Page 66 of Love in Riverbend
Molly’s eyes are on me. “Do you see the dinosaurs?”
“The dinosaurs?” It hits me. “The museum. Have you been there?”
She nods quickly.
I’m transfixed by the way her hair looks down, so much like her mother’s.
Molly is talking a mile a minute. “…and we went to the lake. Its name is Michigan, but it’s in Illinois.”
I scoff. “Only parts of Lake Michigan are in Illinois.”
“Is it someplace else too?”
“Maybe you and I,” Randy says, “can look at a map later and figure this out.”
“Okay. I’m going to go tell Mom.” She gets down from her chair and goes toward the kitchen.
Watching her disappear through the archway, I say, “I’m blown away at how much she knows and wants to learn.”
“Yeah, she’s five,” Justin says.
My smile disappears. “I wish I’d known.”
“You know now,” Randy says.
Dessert and coffee stay friendly. When Kandace announces that it’s time for Molly to get ready for bed, I’m torn between one of the reasons I came here tonight and offering to help. My first choice is the latter. “Do you need help?”
Kandace shakes her head. “Not yet. Molly, tell Dax good night. Remember, he’s going to Chicago for a while.”
“But you’re coming back?”
“I am.”
“Good night,” she says as she waves her fingers.
Taking a deep breath, I look at Mr. Sheers. “Randy, could you and I take a walk?”
He nods as his gaze meets Bridget’s.
“I can join you,” Justin volunteers.
“No,” his mother interjects. “You’re on dishes duty with me.”
The sky is a kaleidoscope of colors as the sun settles toward the horizon, and Randy and I step out to the porch. He stuffs his hands deep into his jeans pockets as he rocks back on his heels. “I don’t expect you’re wanting a tour of the barns.”
“I wouldn’t mind a tour.”
Walking down the steps, I walk beside him. It’s not until we near the first pole barn that I get the courage to speak. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here for Kandace and Molly.”
“Water under the bridge.”
“I want you to know Kandace is the only woman I’ve ever loved.” I could go into details on how my personal life has been basically nonexistent since joining the law firm, but instead, I keep talking about her and the beautiful girl I just met and love. “I made a choice to concentrate on my career, and now I know it was wrong.”
“You’re saying you love her.”
“I am. I think I forgot or became distracted, but seeing her, talking to her, working with her at the store, I feel like I did as a kid. Kandace is real. This town is real. It’s not like this in Chicago. I want it all back, all that I walked away from.”
“Have you told Kandace?”
