lemonade. It all looked and smelled delicious. Especially the server.
Emily forced herself to turn away from him and dig into her plate. She’d come to eat and that’s what she was going to do. And it was certainly easy to lose herself in the flavor of the food. The potato salad was incredibly creamy. The chicken, baked with sun dried tomatoes, was sweet and spicy at the same time. Heck, even the dried up sausages were tasty.
“This is wonderful,” she said between mouthfuls. “Thanks.”
“It’s absolutely my pleasure. I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately.”
Emily’s gut tightened. There was an opening line if she’d ever heard one. By the end of lunch, she’d have to make it clear to Houston that this picnic was as far as their relationship was ever going to go.
“So tell me about yourself, Doctor. When did you decide to become a vet?”
“I’ve always loved animals. It was a dream of mine since first grade.”
“You must have been one of the smart kids.”
Emily smiled and relaxed a bit. Small talk she could handle. “I was good at science. In high school, I was able to win a couple of scholarships. That helped a lot. And I was conscientious. I always had my nose in a book.”
“Are you from Calgary?”
“No. My mother and I moved here from Saskatchewan when I started high school.”
“It was just the two of you?”
“Yes. My father...” It was silly to freeze up. She wasn’t a kid anymore. With the family unit disintegrating everywhere, no one found her story shocking these days. Certainly, a man like Houston wouldn’t. “My father left before I was born. He’s never contacted me.”
“I’m sorry.” His voice was low and halting. “I know how hard that can be.”
Emily didn’t comment. She’d heard all the words of sympathy before—offerings of understanding when there really were none.
“I have a sister—”
“I wondered about that,” she said, trying to brighten the mood. “Is her name Dallas, by any chance?”
“Dallas? No, it’s Allison.” He looked at her, puzzled. “Why did you think her name was Dallas?”
“Never mind. Just an inside joke of my own.” She wiped her fingers on one of the napkins. “What about her?”
He shifted his position, stretching his long legs out over the blanket. “Ally’s raising my nephew alone.”
Emily set her plate down. “The boy’s father left?”
“Yeah.” It was a simple reply, but his voice conveyed a complex mix of emotions within that one word. There was resignation coupled with a deep sense of sadness. Perhaps Houston did understand.
“How old is your sister?”
“Twenty-one now, and trying to finish up her high school diploma.”
“And she’s doing it all on her own?”
“She’s got me for support, but I know she regrets that her child is growing up without a dad.”
Emily nodded in agreement. “What about your parents? How do they feel about it?”
“Our mother died when we were both young.” He placed his empty plate on top of hers. “My father passed away six years ago.”
Emily chewed on her bottom lip, inwardly chastising herself for asking the question. “I’m sorry.”
“Me, too. Dad would have loved Liam.”
“That’s your nephew?”
“Yeah. He’s a great kid. Really smart. He just turned five and he’s already reading. And he can beat me at checkers. Honest. I used to try to lose, but now I really have to pay attention or the little guy creams me.” He chuckled and Emily laughed along with him. “Do you want to see a picture of him?”
“Sure.” Emily was curious, but mostly she was surprised. She didn’t know any men who carried photos of their nephews around with them, but apparently Houston did. He dug into his pants pocket, produced one out of his wallet and passed it to her.
Emily looked at the smiling face. The boy had dark brown hair, hazel eyes and an infectious grin punctuated by a dimple on either side.
“He’s darling.” She gave the photo
Emily forced herself to turn away from him and dig into her plate. She’d come to eat and that’s what she was going to do. And it was certainly easy to lose herself in the flavor of the food. The potato salad was incredibly creamy. The chicken, baked with sun dried tomatoes, was sweet and spicy at the same time. Heck, even the dried up sausages were tasty.
“This is wonderful,” she said between mouthfuls. “Thanks.”
“It’s absolutely my pleasure. I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately.”
Emily’s gut tightened. There was an opening line if she’d ever heard one. By the end of lunch, she’d have to make it clear to Houston that this picnic was as far as their relationship was ever going to go.
“So tell me about yourself, Doctor. When did you decide to become a vet?”
“I’ve always loved animals. It was a dream of mine since first grade.”
“You must have been one of the smart kids.”
Emily smiled and relaxed a bit. Small talk she could handle. “I was good at science. In high school, I was able to win a couple of scholarships. That helped a lot. And I was conscientious. I always had my nose in a book.”
“Are you from Calgary?”
“No. My mother and I moved here from Saskatchewan when I started high school.”
“It was just the two of you?”
“Yes. My father...” It was silly to freeze up. She wasn’t a kid anymore. With the family unit disintegrating everywhere, no one found her story shocking these days. Certainly, a man like Houston wouldn’t. “My father left before I was born. He’s never contacted me.”
“I’m sorry.” His voice was low and halting. “I know how hard that can be.”
Emily didn’t comment. She’d heard all the words of sympathy before—offerings of understanding when there really were none.
“I have a sister—”
“I wondered about that,” she said, trying to brighten the mood. “Is her name Dallas, by any chance?”
“Dallas? No, it’s Allison.” He looked at her, puzzled. “Why did you think her name was Dallas?”
“Never mind. Just an inside joke of my own.” She wiped her fingers on one of the napkins. “What about her?”
He shifted his position, stretching his long legs out over the blanket. “Ally’s raising my nephew alone.”
Emily set her plate down. “The boy’s father left?”
“Yeah.” It was a simple reply, but his voice conveyed a complex mix of emotions within that one word. There was resignation coupled with a deep sense of sadness. Perhaps Houston did understand.
“How old is your sister?”
“Twenty-one now, and trying to finish up her high school diploma.”
“And she’s doing it all on her own?”
“She’s got me for support, but I know she regrets that her child is growing up without a dad.”
Emily nodded in agreement. “What about your parents? How do they feel about it?”
“Our mother died when we were both young.” He placed his empty plate on top of hers. “My father passed away six years ago.”
Emily chewed on her bottom lip, inwardly chastising herself for asking the question. “I’m sorry.”
“Me, too. Dad would have loved Liam.”
“That’s your nephew?”
“Yeah. He’s a great kid. Really smart. He just turned five and he’s already reading. And he can beat me at checkers. Honest. I used to try to lose, but now I really have to pay attention or the little guy creams me.” He chuckled and Emily laughed along with him. “Do you want to see a picture of him?”
“Sure.” Emily was curious, but mostly she was surprised. She didn’t know any men who carried photos of their nephews around with them, but apparently Houston did. He dug into his pants pocket, produced one out of his wallet and passed it to her.
Emily looked at the smiling face. The boy had dark brown hair, hazel eyes and an infectious grin punctuated by a dimple on either side.
“He’s darling.” She gave the photo
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