Cary’s eyes were wide with pity. (It had been an ugly, bloody time to get a divorce. That much was obvious.)
Shiloh smiled tightly.
“Is Gus his full name?” he asked.
“Yes.”
Cary looked down, like he was trying not to laugh.
She elbowed him. “Don’t make fun of my child’s name. That’s so rude.”
“I’mnot.”He was still smiling with his mouth closed. “It’s just very you of you.”
“‘Gus’ is a good name.”
“So is ‘Juniper.’” Cary grinned. “You picked that one out in high school.”
“This isveryrude...”
He shook his head in denial, his eyes sparkling. “I like it. I like that you haven’t changed.”
She was affronted. “I’ve changed a lot!”
“No,” he said, “you’ve grown.”
“Oh,pffft,you don’t know, Cary...”
“I don’t know why you’re arguing with me. It’s a compliment.” He tilted his head. “HaveIchanged?”
Shiloh looked at him. Her eyes got soft. She shook her head.
Cary smiled wide again.
“But you’re still full of surprises,” she said.
“Sure—because I could have grown in an entirely different direction.”
“Yeah,” Shiloh said. “I guess so.”
Cary finished the slice of cake on his plate and set it down on the table. Then he sat back, holding his arm out. Shiloh leaned into him again, and he hugged her close. She could get used to this...
She was never going to get a chance to get used to this.
He tipped his head against hers. They were facing forward. Shiloh could see their reflection in the television. She watched them both get sad again.
All of their talking—and kissing—had helped them put their past in context. But it didn’t do anything for their future.
“I’ve got a sea deployment in March,” Cary said, reading her mind. That was in two months.
She turned her head to face him. “What’s that mean to a civilian?”
“It means I’ll literally be on the ocean for six months.”
“Six months? That’s solong.”
“It’s normal.”
“Normal is long.”
