The Girl He Left Behind. Patricia Kay

do you live?”

      “Over on Maple Avenue, just off Center Street. It’s not far.”

      “It’s far enough. I’ll walk you home.”

      “You don’t have to do that.”

      “Eve, it’s nine o’clock. It’s dark. I’m not letting you walk by yourself.”

      “It’s perfectly safe. I walk at night all the time. You’ve been living in the big city too long, Adam. You’ve forgotten what small-town life is like.”

      “I don’t care. I’m still walking you home.”

      “But you said you have to go back to the hospital.”

      “I lied. I just wanted to get away from your esteemed mayor.”

      “He’s not my esteemed mayor. I haven’t voted for him in either of the past two elections.”

      “Whatever. I don’t have to go to the hospital, and I am walking you home.”

      Because it was obvious nothing she could say was going to change his mind, and she didn’t want to argue with him, Eve shrugged and said, “Okay, fine.” But down deep, she knew these weren’t the only reasons she was letting him have his way.

      Whether it was wise or not, she wasn’t ready to say goodbye.

       Chapter Four

      When Adam offered his arm, Eve only hesitated a moment before taking it. It felt good to walk together, especially as he matched his strides to hers. As they walked along, the years melted away, and for those few minutes, being with him felt exactly right.

      The soft night air surrounded them, and everywhere there were night sounds: crickets chirping, doves cooing and, in the distance, tires humming along the nearby highway. And somewhere not far away the lilting notes of a violin drifted toward them. Eve could smell the sweet fragrance of night jasmine and roses. It was a perfect night.

      It didn’t take long to reach her house. For a moment, they stood awkwardly on the sidewalk. Quickly, before she could change her mind, she said, “Would you like to stay and talk awhile?”

      He smiled. “I’d like that very much.”

      So they climbed the steps to the porch, and she invited him to sit on the swing. “I have some freshly made lemonade. Can I tempt you with a glass?”

      “Sounds great.”

      Why had she invited him to stay? she asked herself as she walked indoors. Wouldn’t it have been better to simply thank him and say good-night?

      But you didn’t want to say good-night, did you?

      No, she hadn’t. She’d finally relaxed enough to enjoy being in his company, and she was curious about him. There were all kinds of things she wanted to ask him, and in the privacy of her porch, with no prying eyes to watch them, she could. She might never again have this opportunity, so she’d taken it.

      She put the glasses of lemonade on a small tray and added a plate of peanut-butter cookies, about the only kind she could make that actually turned out well. She’d baked them thinking the twins would be home tonight, and since they weren’t, she might as well put them to good use. Especially since, if Mayor Ferguson hadn’t interrupted them, she would have recommended the really excellent banana-cream pie at Dinah’s.

      When she rejoined Adam on the porch, he smiled. “Peanut-butter cookies! I haven’t had homemade ones since I was a kid.”

      “I know. They remind me of being a kid, too.” Eve sat next to him on the swing. “So I read that your band is starting a big autumn tour and your first date will be in Austin in September.”

      “That’s the plan.”

      “I was actually thinking of trying to get tickets.”

      “Were you? I’ll give you passes if you want to come.”

      “Oh, that would be great. Thank you.” She hesitated, then added, “I’m really proud of you, Adam. You’ve done so well.”

      “Thanks. There’ve been some rough patches, but overall, I’m happy with the way things have gone. And what about you? Did you go to college like you planned?”

      “Yes, but not exactly the way I’d planned. I could only go part-time because I had the twins, so it took me about six years to finish.”

      “Twins? I didn’t know that.”

      “Yes, a boy and a girl. Natalie and Nathan.” Even saying their names to him caused her heart to flutter alarmingly.

      “How old are they?”

      “Um, they’re eleven.”

      He looked over at her, and she wondered what he was thinking.

      “You married that guy who was always hanging around your family’s house, didn’t you? That friend of your family’s.”

      “Bill Kelly. Our parents were best friends.”

      “I always thought he was lookin’ to score with you.”

      Eve had sensed the same thing, even though Bill had never said anything until after Adam was gone. And even then, he probably would have bided his time, thinking she was too young, but she was such a mess and so vulnerable, he had seen his chance and he’d taken it.

      “You married him almost right away,” Adam said.

      “Not right away. It was...about three months later.” She had nothing to feel guilty about. After all, Adam was the one who had left. Adam was the one who had never returned her calls.

      “Did you love him?”

      “That...that’s not a fair question.”

      “I think it’s fair. I loved you, Eve. I thought you loved me. We were going away together. And three months later you marry someone else? Don’t you think you owe me an explanation?”

      I don’t owe you anything.

      “You never called me.” She couldn’t keep the bitterness out of her voice.

      “You were the one who didn’t show up that night.”

      “I didn’t think you’d go without me!” she cried. “And I did try to call you. I tried several times, but the number just rang and rang. And I didn’t know how else to get in touch with you.”

      He put his now-empty glass down on the little table next to the swing and stared at her. “You tried to call me?”

      “Yes.”

      “Why?”

      “I—” She stopped. What could she say? It was too late to say anything.

      “Why, Eve? Were you sorry? What?”

      “I—I just wanted to talk to you.”

      “When did you call?”

      “What does it matter?” She could feel tears welling. Dammit. She would not cry. She wouldn’t!

      “It matters ’cause I didn’t get any calls.”

      “Well, I called. Not right away.”