She nodded, not knowing how to respond. She’d been so overcome at seeing Jerry again, she hadn’t picked up on what he’d said to Ernie the other day. Now it made sense.
“I’m not a runner,” he rushed to say. “I’m a manufacturer. But I work with all different kinds of men to make it work. That’s why I know Guillaume—I had no idea he was your stepfather. He insisted we call him the Frenchman. When we were first starting out, he sold us vehicles we use for our runs.”
For a moment, she was speechless. She was less surprised about Jerry’s confession than the news about Guillaume, but if the last three years had shown her anything, it was that everyone in this town was somehow involved in the booze business—even her stepfather.
“What a coincidence,” she finally said.
“Everyone’s making money these days, including him. All the fellas I hire were fighting overseas, and most of them came back broken. Our business has given them purpose and cash. I’m proud of that. It’s not quite the accounting job I was planning,” he admitted, “but it pays a lot better.” His smile faded, seeing her expression. “I’m sorry to spring this on you. I should have mentioned it earlier. I can see that it bothers you.”
“No, it’s not that. I don’t believe in Prohibition.”
It was the other side of the business that worried her. All she had to do was picture poor Sammy, with his jaw wired shut. She hadn’t thought about Ernie putting himself in harm’s way, she realized, but this was different. When it came to Jerry, she minded very much. She had worried about him at the Front, she’d worried about him in the years between, and she worried about him now. That was just the way it was between them. Didn’t he know that?
She looked up at him through her lashes, needing him to understand. “After all this time, I’ve only just found you. I’d like you to stay in one piece. I don’t always want to have to sew you up.”
He dropped his chin to his chest, taking that in, then he lifted his eyes to hers. “I’ll be careful, Adele. Especially now that I’ve found you. I’ll be fine. Besides, John would never let anyone come anywhere near me.”
She knew that to be true.
“I’m sorry if this put a damper on supper, but I had to tell you before…” It was his turn to flush. “Before anything happened between us.”
But something already had happened, long before they’d returned from the war. As much as Adele hated the thought of Jerry ever being in danger, it didn’t change her feelings toward him.
She reached out her hand and placed it over his. “Thank you for telling me. I should have known. Accountants don’t usually have so much dirt under their nails.”
Jerry chuckled, a warm, genuine sound that instantly evaporated any of the tension still between them.
“Now that we got that out of the way,” she said, digging into her ham, “tell me more.”
Bit by bit, they caught up on all that had happened since they’d last seen one another. Jerry told her how John was doing, with his ups and downs, then he spoke of his cousins, Walter and Charlie, who she thought sounded like good, loyal friends. She was glad to know he was surrounded by that kind of protection. Then he asked about her nursing friends, saying he remembered Hazel and Lillian, so she told him they were both happily married with children on the way.
“And your sister?” he asked. “She’d just had a baby when we met.”
“You have a very good memory,” she said. “Little Madeleine is almost three, and Marie just had a baby boy named Arthur. We don’t see them much, unfortunately. They’re nervous about coming to Windsor because of the amount of rum-running activity out here. Fred, her husband, has strong opinions about alcohol… and other things,” she said, thinking of his reaction to her nursing experience. “Marie wasn’t always so strict, but she’s joined the temperance movement now.”
“It must be hard not to see your family.”
“It is,” she admitted, leaning back as the waiter came to collect their empty dishes. “But I respect her decisions. We’ve taken the train up once or twice to see her, of course. I’m just disappointed that she doesn’t come out our way. It’s hard on my mother as well. I write to her, and I’vepromised she could leave the little ones with me so she could relax for a change. From her letters, she seems a bit worn out lately.”
“Dessert, mademoiselle?” the waiter asked.
“Oh, I couldn’t. I don’t think I could manage another bite.”
“Are you certain?” Jerry asked, and when she hesitated, he asked the waiter to bring the house special, with two forks. A moment later he returned with a large slice of bright white cake.
“Lemon-filled coconut cake,” the waiter announced.
“We can’t leave until you try this,” Jerry said, so she had a little taste.
It wasn’t long before they were down to the last bite. He insisted that she take it. As she did, she noticed the sun setting across the water, which meant it was about nine o’clock, she realized with disappointment. She had wished the night would never end.
She finished her last sip of wine and smiled at Jerry. “Thank you for tonight. It was wonderful.”
He tilted his head. “We’re just getting that warm summer night I was talking about earlier. Care to join me for a walk along the river?”
As they stepped outside, dusk was easing its royal blue mantel over the earth, bringing out the winking lights of warehouse lanterns on both sides of the river.
“It’s very pretty down here,” she said. “And it’s quiet. I think I expected more than a few boat engines and bullfrogs.”
