“Jimmy Who?”

“Choo. A very high-end designer.”

“Okay, now tell me—do you have them because you need them, like them, love them, what?”

“What an odd question,” she said, taking the boot out of his hand. “Bob used to ask questions like that, but he still liked looking at me in those boots. They’re very special and they make me feel special. Isn’t that really enough?”

“I guess,” he said, “if you can afford it. I bet they’re expensive. They look expensive.” In fact, he thought, she looked expensive all over.

“I can afford it, Tom,” she said, laughing.

“Well,” he started, pushing over a suitcase to sit on the bed, “here’s a question, since I have absolutely no idea what it takes to make a beautiful woman like you feel special—how expensive?”

“You don’t really want to know,” she answered, folding away a scarf that he’d never seen.

“I do. I do want to know.”

She shook her head. “It’s really not something you’ll ever have to worry about. I never buy anything extravagant that I can’t completely afford.”

“Humor me,” he said. “I’m curious.”

She leveled her gaze on him. “Are you sure? Because I won’t tolerate you judging me. I can already tell you’re not interested in things like designer boots and coats and that’s fine with me. But I won’t have you judging me for trying to look beautiful and being willing to spend my own money to do so.”

He put his hand to his heart. “Absolutely not. I like you beautiful.”

She smiled very nicely. “Okay. They’re a lot. Over a thousand.”

He could be cool. After all, he’d been shot at—he wasn’t going to cave to a woman who spent a ridiculous amount of money on clothes. “Seriously? How much over?”

She took a breath. “I got a deal. Thirteen-hundred-seventy-five.”

He swallowed and let her have a small smile. “Quite the deal,” he said.

“I know,” she said. “It required some serious searching! I might’ve found some on eBay but I won’t have used! If I’m going to spend the money, they have to be new.”

“Absolutely,” he said. But inside he was thinking, insane. Except they were kind of fun to look at. He could think of ways they would be more fun… . “The pharmaceutical sales business must be good.”

“Oh, very. However, I did come into some money last year…” She dropped her gaze briefly and Tom nearly winced—Bob’s death. “I could’ve paid bills, but I thought I deserved a few special things…”

“Of course,” he said. “I’m sorry, I—”

“That’s so wonderful of you to understand. Most men don’t get it, what beautiful things mean to a woman.”

He ran the knuckle of his index finger along her soft cheek. “Well, Darla, I get it. I really do.”

A few minutes later, he carried the luggage out to the Cadillac. He held the driver’s door for her and rather than getting in, she stood just inside the door, put her arms around his neck, gave him a full body press and openmouthed kiss. She put a little tongue into it and moaned slightly with what he could only perceive as longing.

Like Pavlov’s dog, his arms went around her, pulled her in tight and bent to the task of doing that kiss justice. One hand slowly slid up her back until he was caressing the back of her neck, his thumb and forefinger moving in slow circles while he deepened the kiss. He thought about the fact that he should get back in the house so he could resuscitate Maxie before she went into full cardiac arrest, because she was certainly watching. But Maxie had had a full life… . He concentrated on the banquet before him and wondered why he hadn’t tasted this passion the day before or last night when they were alone, when they could’ve talked about taking this a bit further.

She pulled back slowly, rubbing a hand along his chest and giving him a very sweet smile, her lids lowered seductively.

He laughed almost uncomfortably. “Where was that kiss last night? I’d have been happy to pull off the road on the way home… .”

“We decided there was no rush,” she said. “But if you want to know what I think, I think this friendship has potential.”

“I know I’ll be checking my emails more often,” he said, lifting her chin for another kiss. But he kept it brief. As tempting as it was to linger, she was leaving and he didn’t feel like making out in the drive between the house and barn.

“Good. I’m sure I’ll see you soon. Please thank Maxie for me. She’s so wonderful.”

“Would you like to run inside and thank her yourself?” Tom asked.

“I said thank you this morning. And I must really be going. There’s an orientation this evening.”

“I’ll tell her,” Tom said. “How about a call later, just to let me know you made it safely.”

“Sure.” And she leaned in for a quick peck on the lips. “And thank you, Tom. I didn’t know it was going to be so wonderful.” And with that, she got in her car, executed a wide U-turn and drove away.

“Me, either,” he said to himself, scrubbing off his cap and running a hand through his short hair.

And then he followed on foot so he could close the gate behind her.

* * *

It had come as no surprise to Nora that Jed wanted to come back again as soon as she would allow another visit, and that he wanted to bring Susan. He stood at the door on another Sunday afternoon with another box of gifts. “This is getting almost predictable.”

“Oh, wait,” the woman beside him said with a smile. “Hi, I’m Susan and I’m so happy to meet you. Thanks for letting me be included. Watching Jed discover his family has been…” She sighed, closed her eyes briefly and said, “It’s a joy. It’s been his dream for so many years. He’s enjoyed my daughters and grandchildren, but this is a whole new thing. He’s in ecstasy!”

“Susan,” he said. “Don’t scare her. I’m not obsessed.”

Susan, a woman for whom glamour was obviously not a priority, just laughed. A woman in her fifties, she had chosen to let the gray hair in and wore no makeup. She was dressed in jeans, a T-shirt and wore a flannel shirt over it. Very plain, very down to earth, completely approachable. “He’s obsessed,” she confirmed. “But you don’t have to be afraid.”

Jed didn’t waste any time—he was down on the floor with his box of goodies. Curious Fay was there in a flash, crawling up to the box while Jed slowly removed toys and books. Berry was slower, but she edged near, sitting on the floor, keeping the box between herself and Jed.

“Can I get you something to drink, Susan?” Nora asked.

“Nothing, thanks. I just want to watch Jed. But we can both do that and talk. I wanted to know if you had a major picked out when you were in school. Did you have any ideas about what you wanted to study?”

Nora sat down on the sofa and Susan joined her there. “I thought maybe education, but I had no experience. And no idea why I was drawn to the idea.”

“But even if you didn’t have the details, you knew your dad was a teacher.”

She nodded. “And when I was little, I played teacher with the girl next door and the dolls. But that was all play… .”

“Don’t discount it too quickly,” she said. “I used to build villages as a child. I used flowers and toothpicks and rocks—anything at hand in the yard. Hollyhocks were my favorite people. But never dollhouses, always towns filled with people. I had great complex plays and adventures. My mother thought I’d be a playwright, my father thought I’d be an architect. Turns out I’m an anthropologist.” She laughed and Nora was so taken by how beautiful this plain, unfussy woman could be. Her eyes twinkled; her smile was alive with happiness. “I watched my daughters play and I guessed them right, but they were so obvious.”

“Huh?”

“Well, Lindsey was always undressing other children. She’s doing her residency in family practice. Melanie tried to diaper and breastfeed her dolls—she’s the one with three children and is a stay-at-home mom who still talks about college one day. We’ll see.”

“Holy cow. I’m going to have to watch how Berry and Fay play!”

“But what about you?” Susan asked. “What are you playing at these days?”

“I’m picking apples,” she said with a laugh.

“Do you like it?”

“It’s very hard, heavy, taxing work. And yes, I like it. More than that, I love being there, in the orchard. It feels…natural. Healthy. But I’m doing it because the hours and pay work for me.”

“Do you ever entertain the idea of going back to school?” Susan asked.

“Susan,” Jed said in a warning tone.

“He eavesdrops,” Susan said with a laugh. “But do you?”

“Not for a few years,” Nora admitted. “Why think about things you can’t possibly manage?”

“Well—”

“Susan,” Jed said in a pleading voice, cutting her off. He took a breath and looked at Nora. And while he did that, Fay crawled trustingly into his lap. “Nora, this conversation can wait, we barely know each other. And since these little girls are my granddaughters and I want them protected, I completely support your caution with anyone, including me. But what Susan is jumping into here is—that’s an option for you. If you want to go back to school, complete your education, you have opportunity at Stanford.”

“Jed,” Nora said with humor. “It’s not just tuition and books that stand in my way. I have a family to support. Even if you paid for school—”

“Most of my friends are married men and women with kids,” he said. “I know what’s involved. Housing, subsistence, child care, transportation—lots of expenses. I understand. But listen—you should be more sure of me, comfortable with your decision, clear on your goals. Personally, I don’t care—if school doesn’t interest you, maybe something else does. I just want to help.”

“Haven’t you helped enough?” Nora asked.

“I don’t think so,” he said. “For seventeen years I sent a check to Therese without knowing how it was used. That was at least fifty percent my fault—I should have found a way. But now? I want to give you the things I couldn’t give you while you were growing up. And there aren’t any strings attached.”

“Look out, Nora,” Susan said with laughter in her voice.

“Susan!” Jed said. And again, Susan laughed. “I brought a few things you obviously need,” Jed said. “Things that will make your life a little easier. I want to do these things just because you’re my daughter and these are my granddaughters.”

“What things? Like formula and diapers?”

“And a car,” Susan said.

“Oh, for the love of…” Jed rubbed his temples.

“It’s used,” Susan said. “It was mine—used by me and I took very good care of it. I put a lot of miles on it, but I pampered it. I was ready for a new car so Jed bought it from me rather than me trading it in. It’s a few years old, in pristine condition and it comes with car seats.” She smiled that lovely smile again. “My daughter knew exactly what kind to get and where to get them at the right price—she’s an expert on that. The other one is an expert at saying, ‘Put on this gown, please.’ See, we all have our special gifts!”

Nora was speechless. A car? No, this was too much. No matter what anyone said, there had to be strings. And she wasn’t ready… .