“I saw him at breakfast, so unless he left this afternoon, I imagine he’s here.”
“I’ll just eat up here then.”
“Has Julian said anything to you?” Angela asked. “Has he tried to talk to you after what happened?”
“Honestly, I don’t think he remembers. He was drinking alotthat night. More than me, for sure.”
It bothered Angela that Kiara was bearing the responsibility of that night when Julian was an equal participant in what had happened. He deserved to shoulder some of the stress that Kiara was under.
“You need to talk to him,” Angela said, inching over the line she’d been trying to toe over the past week.
“I will.” Kiara sighed, then turned to look outside. “Eventually.”
Knowing she wouldn’t get any more than that from her sister, Angela headed for the door. “I’ll get you the ginger ale before I go.”
“Thanks.”
Downstairs, Angela entered the kitchen, which was busy with dinner prep, and greeted Mrs. Stevens and her daughter, who were working together.
“I’m just getting Kiara some ginger ale. She’d like dinner up in her room again, if possible.”
“Is she not feeling any better?” Mrs. Stevens asked, concern in her voice.
“She’s been able to keep a bit more food down, but she’s still not feeling one hundred percent.”
People were going to suspect something more than just illness was at play if Kiara didn’t start acting like her old self soon. She might be forced to reveal the pregnancy before she was ready if she didn’t start to feel better.
After delivering the large glass of ginger ale with ice, Angela went back down to wait in the mudroom for Jude to arrive. It didn’t take long before the back door opened, and he stepped through it.
Angela smiled as she stepped into his arms. His jacket held a hint of the cold air and the scent of his cologne, which Angela loved.
Jude kissed her forehead, then asked, “Are you ready to go?”
“I am.”
As they walked out to his truck, Angela wondered if this might be the night they shared their first kiss. Jude often kissed her forehead or the top of her head, sometimes her cheek, but they’d never had a real kiss.
It would be her first kiss, and Angela couldn’t imagine sharing it with anyone but Jude.
“I’ve phoned the order in, so it should be ready for us to pick up,” Jude said as he put the truck in gear and guided it away from the house.
“I’m looking forward to the French fries,” Angela said. “They have such yummy ones.”
“And I like their burgers.”
They’d ordered from the restaurant before, so they had a good idea of what they liked.
“How was your day?” Jude asked as he waved at the guards at the gate.
“It was good. I finished a blanket for Annie to put in her shop. If it sells quickly, I’ll make more. But if it’s slow to sell, there’s no sense in wasting my time on more.”
“You could knit blankets to give to the NICU at the hospital in Coeur d’Alene. I read an article online somewhere about an NICU that had donations of handmade blankets that they would send home with the babies.”
“Oh, that’s a good idea,” Angela said. “I’m not looking to make money on them, but I’d like them to benefit someone somehow.”
It didn’t take long to get to the diner, and Jude left the truck running while he went in to get their food. Angela looked around curiously, as she always did when they came into Serenity.
One day, she wanted to explore the town. She understood why she couldn’t be seen out and about yet, but she hoped someday soon her presence in the community wouldn’t matter.
