A deep sigh took her shoulders down another notch. Oreo, the lonely dog next door, broke into his morning yelp. The owner, Mrs. Phillips, lived away more than she did at home, and the little guy just ached to love on someone. Amy knew the feeling.
“You know what?” Kassy said suddenly, her voice cheery. “It probably isn’t spam because there weren’t any links attached, right?”
Amy nodded. “Right. No, there were no links attached. But maybe he was waiting for me to reply to pelt me with spam links and sales pitches.”
“No,” Kassy breathed. “I’ve received enough spam messages to know the difference. Really. I’m starting to think that Jace was actually trying to reach out to you. He’s in California last I heard.”
Amy had caught wind of the same thing. The Burns brothers were a pretty popular topic among Red Cliff High graduates. Jace especially so since he and his team, one that included fellow classmate Logan Steel, had been presumed dead during a recent mission. But they’d survived after all, and become heroes of not only Red Cliff High, but the entire town.
The truth was, Jace had always been sort of a hero in Amy’s eyes. She’d seen the way he stood up for bullied classmates throughout school. He’d even gone up to his own friends to do so. Something she’d always admired. Something she’d considered, along with that missed kiss, when news hit that he might be dead.
“I bet he was planning to fly in to see his parents,” Kassy was saying, “and has been thinking about getting in touch with you.”
Stubborn hope tried to prick through the surface of Amy’s doubts. “So why would he erase all of them?”
“Maybe it felt awkward. Guys have ridiculous amounts of pride to satisfy. It’s a miracle they can get through a day.”
Amy grinned, but sighed once more as the smile fell off her face. She couldn’t help but think that was the very thing she’d wounded so many years ago—Jace’s pride. All by giving in to some nervous laugh a moment before he kissed her. And who knows, it might not have even ruined the moment had the partygoers not burst open the door right then.
“I guess I better help Daren get the boys ready. Does it feel premature to be meeting with their teachers already? We’ve still got three more weeks before school even starts.”
Amy considered the bawling fest her sister had given in to after taking the kids for their kindergarten immunizations. “They’re growing up so fast,” she’d whined through tears.
“I could’ve held them back a year, you know,” Kassy said, and Amy knew what would come next. “I still could…”
“But you won’t,” Amy assured. “Because they’re ready.”
“I know. It’s like they’re more excited about starting school than they were for our trip to Disneyland.Stinkers.”
“Yeah.” But Amy was already lost in her own thoughts. Of what it might be like to be married with twins. Her wonderful husband taking the day off work so he could attend doctor’s appointments and treat them to a trip toCone Toppersafterward, something Daren’s father had done for him back in the day.
“Coming!” Kassy hollered, the sound slightly muffled. “Okay, I’m heading back into the den of males. See you tomorrow for couple’s yoga.” The mere mention of tomorrow’s broadcast reminded Amy that she should try and do some stretches while running Dad’s shop today. She didn’t want to be too stiff to perform the exercises.
“Sounds good,” Amy said. “Love you.”
“Love you too.”
Amy rested her phone on the small, outdoor coffee table in time for the whining dog to catch her attention once more. Oreo, named with regard to the black and white stripe down the center of his face, was long in the body and stubby in the legs like most dachshunds. He was the main reason Henry and Willis liked coming to Aunt Amy’s so much. Mrs. Phillips, a seventy-eight-year-old real estate mogul, had given Amy permission to “borrow the furry guy” any time she wanted. Turned out her kids had bought her the dog ten years ago in hopes of encouraging her to settle down and retire already. Or at least stay in one state. It hadn’t. In fact, Mrs. Phillips planned to work until the day she died.
Amy stood and stretched, ready to give Oreo a little company, when her phone dinged with a new email alert. A brow lifted. Her heart skipped. And her hands shot for the phone so fast it nearly threw her off balance. She frantically made her way to the inbox and felt her eyes double in size.
Mybook Message from Jace Burns:Hey there, Amy. I just pulled into town, and I’d love to meet up with the star of Denver’s Best’s popular news show, Average Amy. You got time for an old friend?
She clickedon the link and went straight to her profile page on Mybook, wondering if the message would actually still be there this time.It was.A gasp pulled at her throat. An elated squeal came next. And soon she found she was jumping in place like the twins did when she told them they could play with Oreo.
With hurried breaths, Amy sank back into her spot on the porch and tapped out a reply.
I would love
I would love
“No, that’s dumb.”
Hi Jace!It’s good to hear from you. I thought maybe you were still deployed.
Hi Jace! It’s good to hear from you. I thought maybe you were still deployed.
“No, that’s a lie.”With the status Jace Burns had gained among locals, she’d had to have been dead not to know where he was now.
