* * *
She walked away leaving him in standing on the deck, and realized the spark was still there. Could they have another chance together? It made her wonder, question the way she’d told him no. Perhaps in time she might have another chance with the man she always thought she’d marry. She’d have to think about it. He’d cut her off once before without looking back. Besides, after everything that had gone on in the past fifteen years or so, did they even really know each other anymore? It surprised her to realize she wanted to find out. Right now, while her emotions were still so raw, did she have the nerve to follow through?
“Lovely home, isn’t it?” Gigi looked up at her, hand shading her eyes from the late afternoon sun.
“Yes. Yes, it is. Thank you so much for today, Gigi. I hate to think what might have happened if the children had stayed and seen more than they had to.”
“Anytime, honey. You know I’m here for you.”
April called her children. “Time to get home. I’m sure you two have homework to deal with or bedrooms to clean.”
With moans of protest, they allowed themselves to be led to the car, complaining all the way. “I wish we could live at the beach, Mom.” Leo fished a dried starfish out of his pocket and waved it under her nose. “Look what I found. I can start a collection now.”
“Awesome. There are lots of beaches around the island that we can go to on weekends.” She’d traipsed around most of them as a child.
“His room will stink if he starts collecting dead fish.” Tilly sat back in her seat, clicked the seatbelt into place, and stared out the window. “Did you use to go out with Drew, Mom?”
She glanced at her daughter in the mirror. “What made you ask that, honey?”
Tilly shrugged her shoulders. “Something Gigi said about you when you were little hanging out at that beach together.”
Not something she wanted to discuss with a twelve-year-old. “There were a group of us that used to hang out together. Once Drew had his license, that beach was a favorite of ours. I think that’s why he brought that house when it came on the market.” Hopefully that would satisfy her inquisitive daughter.
“I like him. He’s nice.” She continued to stare out the window, a pensive look on her face.
“Me too. He’s good at hide and seek. We looked at caves together.” Leo chewed his bottom lip and frowned. Her boy was thinking. “Did you know there were lots of caves down there, Mom? There might even be pirates.” Leo picked at sand particles on the starfish, turning it over in his hands. “I want to go back there and play again.”
“Yes, I did actually and maybe one day you can. Right now we need to get organized for tomorrow. You both have school and I have to go to work. Its already past your bath time. The day got away on us.”
“Do you think Gram and Pop will come back?”
“I’m not sure, Leo.”
“Maybe Drew can tell them to stay away until they can use their manners. It’s not polite to yell at people like that.”
Sadly, that was the only way her ex-in-laws knew how to relate to her and the children. There was nothing she could do to change their minds and April was done trying.
She gave what Drew said some thought as she drove home. Until that moment she’d been able to convince herself there was no chance for the two of them, it was all in the past. When he’d told her he never fell out of love with her, she’d wanted nothing more than to throw herself into his arms. At the moment it was a dream she couldn’t afford. When he realized how weak she really was, how callous she had become, he would lose interest. Better that she stop this right now before her heart got any more involved than it had been before.
She’d walked away from a sick man who needed her and that was unforgivable. She had to live with his death and some days the darkness of what she did overtook everything else. April wouldn’t wish that on anyone, least of all, Drew.
She drove up and parked her car in front of the house. Thankfully it looked calm and deserted. “Let’s go. You two get showered and then bring out your homework. I’ll start dinner.”
The children hurried from the car, jostling to be first in the shower. April followed at a more sedate pace. Drew’s admission of still loving her had her mind in a frenzy. How was she supposed to cope with that? Did he think she would fall at his feet and let herself be swept away? He didn’t even know what she’d been up to the last fifteen years apart from having two children and crazy in-laws.
Once the children were in bed and the house was clean, she called Aggie, in need of some adult conversation. “I need a shoulder to cry on. Can you talk and bake bread at the same time?”
“I’m still at home, don’t need to go into the shop for another hour because it’s Laurel’s turn to start early. How about I come over and we can plot the downfall of my brother together?”
April laughed. “How did you know?”
“Because I’m awesome at sniffing out problems, that’s why.”
Chapter 11
“That’s so sweet of him. I knew he still held a torch for you, but to ‘fess up so easy. I thought he would have at least held out until you couldn’t stand the tension between you. You know, kind of make you beg to have him take you back kind of sexual tension.”
April leaned back on the couch, snuggling down in the mass of cushions, weary after an emotion-filled day. “I was blown away to be honest. I never expected him to come out with that after last week’s little ‘let’s move on
