Angelica watched the interaction between the two struck by the tension that appeared. Was there more to that statement than appeared?
When the woman left, Angelica leaned forward so he could hear her, but so no one else in the diner could.
“Who was that?”
He looked after Mrs. Harper for a moment, then shrugged.
“She’s Alice’s mother.”
“And Alice is?”
“Was—my fiancée.”
Angelica blinked.
“What happened?”
He closed his menu, laid it near the edge of the table.
“She didn’t want to live in Smoky Hollow. Moved to Atlanta, found another man and got married.”
Angelica couldn’t believe another man could compete with Kirk.
“And you didn’t want to live in Atlanta?”
He shook his head.
“My granddad is here. My family’s been here for generations. I like it here, why would I want to live in a city when the forest and hills offer so much?”
“Did you love her?”
“What kind of question is that? Of course I did. I wouldn’t ask a woman to marry me that I didn’t love. Marriage is hard enough. Especially in my family.”
“Why especially in your family?”
“My granddad’s wife left when my dad was a kid. My own mother left when I was still a baby. And then Alice left. Not good odds, do you think?”
“All left because they didn’t want to live in Smoky Hollow?” she asked in disbelief.
He shook his head. The waitress came over to take their orders. When she’d left, Angelica leaned forward again.
“So why did they leave?”
“I don’t know the full story of my grandmother, but my granddad isn’t the easiest man in the world to get along with. She ran off to be an actress in Hollywood. Had a few two-bit parts that I know about and then nothing. No one knows what happened to her. She could still be living there or could have died years ago.”
“And your mother?”
“She decided she didn’t want to raise a child. She went to New Orleans where last I heard she’s part owner of a small restaurant near the Quarter.”
“You never see her?”
He shook his head.
“I looked her up a few years ago when I was traveling. But there was no instant bonding or strong family ties. She was a stranger and viewed me as one as well. She can cook, though. I had the best meal in a long time at that restaurant where she’s head chef as well as the part owner.”
“Your dad and grandfather never found other women to marry?”
“Once bitten, twice shy.”
