“Am I dating anyone?” Fiona said. “No.”
“Is there any chance that you might one day get back together with your ex-husband?” Wendell wanted to know.
“Yeah, Mom,” Jeremiah said before she could reply. “Maybe it’s time for you and Dad to reunite.”
“We can be one happy family again,” Jude said.
Hilarious. So much time had gone by that they could joke about it. The divorce hadnotbeen funny at the time. “How can I state strongly enough the impossibility of me ever reuniting with Felix . . . Let’s see. If he was the last man on Earth is a cliché.” She snapped her fingers. “How about this? If I had to choose between living on a remote island or reuniting with Felix and having access to spas—I’d choose the island.”
Burke looked like she’d handed him a gold bar.
Fiona glanced at Jude. After Felix broke her heart, Jude was the one who’d gotten her through the worst years of her life. At the time she’d been too proud and too lethargic to seek out a mental health expert. Which meant her depression hadn't been addressed, which meant Jude's high school years had been brutally hard.
“This cioppino is one of the most delicious things I’ve ever tasted,” Wendell announced. He’d butchered the pronunciation by calling itsee-oh-peeno. Her sons knew the correct way but neither corrected him.
“I’m so glad you’re enjoying it.”
“And I love this salad,” Burke added.
“And the bread’s wonderful, too,” Remy told her.
“I purchased it at Savory, that bakery you like.”
“Thank you.” Remy smiled at her.
Pleasure sparked inside Fiona. She was at a disadvantage with Remy because she did not like any of the things, other than Jeremiah, that Remy liked. Remy enjoyed carving wood, roughing it in a rustic cabin, and reading fantasy novels. It was good that Fiona had learned of Remy's affection for bread, because at least they had this to build on. Sourdough. Relationships had been built on less stable foundations than that.
“Can you tell us anything about your current case?” Jeremiah asked Jude. He posed this question at every family gathering.
“I can tell you that this case is an unusual one.”
“How so?” Fiona asked.
“I can't say. It's top-secret at this stage.”
“Nothing makes me want to know details more than when I’m told those details are top-secret,” Fiona stated.“Can you at least tell me whether or not the case is dangerous?”
Jude considered that for a moment. “It's not currently dangerous to me physically.”
Fiona cocked her head. “The way you phrased that makes me think the caseisdangerous to you in other ways. Care to tell us what those are?”
“I plead the Fifth.”
How curious. Was this case somehow emotionally dangerous? Mentally dangerous?
“I went through a time when I didn’t think my prayers were having any impact.” Wendell patted Marisol’s hand. “But look what God brought into my life. Now I suspect my prayers are all being carefully considered. I'll pray for you and your case, Jude.” Wendell closed his eyes. “Lord God.”
Oh? They were praying right here and now? Fiona shut one eye.
“Please protect Jude as he goes about his business for the FBI,” Wendell continued. “And, Lord, if I might be so bold, please bring love matches into the lives of Jude, Fiona, and Burke.”
A sound of displeasure stuck in Fiona's throat.
“In your time and in your way, Lord. May it be so. Thank you, God.” Wendell picked up his spoon and resumed eating.
“Now that Wendell's prayed for love matches for you three,” Jeremiah said with a grin, “your fate is set. Ready or not, you're all about to lose your heart.”
ChapterSeven
