“It’s so good to be outside again.” Jessa lifted the glass of ice cold water Amy had brought her and took a sip. “I miss my gardens and the sunshine.”
“It will all be worth it,” Lance said as he bent to press a kiss to the top of her head. “Wish we could share the bed rest.”
“I don’t know about Jessa,” Laurel said, “but I’d rather have shared the labor.”
The women laughed when the men looked pained. Amy wondered how Will felt hearing these jokes about pregnancy and delivery when his own experience had been anything butfunny.
“By the way,” Lance began as he returned to the barbeque to flip the steaks and hamburgers. “I invited Maura to join us.”
“Really?” Jessa exclaimed. “I didn’t know she was back.”
“Just got back yesterday, apparently.” Lance laid down the spatula that he’d been using to turn the meat. “Gareth wasn’t with her in church, so I’m not sure if he’s back or not. And it sounded like they were going to be leaving again in a week or so.”
Amy saw Jessa frown at her husband’s words. “I hate that they keep having problems.”
“I think they bring those problems on themselves,” Laurel commented. “I mean, they seem to thrive on their disagreements.”
Jessa sighed. “Yes, I know what you mean, but man, when they’re on the outs it’s miserable for all of their friends.”
Before anyone could say anything more, Maura appeared around the side of the manor, with a tall lanky man right behind her. Though Amy remembered Maura from previous visits, she didn’t recall having met her husband.
“Gareth, glad you could make it,” Lance said as he walked to greet them.
Maura moved quickly to where Jessa sat. “I couldn’t believe it this morning when Lance told me what had happened. Just let me know if you need anything.” She gave her friend a hug and then looked around to greet the others. When her gaze landed on Amy, there was a spark of curiosity. Maura glanced at Will then said, “So Will, you’ve finally got yourself a girlfriend?”
It took everything within Amy not to glance at Will. She smiled at Maura and shook her head. “I’m here to help Jessa for the summer.”
“That’s Amy. Josh’s sister,” Lance said. “She is generously giving up her summer to help us out around here.”
“Ah, sorry about that,” Maura said with a sheepish grin. She went to Will and gave him a hug and a pat on the cheek. “One of these days you’ll take my advice.”
“I guess stranger things have happened,” Will said with a slight lift of the corner of his mouth. It didn’t seem to be the first time they’d had a discussion over his relationship status.
Still, when Maura turned back to Amy, her gaze held a glint of curiosity. “I remember you now. You were one of Cami’s bridesmaids, right? Her maid of honor?”
Amy nodded. “Good memory.”
“It was the hair. You have the most beautiful multi-color curls. Is it for real?” Maura reached out and touched a strand where it lay on Amy’s shoulder.
“Yep. All my own.”
“Lucky duck. Just wait until you get to our age.” She motioned to Jessa. “Then we end up with multi-color hair we wish we didn’t have.”
Amy laughed, remembering now the quick wit of Jessa’s best friend. So far her husband sat in silence on a chair beside Matt. There didn’t seem to be tension between them, but Amy wasn’t familiar enough with them to know for sure. Since no little ones had shown up, she assumed they didn’t have any children.
When Lance asked for a platter for the meat, Amy turned to grab it from the table. As she looked up, she found Will’s gaze on her. She froze for a second but then glanced away as she handed the plate to Lance. She hadn’t been able to read anything in his expression and wasn’t sure what to make of it. She hoped he didn’t think that Maura’s comment had put any type of thoughts into her head where he was concerned. Been there. Done that. She wasn’t going back for round two when she’d be competing against a memory. God was going to have to put that one in neon lights—flashing ones—if He wanted her to consider Will as anything other than a friend.
As it turned out, the reason for Gareth’s absence fromchurch didn’t appear to have been because of a conflict with Maura. They sat together throughout the meal, and when Gareth slid his arm around her waist at one point, she didn’t pull away. At least it would be one less thing for Jessa to be concernedabout, because Amy was sure that she did worry about her best friend. Amy knew that she would have.
“Ready to go back upstairs?” Lance asked, once the meal was done, and they’d had some time to visit. Maura and Gareth had left already, and Laurel and Matt were rounding up their kids to leave as well.
“Not really, but I know I need to,” Jessa said with a sigh. “This was lovely.”
As Lance helped Jessa back into the manor, Amy began to gather up the few remaining things on the table.
“Here, let me help with that,” Will said when she turned to carry the tray into the house.
She hesitated then relinquished it to him. “Uh, thanks.”
