“Don’t worry about me.”
“You’re not interested in her?”
Kennedy tried to say he wasn’t. Only he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Grace might be everything he should avoid. But right now, she was everything he wanted. “I think she has a boyfriend in Jackson.”
Joe snagged a piece of bacon. “Yet you risked taking her up here with you.”
“Risked?”
“You know how people can be once a rumor gets started.”
“I took her camping. Big deal.”
Joe stole another piece of bacon and seemed to smile more easily.
“What’s that grin for?” Kennedy asked.
He nodded in the direction Teddy and Heath had gone. “You need a good mother for those boys. And, considering your career, it has to be someone with an impeccable reputation. You’re not likely to forget that.”
It was true. But Kennedy didn’t want to hear about it. Especially from Joe. “I might take her out a couple of times once we get back,” he said.
Joe stiffened. “Why?”
“Why not?”
“Your parents won’t like it.”
“I’m thirty-one years old, Joe. I’m not going to base every decision I make on what my parents will or won’t like.” Although, with the state of his father’s health, Kennedy knew he should probably be more sensitive to it than he sounded at the moment.
“Other people won’t like it, either,” Joe said.
“Are you talking about you?” Kennedy asked.
“She killed my uncle.”
Kennedy kept his eyes on the bacon he was frying because now, more than ever, he thought that might be true. “Where’s the proof?”
“That’s the problem.”
“You’re working yourself up over nothing. It’s not like we’d ever get married,” he said.
“That’s comforting, anyway.” Joe nodded as though he’d finally caught on. But Kennedy wasn’t sure what his friend had grasped. The only thing Kennedy knew was that Grace already meant more to him than Joe did. He was willing to risk his friendship with the man who’d saved his life for the one woman in town who, if he fell in love with her, would be least likely to love him back.
Grace took her time in the shower. She was hoping Joe would be gone when she returned. But he wasn’t. He was lounging on a log near the picnic table, eating breakfast.
His eyes followed her from the moment she came into sight until she sat in one of the three camp chairs across from him. She could feel Kennedy’s eyes on her, too, and wished she didn’t have to be here, with either of them. She couldn’t stand Joe, and Kennedy knew too much for comfort.
“Are you hungry, Grace?” Teddy asked.
She nodded and Kennedy gave his son a plate with two pancakes, bacon and an egg to carry over to her.
“Want some juice?” Heath stood ready at the pitcher.
She smiled. She was coming to like Kennedy’s older son as much as Teddy. “You bet.”
Joe helped him pour the juice, then took the cup before Heath could and walked over to give it to her himself. “Nothing tastes as good as pancakes and bacon when you’re camping,” he said.
“I think the s’mores we made last night tasted better,” Teddy said.
Grace had to agree with Teddy. But Joe was so eager to remain the center of attention he ran right over Teddy’s comment without responding. “I make a mean Dutch-oven cobbler, don’t I, Kennedy?”
Kennedy seemed more reserved today. “Yeah,” he concurred, sounding pretty neutral. Grace couldn’t tell if he was pleased to have Joe with them or not. He had a politician’s impeccable manners, but he certainly wasn’t going to any great lengths to make his friend feel welcome.
“I can make it for you guys tonight,” he said.
Grace’s food suddenly lost its flavor. Joe was staying all day?
“Do you like peaches or blackberries, Grace?” Joe asked and, if she wasn’t mistaken, he smiled at her dawning realization.
“I don’t have a preference,” she said. She wanted to suggest they head back but she knew how disappointed Heath and Teddy would be and couldn’t make herself do it. She’d survive until tomorrow. The one advantage of having Joe here was that she wouldn’t have to worry about doing anything stupid with Kennedy.
“I like blackberries!” Teddy announced.
Joe tossed his empty plate in the black garbage bag anchored to the table. “Blackberries it is, then. Anyone interested in riding into town with me so I can buy the ingredients?”
Heath volunteered, but Joe gave Grace’s foot a little nudge. “What about you?”
“No, thanks.”
“Grace is going swimming with me, right?” Teddy said.
“Right,” she replied.
“Hooray! I’ll go change.” Kennedy’s youngest hurried to the tent.
“Kennedy, what about you?” Joe cast a sidelong glance at Grace, giving the impression he didn’t want to leave Kennedy alone with her.
“No, thanks,” Kennedy said. “I’m going to clean up.”
Joe obviously wasn’t happy that Heath was the only one who’d agreed to go with him. But a moment later he shrugged. “Okay. Let’s go.”
After climbing into his truck, he rolled down the window. “We’ll be back in an hour or so.”
“Make sure Heath wears his seat belt,” Kennedy said.
Joe waved his words away. “Relax. You tell me that every time I take him somewhere. It’s the law, remember?”
“One you don’t seem to mind breaking,” Kennedy responded.
“Personal freedom vs. personal safety,” Joe said, a reckless glint in his eye. “No one’s going to tell me what to do.”
Considering his attitude and Raelynn’s accident, Grace thought it was little wonder Kennedy would be concerned, but she didn’t say anything until after Joe and Heath had driven off. Then she motioned toward the plastic tub Kennedy had just filled with soapy water. “I’ll do the dishes. It’s my turn. You go swimming with Teddy.”
“I’ve got this,” he said. “It’ll only take me a minute.”
She was about to insist but, deciding against it, started toward her tent instead. It was probably best to avoid contact with Kennedy as much as possible.
“Grace?”
She turned. “What?”
“Who called you last night?”