feel more alone than I thought I would. I just want to know where I came from.” Campbell tried to maintain her composure, aware that the others weren’t too far out of earshot.
“Hon, I just don’t want you to get hurt. Going off on a wild goose chase, trying to find a father and unearth all of your mom’s secrets—it’s just not a good idea.”
Campbell heard the concern in Tilly’s voice. Should she try to reason with her? To explain Mom
had
planned to tell her everything—she just ran out of time?
“Tilly, she didn’t tell you, did she?”
“No, Campbell. And I never asked.” She paused. “Call the lawyer, okay? Then get home where you belong.”
She hung up, Tilly’s last words ringing in her ears. Home. Where she belonged.
But without Mom, it didn’t feel like either of those things anymore.
Was she crazy to hunt for a father she’d never known? A man who had quite possibly never wanted her? Was the search a bad idea?
But Jane and Lila wouldn’t be in Sweethaven forever. This was her one chance to find out what she could, to hopefully find her father.
“Dinner, hon.”
Campbell hadn’t seen Adele pop her head around the corner. She startled at the sound of her voice.
“You okay?”
Campbell nodded.
“We’re going to eat outside on the patio. You mind helping me carry a few things?”
“Not at all.” She followed Adele into the kitchen, thankful for the distraction.
“I sent them all outside because they were eavesdroppin’ on your conversation.” She laughed, but when she saw Campbell’s expression, she quieted. “Everything okay?”
“It’s fine,” she said, forcing a smile. “It smells wonderful.”
“Thank you, darlin’.” Adele handed Campbell a bowl of fresh fruit. “I’ll follow you out with the rest.”
Greenery and potted plants surrounded a long rectangular table on a flagstone patio out back. Mugsy perked up when Campbell popped the door open but quickly lay back down, disinterested. Luke sat on one side of the table, Jane and Lila on the other. Only two places remained. One next to Luke and one at the head of the table.
And she couldn’t sit at the head of the table.
She set the bowl beside a platter of pork chops and potatoes. Two different cobblers rounded out the meal. Luke pulled the chair away from the table so she could sit.
“What a gentleman,” Lila said, eyes on Luke. “Your mama taught you right.”
“She sure did.” Adele walked out of the house, another platter in her arms. She set it down and took her seat at the end of the table.
“She’s gonna cry,” Luke said.
She swatted his arm. “I am not.” Her voice caught as she spoke the words. “All right, maybe I am, but I’m entitled to a few tears having these girls at my table.” She turned to Luke. “You’re just lucky we let you stay.” She laughed as she stretched her hands toward Luke and Lila, sitting on either side of her. “Can we bless the food?”
Luke took his mom’s hand and then held an upturned hand inCampbell’s direction. She looked at it and then quietly slid her own hand in his. His long fingers wrapped around her hand, warming her from the inside out. She tried to focus on Adele’s prayer rather than the way Luke’s touch sent her insides whirling. No sense being sacrilegious on top of everything else.
“Lord, I thank You for these children who’ve all come back home,” Adele said.
Campbell bowed her head and stared at her empty plate. Luke’s thumb ran over the top of her hand, breaking her concentration.
“I am so blessed to see them again, and my prayer is that they all find what it is they’re looking for here in Sweethaven. Bless this food and help us to always be thankful to the One who provided it for us. In Your name we ask it. Amen.”
The others echoed with their own “Amen,” and Jane let go of Campbell’s right hand. Luke squeezed twice before releasing her left hand. She glanced at him, keenly aware of the absence of his
“Hon, I just don’t want you to get hurt. Going off on a wild goose chase, trying to find a father and unearth all of your mom’s secrets—it’s just not a good idea.”
Campbell heard the concern in Tilly’s voice. Should she try to reason with her? To explain Mom
had
planned to tell her everything—she just ran out of time?
“Tilly, she didn’t tell you, did she?”
“No, Campbell. And I never asked.” She paused. “Call the lawyer, okay? Then get home where you belong.”
She hung up, Tilly’s last words ringing in her ears. Home. Where she belonged.
But without Mom, it didn’t feel like either of those things anymore.
Was she crazy to hunt for a father she’d never known? A man who had quite possibly never wanted her? Was the search a bad idea?
But Jane and Lila wouldn’t be in Sweethaven forever. This was her one chance to find out what she could, to hopefully find her father.
“Dinner, hon.”
Campbell hadn’t seen Adele pop her head around the corner. She startled at the sound of her voice.
“You okay?”
Campbell nodded.
“We’re going to eat outside on the patio. You mind helping me carry a few things?”
“Not at all.” She followed Adele into the kitchen, thankful for the distraction.
“I sent them all outside because they were eavesdroppin’ on your conversation.” She laughed, but when she saw Campbell’s expression, she quieted. “Everything okay?”
“It’s fine,” she said, forcing a smile. “It smells wonderful.”
“Thank you, darlin’.” Adele handed Campbell a bowl of fresh fruit. “I’ll follow you out with the rest.”
Greenery and potted plants surrounded a long rectangular table on a flagstone patio out back. Mugsy perked up when Campbell popped the door open but quickly lay back down, disinterested. Luke sat on one side of the table, Jane and Lila on the other. Only two places remained. One next to Luke and one at the head of the table.
And she couldn’t sit at the head of the table.
She set the bowl beside a platter of pork chops and potatoes. Two different cobblers rounded out the meal. Luke pulled the chair away from the table so she could sit.
“What a gentleman,” Lila said, eyes on Luke. “Your mama taught you right.”
“She sure did.” Adele walked out of the house, another platter in her arms. She set it down and took her seat at the end of the table.
“She’s gonna cry,” Luke said.
She swatted his arm. “I am not.” Her voice caught as she spoke the words. “All right, maybe I am, but I’m entitled to a few tears having these girls at my table.” She turned to Luke. “You’re just lucky we let you stay.” She laughed as she stretched her hands toward Luke and Lila, sitting on either side of her. “Can we bless the food?”
Luke took his mom’s hand and then held an upturned hand inCampbell’s direction. She looked at it and then quietly slid her own hand in his. His long fingers wrapped around her hand, warming her from the inside out. She tried to focus on Adele’s prayer rather than the way Luke’s touch sent her insides whirling. No sense being sacrilegious on top of everything else.
“Lord, I thank You for these children who’ve all come back home,” Adele said.
Campbell bowed her head and stared at her empty plate. Luke’s thumb ran over the top of her hand, breaking her concentration.
“I am so blessed to see them again, and my prayer is that they all find what it is they’re looking for here in Sweethaven. Bless this food and help us to always be thankful to the One who provided it for us. In Your name we ask it. Amen.”
The others echoed with their own “Amen,” and Jane let go of Campbell’s right hand. Luke squeezed twice before releasing her left hand. She glanced at him, keenly aware of the absence of his
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