Page 42 of The Texas Hero's Homecoming

In big sweeping motions, she erased the board. “You weren’t prying,” she said, turning to face Nicole, the eraser still in her hand. “It’s just that I don’t know. Sam has been wonderful lately. He’s worked so hard. I just don’t understand why he’s doing all this for us.”

“I know he’s trying to decide his future. Where his place is in the civilian world.”

“Maybe that’s it.” But it was more personal than that to her. She wouldn’t have pulled off this festival without him, and she knew that now.

“You two have become… friends,” Nicole said.

She was thoughtful for a few long moments. “Yes, I do consider Sam my friend now.”

“I know Sam thinks a lot of you… and Manny.”

“He’s really been great to both of us. My father thinks of Sam as a second son.”

“That’s sweet. Sam’s a great guy.”

“Mind if I ask you a personal question then?”

“Sure.”

“What did you think of Hilary? Sam was pretty serious about her.”

“Honestly, I didn’t know her,” Nicole said. “Sam wasn’t forthcoming about his relationship with her. But he was pretty hurt when they broke up. I think he’s carrying it close to his heart now.”

It was pretty much what Sam had confided in her. She inhaled a deep breath and nodded. “Well, I guess I should get going. I’m excited to go home and see the progress the volunteers have made. It’s been eye-opening. I’m getting to know the guys.”

“Making new friends, are you?”

“Yeah, I think I am. They all have such unique stories. And every last one of them have told me they enjoy the work. Most of them stay the full day. It’s like they have a mission to carry out, and they aren’t going to quit until they see it done.”

“That’s awesome. A soldier’s mentality can’t be outdone.”

“I’m beginning to see that. Well, off I go.”

“Okay, I’ll put on my apron and see you at six tonight.”

“Bring an apron for Sam too,” she said grinning.

Nicole balked at that, her mouth quirking down. “Don’t think so. It would take a woman braver than I to accomplish that.”

“Bet ya I can get your brother to put on an apron.”

“You’re on, my friend. It’s a bet.”

*

At six p.m.,Nicole had the table set with all the baking tools necessary for the pumpkin pie making party and the assembly line at the Messina house was just beginning. Julie, Taylor, and Nicole were doing a great job with the pie crusts. It took a lot of patience, pinching the dough with butter in order to make the flakiest crust. Alicia was on batter duty, marrying the ingredients together in a large bowl and Autumn put Sam on rolling out the dough duty. She showed him how to use a rolling pin. “Here, just flour the rolling pin so the dough doesn’t stick and then place the palm of your hands on both ends of the pin. Roll in all directions equally. We’re going to need at least twenty crusts. Here, I’ll show you how. Takes quite a bit of strength.”

She took a handful of flour and tossed it toward the pin, purposely missing and hitting Sam in the chest. “Whoops. Sorry.”

Sam backed away from the table. “Sorry? Either you’re really bad aim, or you did that on purpose.”

He wiped the flour from his shirt.

“Hey, wait a minute. I have something for you,” she said. Autumn opened a cabinet and reached way in. “Yep, here it is.” She came out with a white cotton apron and handed it to him. “Here you go. Put this on.”

“I don’t need an apron, Autumn.”

She took it from his hands and unfolded it. “Sure you do. Don’t you remember this?”

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