Summer of Fire - Linda Jacobs [145]
Steve rummaged in the closet and came out with a stack of pillows and a comforter. “I’ll take these out to the living room so I don’t have to bother you later.”
“Who’s that?” Devon blurted, pointing at the picture.
“She was my wife,” Steve said evenly. “Susan’s passion was music . . . and Christa, our little girl. That was taken at the hospital when she was born.”
“Where are they?”
Clare bit her lip to keep from chiding Devon. After the way she’d yelled at Steve in the hospital about not being over his wife . . .
“They were killed in a plane crash four years ago.” He looked from Devon to Clare and said softly, “I wasn’t.”
The memory of how good it had felt in Steve’s arms when he’d asked her home came back to warm Clare.
Devon made it to the bed and sagged onto it.
Steve headed for the door. “I’m gonna take a walk around and see what’s going on. You make yourselves at home.”
That word again. His body brushed Clare’s in the doorway even though there was plenty of room to pass. She watched him limp down the hall and out of sight toward the kitchen.
When she turned back, Devon was studying her.
“Are you sure you don’t want another Percodan?” Clare offered the pill because it was something she could do. Steve would call it keeping control.
“Okay.” Devon got into bed.
Clare brought the pill and water and smoothed the rumpled covers. That done, she touched her daughter’s cheek. Her little girl, once as clear as rain, had become so dark and deep she didn’t know how to reach her.
Cornflower eyes brimmed. Clare leaned and plucked some tissues from a box on the nightstand. Her hand passed in front of Susan.
Devon fiddled with the cast on her forearm while her tears flowed. Clare put her arms around her; an awkward fit, and felt her own eyes grow wet. “Mom.” A gasp. “I’m sorry for knocking you down, for being so stupid.”
“I forgave you a long time ago.” Clare patted Devon’s back and felt her twitch. “I’m sorry I accused you of something Elyssa was spreading. I should have asked before jumping to conclusions.”
“I wish I had somebody, but I don’t.” Devon sniffed. The guys I like best go for other girls, and older guys are a little scary. Except for Harry.”
“Harry?” Clare tensed.
“Annalise MacIntyre’s big brother. He’s like my brother too. He gave me a ride home the other week and Elyssa saw us. When she went ballistic, I let her think whatever she wanted.”
Clare smiled through her tears.
“Steve is okay.” Devon disentangled herself and pulled back.
“When did you change your mind about him?”
“I heard you two talking in the hospital. I was awake.” Devon looked down and picked at the bedspread. “Yeah, I know, why’d I ask who was in the picture if I knew?”
“Maybe you wanted to hear his answer.”
Devon nodded. “Steve said I needed to figure things out for myself. Well, I have been thinking.”
She would never have thought any good could come of Devon’s night on a dark and lonely mountain. “Thinking about what’s next?”
Devon sniffed again and swiped her uninjured arm across her nose. “I was thinking of getting a place with Annalise. She can’t stand living with her folks anymore and she didn’t want to go it alone. But just before I left Houston, she said she was going to go to A & M in January.”
“College?” Casual, just the right note.
“Dad always said he’d pay,” Devon ventured.
“You said you were finished with school.” If she were just going to party with her friends, it would never work out. “Are you going just to be with Annalise?”
Devon lifted the tissue Clare had given her and blew her nose. “You say there’s nothing out there ‘cept flipping burgers unless I go to school, or train for something . . . like bein’ a firefighter.” Her voice was a little slurred as the Percodan began to take effect.
“Not that, hon . . .”
“Yeah. You were talking to Steve about giving it up . . . but, Mom,” her voice grew fainter. “you’re a pyro.”
“That doesn’t mean it’s right for you.”
Devon smiled sleepily and snuggled down in the covers.
Clare tucked her in and sat beside her until she slept. Relief at knowing there was