and you have to eat.” Darcy inhaled the aroma of meat sauce, seasoned with oregano, garlic and onion, flavoring the air. “It smells wonderful.” She sensed Joshua’s presence behind her, and a tingling awareness shivered down her spine.
Lizzy glanced toward Shamus, who was already dishing up his spaghetti. “I don’t—”
“Come on, Lizzy. Joshua’s joining us.” Sean took the bowl from his grandfather and spooned a big helping onto his plate.
The older woman sighed. “I guess, just this once.”
“I’ve been trying to get her to join me for dinner for years,” Shamus grumbled, a frown creasing his brow. “Always said she was too busy. We must have the cleanest kitchen in the state.”
“You’re welcome to eat in the kitchen anytime you want.” Bristling, Lizzy sat next to Sean, leaving the other side of the table for Darcy and Joshua.
Shamus motioned toward the two empty chairs. “Sit, you two. I’m hungry and this is getting cold.”
“I like cold spaghetti, Grandpa.”
“You like anything that doesn’t move.” Shamus picked up the bowl of salad but didn’t put any on his plate. He passed it to Sean with a smug look thrown toward Lizzy.
The older woman pinched her lips together and focused on filling her plate with the main course. She held her petite frame rigid in the chair, her movements jerky.
At the door Darcy twisted partway around to look at Joshua. “You can always reconsider eating with us. I forget how—” She couldn’t come up with an acceptable way to describe the stressful, tension-laden meals she had spent with her father over the years. He was so set in his ways that he wouldn’t even eat in the kitchen when it was just him. Darcy was sure that for the past thirty-five years her father had eaten in the dining room and that was the way it would remain.
“Your father reminds me of my own.”
“He does?”
“Gruff on the outside, but mush on the inside.”
“Mush?” What was Joshua seeing that she had missed? Darcy wondered.
“Look at him with your son. He’s listening to every word he’s saying.”
Darcy glanced over her shoulder at her father. His gaze was glued to Sean, who was regaling him with details of the new foal’s first day. Seeing the attention her son was getting pierced defenses she’d built up over the years when trying to deal with her father.
Darcy moved into the room, continuing to feel Joshua’s presence close behind her. Had her relationship with her husband colored hers with her father? Even when Clay had been home, he had rarely shown any interest in Sean. Her son was starved for male attention, and that had provoked over the years memories of her own childhood: trying to please her father and never quite succeeding.
After she slipped into the chair across from Lizzy, she filled her plate with the delicious-smelling spaghetti and meat sauce, then gave the bowls to Joshua, who took the last bit. Her father and Sean had already started eating. Lizzy cleared her throat.
Shamus looked up, confusion darkening his expression. “What?”
“I would like to say a blessing,” Lizzy said in a prim and proper voice.
Eyebrows slashing downward, Shamus released his fork to clang onto his plate. “Fine.”
Lizzy and Joshua bowed their heads. Watching Joshua, Sean immediately followed suit. Darcy clasped her hands together, realizing they were quivering, and stared down at her plate, feeling her father’s gaze drill into her.
“Dear Heavenly Father, bless this food we are about to partake of and watch out for each one at this table. Give us the strength to seek Your guidance and the power to know when we need Your help. Amen.”
Darcy lifted her head. Her father snatched up his fork, grumbling something under his breath. When her mother died, he’d stopped going to church, telling Darcy that he was just too busy. She had gone with Lizzy until she had left home, but she had always been aware of her father’s disapproval.
“Grandpa, Joshua’s bringing Arnold here for me to play with. I wish I had a dog.”
“We’ll just see what we can do about that.” Darcy was about to say something when her father continued. “Every boy should have a dog.”
“Dad didn’t like animals. And when we lived overseas, it was hard to have one,” Sean said.
“Arnold recently became a father. The puppies are five weeks old,” Joshua said as he poured ranch dressing onto his salad.
Sean’s eyes grew big. “They are? Can I have one?”
“A friend of mine owns them. I can check—” Joshua swung his gaze to Darcy “—if that’s okay with your mom.”
The full force of his attention was directed at Darcy, causing heat to steal into her cheeks. The urge to shift nervously in her chair inundated her. “I love dogs. That sounds great.” She crossed her legs, then uncrossed them. “But, Sean, you’ll have to learn to take care of your puppy. It’s a big responsibility.”
Her son puffed out his chest. “I’m eight, Mom. I’m big enough.”
“And we need to see about getting him a horse while he’s here this summer.” Shamus pinned Darcy with his eyes. “You had one at the age of five.”
Memories assailed Darcy. She balled the napkin in her lap, her nails digging into the soft cotton material.
“My very own horse?” Sean exclaimed.
“For as long as you’re here and whenever you come to visit again. It would be nice if you visited every summer.”
Again Darcy felt her father’s intimidating glare. She returned it with an unwavering look, though memories of never quite living up to what her father expected continued to flit through her mind, scene after disappointing scene.
“Can I, Mom?” Sean bounced up and down in his chair.
“We’ll see, hon.”
“Yes!” Her son pumped his fist into the air. “A dog and a horse.”
“Your mother’s right about taking care of your animals. Around my farm that is a must.” Shamus broke off a piece of French bread and started to reach for the butter.
“That isn’t on your diet,” Lizzy said, snatching away the butter dish before his fingers touched it.
“Nothing good is on my diet,” Shamus grumbled, his mouth puckered in a frown.
Before her father started in on what he couldn’t eat anymore, Darcy released the tight grip on her napkin and asked, “Joshua, what made you decide to work with a dog?”
“I’ve been known to take in strays. My captain knew I loved animals, especially dogs, so when this opportunity came up, he encouraged me to do it. Arnold and I went through some extensive training,
