Gramps huffed, as if Joey’s answer had come too late and wasn’t good enough. She was used to him, so she turned her attention back to Adam.
“Yeah, Roo is my nickname,” she said. “You know, like a joey is a baby kangaroo.”
“Is Joey your full name?” Adam stood from the couch, and in any other circumstance, Joey felt certain that he would have drawn her into his arms in that moment. As it was, his normally graceful, elegant movement stuttered, and he sidestepped her instead of touching her.
“My name is Joelle,” she said.
“So you have two nicknames,” he said, as he went past her to help Gramps sit. While Joey marveled at the attention to detail Adam had, he brought over salt and pepper shakers, and then asked Grams if she needed anything else.
“Just the crock, dear,” she said, practically beaming light out of every pore. “It’s too heavy for me.” She looked to the living room, where Joey still stood as if watching a movie of her life play out in front of her.
That crock wasnottoo heavy for Grams. She’d gotten it out of the lower cupboard that morning, so that Joey could even make tonight’s dinner. Grams smiled and gestured quietly for Joey to come join them.
She did, pausing at Gramps’ side and asking, “You got everything, Gramps?”
“Yes,” he whispered, and Joey sat down.
Adam put the crock on the table, surveyed everyone, and frowned. “What else?”
“Nothing,” Joey said, giving him a quick smile. “Sit down.”
He did, flashing her a quick look before he smiled at her grandparents. “Thank you so much for having me,” he said. “I can’t remember the last time I ate something homemade.” He laughed and added, “Probably when I was out at Rising Sun, and Codi fed me.”
Joey smiled too, because Adam sure seemed to know how to break the ice and make things less tense. He could play the part of relaxed, easygoing dinner attendee, but Joey thought he just absorbed all the tension and held it in his own body to be released later—or not at all.
“Was that recently?” Grams asked, and she picked up the tongs and started putting salad on her plate.
“Oh no,” Adam said. “This was a few months ago. Bryce said she doesn’t get around nearly as easily these days as she used to.”
Gramps looked over to Grams. “We need to get out there, Jerry.”
“And do what?” he asked. “We can’t move around and do farm work either.”
“I most certainly can do something,” Cecily said. “And you can keep Bryce company in the stables while he feeds the horses.” She nodded like that was set. “We’ll go tomorrow.”
Joey watched Gramps, who certainly didn’t want to go up to Dog Valley and Bryce’s ranch tomorrow, but he’d do whatever Grandma told him to do, Joey knew that.
Grams put down the salad bowl and looked at Joey. “Let’s say grace.”
Joey had not made a move toward any food, and neither had anyone besides Grams, so she simply smiled and reached for her grandfather’s hand on her left, and then Adam’s on her right. He looked like he didn’t quite know what to do, but he managed. The last thing Joey saw before she bowed her head was him dropping his.
“Dear Lord,” Grams said in her sweet, elderly voice. “We’re so grateful for another good harvest season. We’re grateful for mountains and the wide open sky and a good crisp air to breathe. We’re grateful for our family and that we have enough to eat and that we have a warm place to sleep as this upcoming winter approaches. Bless those who stand in need that they will receive Thy bounty. Amen.”
“Amen,” Joey whispered, and she quickly pulled her hands back to herself. Then, she half-stood and picked up Gramps’ plate to get him some noodles. She dished them up for everyone, even Adam, while he took charge of dishing out the Italian chicken Alfredo, which went over the top of the noodles.
Joey had made this multiple times in her life, and it was nothing special. It was easy and fast, and everyone loved it because it was creamy and salty and came with pasta.
“I’ve never had anything like this before,” Adam said as he lifted his first forkful to his mouth. He took the bite, and his eyes widened and then rolled back in his head. He moaned in the most unprofessional way Joey had ever heard, which caused her to laugh.
“Holy cow,” he said around his mouthful of creamy and salty chicken and noodles. “This is the best thing I’ve ever eaten.” He scooped up another bite, a big one, and put the whole thing in his mouth.
Joey couldn’t help feeling like a million bucks because of his praise, and her face heated as she watched him enjoy her food. Then she looked over to her grandmother.
Oh, no. Grams had seen something there, for she now wore a smile that looked like the cat had eaten the canary.
“So,” she said, her voice higher-pitched than usual. “What’s going on with you two?”
Adam choked on his enormous bite of chicken and pasta while Joey’s face doubled in temperature. “Grams,” she muttered. She shook her head. “What is with you and Gramps asking embarrassing questions right in front of Adam?”
