a disbelieving look. "I didn't believe that the first time you told me that, and I don't believe it now. Jake always had a way of getting under your skin. I hate to see you going down that same road again."
"I know what I'm doing."
"All right." Katherine waved her hand in surrender and then got to her feet. "I should go. I promised I'd stop by Marty's on my way home, and I have to go to work early tomorrow. It's the last day we're open before the holiday, and there are a lot of plants and fresh flower arrangements on order for pickup."
"You don't want to help decorate the tree?" Hannah asked.
"You and Brett can handle that. And, frankly, I'm not sure I'm up to seeing the old ornaments. There are so many memories attached to them."
"I don't know what I still have."
"I think you have the important ones. You were always very worried about them getting broken or lost. You boxed them up and took them with you to Denver when you went to college, when you had Tyler with you." Katherine bit down on her lip, emotion filling her eyes. "Your dad used to make an ornament for you, Tyler and Kelly every year in his woodshop. I'm sure Brett will love them."
Jake
