“Nice to meet you,” Blake said, crossing the room and holding out his hand. “Now I see where Amanda gets her looks.”
“Oh.” Her mother shook his hand, a slight flush covering her cheeks. Amanda studied her mother, trying to see her from Blake’s perception. She had short blonde hair teased in the latest style, and her makeup was artfully applied. Though she had gained weight in the past few years, a careful choice of clothes, like the flowing yellow dress she wore today, minimized her size. She was, Amanda thought, a striking woman at fifty.
“Except for the eyes,” Blake added. “They’re blue instead of green.”
“My dad has green,” Kerrianne volunteered. “Manda and Tyler take after him. Of course, you won’t be seeing Tyler yet. He doesn’t come home from Bolivia until January.”
“Hey, Blake.” Mitch came around the table and shook his hand. “Good to see you again.”
Adam was right behind Mitch, offering his hand. “You look different without your uniform,” he commented.
Blake did look nice, Amanda noticed belatedly. He wore black dress slacks and a white dress shirt covered by a black and brown sweater with diamond designs, giving him the casual air of a successful businessman.
“Grandma,” Misty said, her voice annoyed. “Didn’t you hear me? I said I wanted Kevin to sit by me. We always eat together.”
Jessica looked from her children to her son-in-law and then to her grandchildren, becoming aware that everyone in the room seemed to know Blake and the children except for her.
“So, Blake, you decided to brave the lion’s den and eat with us,” Mitch said, seating himself at the table.
“Lion’s den?” Blake asked. “You got it all wrong. My kitchen is the lion’s den. At least the mess resembles it most days.”
“Kids have a way of making life interesting.” Adam strummed a chord on his guitar before placing it carefully up against the wall. Kerrianne put her hand in his and led him to a chair.
“This is certainly a beautiful house,” Blake commented, his eyes pausing on the thick crown molding surrounding the top of the wall where it met the high ceiling.
Mitch snorted. “It’s a palace compared to my apartment.”
Kerrianne laughed. “Or even compared to my house.”
“How long have you known Blake?” Jessica asked Amanda, picking up a fork and setting it closer to a plate.
“Yes,” Mitch said, leaning back in his chair lazily. “Tell us, Manda. How long have you known Blake?” His eyes glinted with amusement. Amanda knew all too well how happy he was that she had diverted their mother’s attention from his single status.
“Three weeks.” Amanda said, glaring at her brother. “Are we about ready to eat? I’m starving.”
Jessica tore her gaze from Blake. “As soon as your father gets here,” she said. “He’s in his office on the computer.”
Adam chuckled. “Another rare stamp is up for auction on eBay,” he explained. “He’s waiting to see if he wins the bid.”
“My father collects stamps,” Amanda explained unnecessarily. “He’s always holding us up.”
“That’s a relief.” Blake moved closer to her. “I was worried that you’d be waiting on me. We had a . . . a difficult morning.”
“It’s her teething, isn’t it?” Amanda asked, glancing at the baby in her arms. “Kevin doesn’t seem to have a cold.”
He nodded. “Yeah, it’s the teething—and something else you don’t mention when you’re about to eat. Plus, did you know Kevin’s a budding artist? My kitchen wall may need a new coat of paint.”
“Oh, no,” Amanda commiserated. “Well, at least the teething pains should be okay once the teeth break through.” She pulled up Mara’s lip and examined the upper gums in front where they looked redder than normal and slightly swollen. Blake leaned in to look with her, and Amanda could smell his now-familiar cologne. In fact, all her senses were suddenly working overtime. As she released Mara’s mouth, Blake took her hand, and for a brief, intense moment there was no one else in the room but the two of them. Amanda wet her lips nervously.
“Well, I . . .” Jessica eyed their linked hands with a helpless dismay Amanda thought was amusing—given the fact that her mother hadn’t stopped matchmaking for her since she’d left high school. “I—I should get your father.” She scanned everyone around the table. “Mitchell, you’d better have whatever it is poking its nose out of your pocket in some kind of cage before I get back. And wash your hands!” With a last despairing glance at Amanda, she fled the room.
“That went well,” Mitch said. “Kids, want to pet Hiccup?” he added, taking a gerbil from his shirt pocket. Cooing with excitement, the children scrambled to his side.
Adam went for his guitar. “I think they’ll be a minute. Let’s sing some songs.” When everyone murmured assent, Adam began playing a Christmas melody. Mara kicked to get down, and Amanda let her crawl on the carpeted floor to the other children, seated now around Adam’s chair.
“That guitar is his pride and joy,” Amanda whispered to Blake. “When he was younger, he was going to be a musician. Now he plays for fun. He makes up all sorts of love songs for Kerrianne—and she loves it.”
Blake raised an eyebrow at the way Kerrianne draped herself over the back of Adam’s chair as he played. “Maybe I should start playing an instrument if it gets that kind of result.”
“Maybe you should,” Amanda said, letting a sound of exasperation escape her throat. “You could work it in sometime after midnight when you’re finished with school. Or maybe squeeze it in every morning before you wake the kids to take them to Kerrianne’s.”
Too late Amanda realized her frustration was showing. Before she could apologize, his hand tightened on hers, and he led her into the kitchen around the wall that partially separated the two adjoining rooms.
“I know life is crazy right now,” he said in a low, intense voice, “but it won’t always be like this. I—I don’t know what else to say. Only, Amanda, I’ve never felt this way about a woman before. At night I lie awake worrying that we’ll miss our chance because of the chi—”
“Shhh.” She put her fingertips over his lips to stop the flow. “It’s okay. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—I know it’s a lot to deal with right now. It’s frustrating sometimes, but I honestly don’t mind.”
“I talked to Paula this morning.” Briefly, he described the call, his aunt’s reservations, and his own gut feeling of unease. “If Paula gets back the children, it would leave us more time, but . . .” He left the sentence unfinished, a pained look in his eyes.
“She won’t get them back. At least not until she’s ready. As for the children, I love their being with you. That’s not a . . . a problem for me in our relationship.” Amanda fell silent. How could she confess to a man she’d only known for three weeks that she wanted not only to be with him but that she wanted to be a mother to Kevin and Mara—children who weren’t even his? The idea that she could feel this way was insane. Her mother had every right to think she’d lost her mind.
Blake came closer. She lifted her face to his, fully expecting a brief peck on the cheek, but his lips found hers, gently at first and then with more pressure. Amanda found she didn’t want their kiss to end, never mind that her family was on the other side of the wall.
A gasp and a low clearing of the throat pulled them apart. “Mom, Dad,” Amanda said, trying to catch her breath. She didn’t look either of her parents in the eyes, focusing instead on Kerrianne’s new baby lying asleep in her father’s arms. “We didn’t hear you.”
“Obviously,” her father said dryly. Then he grinned his customary irrepressible grin that vaguely reminded Amanda of Blake’s smile. Big, balding, and blind without his thick glasses, her father hadn’t aged as well as her mother, but what he lacked in looks, he made up for in humor and friendliness. This was part of what made him so successful at the PR firm where he was a top executive.
“This is my father, Cameron Huntington,” Amanda sa
id, knowing her face must be bright red.
Cameron nodded. “That I am. And you there, mauling my daughter, must be Blake. My wife told me you were here.” His voice was deeper than expected when one first looked at him. It was a voice that inspired trust and reason. One that could sing, too—and not just the many lullabies Amanda had enjoyed as a child. Cameron was particularly good at hymns and had sung in the church choir for many years.
“Blake Simmons,” Blake confirmed, offering his hand. “Nice to meet you, Cameron.”
“You, too.” Cameron shifted baby Caleb to his other arm and shook Blake’s hand. “At least I think I’m glad,” he added, giving them a wink. With a hand on Blake’s shoulder, he led him into the dining room. Following them, Amanda sensed her mother’s eyes on her and began to feel guilty. She should have called to warn her, to explain the situation. For all Jessica’s eccentricities, she was a wonderful mother and didn’t deserve the worry.
“It’s about time, Dad,” Mitch said, looking up from the furry animal in his hands. “We could have used some help here setting up the table.”
“Hey,” Cameron hefted the baby, “I was doing my share watching little Caleb here.” Kerrianne reached for her baby, but Cameron waved her off. “Still my turn,” he said, sitting at the head of the table. “You can have him after the prayer when it’s time to dig in.” Amanda laughed with her family, knowing her father’s love for a good meal.
“Mitchell, I said out!” Jessica stared at the gerbil.
“Aw, Mom. He’s so cute.” Mitch’s words were echoed by Kevin and Misty. Even two-year-old Benjamin said, “Coot, coot.”
“You’ve been telling me that for twenty-three years,” Jessica said, “and my answer has always been the same. Not at the table. Now, children, to the bathroom to wash your hands. No, not you, Benjamin, I’ll clean yours at the kitchen sink. Hurry now, kids. Scrub hard. And Adam, since Grandpa here has his hands full, would you get the turkey from the warmer? It’s carved and ready to go.”
Amanda smiled as she watched her mother take charge. She’d always been the backbone of the family, getting all of them where they needed to go at the right time. Amanda picked up Mara. “Mom, do you still have that old high chair you used for Benjamin?”
Jessica’s face was impassive. “It’s in the storage room. Mitchell will go get it since he’s going to find a cage and wash his hands.”
Sighing loudly, Mitch left the room, mumbling something about “germ-frightened humans” to his furry friend. Amanda sat down at the table, still holding Mara. Blake settled in the seat beside her.
“So, did you get the stamp?” Adam asked, coming in from the kitchen with a huge platter of sliced turkey.
Cameron’s round face lost its grin. “Nah. A guy beat me out at the last minute. I was just about to put in a bid, but I couldn’t get it in quick enough.” His chin dipped toward the baby. “Had my hands kind of full.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll get the next one.” Adam took Benjamin from his grandmother. “I can wash his hands.”
“Ah, but this might have been once in a lifetime chance,” Cameron said wistfully.
“So’s holding that baby,” Blake put in with a grin. “I can see that just from the three and a half weeks I’ve had Mara. They grow and change so fast.”
Here it comes, Amanda thought.
“Only three weeks?” her mother asked. “Where was she before that?”
“I—you didn’t know?” Blake looked at Amanda, who gave him a sheepish grin.
“She wasn’t home when I called,” she explained.
Kerrianne burst out laughing. “Now I understand why Mom’s acting so weird! Mom, this is Blake, the guy I’m baby-sitting for. Kevin and Mara are his cousin’s children.”
Cameron boomed a laugh. “Oh, that’s funny! And we thought—” He broke off as Jessica placed a hand on his shoulder. “Well, never mind what we thought.”
“So you’re the repairman?” Jessica asked, relief in her voice.
Kerrianne slapped her leg. “You thought they were romantically involved, didn’t you?”
There was a sudden silence in the room. Then Cameron said, “Well, you usually are romantically involved when you start kissing in your parents’ house.”
Kerrianne’s eyes widened, and her mouth gaped open. “You were kissing? Kissing?”
“Well,” Amanda began.
“I never would have thought,” Kerrianne looked at Blake. “No offense, but she usually goes for the corporate type, you know what I mean? I guess she finally succumbed to your good looks.”
“I guess,” Blake said, looking uncomfortable. Amanda felt her heart sink. Over the past week, they had talked a lot about his frustrations at the repair shop, and she knew his job was a sore point with him.
“Well, he won’t always be a repairman,” she put in hastily. A glance at Blake revealed that she had said the wrong thing.
“It’s an honest job,” he said.
“I didn’t mean—”
“What she meant,” Adam said, coming from the kitchen with Benjamin, “is that after next month, Blake’ll have only one semester left before finishing his degree in business management.”
“That’s what I meant,” Amanda said with relief. “Though it wouldn’t matter to me if he stayed in repairs.” Even as she said it, she saw the question in Blake’s eyes. Would she really have been attracted to him if he hadn’t other ambitions? She couldn’t say. Maybe she wouldn’t have because then he wouldn’t be the Blake she had come to know.
“He’s graduating soon?” Kerrianne looked from one to the other, amazed. “Amanda, why didn’t you tell me? Or you, Blake?”
“It never came up,” Blake said, as Amanda shrugged.
“And Adam—you knew.” Kerrianne frowned at her husband, her hands on her hips.
“You didn’t?” Adam asked.
Mitch came into the dining room with the high chair, followed by Kevin and Misty. “What did I miss?” he asked. “You’re all staring at each other like something big happened.”
“Nothing,” Jessica said. “Did you get rid of that animal?”
“Yes, but you hurt her feelings, I’ll have you know.”
“Something did happen,” Kerrianne put in. “Blake is graduating in the spring in business management.”
Mitch arched a brow. “Cool. I’m impressed. Congratulations!”
“That’s not all,” Kerrianne said with the tone of one who has an important secret. “Amanda and Blake were kissing.”
Mitch shrugged. “About time.” When Kerrianne wasn’t looking, he winked at Amanda and gave her the thumbs-up signal.
Cameron laughed. “Let’s get this show on the road before I starve to death. Everybody, take your seats.”
Mitch set the high chair between Blake’s chair and the foot of the table where their mother would sit. Amanda passed Mara to Blake, who settled her in the chair. “Bk! Bk!” the baby said.
“She’s started saying my name,” Blake explained.
Amanda smiled, and she saw her mother’s face soften as she sat down next to Mara.
“Okay, this is how it works,” Cameron said. “You say one thing you’re grateful for before I say the blessing on the food. No long-windedness, please. The turkey is getting cold. I’ll start, and then we’ll go around the table to my right.”
“Benjamin, come sit by Mommy,” Kerrianne said to her son who was perched on the edge of Misty’s chair. “No, you can’t stay there. There’s a chair here between Mommy and Daddy. I’ll need to cut your meat.” Benjamin capitulated with good grace.
“I’m thankful for all of you, of course,” Cameron began, “and for the gospel. But today I’m also thankful for—”
“I thought we were supposed to be brief,” Mitch muttered.
A brief scowl crossed Cameron’s face, but he continued without response. “Today I am most thankful that the growth I went to the doctor for turned out to be benign so that I can be here to watch you all for m
any days to come.”
The jovial mood at once took a somber tone. Amanda could tell that neither of her siblings or her brother-in-law had heard this before, either.
“Misty, you’re next,” Cameron said. “What are you grateful for, child?”
“I’m grateful to come to see you and Grandma today. Okay, you go now, Kevin.”
Kevin, suddenly shy, looked to Amanda seated next to him. “Last night Kevin colored a picture of what he’s thankful for,” she said, holding up a drawing retrieved from her purse where he had put it the night before. The crayon scrawl showed a tall figure with two smaller ones. “He’s grateful to be with Blake.” She handed the picture to Blake, touched at the obvious wish in the boy’s heart.
“Your turn, Amanda,” her father said.
What should she say? The truth was that she was grateful for Blake, too—and the children. Her life had gone from rather ordinary to very exciting. But she couldn’t say that here. Her feelings for Blake were too deep and personal . . . and too new to share. “I’m probably most grateful for how well my job’s working out,” she said instead. “Many teachers have a more difficult time their first year.”
All eyes turned to Blake. “I’m very grateful to a fire in a stove,” he drawled, fixing his eyes on Amanda’s. She felt heat seep into her face.
“Well, what’s that supposed to mean?” Mitch grumbled good-naturedly. “Is it just me, or does a guy get a little education and start speaking in tongues?”
Continuing to look into each other’s eyes, Blake and Amanda ignored him.
At the foot of the table, Jessica cleared her throat. “My turn. I’m grateful Tyler’s almost home from his mission. I miss having all my children together.”
Next to her, Mitch straightened. “Well, I’m grateful I’ve changed my major to zoology and that most of my old credits will still count.” He smiled at Blake. “I was going to graduate in April like you, but now I’ll have to wait until the end of summer term—if I cram in a few extra classes.” A murmur of approval ran through the group.
Huntington Family Series Page 23