Free At Home in His Heart by Glynna Kaye

But you can have it.”
    He glanced at LeAnne, sitting tight-lipped, her ice cream untouched. He slid the paper across the table toward the older woman. “Thanks, Gina, but I’m sure your grandma has a special place for it.”
    Sandi shifted in her chair. “So, Bryce, how is Mae doing? I intended to stop in and see her this week, but things kept coming up one right after another.”
    “Things like putting in more hours at that museum, I imagine.” LeAnne’s words scolded her daughter-in-law, but her attention riveted on him. “Such a shame that the rent’s being raised when you finally have free time to spend with Gina. Devon said you worked all day Monday.”
    “Couldn’t be helped,” Sandi said lightly, passing a napkin to Gina so she could wipe the ice cream from her face.
    “Grandma Mae and Uncle Bryce took me to the petting zoo,” Gina chimed in. “And Uncle Bryce is going to take me fishing.”
    He nearly laughed at the way LeAnne’s lip curled in distaste. But whether at the fishing or Uncle Bryce reference—or both—was a toss-up.
    Sandi gave her daughter a “look.” “You know that hasn’t been decided. You may be going with Davy and his dad.”
    “I want to go with Uncle Bryce. He has a boat.”
    Keith’s mom again fixed her eyes on him. So much for Gina’s innocent diversionary tactic.
    “So Bryce, what are you planning to do with those additional museum funds?”
    Amazing how some things never changed.
You’re missing
out, Keith, old buddy.
He bestowed her a serene smile he knew she’d find irritating. “Thought I’d spend a few months in the Bahamas. You’re welcome to join me.”
    Now where’d that come from? Old Bryce. The smart aleck who hated being pushed into a corner, especially by Keith’s mom. Or any woman other than his grandma for that matter.
    “Where’s the
Mahamas?
” Gina licked her spoon. “Can I go, too?”
    LeAnne’s eyebrows rose ever so slightly, then she turned to her granddaughter. “Gina, dear. Why don’t you take your hat off while you’re at the table. Your
Uncle
Bryce thinks your mother didn’t teach you any manners.”
    Bryce bristled at the uncalled-for slur on Sandi’s parenting but, unfazed by her grandma’s reprimand, a grinning Gina pulled off the cap and leaned over to plop it on top of
his
head. Much too small, of course, with the band adjusted as tight as it could go for the little girl. He knew he looked silly, and he reached over to poke her gently in the side. She giggled and squirmed, then both caught her grandma’s disapproving eye. Exchanging a mischievous look with Gina, Bryce placed the hat on the table between them and they both settled down to their ice cream.
    Cute kid. Keith’s mom hadn’t yet managed to squash her spunk. He glanced at Sandi. She’d probably held up fine, too, under her mother-in-law’s dictatorial ways. The pair had been on the same page when it came to how Keith should live his life, so there must be some kind of bond between the two in spite of LeAnne’s parenting dig.
    The older woman pushed back her ice cream bowl. “It’s a bit too chilly tonight for ice cream.”
    “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have opened the door.” Sandi cast her mother-in-law an anxious look. “I thought since you’re used to air-conditioning that it might seem too warm in here.”
    Sandi got to her feet to close it, but LeAnne’s outstretched hand stayed her. “Don’t bother, dear. I need to get on home.”
    Was this where he should say something like “don’t hurry off because of me” or “I should be going, too?” But he kept his mouth shut and concentrated on his ice cream as LeAnne retrieved her purse, kissed the top of her granddaughter’s head and moved to the front door with Sandi right behind her.
    No goodbye for him.
    He could hear the murmured voices of the two women. LeAnne’s brisk tones. Her pointed “I’ll call you.”
    He’d go home, too, as soon as she left.
    As soon as he’d finished his ice