She looked away and shrugged as though to say no big deal.

Emmi awkwardly cleared her throat and said, “I’m going inside.” She passed them with her eyes downward, making a hasty exit.

“Will you talk to me?” John asked. “Please.”

Linnea looked at him again. His forehead was creased over pleading eyes. She put her arms around herself in a protective gesture, took a deep breath.

“Just a few minutes,” John said. When she didn’t reply, he added, “You can give me a few minutes, can’t you?”

She waited, saw his hands clench at his thighs—then said, “Let’s go out to the driveway.” She gave a barely perceptible nod toward Emmi.

John followed her out of the garden into the driveway so they could talk in private. When they stopped, he said, “Linnea, it’s been a hard year. I’ve missed you.” He lifted his shoulders. “I could stand here for hours and tell you all the ways I’ve missed you.”

“John…” she said on a breath. “Just don’t.” Hearing all this pained her. Linnea had worked so hard to forget. She shook her head. “It’s too late.”

“I tried calling you. Writing you. Texting.” He paused, then cracked a half-smile. “Didn’t you get my paper airplane?”

She wasn’t in the mood to laugh.

He paused and raised his eyes to the brilliant blue sky. “Look, I know I messed things up. Big-time. It’s like that old saying, you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” He paused then said, “I’m sorry, Linnea.”

He fell quiet and looked at her, waiting for some reply.

Linnea considered her words. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how he’d devastated her. “I appreciate you telling me all this. It helps, oddly enough. For what it’s worth, I had a pretty tough year myself.” She looked at her nails. “But there’s another old saying. Time heals all wounds. I’m okay now. Really.” She looked at him squarely. “I’m fine.”

She began walking toward her door. She was eager to leave. Needed to leave. She stopped when she felt his hand on her arm. She swung her head around to glare at him.

John raised his hands and stepped farther back. “I’m six feet away. You’re safe.”

She looked into his eyes and wondered if he’d intended the double entendre. Did she ever feel safe with him?

“So… Are we friends at least?”

“I suppose it wouldn’t be the worst thing,” she replied without returning his smile.

“Hey, I’ll take it,” John said, smiling. “It’s a start.”

“Don’t misunderstand,” Linnea said coolly. “I’m with someone else.”

Her words wiped the smile from his face, replaced by stunned surprise. As she turned and walked back to the cottage, she couldn’t deny she was glad to see it.

“TIME TO SAY good-bye to Daddy.”

Cara stood at her bedroom door with Hope. She rested her hand upon the wood. “Honey, are you there?”

“I’m here,” came the familiar voice of her husband.

“Daddy!” exclaimed Hope. “I’m going to stay with Linnea for a few days.”