remember that, Nora, but it doesn’t surprise me. Maggie seems to think of everything.” Luke walked around the truck to open the door for Julianne.
“Aunt Maggie thinks of everything, and God takes care of everything,” Todd said from his seat in the back of the vehicle. “Doesn’t He, Daddy,” Todd added matter-of-factly.
Julianne’s eyes widened in surprise. Wasn’t this the forbidden topic Maggie had warned her about? She looked from Todd straight into Luke’s frowning face as he gripped her arm firmly enough to help her from the truck without responding to his son’s statement.
“He didn’t hear that from me, if that’s what you’re thinking,” Luke remarked quietly and moved his hand away from Julianne’s arm once she had her feet firmly on the ground.
Then Todd continued, “He takes care of me, He takes care of Dad and Nora and Julianne and the flowers and the lightning bugs—”
“Lightning bugs!” Nora interrupted when she jumped out of the truck. “Let’s catch some!”
“Both of you stay where you can see me,” Luke instructed his children. They ran through the grass in their shorts and bare feet with the carefree laughter it sometimes seemed to Luke only kids could have.
“Stay where they can see you instead of where you can see them. That’s a good idea,” Julianne commented. She watched Luke spread out the blanket Maggie had sent with them, and they sat down together. “It gives them clear boundaries.”
“All they have to do is look for me. That keeps it simple,” Luke said. “Julianne…I’m sorry if I was sharp with you a moment ago when Todd was talking about God. I didn’t mean to be rude.”
“You weren’t,” she replied. “Maggie mentioned to me that Christianity was a subject better left alone. For now, at least.”
“For always would suit me just fine,” Luke added, and glanced at the woman seated next to him on the ground. He hadn’t been this alone with a woman since Kimberly. And he didn’t feel too comfortable with the idea of being here, like this, with Julianne Quinn even now. No matter how great she was with his children or how pretty she was. Whew. Now, there was a thought he hadn’t had before about Miss Quinn. Had he?
“Don’t worry,” Julianne assured him with gentle words. “I didn’t come along to preach to you. I just came to see the fireworks.”
Luke nodded. That’s the only reason he was here, too. Wasn’t it? “So…” he began with some awkwardness “were you here in Fairweather for last year’s Fourth of July celebration?”
“Yes,” Julianne answered. She’d been with Craig Johnson then, but there was no reason to point that out. Luke would probably start pondering what was wrong with her if he knew she’d been jilted by someone. Unless… She wasn’t really sure what Maggie may have told Luke about her. Not that it really mattered. “I’ve been living in Fairweather and teaching at the center since I graduated from college three years ago. So, I’ve seen these local fireworks before. I guess I should warn you. They’re not anything to get excited about.”
Luke motioned toward the children. “As long as they enjoy the show, that’s good enough for me.”
Julianne nodded in agreement and gave a soft laugh that Luke enjoyed hearing. He looked her way again and studied her profile as she watched the kids chasing bugs. Her features were beautiful. Not just pretty, but actually beautiful and with very little makeup as far as he could tell. She was what Maggie called a real heartland, natural-looking type. And Maggie had been accurate, although it had taken Luke until this moment to fully realize that fact. Tall, blond and brown-eyed, Julianne was nothing like his late wife, and yet she was every bit as lovely—all in her own way.
Julianne’s eyes remained on the children while Luke’s gaze lingered on her. She knew he was looking at her, really looking at her—maybe for the first time—and she wasn’t ready to look back. Dusk was settling in, and the children were heading back toward their father and teacher. The twins ran up and plopped down on the blanket between them. “Is it time yet?” Nora asked.
“It won’t be long,” Julianne answered. Feeling the weight of Luke’s gaze shift from her to his children, she relaxed considerably. She glanced over at him while Todd climbed into his father’s lap. Luke’s eyes were the same shade of blue as his shirt, and blue was Julianne’s favorite color. In shirts and eyes.
The sun set quickly and soon the sky was filled with brilliantly colored displays of light. Streaks of gold impressed the children most, if their “oohs” and “aahs” were any indication. Red, white, blue, green and gold lit the sky over Baylor Lake as dozens of bystanders enjoyed the show. Some children nearby had sparklers with which they ran in circles, leaving a trail of smoke behind them. Nora and Todd wanted some sparklers of their own, but Luke refused. That would be a privilege they could have when they were older, but not now at age four. Amazingly, they accepted his words and settled back into watching fireworks exploding in the evening sky amid booms and crackling noises. Even Luke smiled that night, much to Julianne’s amazement. The children’s antics during the show brought laughter and smiles from both adults. Julianne was almost as sorry to see the holiday come to an end as the twins were, although she definitely wasn’t reduced to tears by it as both of the kids were. She carried Nora and Luke picked up Todd, so they could get them back in the truck for the trip home. Julianne shook out the blanket they’d been sitting on and tossed it over the children once they were buckled into the back seat of the vehicle. Luke opened the door and helped Julianne into the truck. By the time they were out of the parking area, Nora and Todd were both sound asleep.
“They’re exhausted,” Julianne remarked.
Luke agreed. “They’ve had a very fun day. Mostly thanks to you.”
“I enjoyed the day, too, Luke. Very much,” Julianne admitted. “Mostly thanks to them.” And their father may have had something to do with it, too, she thought, but did not say.
The ride to her apartment was short and quiet. Julianne directed Luke to the postmaster’s large old house and pointed out her upstairs apartment.
“Thanks for the ride home,” she offered and reached for the door handle to let herself out of the truck.
“I’ll walk up there with you,” Luke said. “That’s a long, dark stairway to be climbing by yourself this late at night.”
“No, don’t.” She reached across the seat and touched his arm, wanting to emphasize that she didn’t need his assistance; but once she’d placed her hand against his warm arm, she regretted the action. It had been too personal, almost inappropriate, and she wasn’t sure how to undo what she’d done except by pulling her hand away. Quickly. “I’m sorry, Luke, I just meant that I can go upstairs by myself. I’ve done that hundreds of times—alone. I’m not afraid. And, anyway,” she added, nodding toward the sleeping twins in the back seat, “I wouldn’t want you to leave them alone in this dark truck even for a few moments. If they woke up, they’d be frightened.”
Luke agreed, although somewhat reluctantly. He thought the children would be fine sleeping right where he could see them from her stairway, and he certainly wasn’t used to dropping a woman at the curb and letting her fend for herself to get inside her front door. This hadn’t exactly been a date, he realized. He hadn’t been on a “date” in over ten years, but he did feel responsible for seeing her home safely. Then he had an idea.
“Do me a favor, Julianne. Once you get inside
