Page 36 of That One Heartbreak

The third somehow slid between the grill rack and onto the burner.

“Oh shit.” His eyes widened as he realized he’d said that out loud.

“Language,” Kate murmured, though she knew she’d said worse herself. And in front of him, no doubt. “It’s okay, we have extra. Let’s get the rest on and I’ll rescue that one later.”

The sun was still beating warmth into the air when they sat down to eat. Ethan kept asking everybody how it tasted, reminding them that he’d cooked dinner.

“You know the penalty for losing a burger to the fire, right?” James asked, having eaten his own burger in about a minute flat. Kate pointed at his salad with a raised eye and he forked up some cucumber.

“There’s a penalty?” Ethan asked, frowning. “Nobody told me that.”

“You have to eat the charcoal patty,” James told him. “No ketchup, no bun. Just burned cow.”

Ethan blinked. “I don’t have to do that, do I, Mom?”

“No you don’t.” She rolled her eyes at James. “And you did great. It tastes good.”

James winked at him. “Just kidding. And yeah, you’re a pretty cool cook.”

Ethan glowed in the light of his brother’s rare praise.

Kate took a sip of her wine and looked around the table.

Addy had made a person out of her cucumber, tomato, and carrot sticks and was eating them, limb by limb, giving a soft running commentary as she popped each vegetable into her mouth.

“Carrot legs are good, mmm.” She swallowed. “Cucumber arms. So delicious.”

Shana met Kate’s eye, grinning.

James and Ethan were talking about what they could grill next week. They were stuck between more burgers – Ethan’s choice – and kebabs – James’ choice.

Kate let out a contented breath. Everybody was happy, they were full. They were here and they were safe.

And yes, there was somebody missing. But she was doing okay. They all were. Step by step they were building a new life.

A good life. She hoped he was proud of them.

“Come on, let’s clear up the dishes,” she said, when Addy had finished her tomato-head and James had eaten the half burger she didn’t finish. “Then we can have donuts.”

“Can we warm them up on the grill?” Ethan asked, a spark of hope in his voice.

“Not this time, honey. But I promise we’ll do smores next time.”

“Yes!” He pumped his fist into the air. “I’ll be in charge of them, too.”

“Alone at last,” Shana said two hours later as Kate sat down next to her on the Adirondack chairs that faced the fields and the setting sun. As it slipped below the horizon, it was turning the cornfields into a golden vista.

“I poured you another glass.” Shana passed Kate some wine. “I figured you’d need it.”

“Because I just spent twenty minutes arguing with Ethan that he wasn’t allowed to light the grill again?” Kate asked, smiling. He and Addy were finally in bed, though she’d agreed that Ethan could stay up to read for an hour. She hadn’t told Addy that though, because her little girl would have thrown a fit.

Sometimes being the mom of three kids felt harder than being a diplomat for the United Nations. At least James had been easy. She’d agreed he could play on his Xbox for an hour, but not with his friends. He was still grounded – in name at least.

He hadn’t put up much of a fight and she was glad.

“No, because we’re about to choose your first date,” Shana said, holding her phone up. “By the way, have you downloaded the app yet?”

“No. I haven’t had a chance.”

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