Past, Present And A Future. Janice Carter

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СКАЧАТЬ discuss that later,” Laura said, sitting down across from Clare. Dave returned with the vegetables and began to carve the roast.

      Clare stared at her two old friends, feeling she’d been pulled back to her adolescence and another Sunday dinner with Laura’s family. An only child, the split-up of Clare’s parents and subsequent divorce had been tough. But her friendship with Laura and her acceptance in the Dundas household had been a comforting refuge from loneliness.

      During dinner Laura and Dave filled her in on the changes in town and Clare recounted the story—now oft repeated—of her latest book and its huge success. Dave was in the kitchen making coffee when Clare asked, “Has he made up his mind yet about the godfather?”

      Laura didn’t answer at first. She cocked her head and frowned. “I think I hear Emma.”

      At the same time, Dave poked his head through the kitchen doorway. “I hear Emma on the intercom.”

      Laura jumped up. “I’ll be back after I’ve changed and fed her, Clare. And you’re not to do any dishes. Not tonight, anyway.” She smiled, stooped for a quick hug and dashed from the room.

      Clare waited a few more seconds, then got up and began clearing the rest of the dishes. After she and Dave had retreated to the living room with coffee, Laura brought in the baby, holding her proudly in front of Clare.

      “This is Emma, your goddaughter.”

      Clare peered down into the small pink face. “She’s so cute! And she’s going to be a blonde I bet.”

      “That’s what we think. Dave’s hair was pretty fair until he was in high school and even though I give mine some help, my natural color’s sort of what they call dishwater blond.”

      “I never could figure out what that was supposed to mean. Any dishwater I always saw was gray.”

      Laura giggled. “Anyway, she hasn’t got enough hair yet to tell for certain.”

      “I don’t know much about babies, but isn’t it too soon to predict hair and eye color?”

      “Want to hold her?”

      “Oh, well…”

      “Come on, don’t be scared. Just hold out your arms and I’ll tuck her into them.”

      Clare leaned against the back of the chair. She didn’t really want to hold the baby, who seemed awfully small, but suspected such feelings were inappropriate for a godmother. Still, the soft bundle wrapped in a fleecy blanket was surprisingly solid. Emma’s dark blue eyes stared unblinkingly up into Clare’s face.

      “Feels good, doesn’t it?”

      Clare looked up and grinned at Laura. “Feels different. Warm. And nice, too.” But she was ready to hand her back and when Emma scrunched up her tiny face, Clare quickly passed her over to Laura. Then she remembered the question she’d asked earlier. “So Dave, who did you finally decide on for godfather?”

      Dave and Laura exchanged a look. “I had a heck of a time,” Dave began. “Mainly because my good buddy from college is over in Afghanistan right now, so that ruled him out. Then I was going to go with Cal Rubens. Remember him?”

      Clare shook her head.

      “He was a year ahead of me at Twin Falls High. He runs a health-food store. I left work early today to ask him, but on the way I happened to bump into someone I haven’t seen in a long time.” Dave leaned forward on his chair. “I want you to know, Clare, that this was a completely impulsive and last-minute decision on my part. I’m not as organized about these things as Laura is.”

      “So who is he? Is he coming to dinner tomorrow night?”

      “I’ve asked him, but he wasn’t sure. He…uh, said he would pop around tonight though.”

      “And his name—?” Clare smiled wishing Dave would get to the point.

      As if on cue, the doorbell rang, setting Emma into a wail. Dave jumped up and headed for the front hall while Laura walked back and forth, patting Emma on the back. Clare heard the low rumble of male voices.

      Dave came back into the room an anxious expression on his face. Behind him stood the last person on earth Clare wanted to see in Twin Falls.

      CHAPTER TWO

      THE SAME, yet different. That much registered for Clare in the next five seconds as she stared at Gil Harper.

      He had already reached his growth potential of six-two seventeen years ago, but he’d been almost eighteen then—lanky and loose-limbed in scruffy Levis and bulky sweatshirts. This Gil with his broader shoulders, wearing pressed jeans, a denim shirt and a black leather jacket, looked like a candidate for GQ’s Man of the Year award.

      His charcoal-gray eyes stayed on Clare a moment longer before turning their gaze to Laura who was hovering at his left with Emma. He murmured a greeting and peered down at the baby in her arms. “This is the famous Emma, I presume.” He gave the baby a tentative smile, but his attention quickly shifted back to Clare. She rose unsteadily from the armchair.

      “Hello, Gil.”

      “Clare,” he said with a formal nod. “You’ve changed as much as the rest of us, I see. Your hair’s shorter.”

      “It’s been a while,” she said, wondering if her voice sounded as peculiar to everyone else as it did to her at that moment.

      “Would you like a brandy, Gil? Clare?” Dave asked.

      “I…uh, really can’t stay long,” Gil said.

      “I’ll have one,” Clare said. A large one.

      “Glass of milk for me, please,” said Laura. “Surely you can stay long enough for a drink, Gil? At least until we go over the plans for Sunday.”

      He shrugged. “Okay, then.”

      Dave gestured to the couch, next to Clare’s chair. “Have a seat, Gil. I’m sure you and Clare have a bit of catching up to do. Laura, want to help me in the kitchen?”

      Laura took the hint and, with the baby, followed Dave from the room. Clare remained standing until she accepted the fact that she hadn’t fallen asleep after dinner and awakened in a bad dream. Gil Harper wasn’t going to vanish before her eyes no matter how much she wished he would. She sat on the edge of the chair, ready to bolt if necessary.

      He loomed in front of her a fraction longer before sitting on the couch. She watched him from the corner of her eye, noting from the rigid way he perched that he was just as uncomfortable as she was.

      “I assume this has caught you by surprise, too,” she said.

      “Definitely. As a matter of fact, I was asked to be godfather at two o’clock this afternoon when I met Dave on Main Street.”

      “Same old Dave.”

      “Apparently.”

      He shifted on the СКАЧАТЬ