Free Finally Found by Nicole Andrews Moore Page B

question was whether or not she was coming back. Wandering through the house, he explored the guest room and discovered all of her belongings were still there, nice and neat in a big black duffle bag. He shivered. Did every woman have a big black duffle bag to squish her life into and run off? He was headed back out of the room when he heard a car door slam.

    Cammie had returned. He breathed a sigh of relief even as he wondered why it bothered him so much. After all, her presence made more work for him. Her absence meant a week of leisure. He frowned. He’d had entirely too much leisure in this lifetime. It was time to make his life count. And the best way to do that was by helping others.

    Smiling, he headed to the door just in time to help her as she struggled to open it. “Let me get that,” he said as he tried to collect the bags from her arms.

    “I’ve got this but if you want to help, there’s still plenty more in the trunk that still has to be carried in.” She brushed by him and continued on toward the kitchen.

    Shrugging, Adam walked to her car and saw that she wasn’t joking. The entire trunk was positively packed with groceries. He was still standing there eyeing the bags when she was suddenly at his side.

    “Yo, genius, these bags aren’t going to carry themselves into the house.” And without another word, she simply started grabbing the bags and loading the plastic handles onto her hands.

    “This can’t all be for Friday, can it?” He asked. “I said cocktail party, not four course meal!”

    She laughed and responded lightly. “Nah, but I for one do not plan on missing out on my favorite cooking holiday just because I’m stuck here with you.”

    Giving himself a mental head slap, he realized that he had all but forgotten National Football and Turkey Day. Since he had no use for football and little interest in turkey, he had spent the last few years looking at it as a day off, a drinking holiday, an opportunity to sleep in, a day to recuperate from all the debauchery the night before. He and Sam had not celebrated it since their parents passed away. Well, in truth, maybe Sam had and he simply hadn’t been invited. He tried to picture Sam and Neville eating alone at that big long table in that cold empty dining room. It wasn’t a pretty picture.

    In an instant, he began to imagine Thanksgiving here, at the Hamptons house. Though they had celebrated Christmas here on occasion, they had never enjoyed Thanksgiving anywhere but in the city. Father had suggested it once, but mom claimed that it was too much work to transport all that food, since her preparations began days in advance. And every year after the same discussion, his father would agree. It looked like all of that was changing this year.

    Without thinking, he headed to the kitchen and the phone. Cammie was unloading groceries and putting them away in the fridge, freezer, and pantry. She was humming happily to herself. Adam was distracted for a moment. She looked absolutely lovely. When she was like this, he had no difficulty at all remembering that she wanted her coffee light and sweet. She all but radiated joy at the moment and Adam wanted nothing more than to be a part of it.

    He slowly picked up the phone, reluctantly dialed his brother’s cell phone, and suddenly spoke words that he never imagined he’d be speaking. “Sam, why don’t you and Haley come to the Hamptons house for Thanksgiving?”

    “Well, we were hoping you would come here. We have Ellen, Ryan, and little Abigail coming over. You remember them, right?” His voice, which had started sternly, was slowly softening, becoming more normal.

    “Yes, but all the food is here. Do you have any food there?” He leaned against the counter.

    “Neville was going to…”

    “Your next words had better be…help us pack the car to come to the Hamptons. Seriously, Sam. We’ve never had Thanksgiving here. I’m here. Cammie’s here. Food is here. Come here.”