"I'd like to hear it from them," he said.
He could almost feel her bristle. Maybe his words had emerged a little harsh. He didn't like this feeling. This uncertainty, as if he was on the brink of losing her and the kids all in one sweep.
"We saw you and Jilly hugging at the park," Casey said belligerently.
"So you decided to steal my cat?"
"They made a mistake." Jilly's voice was quiet, but firm. He had the sense that maybe she was giving the boys the evil eye. Some sort of nonverbal communication was happening, something he wasn't privy to.
And he didn't like it. What secret was she hiding? What else was going on with the boys?
"We really are sorry." The remorse in PJ's voice was genuine.
It was the sniff after he spoke, a sound Noah recognized, that hit where it hurt. That sniff meant the boy was trying not to cry. And Noah's anger deflated like helium from a balloon.
He passed one hand over his mouth and jaw. "I was really worried when I couldn't find her last night."
"She's back now," Casey said snidely.
It was all the apology he was going to get from Casey. And from a current shut-down teen to a former shut-down teen, it was enough.
Lindsey burst back into the conversation as if she couldn't wait one second longer to be the peacemaker.
"Jilly said the snow is perfect for sledding, and we've got some swimming floats she didn't use last summer. We're going to go tubing down the hill! Will you come with us, Noah? Please please please?"
The little girl's energy might have been contagious, but he'd lost his life raft and didn't know what direction to swim to get to shore. Did Jilly even want him to come?
He heard the rustle of the fabric, sensed Lindsey lean in to Jilly's side.
When she spoke, he could imagine the stubborn tilt of Jilly's chin. "We've taken up enough of Noah's time this morning."
Right. That was his answer right there. She didn't want him along.
"He's probably scared," Casey muttered.
Scared? Of sledding? How was he supposed to back down from a dare like that?
"Noah isn't scared of anything," Lindsey said resolutely. Oh, how wrong she was. "Betcha he could beatyouin a race, Casey."
The boy's stubborn defiance put Noah’s back up. "Did you know I've never been sledding on a swim tube, Linds? It sounds like fun."
Whatever competitive spirit had overtaken him, he instantly regretted the words. Wasn't he just setting himself up for more hurt by spending time with Jilly and the kids?
Whatever impulse had madeNoah agree to come sledding with them seemed to have worn off quickly. The dissonance was still there between them, and, with the kids present, she didn't know how to break the silence.
The perfect sledding hill wasn't far from the barn. Steep enough to get some speed and distance, but not too steep that climbing it was impossible.
Twenty minutes in, Jilly'd flown down twice with Lindsey in her lap. So far, Noah had been watching. After the boys raced once more down the hill and tumbled off of the rafts, Lindsey raced over to PJ and kept her hands around her mouth to whisper in his ear.
PJ grinned and then glanced Jilly’s way. "You and Noah should race!"
Noah frowned.
"I don't think that's a great idea," Jilly said.
"Come on. It'll be fun!" Lindsey chanted.
"Told ya he was chicken," Casey mumbled, loud enough that they all heard him. What was going on with that boy? She'd thought that the conversation last night had reassured him, but Casey was in an awful mood, despite the fact that it was a snow day.
