Free Chasing Sunsets by Karen Kingsbury

back after this. I don’t miss the sweet taste at all.”
    “Sugar fuels illness.”
    “Exactly.” Mary Catherine pulled up a chair and grinned at Rhonda. “I’ve been telling Sami that. She eats way too much chocolate.”
    “I’m an addict. What can I say?”
    Mary Catherine took a bowl of the almonds and cream as the guys walked in. Tyler led the way. “How’d you beat us?”
    “Better driver.” Mary Catherine looked over her shoulder, teasing him. “Nah, you got stuck at the light before the freeway.”
    “I was gonna say . . .” He laughed and looked back at Marcus. “Also, we took it slow on purpose. Us guys need our bonding time.”
    “Oh, I’m sure.” Sami went to Tyler and the two of them shared a quick kiss. “You have to try Rhonda’s almonds and cream.”
    Ollie had been checking on the kids. He joined them now and smiled at Mary Catherine. “So you’re a health nut like my wife?”
    “You could say that.” She shared a look with her new friend. “We’re trying to convert Sami.”
    The conversation continued, and Mary Catherine held onto every moment. This was what family love should feel like. Fifteen minutes later, Sam came down for water. Rhonda was kind and tender with him, kissing him on the cheek before he returned to bed.
    And when Shane came home from a movie with friends, Rhonda and Ollie took time talking to him, hearing details about his night. Only their daughter, Sierra, wasn’t home. She had spent the night with a friend. But Mary Catherine had seen enough to know that if God by some miracle blessed her with more time, with a man like the one she used to talk about finding, then this was the sort of family she wanted to have.
    A family who lived out their faith as easily as they breathed.
    They talked for a good hour before Sami and Tyler decided to head out. “We’ll be here tomorrow for church!”
    Mary Catherine had planned on leaving now, too, but as she found her purse Marcus approached her. “Hey . . . why don’t you stay? I can take you home in a bit.” He grinned at Sami and Tyler. “You know, give them their space.”
    “Marcus!” Sami sounded disappointed, but she was teasing him. “We don’t need our space.” She motioned to Mary Catherine. “Come on, MC. We want you to come with us.”
    “No, really.” Marcus seemed like he was trying to keepthings casual. “Stay and walk around the block with me. I want to hear your story.” He patted his stomach. “Plus I have to walk off these almonds.”
    Mary Catherine could feel it again, the heat in her cheeks, the way her heart beat faster around him. Was he serious? Did he really want to take a walk with her? In her peripheral vision she thought she saw Tyler give Sami a light elbow. Whatever the signal meant, Sami was suddenly quick to change her mind.
    “Actually, it might be nice to have a little time with Tyler.” She leaned up and kissed him again. “We have a lot to talk about.”
    Like that they were gone, and before Mary Catherine could argue, Marcus was ushering her outside for the walk. Never mind that it was nearly midnight or that Mary Catherine had intended to avoid anything even remotely like this. Marcus couldn’t help himself. Every time they shared a moment together, the world around him turned to summer. The hillsides and skies of his heart came alive with new life.
    They were still in sight of the Waynes’ house when Marcus laughed. “Sorry if that felt a little forced.”
    “Just a little.” Mary Catherine had no idea why he wanted this time with her. Whatever his reason, she had to be careful. She couldn’t stop herself from feeling attracted to him. But she could at least keep her distance emotionally.
    “I don’t know . . . it’s like I sensed something earlier, when we were cleaning up. Like you didn’t want to look at me.” Marcus slowed his pace so he could see her. “Or was that just my imagination?”
    Mary Catherine was glad for the cover of night. She