Gerrit’s shoulders sank back down. “Maybe that’s true. I don’t know. Maybe God doesn’t make mistakes.”
He took one last, long look down the hill. “But I sure do.”
CHAPTER
TWENTY-NINE
Rae had never seen Gerrit so animated. She kept sneaking glances at him as she helped Taylor with her homework. The way he talked with Morgan, it was almost like he was excited about something.
Taylor’s work took until the end of the session, but as soon as Rae helped her pack up and sent her on her way, she hurried over to where Gerrit and Morgan sat. Since David wasn’t able to make it to Community Hope today, all her focus was on finding out what was up with Gerrit.
She approached him at the table and tried to act casual. “Hey, guys.”
Morgan ignored her, but Gerrit smiled. An actual real smile. She narrowed her eyes. Something was definitely going on.
Gerrit stood. “What are you doing for Memorial Day?”
“We always go to visit family in Cedar Springs. Why?”
“I was just inviting Morgan here to my house for a party, and I thought maybe you could come, too.”
“Oh.” She eyed Morgan, who appeared to be listening while trying hard to act like he wasn’t. “A party?”
“Evi and Noah are coming for a visit.” Gerrit’s face grew a little more serious. “My kids.”
The plot thickened. This did not sound like a party she wanted to miss. What better opportunity to get to the bottom of Gerrit’s relationship problems? But visiting Aunt Joyce and Uncle Jerry on Memorial Day was a tradition.
Morgan slunk from his chair and edged past her. “I gotta go.”
“May twenty-seventh. Three o’clock.” Gerrit slapped Morgan’s shoulder as he went by. “Don’t forget.”
Morgan didn’t answer but instead raised a hand in farewell. Rae watched him go. She couldn’t figure him out. It was like he couldn’t stand the sight of her.
Gerrit headed for the door, too, and Rae followed. “So your kids, huh?”
His face retained a hint of a smile, but then something in his eyes made her think of Mr. Whiskers during a thunderstorm hiding under the bed.
“They finally agreed to come. I haven’t seen them in . . . well, in a while.”
“That’s great!” Her enthusiasm was genuine. “Are you inviting a lot of people?”
They reached the end of the hall and stepped outside. “No. Just us and the kids and Morgan, I guess, if you can’t come. Maybe Luisa.”
“Who’s Luisa?”
He flinched. Or maybe he was just squinting in the sun. Regardless, he didn’t answer her question. This was more like the Gerrit she knew.
“Are you making a cake?”
He hesitated. “A cake?”
“Yeah. Every good party has a cake, doesn’t it?”
He rubbed his chin. “I was going to grill ribs and make pasta and pie.”
“Pie’s good, too.” She wanted to be encouraging. This could be a turning point for him. “What about decorations?”
He reached his truck and draped an arm over the hood, staring down at his boots as if deep in thought. “No.”
“It wouldn’t have to be anything fancy. Maybe some streamers and balloons?”
He shook his head.
“Well, what about flowers? Your wife works at The Daisy Chain. She could make a centerpiece or something.”
He raised his head and gave her a fierce look.
She swallowed hard, her stomach sinking. “What?”
“That’s a good idea.”
Sheesh. Way to give a girl a heart attack.
He opened his truck door. “Hannie would probably like that.”
“Maybe you could even order a bouquet for your daughter.”
He tensed and muttered, “She’d throw it in the garbage.”
Yikes. So that’s how it was. “Well, maybe just a bouquet for Hannie, then. Women love getting flowers.”
He appeared to think that over. “I can’t get her flowers from her own shop. It wouldn’t be a surprise.”
“Wait, you mean she owns The Daisy Chain? I thought she just worked there.” Rae couldn’t believe it. Why did it have to be so hard to get information out of this guy? “I suppose you could get them from some other place.”
“I couldn’t do that.” Gerrit’s lip curled like he smelled a rat. “That would be helping the competition. She might get mad.”
Mom’s Explorer pulled into the parking space next to Gerrit’s truck, and Rae held up a finger to let her mom know she was almost ready to go. “I could help you.”
“How?”
“I could order them. Like, in secret.”
“I suppose that could work.” He nodded at the Explorer. “You better go.”
“What’s her favorite flower?”
He slid into his truck, a shadow passing over his face. “We’ll talk about it later.”
“If I’m going to order her—”
The truck door slammed shut, and the engine roared to life. Rae took a step back as Gerrit put the truck in drive. Okay then.
She hopped into the passenger side of the Explorer, and Mom gave her a questioning smile. “Do you want to drive home today? You’ve got to get those practice hours in.”
Rae winced. Of course Mom had to bring that up. She’d been distracted by everything going on with Grandma Kate lately, but Rae knew she couldn’t keep her driving struggles a secret from Mom forever. Dad would’ve noticed her serious lack of practice by now if he hadn’t been working such long hours on a big case.
“No, that’s okay, you’re already buckled in.”
“Nonsense.” Mom unbuckled and opened her door. “Let’s switch.”
Oh, great. While she’d known this day was coming, it still made her breathing shallow and strained. She slowly slid out of her seat and walked around to the driver’s side. As she settled in behind the wheel, Mom was grinning from ear to ear.
“This is fun—you driving me for a change. I’m sorry I haven’t had time to do this with you before.”
Rae forced a smile as she fastened her seat belt. “It’s okay.”
“Now that Driver’s Ed. is over, we’ll have to call and schedule an appointment for you at the DMV.”
Rae grasped the
