Jason was out of state, so my cousin should be with him. Still, I had to ask. “Is Luke here?”

“I don’t think so. He must be at work. Though I think Lindsey is.”

So, he hadn’t gone to the show. Interesting. At least he had to work, and I didn’t need to worry about him just now.

The breath I was holding escaped my lips. Okay, I could work with Aunt Cadence and my cousin, Lindsey. However, I couldn’t, I wouldn’t, put up with Luke.

I stepped in the house and was caught and squeezed by Aunt Cadence’s heavy arms. If Mama had lost weight, Cadence had gained some.

“I can’t believe you’re here!” she squealed, twisting me around.

She let go of me. I was about to make a joke and complain about her warm and happy demeanor when I saw Lindsey at her side.

“You’ve grown,” I muttered, staring her up and down. She looked so pretty, so sweet. I did the math in my mind and gasped, realizing she was now seventeen. A beautiful young lady. Her hair was long and fell in waves down her back. It was a couple of shades lighter than mine. Her round hazel eyes mirrored the smile on her lips. She was tall, a little taller than I was, but not as tall as her brother. “Wow, girl, you’re beautiful.”

“So are you,” she said as she hugged me.

Aunt Cadence snatched me from Lindsey, and pulled me to the kitchen where many pots and pans seemed alive on the range and in the oven. I inhaled deeply. Sweet and spicy scents from my favorite dishes swirled around me. Jesus, I had missed their fine cooking. Nobody could cook like Mama and her sister.

And this setting, this kitchen, with its rustic cabinets and wooden table and chairs, was where they cooked the best food. I had spent a good part of my life in this kitchen with them.

“Tell me the truth. My mother didn’t feed you, did she? You look so thin,” Aunt Cadence said as she pushed me into a chair.

“That’s what I said,” Mama commented. She opened the cabinets and picked plates and glasses from them. “I’ll have to call Mom and complain about it.”

“As if you didn’t already,” I said. Mama gaped at me. “Do you think I don’t know you call at least once every two weeks and ask Grandma how I am? I’m not stupid.”

A slight blush took over her cheeks. “Well, you’re my daughter. I have the right to know how you’re doing.” She placed the plates and glasses on the table while Aunt Cadence stirred a boiling pot. “Things might not have parted well between us, but that was many years ago. Plenty of time to put it all behind and start over.” Her tone was firm. She was hoping I wouldn’t argue. I decided I wouldn’t, so as not to upset her.

Aunt Cadence was quick to change subjects. “How is college?”

That I could talk about. “Great. I really like it.”

“Architecture, right?”

“Yes, at Kent State University.”

“Fancy.” Aunt Cadence made an impressed face as she put a bowl with homemade bread before me. My mouth watered. “You’re on vacation now?”

“Yes.” I took one slice off the bread. “The spring semester ended two days ago. I was going to take two classes during the summer, but I realized I can take them later.” I bit my lip. I had almost confessed that Grandma had convinced me I could take those classes later, that being here with Mama was more important. If it weren’t for Grandma’s wise words, I probably wouldn’t have come.

“’Nough talking,” Mama said. “Let’s eat.”

They brought the pots to the table, and I had to restrain myself not to jump over them and yell, “My precious.” How could I have forgotten how much I loved Mama’s food?

During lunch we talked some more. About Grandma, Cleveland, college. Lindsey told me about high school. She was going to start her senior year in the fall and was nervous about it. She was also nervous she wouldn’t get a good date for prom, which was still a year away!

“Did you go to prom?” Lindsey asked. “With whom?”

“With some guy from my school. After graduation, I never saw him again.”

Her face fell. I could feel she liked a guy, and she was daydreaming about being with him forever. I had been seventeen. I knew the feeling.

“Do you have a boyfriend?” she asked.

“Nope.” I wasn’t sure I wanted to talk about Gavin. Besides, he wasn’t my boyfriend, and whatever we had, it was over now.

Aunt Cadence stood. “All right.” She pushed us toward the back door. “I don’t like extra hands in the kitchen, especially ones that don’t work my way. Shoo.”

Well, if she didn’t want help, I wouldn’t be the one complaining. Lindsey and I walked out the door, and Luna, our Golden Retriever, came running to me.

“Gosh, Luna,” I whispered, kneeling in front of her. Jeez, how could I have forgotten about her? I made the calculations in my head. She was probably six or seven years old already. “You look so pretty, girl.”

And she did. Her golden coat shone against the early afternoon sun, her honey-colored eyes sparkled, and her tail twitched as if she had drank coffee.

She licked my cheek and I laughed. “I missed you too.”

With Luna at our feet, Lindsey and I sat on the swing on the porch. I took off my shoes and caressed Luna’s ears with my toes.

It was a hot Sunday afternoon, reminding me of Cleveland too much.

After a few quiet minutes, Lindsey asked, “Did you miss it here?”

I could lie. I could pretend I never cared. I wanted to. “I missed it.”

“How did you cope with it?”

I sighed. “I was hurt. I was enraged. My pride had been squashed. I guess that forgetting wasn’t so difficult.”

“If you could go back in time, would you do things differently?”

“For a long time, I wished I could. I wished I could do everything differently. Now, I’m glad I live in Cleveland. Grandma is an awesome roommate. I love college. I have Kristin, my best friend. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Again, we fell into silence.

I let my head hang backward while Lindsey moved the swing. I could fall asleep like this. The surrounding was familiar, the cooking scents were welcoming, the day looked nice, Luna was great company, and being with Lindsey was almost like old times. Suddenly, I didn’t feel nervous anymore.

But that all went down the drain when Luke showed up on the back porch.

“Hey, cousin,” he said with a tentative smile.

My heart froze, and I felt like my life was being sucked away through my bare skin.

He still looked the same—tall, golden hair like Lindsey’s, round, dark brown eyes—but he was wider, like he had been working out, and now he had stubble over his chin as if he was growing a goatee.

He came closer. “Won’t you say hi?”

I shot up, pumping adrenaline into my veins. “How dare you come here?”

He raised his palms. “I came to say hi.”

Luna barked at him.

“And I want you out of here.” My cheeks were on fire. Pure anger. “While I’m in town, you’re not welcomed here.” I ran into the house and he came after me. “Mama!” I found her in the living room with Aunt Cadence. “Tell him he is not welcomed here. Not while I’m here.”

“Son,” Aunt Cadence started, disappointment washing over her words. “We’ve talked about this.”

“I had to try,” he said.

I pointed to the door. “Out!”

“Please, Luke,” Mama said, low but firm.

For a couple of tense seconds, Luke stood his ground, and Luna, who had followed us inside, growled at him. Then, his wide shoulders slumped, and he dragged his feet out of my house.

“I don’t want him here,” I said, my breathing loud and rapid.

“He’s family, honey. You won’t be able to avoid him,” Mama said.

“If you want me to stay here, he has to stay away.”

“Jess,” Aunt Cadence called me, her voice gentle and careful. I was already shaking my head. “Luke is sorry about the past. I wish you two could talk about it. I wish you could forgive him.”

Blood pumped through my veins. I would explode at any second. “He helped that … that jerk.” My knees gave out, and I leaned against the wall. Mama darted toward me, but I raised my hand to keep her from touching me. I didn’t want her pity. I didn’t want anyone’s pity. “Luke was there. Luke helped him.”