Remember by Karen Kingsbury Page B

among them was more tolerated than welcome. Every time Ashley talked that way, Kari corrected her.
    But Ashley seemed bent toward aloofness, determined to be less connected than the others.
    Now, though, her eyes bore a sadness that was unmistakable. Ashley cared more about the rest of them than she ever dared admit. She might not always fit in, but she belonged all the same.
    Kari imagined Erin and Sam’s packing their things and setting off for Texas. No wonder everyone was having trouble being excited. The Baxters had never been apart, not really. There’d been the six months Kari had spent modeling in New York City, and Ashley’s year in Paris. But none of them had actually relocated for good.
    The phone rang, and Luke jumped from the table to answer it. “Hello?” His eyes lit up, and he motioned to Kari. “Yeah, she’s here…. Uh-huh…. Lots better.
    He’s still in the hospital but out
    of ICU, breathing on his own and all…. Yep, everyone’s fine Okay, I’ll get her for you.”
    Kari watched, puzzled. Who would call her here, at her parents’ house? Someone from church? The conversation around the table stalled as Luke handed the phone to Kari and said the words that made her heart rate double.
    “It’s Ryan.”
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    Kari NEEDEDa quiet place to talk.
    She thanked Luke, took the phone, and headed upstairs to her old bedroom, the place where she’d stayed so often in the past year. When she was alone, she exhaled and held the phone to her ear.
    “Hello?”
    “Hi.” His voice worked its way across her heart, soothing out the wrinkles that had collected through the day. “Did I catch you at a bad time?”
    “No.” She sat down on the bed and closed her eyes. “We were just finishing dinner. It’s Erin’s birthday.”
    “I tried you at home first.” He paused, and Kari could hear the concern in his voice. “My mom told me about Landon Blake. Luke said he’s better.”
    “Much better, thank God.” Kari leaned back on a stack of pillows. “Dad says it’s a miracle. He won’t even need skin grafts for the burns.”
    “Has Ashley seen him?”
    Kari pictured Ryan sitting in a New York apartment, worrying 48
    about the people back in Bloomington. Landon’s older brother had graduated from high school the same year as Ryan. And everyone who knew Landon knew of the torch he carried for Ashley. “She’s practically set up housekeeping at the hospital. I think it’s been good for her. Helped her take stock of her priorities, you know?”
    “Yeah.” Ryan’s voice was quiet. “Nothing like a hospital to make you do that.”
    Something in his tone told Kari there was more on his mind than Landon Blake’s injury. Was he missing her, wishing he hadn’t taken the job in New York? Or did picturing Landon in the hospital have a way of drawing Ryan back to those days after his football injury? The same way it had drawn her back?
    Whatever he was thinking, Kari wasn’t willing to guess. There was no point in getting into a deep conversation with Ryan. He was too far away, and she was still sorting through the ashes of her life. Besides, every thought of Ryan made her sick with guilt, as though she were betraying Tim and their marriage and everything they’d shared together.
    Whenever Ryan called, she was careful to keep things on an informational level.
    Updates about Jessie, talk about training camp, that kind of thing.
    “So,” she asked casually, “what’s up?”
    Ryan uttered a tired sigh. “Meetings, meetings, and more meetings.”
    Kari laughed. “Ready for camp, huh?”
    “Two weeks and counting. We open July 26, and everyone should be there. No holdouts. Preseason begins a month later at New England.” He chuckled. “Between managing the personalities on the team and juggling the depth chart, I’ll barely have time to coach.”
    “You’ll do great.” The laughter remained in Kari’s voice, but more because it was what Ryan expected. The.truth was, she found his impending