The sheer joy that Kit’s casual comment brought to Michael’s eyes caused Savannah’s stomach to clench with renewed concern. She was convinced that Kit would never deliberately wound her children, but she didn’t know if he realized how vulnerable they could be. It took so little to win their hearts. And so little to break them.
The thought of her own heart being shattered was. painful enough, but she simply couldn’t bear the thought of her children being hurt She had tried so hard to balance her own needs against theirs, worked so diligently to make sure that the children would always come first.
Their desserts arrived and Kit and Michael dug in. Savannah waited for Miranda. She looked toward the ladies’ room door and frowned when she saw Marie Butler and Lucy Bettencourt walk out, glance her way, then leave the restaurant.
Miranda was certainly taking a long time, Savannah thought in concern. She was just about to go and check on her when Miranda appeared.
It was immediately apparent that something was wrong. Miranda’s eager smile had vanished, replaced by a troubled frown and a distant expression.
“Miranda? Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, sure, Mom.” Miranda didn’t quite meet her eyes as she picked up her dessert fork. “So, did I miss anything while I was gone?”
“Kit’s coming to my ball game tomorrow,” Michael announced.
“Great.” Miranda tackled her dessert without visible enthusiasm.
Savannah glanced at Kit across the table. He, too, seemed to sense that something was amiss with Miranda. He lifted an eyebrow, as if asking if they should pursue it. Savannah gave a tiny shake of her head. Obviously, Miranda didn’t want to talk about it now.
Savannah would wait until they got home. But if Marie and Lucy had said something to upset her child, they would be hearing from her very soon.
KIT TURNED DOWN a group invitation to come in after he drove the McBride family home.
?
?It’s getting late,” he said. “I’d better go on back to my cabin.”
Savannah thought longingly of the cabin where they’d spent the previous Sunday evening. He must be staying in the same one, she thought, wishing she could go there with him again, but knowing she needed to stay here to find out what was bothering Miranda.
“You kids go on in,” she said without reaching for her door handle. “I want to talk to Kit for a minute.”
She half expected a teasing comment from Miranda. The fact that Miranda only nodded, said, “Good night, Kit,” and climbed out of the car gave Savannah even further reason to be worried.
“What’s wrong with Miranda?” Kit asked as soon as the kids had gone into the house. “Have I said something wrong?”
Savannah shook her head, wryly amused that Kit immediately assumed it was something he’d done. “No. She was fine until she went into the rest room.”
Kit frowned in concern. “You think she isn’t feeling well?”
“I don’t know.” Savannah thought again of Marie and Lucy leaving the room just before Miranda emerged. She decided not to mention her suspicions to Kit until she’d had them confirmed.
“You’ll let me know if there’s anything I can do? Let me write down my cell-phone number so you can reach me at the cabin if you need me.”
He reached for a small notebook in the console of the rental car, scrawled some numbers on a page, ripped it out and handed it to Savannah. She put the paper in her purse.
“I’m sure everything will be fine. You know how it is with teenagers and mood swings. One minute they’re little angels, the next they’re showing fangs and claws.” She tried to speak lightly to reassure him, hiding her own concern.
“No, actually I don’t know much about teenagers,” Kit replied. “Other than being one myself a few years back, I haven’t had any experience with them.”
“You’re very good with them.”
“I like your kids,” he answered simply.
His words touched her, though she tried not to show him how much. “They like you, too.”
“I hope so.”
Kit shifted sideways in his seat and reached out to touch Savannah’s cheek. “I’ve missed you.”