Page 88 of The Apple Tree

“They already ran,” Rod, my assistant coach, said.

“I’m aware.” I took the ball from Drew. “Go,” I nodded for him to run while I passed him the ball.

He hesitated for a moment before jogging fifteen yards away. I threw the ball so hard that the second it hit his hands, he dropped it and winced, rubbing them together while shooting me a look.

I smiled.

I arrivedhome to surprise company. My brother’s car was parked in the drive.

“Daddy! Eve got me a puppy, and we made caramel apples!” Josh barreled toward me the second I stepped into the back door, and right behind him was the puppy.

“Don’t worry,” Peter said. “I’m making Eve take the dog back. The Wilsons had a litter and were giving them away. I don’t know what Eve was thinking. Sorry.”

The aroma of chicken noodle soup hung thick in the air. My brother Fred, his wife Anne, and Pastor and Mrs. Jacobson were gathered in the kitchen, sipping apple cider while Eve stood at the stove, stirring a stock pot of soup.

She turned, resting her chin on her shoulder while offering a tiny grin and wrinkled nose.

“Surprise.” Fred held up his cup of cider as though their unannounced visit warranted a toast.

Family and a puppy. It was a lot.

“Surprise indeed,” I said, slipping off my shoes then squatting to pet the yellow Labrador puppy.

“His name is Clifford,” Josh said, hugging him.

“He’s not red,” I replied.

And he wasn’t staying.

When I stood, Fred and Anne took turns hugging me.

“We decided to get away for our anniversary, a little road trip. Thought we’d stay a few days with you and Josh,” Fred said. “Hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” I said. Josh loved his aunt and uncle, so I wasn’t about to spoil his fun. They’d be a good distraction when Clifford got sent back.

“Eve offered to make everyone dinner. I told your dad that Austin could use a nice girl like Eve.” Anne shared a look with Eve’s mom as though they were in cahoots to fix Eve up with my twenty-one-year-old nephew.

Austin was painfully shy. Smart, but more nerdy than a math teacher. Eve would eat him for lunch.

“Dad, look!” Josh pulled my hand to show me the rows of caramel apples on the cookie sheet.

“Did you help make them?” I asked.

He nodded with a big smile. Eve curled her hair behind her ear and snuck a peek at us, locking gazes with me for a second.

“When we arrived,” her mom said, “they were eating one of the caramel apples before dinner. I fear Eve needs to be a better influence on Josh.”

“Eve took abigbite!” Josh opened his mouth like a shark.

“Yeah, she can fit a lot into her mouth,” I said.

Eve stiffened, eyes bulging as she looked at me and then glanced at her mom.

I smirked. “I’ve seen her stuff huge handfuls of Ruffles into it.”

Her mom laughed, but Eve scowled.

She had no right to scowl. There was a fucking dog in my kitchen.

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