She saw that the sparkle in his eyes was tears. She knew Jack had had a hard life and he’d never thought normal things would come to him.
Kate smiled until her skin seemed to crack. “Well...” she said slowly “...if you did ask me that question, I’d have to sayyes.” She saw him swallow and he blinked several times. She sat still, thinking he’d kiss her, but he didn’t.
“Scallops,” he said. “Sara loves them. I think I’ll get some steaks too. What do you want?”
Kate quit smiling. “What do you think I want?”
Jack didn’t say anything, just got out of the truck, shut the door, then went around to her side, opened her door, held out his hand, and waited for her to take it. He looked at her hand for a moment, then into her eyes. “I love you.” He let out his breath. “I’ve never said that to anyone who isn’t a relative. I love you, Kate Medlar. With all my heart and soul, I love you. And I will forever.”
“And I love you,” she said. “I didn’t know how much until you weren’t near me every day.”
He nodded, as though the deal had been sealed. But he still didn’t kiss her, just held on to her hand tightly, and they walked into the grocery store together.
When they were choosing avocados, Kate suggested that they tell no one about the changes between them. “Not yet.”
Jack agreed. He said he didn’t look forward to all the “speculation about the future.”
Kate knew what he was really saying. How did they tell Sara that the inevitable was going to happen? Kate and Jack were going to move into their own home. Sara would be left alone in her huge house where they’d all lived together in such harmony.
In spite of the problems facing them, it was two very happy people who bought way too much food.
Four
When Jack and Kate walked into the house, laden with grocery bags, they were quite cheerful as they greeted Sara and Randal. Kate told a cute story about buying the big prawns, and Jack remarked on the four salads they’d bought.
They were so easygoing and pleasant that the older duo stared at them, their faces wearing identical looks of concentration. They were trying to figure out what was going on.
Glad they’d kept their private business to themselves, Jack and Kate went into the kitchen to put things away.
Randal looked at his sister, his eyebrows raised in question.
“Fridge,” was all Sara said.
Randal gave a quick nod and followed the two young people, then got four crystal flutes out of a cabinet, removed the bottle of champagne from the refrigerator, and opened it.
By the time he was pouring, Jack and Kate had stopped moving and were looking at them in shock. “How did you know?” Jack asked.
Randal and Sara smiled as they handed out full glasses.
“How could we not know?” she said.
“To the future,” Randal said. “Wherever it may lead.”
“I want at least three of them,” Sara said under her breath to Kate. She didn’t have to explain what she meant. Three kids.
“I think it’s too early to—” Kate began, but everyone drank to the toast and she didn’t finish.
When their glasses were empty, Randal refilled them—and they fell into what had become a well-practiced routine. They gathered food and took it outside to the grill on the big patio. By silent agreement, the older two did not bombard the younger ones with questions about when and where and how. That would come later.
It was when the table was filled with food that Sara said, “We have decisions to make.”
“Yes, we do,” Kate said. “Do you think we could hire Lachlan House for the ceremony? I didn’t show you the ballroom but it would be wonderful for...”
Jack took her hand in his. Sara and Randal were looking at her.
“Oh,” Kate said. “You mean murder. The skeleton. Blackmail. Sorry. For a moment, I forgot about that.”
“Understandable.” Sara smiled fondly. “But yes, I’ll get Lachlan House for you.”
