Page 219 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

She cut the butter carefully along the line and dumped it in the bowl.

Watching them work together, Becca hid a smile. Max looked completely at home in the voluminous apron with his dark head bent close to Molly’s smaller one. For a moment, Becca imagined them a family here, cooking dinner at night, helping Molly with her homework, cuddled on the sofa in front of the television.

She pushed the mental image away. Those kinds of dreams were too distracting right now.

The three of them worked in camaraderie for half an hour then the aroma of fresh-baked cookies began to fill the air. Molly claimed the first cookie, and her face was soon smeared with chocolate. Becca had the next one and pronounced it perfect, even if it was a little overdone.

She was conscious of Max’s smiling gaze on her. Oh how she wanted to believe the expression in his eyes.

“What did you do all morning?” Max asked.

“I finished Gram’s accounting,” Becca said. “It was quite a mess. I’m not sure she even knew how much money she had in the various accounts.”

“She’s a smart cookie. I imagine she knows what she’s got.”

“Maybe.” Becca decided not to mention to Max how Gram had seemed upset. She wished she dared ask about the letter from Laura.

Molly took a tray of cookies and milk up to Gram’s room, and Max hopped up and sat on the counter. “Today I realized I want what you have, Becca.”

“What’s that?”

His face reddened. “A relationship with God. Molly needs Him too.”

Becca’s heart gave a leap of joy. “Max, that’s wonderful!”

“I’d been thinking about it when we first moved here and I got to know Gram and her faith. I saw something I wanted. But when Laura died--.” He shrugged. “I guess I blamed God. But thanks to you, I’m seeing how much I’m missing. And how much Molly is missing.”

This seemed proof that he couldn’t have tried to hurt last week. Becca smiled so much her face hurt. “Want me to call the pastor?”

“I already did. Molly and I stopped by to see him on the way home. He prayed with me and I know God was just waiting to welcome me home like the prodigal son. I’m ready to face life again.”

She couldn’t speak, her heart was too full. God had answered her prayers.

He squeezed her fingers. “How about we make a date for the island picnic on Saturday?”

She’d heard about the picnic. There would be log-rolling contests, and bake-offs as well as tree climbing and log-cutting just like in the old days. “Okay.”

She just wished she could rid herself of the last niggling doubts she had about Max.

The phone rang, and he answered it. “It’s for you,” he said, handing her the phone.

Jake’s deep voice gladdened her heart even more. “Ready for some company?” he asked. “Wynne and I will be there tomorrow.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Becca stood on the pier and watched the distant boat draw closer. Behind her, the rest of the family waited also. She felt she would have real allies once her siblings were here.

“I have all kinds of new cousins,” Molly said. “Why is your sister named Wynne? I never heard that name before.”

“It’s an old southern name,” Becca told her. “She was named for my mother’s sister. You’ll like her. She loves kids. I imagine she’ll have half a dozen of them when she gets married.”

The specks on the boat deck came into view, and she saw Wynne and Jake wave. A lump grew in her throat, and she waved back frantically. The sound of the engine grew closer then Jake tossed a rope toward the dock, and Max caught it. He tied it to the dock post and pulled the boat in tight to the pier.

“Becca!” Wynne leaped from the deck and engulfed her in a stranglehold.

Hugging her sister’s tiny frame gave Becca a burst of intense joy. “I’ve missed you so much!” She held Wynne at arm’s length. “You’re tanned.”

Wynne looked fabulous. Her silky black hair hung over one shoulder in a French braid, and her amber-brown eyes shone with enthusiasm and confidence. Wynne had never heard theword “can’t” and her take-charge attitude didn’t fit her five-foot-three slender frame. She looked slight and insignificant, but Becca knew her sister’s sheer force of personality carried her to success in whatever she did.

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