Page 8

There was a long, awkward silence. Jack showed no signs of going away. For a moment, he caught Constance’s eye. There was that unsettling look again. Well, she wasn’t going to let Jack ruin all the progress she made with Doug.

Looping her arm through Doug’s, she said, “We really should get over to the cookie table. Doug and I promised to help out.” They hadn’t, but Constance needed a way out of this awkward exchange. Doug raised an eyebrow but went along with it.

“Of course,” Jack said with a tight smile. “Talk to you later, Doug. I’m sure we’ll find something we can do together.”

“Sure thing, Jack,” Doug said, as Constance pulled him away.

It turned out Amelia had the cookie table fully under control, but she asked Doug and Constance to go get the next tray from the church kitchen.

As soon as they were alone, walking through the halls of the church, Doug said, “That was an odd conversation. I wonder why Jack is suddenly interested in being friends.”

“Very odd,” Constance agreed, still wondering what on earth got into Jack. If he wanted Doug’s help with his flight school, he was going to need to be more cordial.

“We’ve always been friendly enough but for some reason we’ve been in separate orbits.”

They arrived in the kitchen, and Constance turned to face him, trying out another of her long looks. There was that fizzy feeling again. He really did have nice eyes.

His lips parted, and his head tilted infinitesimally forward. He reached out for her hand and pulled her closer, as if in a trance.

Was he going to kiss her at last?

“You know,” he said when they were inches apart. “I was wondering if Jack might be jealous that I was here with you.”

If only he knew how laughable that was.

“Jack jealous? That’s ridiculous. We’re old childhood friends. He thinks of me as his kid sister. Always has.” And it had broken her heart once upon a time, but she’d put that in the past. They were friends now. That was all.

Doug was still so close. All he had to do was lean in and their lips would touch, but he didn’t move.

“Constance, I want to kiss you.”

Finally!

“I want to kiss you too.” She leaned in a little bit farther and raised her lips, looking deep into his eyes.

At long last, he closed the distance. His lips brushed against hers. It was a feather light touch, sending tingles down her spine. And then he backed away. Her first proper kiss from a man. That time she kissed Jimmy Russell on a dare in high school didn’t count. It was wet and sloppy and nothing at all like this. But wasn’t there supposed to be more to it?

“I’ve wanted to do that for a long time,” Doug said, brushing his thumb across the back of her hand and looking at her intently.

Constance smiled. “I’m glad you did.”

“We should get back with that cookie tray before Amelia starts to wonder what we’re up to,” he said, his face adorably pink.

Her cheeks heated even though they’d done nothing to be ashamed of. It was only a tiny kiss. And they had been seeing each other for quite some time. She was slightly embarrassed it happened in church. At least it was the kitchen, not the sanctuary.

Doug picked up the tray, and she followed behind. When they got to the cookie table, Constance looked around. No sign of Jack. Well, that was probably for the best. He was behaving so strangely. On their next drive together, she’d have to ask him what that was all about.

And she’d have to tell him how successful she’d been following his advice. Simple things really did make such a big difference. The plan was working. At this rate, she’d have a proposal in no time.

4

It was six in the morning on Tuesday, and the rain spattering against the windows matched Jack’s mood. As usual, he sat alone in the dining room at the head of a table that seated eight. The tick of the grandfather clock annoyed him, so he put a Ted Lewis album on the phonograph just to have some noise.

Most days, he didn’t mind living alone, but sometimes it got to him. The three-story brownstone was built for a family, and he rattled around in it like a pebble in a shoebox. Growing up, they had a full house—Mom and Pop, Grammie and Gramps, and his older sister, Celia. But then Grammie and Gramps passed away. Celia got married and moved to Topeka. And now Mom and Pop lived in Florida. Leaving him. And an empty house just waiting for a family to fill it up.

It made sense at first. He was engaged to Myrtle. With Mom and Pop moving to Florida, they could settle in together and start a family of their own.

Ha! A family with Myrtle. What an idiot he’d been!