A Man to Trust by Carrie Turansky Page A

kitchen. A few seconds later, he returned and stood by the end of the couch with a question in his eyes.
    Adrie lifted her finger, signaling him to wait. Her conversation with her mother was winding down, and she didn’t want him to leave yet.
    “Thanks for calling, Mom. It means a lot.” She smoothed the blanket over her legs, avoiding Ross’s gaze. “I love you. Tell Dad I love him, too.”
    “I will, honey. Take care of yourself. Let me know how you’re doing tomorrow.”
    “I will.” Adrie said goodbye, then tapped the screen to end their conversation.
    “Good call?” Ross asked, still standing by the end of the couch.
    She nodded, knowing her voice would betray her if she tried to speak.
    He watched her for a moment more. “Everything okay?”
    She pressed her lips tightly and nodded, then quickly shook her head as tears blurred her vision. There was no sense in trying to hide her tears from him. One thing she’d learned about Ross, he was too perceptive to be fooled by her denial.
    “Want to tell me about it?”
    “Not sure that’s a good idea.”
    “Why not?”
    “I’ll start crying if I do.”
    “It’s okay. I’m used to tears. I have two sisters.”
    She blotted her eyes with her tissue. “I’ll be okay. I’m just feeling a little homesick.”
    He sat on the love seat and settled back against the cushions, waiting for her to continue.
    “Sometimes it’s just really hard living halfway around the world from my family.”
    “I’m sure it is. Sounds like you have a good relationship with them in spite of that.”
    “Pretty good. We have our struggles,” she said, thinking of her father’s busy schedule and lack of communication. “I know they love me, and I love them. But the distance is tough, especially at times like this.”
    “You mean when you’re sick?”
    She nodded. “Or when I’m feeling stressed, or just not sure what’s happening next in life. Like now.” She sank back against her pillow. “I wish I could hop in the car and drive home for the weekend. Phone calls and email are a blessing, but it’s not the same as having a relaxed conversation with your family. I miss that so much.”
    “How long since you’ve seen them?”
    “They came out for my graduation and for my grandpa’s funeral. But it’s been almost two years since they were here.”
    “When was the last time you flew back to Kenya?”
    “Too long.” She swallowed. “Almost four years.”
    He slowly shook his head.
    “I may be an American, but I spent so many years in Kenya it will always feel like home to me.”
    “So you not only miss your family, you miss your life there. It’s part of who you are, and you’re still not totally used to being so far from home.”
    Her breath caught in her throat. “Yes. That’s exactly how I feel.”
    Sympathy pooled in his dark eyes. “I’m not sure how you do it—live so far away from the people who are so important to you.”
    She shrugged, trying to steel herself against the compassion in his voice. If she didn’t, she just might break down. “Everyone has struggles they have to face,” she said, forcing out the words.
    He watched her, his expression insightful and caring. “True, but that doesn’t mean yours aren’t painful.”
    “Yes, some days it’s still really difficult.” A tremor passed through her, and she released a deep breath. Speaking those words aloud felt like opening the window and letting a fresh breeze waft through.
    When was the last time she’d been so honest and opened her heart to someone like that?
    The few times she’d told Adam how much she missed her family, he’d tried to change the subject. He had never been comfortable talking about emotions, and he definitely didn’t know how to handle her tears.
    But Ross seemed to want to understand her thoughts and feelings.
    “I should get back to the store.” He rose from the love seat. “Are you going to be okay? Can I get you anything else?”
    “No, I’ll be fine.