Page 29 of Riverbend Gap (Riverbend 1)

Mom stopped fussing with the tablecloth long enough to hug Gavin and welcome Kate. She welcomed everyone with open arms—it was her way. Kate seemed to blossom like a flower under her attention.

Next to Gavin, Kate seemed so petite. So cute. Her hair swung from a ponytail today, her long neck exposed. Her sunny yellow top showed off tanned arms, and the denim shorts she’d paired it with made the most of her shapely legs.

He pulled his gaze away. The unexpected sight of her was a sucker punch. He hadn’t seen her since last week when he’d literally bumped into her at the church. He’d thought about that night a lot. About Katelyn being an alcoholic. He hated that for her. And he wished he didn’t know because he wasn’t sure she’d told Gavin—and it was kind of a big deal.

“Dinner is served.” Jeff set a platter of thick burgers in the center of the table.

“Do we have great timing or what?” Gavin said.

Avery nudged Gavin. “It’s like you have a sixth sense or something. Every time he stops by my place, I’m just getting dinner out of the oven.”

“You mean out of the take-out bag,” Gavin said.

“She’s a busy working woman,” Kate said. “She doesn’t have time to cook every night.”

“That’s right. But I do cook on certain days.” She pointed at Gavin. “And I’m not telling you which ones.”

“Aw, give a poor bachelor a break,” Gavin said. “Have you seen the size of my kitchen?”

Avery rolled her eyes. “As if that’s the problem.”

Everyone found a seat at the table, and Jeff said grace, thanking God for his wife and praying for many more years with her. As soon as he finished they all dug in.

Cooper helped himself to a burger, smothered in melted cheddar, and avoided looking up. Why did it seem like Kate was always seated directly across from him? He took a heaping spoonful of potato salad and passed the bowl to Avery, then went to work on the condiments.

Gavin got up and grabbed a couple drinks from the cooler. When he returned he placed a wine cooler in front of Kate.

She glanced at Cooper. “Oh, um... could I just have a water please?”

“Sure thing.” Gavin fetched the water.

Clearly she hadn’t told his brother. And given their family history with alcoholism, that might be an issue for Gavin.

None of your business.

He blocked Kate from his mind and tuned in to the conversation going on around him. The family caught each other up on their work lives.

Jeff owned Trailside Market. That was where he and Mom had first spoken. His mom asked if they carried Band-Aids, and the rest was history.

The campsite was keeping Gavin busy, and the clinic was bursting with patients. Cooper told about a repeat caller, all hang-ups.It turned out the couple’s four-year-old son was good with a cell phone and wanted to hear the sirens.

“I got my hair done yesterday,” Mom said during a break in the conversation.

“Looks nice, Mom,” Gavin said. “I thought something was different about you.”

“Yeah, looks great.” His brother wouldn’t notice if their mom had shaved her head.

“I wasn’t fishing for compliments.” Mom nudged Cooper. “I saw Amber Clarke there, and she asked after you.”

“So?”

“So, she’s clearly interested, honey, and she seems like a nice girl. She’s gorgeous and she comes from a good family too. You should ask her out.”

“He’s already gone out with her twice,” Avery said. “Once for coffee and once on a picnic.”

He spared Avery a look. “I don’t recall mentioning that.”

She shrugged and stuffed a spoonful of potato salad in her mouth.