“Wasn’t that sweet of her?” Mrs. Johnson said with a big smile. “Girls, shall we make a blueberry pie?”
That got a huge reaction, even from Mari, the quiet one. He could already see that they were both good kids and nice with each other. Jillian was doing a great job.
And it was sweet to see the Johnsons with family all around them again. Coach looked ten years younger, andMrs. Johnson’s smile was radiant. This was a good thing Jillian was doing, coming home.
He put the blueberries in the fridge, which was practically bursting at the seams with Jillian stocking it now too. They should probably start coordinating on what to buy.
Tripp poured coffee for everyone who wanted it, and after a little more hustle and bustle, they were all seated around the table.
Coach said a blessing, and then the table burst into happy chatter. The plate of bacon and the bowl of eggs were passed around, and the girls were proud to offer everyone toast with jam and butter.
“Delicious,” Tripp declared, taking another big bite of toast.
When he looked up, the girls were grinning at him. Jillian looked pleased too.
His heart thundered in his chest at her half-smile. She was glad he was here, and she clearly didn’t mind him being around her girls.
“So, Mari and Posey,” Mrs. Johnson said. “You two will make a pie with me after breakfast?”
“Yes,” Mari said happily.
“Tripp, do you want to water Great-Gram’s ferns with me first?” Posey asked hopefully, mischief dancing in her eyes.
“I’d better not,” he said, chuckling. “I’m planning on staying dry today.”
“I won’t get youtoowet,” she teased, cracking up.
“Not this time, huh?” he teased right back. “You’re all finishedwashing me off?”
She was giggling too hard to answer.
“This isthat guy?” Mari asked her sister, her eyes lighting up.
“Yes,” Posey said. “I got him with the hose, and he was pretending to take ashower.”
Coach chuckled and Mrs. Johnson shook her head, as if to sayTripp will be Tripp.
And suddenly, Tripp felt like he was the man from that myth, the one at the bottom of the mountain, pushing up a rock over and over again and never getting anywhere. No one in this town would ever see him as anything but a giant man-child.
He focused on his meal, cleaning his plate and letting the conversation at the table flow around him.
Before long, everyone was finished and they all carried their plates to the sink.
“Go on, son,” Coach said quietly. “Let Jillian show you around. Maude and I are going to bake with the girls.”
“Is this really okay with you?” Tripp asked, suddenly feeling how much he didn’t want to hurt or disrespect the man who had been like a second father to him.
“Sure it is,” Coach said, clapping him on the back. “It’ll make Jillian happy, and all I want is to see her smiling again.”
Coach headed back to the sink to help his wife with the plates, and Tripp was left to wonder about the odd note in Coach’s voice when he said he wanted to see Jillian smiling again.
He did just mean he wanted her happy in her new home, right? Not for some other reason?
But Jillian was headed Tripp’s way, and there wasnothing for him to do but let her show him the place like coach wanted.
“Ready?” she asked.
“Definitely,” he told her.
