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“The natives restless today?”

“You said it. None of them seem able to concentrate. Their bodies are here, but their minds are elsewhere.” She twirled a strand of pale gold hair with an index finger as she spoke.

Like Al, Cassandra grew up in Hart’s Crossing, but she was seven years younger, so he hadn’t come to know her until she returned to town last year with her degree and was hired to teach fifth graders in the room next to his.

“Another week, and they’ll settle into the routine,” he said, leaning back in his chair.

“I hope you’re right.” She laughed softly. “Were they like this last year?”

“They’re like this at the start of every school year.”

“I guess I was too excited about my new job to notice.”

“Probably.”

She pointed toward his desk. “Is that a new photo of the twins?”

“No. Same one.”

“You ought to have Walt Foster come over to take some family photos. He’s a great photographer.”

The cell phone on Al’s desk vibrated, drawing his gaze. Seeing his home number in the ID, he picked up the phone and flipped it open. “Hey, hon.”

“Did I call too soon?”

“No. The kids are long gone. I was just talking with one of the other teachers.”

Cassandra straightened away from the doorjamb, gave him a smile and a little wave, then disappeared from view.

“We’re invited to a party at Jeff’s house on Saturday. He and Penny are having a group of friends over for a game night. I hope it’s all right that I said we could go.”

“What about the babies?”

“Jeff said to bring them along. If they’re fussy, we’ll have plenty of people there to help.”

“You sure you want to go?” He thought of how much stuff they would have to take with them. Was it worth it for a few hours playing Scene It or Cranium?

She laughed. “I’m sure. I’m ready for some fun. Getting more rest has made a world of difference.”

Over the past week, the twins had slept for longer stretches at night, a change that had improved the moods of both parents.

“So what do you say, Al?”

“Sure. Why not?”

* * *

After hanging up the phone, Patti hurried into the walk-in closet to look for something to wear on Saturday. She’d lost a good portion of her baby weight but not enough to squeeze into her favorite jeans.

“I need to diet,” she whispered as she slid hanger after hanger along the rod. Things either didn’t fit or were out of season or out of style.

Maybe she could run down to Yvonne’s Boutique on Saturday morning and find a nice pair of jeans that wouldn’t make her look too fat. As quickly as the thought came, she discarded it. The boutique didn’t have much in the way of fashionable jeans, and even if they did, Al would have a fit about the cost.

She sighed. She would have to make do with what she had.

If only Al wasn’t such a penny-pincher. She hadn’t expected that of him when they were courting. Why would she when he drove to Nampa often, taking her to movies and to dinner, buying her gifts? Of course, back then he lived in a basement apartment, drove a car that was over two decades old, and carried a zero balance on his one and only credit card. Now he had a family of four to support.

He does the best he can.

She shook her head. Al wasn’t a penny-pincher. It was unfair to think such things about him. He was a good provider, a good husband, a good father.

Patti left the walk-in and headed out of the bedroom, hoping the twins would sleep another thirty minutes. That would give her time to start dinner. She’d almost reached the kitchen when the doorbell rang.

Please don’t wake the babies.

She opened the front door as the UPS truck pulled away from the curb. On the stoop was a box. She leaned forward to see who it was from: Sweet Baby Things.

“Oh no.”

She’d forgotten. Completely and totally forgotten. Last weekend, around four o’clock on Saturday morning, upset with Al, unable to sleep, continuing to debate adding formula to the twins’ diet, she’d found this breast pump system while browsing online. “Amazing!” the consumer reviews said. “The most advanced system available to mothers,” the manufacturer promised.

“Patti, I thought breast-feeding was the better way to go.”
That’s what Al had said the day before she ordered the pump. He hadn’t wanted her to stop nursing the babies.

And so she’d ordered the fancy pump.

For $320, plus tax and shipping.

Her stomach churned as she lifted the box and carried it inside.

She’d meant to tell him about it the day she ordered it. Really she had. But how could she, after he made such a big deal over the forty dollars she spent for those books? And when they made up after the fight, she didn’t want to spoil things again. So she’d waited.

Now they had plans for an evening of fun. She didn’t want to spoil that either. No, she would have to wait a little longer. Another couple of days wouldn’t matter that much. Monday. She could tell him on Monday.

She carried the box upstairs and stuck it in the corner of the closet.

Chapter 5

PATTI CHOSE A FRILLY pink dress with matching tights and a bonnet with white lace trim for her daughter to wear on Saturday evening. For her son, she chose a tiny pair of jeans with a blue shirt and suspenders.

“Look at you, little cowboy.” She held Weston up to the mirror. “You’re too adorable for words.” She kissed the soft crook of his neck. “Mommy loves you.”

“And Daddy loves Mommy.”

She met Al’s gaze in the mirror. He stood in the bedroom doorway, smiling at them.

“Are you ready?”

“I think so.” She turned. “The diaper bag is packed, and their blankets are already in the car, in case it turns cold while we’re out.”

Al walked toward her. “Here. Let me have Wes, and you can get Sunni.” As he took the baby from her arms, he leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. “You look pretty tonight.”

Her cheeks grew warm. Silly to blush at a compliment from her husband, but the words were so nice to hear. “Thanks.”

“I’m glad we’re doing this.”

“Me too.”

“Let’s go.”

With a nod, she turned toward the pink bassinet and lifted Sunni into her arms. Her daughter was all smiles. Patti hoped she would stay that way for a few hours.

Twenty minutes later, they pulled into Jeff Cavanaugh’s driveway. Before they had the babies out of their infant car seats, their friend was waiting for them on the sidewalk.

“Good to see you two.” Jeff came around the minivan to stand near Patti. “Can I help with anything?”

“If you wouldn’t mind, there’s a large diaper bag and a couple of blankets in the back. Could you get them for me?”

“Glad to.” He moved to comply.

Al asked, “Who else did you invite over tonight?”

“Your brother and his girlfriend. A couple more of Penny’s teacher friends. And you two. That makes eight adults. Pretty much packs my living room.” He slapped Al on the back. “Come on. You’re the last to arrive. Everybody’s in the kitchen, eating snacks. We’d better join them before the food’s gone.”

“If my brother’s in there, it’s probably gone already.”

Patti laughed as she headed up the sidewalk. Her husband spoke only half in jest. Eric Bedford, five years younger than Al, was tall, thin, and always hungry.

They were barely in the door before Penny and the three other women gathered around the babies. In moments, both Sunni and Weston were out of their carriers,
oohed
and
aahed
over, and passed from one set of arms to another.

Penny touched Patti’s shoulder. “Patti, you know Susan.”

She smiled at Eric’s girlfriend. “Good to see you.”

“You too.”

“And you know Cassandra and Rene.”

“How are you, Cassandra? Hi, Rene.”

Rene Brewster had been in the same grade in school with Patti, although they were never close friends. Married at eighteen and divorced before she was twenty-five, Rene was plain and plump, her smiles never quite touching the perpetual melancholy in her dark eyes.

In contrast, the never-married Cassandra Coble, daughter of the town’s police chief, sparkled with laughter. Whenever Patti saw her, she was struck by the younger woman’s stunning beauty. She’d wondered more than once why Cassandra chose teaching in Hart’s Crossing instead of modeling or acting or some other glamorous profession. She was certain Cassandra could have written her own ticket in Los Angeles or New York.

“Hey, Sis!”

Patti barely had time to turn before she found herself embraced by her brother-in-law.

“Man, you’ve gotten skinny.” He gave her a peck on the cheek.

“Hardly.” She kissed him back. “And you won’t stay skinny if you keep eating everything in sight.”

He feigned offense. “Where’s that nephew of mine? He won’t insult me.”

“Good luck getting him away from Susan.”

* * *

It’s good to see Patti enjoying herself,
Al thought as he watched from the opposite side of the kitchen island. His wife hadn’t looked this carefree since before the twins were born.

How much of that was his fault?

Things had been better between them this past week. They hadn’t fought once, and he was grateful. He didn’t like to argue with his wife. He wanted to make her happy, and he seemed to fail at that too often. Half the time he didn’t know what he did to start their disagreements, but he did seem to be responsible the majority of the time.

“Troubles, Al?” Cassandra stepped to his side.

“No.” He shook his head. “I was thinking it’s been awhile since Patti and I got together with friends like this.”

“Well, I imagine being the parents of twins keeps you more than a little busy.”

“Yeah.” He looked across the kitchen again, watching as Patti placed Weston in Eric’s arms. “It can be crazy.”

“But you love being a dad.” Cassandra laid her hand lightly on his wrist. “I can see it in your eyes.”

“Yeah, I love it.”

“It’s a big responsibility. A wife and kids, mortgage and a job.” Her voice lowered. “I admire you, Al. You’re a special guy.”

His skin felt hot beneath her fingertips. The musky scent of her cologne filled his nostrils as she leaned closer.

“Your wife’s a lucky girl.”

Something dangerous coiled inside Al, an awareness of a woman who found him… interesting.

A slight smile curved the corners of Cassandra’s mouth. Her eyebrows arched, as if she’d asked a question. Was she flirting with him? No. They were talking about his wife, for Pete’s sake. He was imagining things
and not the sort of things he should imagine.

“Hey, everyone,” Jeff said in a loud voice. “Let’s get started. The Balderdash game board’s set up in the living room.”

Cassandra’s smile broadened. “This should be fun. I love word games.”

Al watched her walk away, then turned to look at Patti. But his wife’s back was toward him as she, too, followed Jeff into the living room.

* * *

Some things a wife knew. No one had to tell her. She just knew. Like that instant her husband noticed Cassandra in a new way.

The joy went out of Patti’s evening, right then and there.

Within a half hour of the start of the first game, she had to step out of the room so she could nurse Sunni. Seated in the eating nook, she listened to the sudden bouts of laughter coming from the living room. She swore she could pick out the exact lilt of Cassandra’s laugh mixing with Al’s deeper one.

The room turned cold. Her breath felt labored.

Was she jealous? She needn’t be. Al might notice a beautiful woman like Cassandra, but he wouldn’t stray. He loved her.

So why did she feel alone and rejected? And afraid.

She thought of the extra weight clinging to her hips and thighs, of the loose skin on her belly that hadn’t yet snapped back to its previous firmness. Would it ever? Did it bother Al that she wasn’t as lithe as when they first married? He never said so. He told her she was beautiful. But was that true? Or was it something he thought he needed to say?

Tears pooled in her eyes, and a lump formed in her throat.

“And Daddy loves Mommy.”

The memory of his words soothed her a little. Cassandra was Al’s colleague. Nothing more. She had nothing to fear.

Did she?

No, of course not. She was letting her hormones run away with her emotions again.

After Sunni was fed and burped, Patti placed the baby in her infant seat and returned to the living room just as Al was declared the winner.

Jeff said, “I never knew you were such a good liar, Bedford.”

“Liar? Please. It was pure skill, my friend. I’m adept at language arts.”

“Yeah. Sure.”

Cassandra leaned forward and plucked her game piece off the board, then moved it back to the starting point. “I was only three spots behind. Next time I’ll win.”

“Not if I can keep you from it.” Penny looked at Jeff. “Is there a kid’s version of this game?”

He shrugged. “Don’t know.”

“It might be a fun way to teach word definitions. Especially for older kids.” Penny turned toward Al. “Maybe the winner could get special privileges on that combined field trip for the fifth and sixth graders.”