Free For Love and Family by Victoria Pade

he’d done, he looked as if he’d surprised himself.
    Certainly he’d surprised Terese with the sudden possibility of physical contact of any kind.
    Before she could respond he pulled his hand back and jammed it into his pocket, muttering, “Oh, you don’t need my help,” as he turned away from her.
    But still Terese couldn’t keep from thinking about it as she stood and joined Johnny in gathering things while Hunter put out the fire. She couldn’t keep from thinking about the fact that he had been inclined to offer that hand. To make that physical contact. As if it might have been something he’d wanted.
    She couldn’t keep from thinking that if she’d been a little less surprised by it and a little quicker, shecould have taken his hand. She could have felt it close around her own. She could have felt the warmth of it. The strength of it. The texture of it.
    And she couldn’t keep from thinking that that would have been really nice.
    In fact, as the three of them piled back in the truck and drove all the way home she couldn’t keep from thinking how nice it would have been.
    Johnny fell so soundly asleep on that drive back that he didn’t wake up even when the truck stopped. While Hunter carried his son up to put him to bed, Terese stayed lost in her “what-if” musings and carried the picnic basket into the kitchen to empty.
    She’d done that when Hunter came downstairs again and by then it was as if the entire thing had never happened.
    â€œYou didn’t have to do that,” he said as she finished cleaning up the remnants of their dinner.
    â€œI don’t mind,” she assured him. “Did you get Johnny to bed?”
    â€œHe never even opened his eyes. The big crash after the sugar rush.”
    â€œCombined with a pretty busy day,” Terese added, putting rinsed dishes into the dishwasher and steadfastly not looking at Hunter, who was returning condiments to the refrigerator.
    â€œHe did plenty of showing off for you, that’s for sure.”
    They both finished at the same time and that left no choice but for her to look at him as he stoodbehind one of the kitchen chairs, clasping the barrel-back with both big hands.
    â€œIt’s all right. I don’t get all that many men showing off for me,” she joked.
    â€œI don’t know why not,” Hunter countered as their eyes met.
    Terese couldn’t come up with anything to say to that. Especially not while her eyes clung to his and her thoughts were all on that missed opportunity to have felt her hand in his.
    But after a moment it was Hunter who broke the silence.
    â€œYou’re probably about ready to drop from keeping up with the boy since early this morning.”
    Terese wondered if that might be her cue to leave, even though it wasn’t late.
    â€œI could use a long soak in a bubble bath. And to brush my teeth,” she said pointedly.
    Hunter laughed. “Well, eating that first marshmallow made Johnny’s night, so maybe you can take some comfort in that.”
    â€œSome,” she agreed.
    There was another silence while Terese fostered a tiny hope that Hunter might ask her to stay awhile longer.
    But when that didn’t happen, she said, “I guess I’ll call it a day, then.”
    â€œI’ll walk you out to the cabin.”
    â€œYou don’t have to,” Terese said, even though she was hoping he would, anyway.
    Those hopes were met when he let go of the chair and motioned for her to precede him to the mudroom door. “Let a lady walk herself home?” he said as he did. “I can’t do that.”
    Terese led the way out the rear of the house, realizing as she stepped into the night air again that she still had his coat on.
    â€œOh, I need to give your coat back, too,” she commented as they headed for the cabin.
    He didn’t remark on that fact, though. Instead he said, “I have to take Johnny