Page 97 of Clara Knows Best

And then he slapped her butt on his way out of the room, making her jump.

Just endorphins from his walk, she told herself.Football players do it to each other!

She knew she was still looking stunned when her father entered the room carrying his bride.

“Good morning, Clara,” her mother said cheerfully.

“That’s so cute,” Clara said mechanically.

“What’s the matter? You look weird,” her father said.

“Nothing,” she said faintly. “How’s the knee today, Mom?”

“Better than yesterday. Your father’s just being romantic.”

“Good. I made some coffee cake and that egg soufflé recipe of Aunt Liesl’s. Just in case the STEM kids are hungry.”

“You’re spoiling them,” her mother warned, as she was placed with great care in an armchair by the fireplace. “I’ll have to feed them from now on.”

“They always eat every crumb, no matter what I bring,” Clara explained, pouring two more cups of coffee and refilling her own. “How can I stop? I can’t.”

“I might need help,” Clara said abruptly.

She had bailed on the STEM club meeting before it was over because her mother’s armchair had been moved into the shop and Jesse had joined in, too. Now she and her father were on horseback, completing a thorough inspection of the perimeter of their property. She kept seeing prints from Jesse’s running shoes, and it didn’t look like he had walked the whole time.Hopefully he knew how hard he could push himself, but doctors were notoriously bad patients.

“What’s up?” the Colonel said, turning in his saddle to glance over her mount.

“I mean with Jesse.”

“Oh,” he said.

Oh.A wealth of meaning in that word. She didn’t doubt that he had always known about her crush on Jesse. She hadn’t been very subtle at nine years old and probably wasn’t doing much better this time around.

“He’s going to leave soon and I’m going to be an old maid, Dad!”

“Dramatic.”

She grinned, because it was true. “Don’t you ever want grandbabies?”

“Neutral about it.”

“No one’s neutral about babies. Can’t you help me? You’re the best strategizer in the world. How do I get him to fall in love with me?”

“Don’t have to,” he answered.

She considered this. “Do you mean—he will on his own? Or it’s a bad idea?”

“He will on his own.”

“What? Why? Why do you say that? Because you’re my dad and you think I’m perfect?”

“Princess, you’re the most high-maintenance woman I’ve ever met. A full-on nightmare to most men.”

“You made me this way!”

“I know. I like you.” After a pause he added, “Jesse does, too.”

She wanted to believe it, but she couldn’t afford to be optimistic. “He’s leaving in a few days.”

---