Page 27 of Free to Live

“I never expectedanything like this when I called,” I tell Ali honestly. We’re standing by our cars in the parking lot of Amaryllis Events. We both have to leave soon to get our children.

“Cass wasn’t kidding. You should have heard the ideas she had, but she needed an extra month to be able to pull them off.”

I shake my head. “This is so much more, Ali.”

“It’s not enough, Joe. People rely on you all day after day for their lives. This is nothing in return. It’s our honor,” she counters fiercely.

I suspect something more is driving the Freemans’ assistance more than just the fact it’s a worthy cause, but I don’t have the right to pry. I go to open my mouth when out of the corner of my eye I see Holly racing to her car.

“Later, Ali! I’m late for a client shoot. Nice to meet you, Joe. I’ll touch base with you about the photo op this week, so you’ll be hearing from me.”

“Um, okay?” I call back, confused.

“Cassidy must have caught Holly and handed out more assignments,” Ali explains.

“That must mean something in your world because I’m still lost,” I tell her honestly.

Ali doesn’t bother to hide her mirth. “It will mean something to you soon enough.” She pats my arm. “Now let’s go get our kids. I suspect you’ll be hearing from all of us sooner rather than later.”

“Do you have a schedule of when that will be?” I joke.

Ali smiles. “That will likely be in your inbox by the time you make it home. Cassidy’s pretty astounding when it comes to organizing…everything.”

My smile dies. “I think all of you are, Ali. With the way I behaved, I had no right to make the call today. I just couldn’t let anyone down.”

She’s quiet for a moment. “Joe? If there’s any family who understands what trauma can do to a person, it’s this one. No one, particularly Jason and Phil, holds the way you behaved against you.”

I focus on the line of trees over her shoulder. “I do,” I mutter.

“Is the measure of a man his anger? Or is the measure of a man how he behaves when the anger and bitterness pass and he takes steps to recover from what caused that devastation?” Ali asks me softly.

I open my mouth, but she beats me to it. “If it were the first, then the men in our family would all be living a life in purgatory versus the path of righteousness. Think on that a while.” She beeps the locks to her car, then opens the door and slides behind the wheel. Lowering the window, she smiles. “See you at the school.”

I don’t have a chance to respond to any of it before she’s backing her car out of its spot.

“I often find it annoying when my sisters are right because they often are.” Phil’s hand comes down on my shoulder.

“Even about it only being a three-mile run?” I try to lighten the mood because right now, I don’t know how much more wisdom I can handle without breaking.

Phil laughs. “I get crap from all of them about working out. What they fail to note is that I do those workouts religiously. I plan on being around for a long time.”

I shake my head. “All we can do is bank the memories, Phil. None of us are guaranteed forever.”

“It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t live, Joe.” Squeezing my shoulder, Phil casually remarks, “You should come by the farm for dinner. Bring Grace.”

Squinting at the other man, I ask dubiously, “Why do I get the feeling you’re up to something?”

Phil looks affronted. “Listen, the only time all the family’s schedules seem to mesh is over our weekly dinner. It’s a good time for you to get to see Jace as well as hang out with people you’ll be dealing with a lot over the next three weeks.”

Crap. “Sorry, Phil. There have just been so many people who have come at me with good intentions…”

“And it’s been a crock of shit trying to hook up the newly eligible single dad?” Phil concludes.

“Yeah.”

He waves that away. “Don’t worry. Everyone in my family is very taken except for Holly, and I despair of that girl ever settling down.” Phil scoffs.

Relaxing, I agree. “I’ll take you up on that, then.”