navigation system prompts and tried not to dwell on who might be waiting at his apartment.
Two minivans occupied the parking pad, and two women stood on the sidewalk while a handful of children chased each other on the grass.
“Friends. Wife.”
“They’re your friends’ wives? Sure as hell better not be yours.” She winced. “Oops.” She’d said that out loud, and he laughed until she grinned too. “You make me talk to myself.”
“Good. Eave-eave-eave-drop.” While she reversed to align the rental car tires with the curb, he pointed to the blonde carrying a winter-suited baby on her hip. “Kris-tin. Cap-tain wife.”
“Wait a sec.” She could parallel park on a rainy December night on First Hill in Seattle, but not at a flat curb with a passenger and two women staring in judgment.
“Jew. L.”
That sounded like two words, which couldn’t be right. “Jewel? She’s the other woman?” She cranked the wheel and tried to control her heartbeat, knowing they’d see if she checked her teeth in the mirror.
“Yes.” His grin was as big as the curves on the second woman. “Best bud. Wife.”
Once the car’s movement stopped, the kids swarmed the passenger side before Grace switched off the ignition.
Rey opened his door and levered himself upright. By now she was nearly used to the miracle, but the two women cheered and cried in a rush of hugs and cheek-to-cheek kisses. When the blonde passed her baby to Rey, the group’s love for him made Grace blink. The tight threesome on the grass surrounded by kids was his home.
Then Rey pulled her into the circle. “Grace Kim.” He hugged her, but she didn’t think he needed help with balance. Since it was too awkward to stand stiff under the weight of his arm, she slid closer to his hip and wrapped her own arm around his waist. Somehow being held tighter to him was more comfortable than standing alone.
“My husband told me what happened last April, how your life got hijacked by this brah’s boneheaded plan and that picture.” Jewel shook her head and smiled.
“You know?” She didn’t know whether to laugh or shrug, because she hadn’t thought of the concocted photo in months, except when she’d noticed it on his bulletin board. After she’d sent the smartphone, Rey had explained about the warlord’s daughter, but she didn’t realize he’d told other people about their false engagement. Other than Jenni, she hadn’t told anyone.
“Didn’t expect you to tolerate the man for this long,” Jewel continued.
“Ouch,” Rey said, covering his heart with his free hand. “Cold.”
“Uncle Cruz.” The biggest girl grabbed his hand. “Can we sit in your car? Please?”
“Here’s your keys.” Kristin tossed him a metal ring as he followed the kids to a garage. In a quieter aside, she said, “We want to thank you, Grace. You’ve been amazing for him.”
“I didn’t do anything special.” She hadn’t visited him a second time at Walter Reed, one of those good intentions swamped by summer cruises.
“You paid attention. Our husbands are overseas a lot, and we tried our best—” the blonde broke off to remove her earring from grasping little fingers.
“He told me about the packages you both sent.” Cookies and brownies, so she’d opted to stick with books and postcards.
Kristin jiggled the littlest child before she continued, “Is Cruz really letting you drive his 442 across the country?”
“His car’s that important?” What, was it gold-plated?
“Hoo-yeah, he calls it the Perfect Ten.” Jewel laughed. “Don’t be jealous, though. I think you’re the first woman older than eight to ride in those fancy vinyl seats.”
They talked while Rey and the kids horsed around, until everyone drooped with cold. Kristin swapped the baby to her other hip and fished in her pocket. “Rey!”
He pushed his chair toward them with the children stacked on the seat and each other’s laps like Russian nesting dolls.
“I left a
Two minivans occupied the parking pad, and two women stood on the sidewalk while a handful of children chased each other on the grass.
“Friends. Wife.”
“They’re your friends’ wives? Sure as hell better not be yours.” She winced. “Oops.” She’d said that out loud, and he laughed until she grinned too. “You make me talk to myself.”
“Good. Eave-eave-eave-drop.” While she reversed to align the rental car tires with the curb, he pointed to the blonde carrying a winter-suited baby on her hip. “Kris-tin. Cap-tain wife.”
“Wait a sec.” She could parallel park on a rainy December night on First Hill in Seattle, but not at a flat curb with a passenger and two women staring in judgment.
“Jew. L.”
That sounded like two words, which couldn’t be right. “Jewel? She’s the other woman?” She cranked the wheel and tried to control her heartbeat, knowing they’d see if she checked her teeth in the mirror.
“Yes.” His grin was as big as the curves on the second woman. “Best bud. Wife.”
Once the car’s movement stopped, the kids swarmed the passenger side before Grace switched off the ignition.
Rey opened his door and levered himself upright. By now she was nearly used to the miracle, but the two women cheered and cried in a rush of hugs and cheek-to-cheek kisses. When the blonde passed her baby to Rey, the group’s love for him made Grace blink. The tight threesome on the grass surrounded by kids was his home.
Then Rey pulled her into the circle. “Grace Kim.” He hugged her, but she didn’t think he needed help with balance. Since it was too awkward to stand stiff under the weight of his arm, she slid closer to his hip and wrapped her own arm around his waist. Somehow being held tighter to him was more comfortable than standing alone.
“My husband told me what happened last April, how your life got hijacked by this brah’s boneheaded plan and that picture.” Jewel shook her head and smiled.
“You know?” She didn’t know whether to laugh or shrug, because she hadn’t thought of the concocted photo in months, except when she’d noticed it on his bulletin board. After she’d sent the smartphone, Rey had explained about the warlord’s daughter, but she didn’t realize he’d told other people about their false engagement. Other than Jenni, she hadn’t told anyone.
“Didn’t expect you to tolerate the man for this long,” Jewel continued.
“Ouch,” Rey said, covering his heart with his free hand. “Cold.”
“Uncle Cruz.” The biggest girl grabbed his hand. “Can we sit in your car? Please?”
“Here’s your keys.” Kristin tossed him a metal ring as he followed the kids to a garage. In a quieter aside, she said, “We want to thank you, Grace. You’ve been amazing for him.”
“I didn’t do anything special.” She hadn’t visited him a second time at Walter Reed, one of those good intentions swamped by summer cruises.
“You paid attention. Our husbands are overseas a lot, and we tried our best—” the blonde broke off to remove her earring from grasping little fingers.
“He told me about the packages you both sent.” Cookies and brownies, so she’d opted to stick with books and postcards.
Kristin jiggled the littlest child before she continued, “Is Cruz really letting you drive his 442 across the country?”
“His car’s that important?” What, was it gold-plated?
“Hoo-yeah, he calls it the Perfect Ten.” Jewel laughed. “Don’t be jealous, though. I think you’re the first woman older than eight to ride in those fancy vinyl seats.”
They talked while Rey and the kids horsed around, until everyone drooped with cold. Kristin swapped the baby to her other hip and fished in her pocket. “Rey!”
He pushed his chair toward them with the children stacked on the seat and each other’s laps like Russian nesting dolls.
“I left a
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