Page 51 of The Coffee Bar on Camellia Court

Juno lifted her mug. "Got a head start. There's not much left to do, so grab a cup if you'd like." She slid off the stool, grateful for the distraction. "We have a new custodial helper starting tomorrow, by the way. He'll be working mornings after the rush."

Trevor raised an eyebrow, his smile broadening. "Cool. Extra help is always good."

"Thought you'd appreciate the news." Trevor hated to clean the bathrooms, especially the men's. On many occasions, he'd ranted over how disgusting guys could be, not caring that he was decrying his own.

Sunday customers began trickling in—families fresh from church, couples out for afternoon strolls, teens seeking air-conditioned refuge.

As she fell into the familiar rhythm of taking and filling orders, Juno found her anxiety gradually ebbing. This was her domain, her success, built with her own hands and determination. Whatever happened with her father, she would survive it. She'd survived his absence; she would survive his presence.

22

Alex

Alexadjustedtherearviewmirror for the fourth time, catching a glimpse of Lena in the back seat. She sat perfectly still, hands folded in her lap, the picture of nervous anticipation. She had carefully brushed her hair and slipped a headband on to keep it back from her face, and she wore a pale blue sundress they'd picked out together from the closet of clothes she'd brought with her. The blue matched her eyes—Jason's eyes—and Alex wondered if his mother would notice.

"You okay back there, Lena-bug?" he asked, keeping his tone light.

She nodded, though her small fingers twisted the fabric of her dress. "What if they don't like me?"

"That's not possible," he assured her. "They're going to love you. They already do, and they haven't even met you yet."

"How can they love me if they don't know me?" Her brow furrowed with honest confusion.

Alex considered his answer carefully. "Because you're a part of me, and they love me. And because you're a part of Jason—my brother, your uncle, and their son—and they loved him very much."

"The one who died?" Her voice was small.

"Yes." Alex nodded. She'd asked about the photo of him and Jason he had on his bedroom wall, and they'd talked about her longing for a sibling, and how sad it was that Jason had died before she got to meet him.

Then she brightened. "Will your dog be there?"

The abrupt change of subject made Alex grin. "Ralphy? You bet. He's really my mom's dog. Your grandma's dog."

He heard her whisper in the back seat, like she was tasting the words. "My grandma."

"He'll love you, too, Lena-bug."

She wiggled in her seat, excitement replacing nervousness. "What kind is he?"

"A golden retriever. He's getting old, but he still loves to play fetch."

As they rounded the final curve of the lakeside road that led to his parents' house, Alex felt his own stomach tighten with nerves. He hadn't visited in weeks, making excuses about being busy with work. He hadn't even told them about his mishap until today when he'd spoken to them on the phone, and that was only because he didn't want them to worry when he showed up with the boot on. The truth was more complicated. Things had been hard between them for a long time now. It was hard enough to lose Jason, but then he'd gone off the deep end, too. And even though he'd been clean for all these years—not counting Friday night, he reminded himself with a grimace—Alex still carried the burden of having dragged them through the gutter with him.

Today, however, he was showing up on their doorstep with something good that had come out of that tumultuous time. Something precious. Someoneprecious.

The Frampton home sat on a generous lot with a sloping lawn that led down to the lake. It was a two-story colonial, white with blue shutters, surrounded by mature maples that provided dappled shade. As Alex pulled into the circular driveway, the front door opened, and his parents stepped onto the porch.

Dwight Frampton was tall and lean, with the same sandy hair as Alex, though now it was streaked with silver. Roxanne had a trim figure and carefully styled blonde hair. They stood side by side, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and barely contained emotion.

"Here we go," Alex murmured, putting the truck in park.

By the time he'd helped Lena out of the back seat, Ralphy had bounded across the lawn to greet them, his tail wagging furiously. Lena's initial hesitation melted away as the golden retriever approached, more interested in making friends than maintaining any semblance of dignity.

"Is it okay if I pet him?" she asked, already reaching out.

"Absolutely," Alex assured her. "He loves kids."

As Lena knelt to ruffle Ralphy's fur, Alex looked up to see his parents approaching. His mother's steps faltered slightly at the sight of Lena, her hand rising to her throat.

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