Page 103 of Harvest Moon (Riverbend 3)

Gavin scowled at the abbreviated message, then whipped open the door and stepped out onto the patio. He walked over to Laurel and handed her the phone. “You have a message.” Practically vibrating with tension, he dropped into the Adirondack chair next to hers while Laurel checked her phone.

He had no right to feel jealous. But that didn’t stop the emotion from crashing into him like a tsunami. What was it going to be like having Laurel back in his life? Watching her date other men? Get serious? Get married? This wasn’t good. He didn’t need to complicate an already complicated situation by falling for Laurel again.

But the gnawing in his gut told him it was already too late for that.

He took a breath. Two. The adrenaline surge slowed. His pulse returned to normal range. He closed his eyes in a long blink, then stared into the fire’s flickering flames. “Sorry if I snapped. I guess I’m just irritable tonight.”

It was quiet for a long moment. “You’re afraid.”

He gazed at her. And darn it, she was right. His breath left on a long exhale. “Scared to death. I looked up that attorney.”

“Me too. If it helps any, so am I. But we have to stick together, Gavin. Especially now.”

“You’re right.” His gaze sharpened on her. She still looked the same as when they’d last been married, but her face had matured in some indefinable way. Her features had softened a bit. And that wasn’t the only thing that was different about her. “You’ve changed. You’re more vocal than you used to be.”

Her chin notched up. “So?”

He smiled at her automatic defense. “It’s a good change, Laurel. You have the right to speak your mind, and I need to hear whatever you have to say.”

Her posture relaxed as she gazed into the fire. “You’ve changed a bit yourself, Robinson.”

“How do you mean?”

“Well, for starters, you learned how to do the dishes.”

She wasn’t wrong. “Touché.” He really had been a lame husband. Why was it so easy to see that now? “I’m sorry I didn’t do my part before. I worked too much. Told myself I was doing it for our family, but that wasn’t true, not really. I was just selfish.”

Her lips parted in surprise. “Thank you. I appreciate that. I know I wasn’t perfect either. As you implied, my communication skills left some room for improvement.”

He stared at her until she met his gaze. “I wasn’t very good on that front either.” His lips curled into a smile. “Look at us... communicating like mature adults.”

She pulled her sweater tighter and snuggled into the chair. “Better late than never, I guess.”

Chapter37

Laurel could hardly believe how easily it had happened: she, Gavin, and Emma settled into a new daily routine. Each morning Gavin stopped by the house to have breakfast with Emma. When he left, Laurel and Emma spent the mornings playing and tidying up the house, getting groceries, and running errands. While Emma took her afternoon nap, Laurel tested apples and attended to orchard business. They’d harvested the last of the apples yesterday. She’d also reserved booths in a few area festivals, including Trail Days. The extra income couldn’t hurt.

In the back of her mind she wondered if she’d even be here to work the festivals. But she wouldn’t allow herself to go there.

The routine helped everything feel normal. In the afternoons when Emma awakened from her nap, the two of them went for a walk or to the playground. The trees were changing in the valley, turning beautiful shades of red, gold, and orange. After their outing they would return home to start supper.

Last week Emma had her first play-therapy session with the psychologist Avery had recommended. Gavin and Laurel had alsomet with the woman to discuss best practices for handling grief in small children. All in all, it had been helpful, and if all went well with the hearing, they planned to continue the counseling as long as was needed.

Gavin stopped over about five thirty each evening. He always complimented Laurel on the meal, and they reviewed their days. Afterward they cleaned up together, usually with Emma’s “help.”

The guardian ad litem had come over one afternoon just after Emma woke from her nap. The thirtysomething woman was kind and thorough. She’d quizzed Laurel and Gavin about their routines. She watched them interact with Emma and went with Gavin to check out his place. And by the time it was over, they felt good about the way it had gone.

They’d gathered the documents Darius had requested, and Darius had called two witnesses to testify on their behalf: Avery and Paul Clayton, who was flying in for the hearing. Having another grandparent testify on their behalf was the strongest witness they could have. They were officially prepared for the hearing. Now, all they could do was wait until tomorrow when their cases would be presented, and the clerk would determine Emma’s future.

As they had every night, on the eve of the hearing Gavin stopped by for supper. When it was bedtime Laurel gave Emma a bath, and Gavin put her to bed.

Laurel settled outside by the firepit, a spot she’d come to enjoy in the evenings. The nights were turning chilly, and the sweetness of the apples and earthy scent of fall hung in the air.

She’d brought the nursery monitor outside, and as had become her habit, she turned it on and caught the black-and-white image of Emma and Gavin, snuggled up with a book and a dozen of her furry friends. Laurel probably shouldn’t eavesdrop, but he was sosweet with her, she couldn’t seem to help it. Even though it definitely wasn’t helping those growing feelings.

Gavin’s voice carried through the speaker. He was readingAlexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day—one of Emma’s longer books. Laurel smiled as he omitted entire paragraphs in the reading.

When he was finished with the book, Emma fished another from the pile. “This one next.”

---