“I pray she’s okay.” Aunt Haddie gave Makayla’s shoulder a comforting squeeze. “All of you be extra careful tonight.” Aunt Haddie fixed her gaze on Jack. “You all need to stay away from trouble.”
“Okay.” Jack held up his hands in mock surrender. “But is there a reason that I’m the focus of your attention here?”
“Yes,” Aunt Haddie said. “Would you like me to provide a list?”
Just the thought of Aunt Haddie running down a list of Jack’s past exploits in front of Kelly was enough to stop him cold. “No, ma’am.”
She wiggled a finger at him and gave him another wink.
“It was nice meeting you,” Kelly said as they walked outside.
Jack was driving, and the four of them were halfway to his car when Aunt Haddie called from the doorway. “Jackie!”
Jack cringed. He never understood why older people called him Jackie and not Jack. Either way, he felt the color rise in his cheeks.
“Jackie!” she called again and waved him back. “Just one second. I have something for Laura. I need to speak to you a minute.”
Kelly nodded toward the Impala. “I’ll wait in the car with Chandler and Makayla.”
“Thanks.”
Jack ran past the teenagers, who were heading back to Aunt Haddie’s trunk to grab another load of grocery bags, and followed Aunt Haddie into the little hallway. When she turned around, Jack saw her raised eyebrow. He groaned. He knew what was coming.
“Don’t go giving me that look, Jack Alton Stratton.”
Jack’s shoulders hunched up. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”
She held up a finger. “And you’d better keep it that way. Chandler told me that you just got your passport.”
Jack made a face. “That’s me being responsible. How is that cause for a talk?”
“Because now you’re a short-timer. You’re going to be going overseas soon. People make all sorts of bad choices when they rush into things because they only have a little bit of time. Tonight you’re going out with a girl. She’ll see that special something I saw in you when you first walked through my door eleven years ago, and she may not want to let it go. When the two of you realize that you’re leaving soon…”
“It’s just a date.”
Aunt Haddie reached out, put her hand on his chin, and peered right into his eyes. “You have a sensitive heart.”
Jack tried to pull away, but she held him fast. He rolled his eyes.
Aunt Haddie gave his chin a little shake. “You need to guard your heart. You love deep. You’ll hurt deep. Go slow.”
“It’s a date!”
“Then don’t be late. Here.” Aunt Haddie pressed a thank-you card into his hands. “Tell Ted and Laura how much I appreciate their help.”
Jack nodded. His parents had never come out and said so, but Jack knew they gave Aunt Haddie a little money whenever they could.
Aunt Haddie kissed his cheek. “Love you.”
“Love you too.”
Jack hurried out through the kitchen, where Michelle was directing a whirlwind of motion as the teenagers put away the groceries.
“See you,” Jack said with a wave, then he whipped open the door and ran onto the porch—straight into a teenage girl straining to carry four bags of groceries at once.
The girl never saw it coming. She stumbled back, miraculously dropping only one of the bags. “Doofus!” she snapped. The brown ponytail on top of her head shook back and forth.
“Sorry, kid.” Jack bent down to get the bag at the same time she did.
They bumped heads.
“Dang!” Jack rubbed his forehead. “You’ve got a hard head.”
The girl’s head snapped up. He could tell she was about to blast him, but when her blazing green eyes met Jack’s, she froze. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.
Jack checked the bag and saw that nothing was broken. He held it out to the girl, but she just stared. Jack shook the bag in front of her. The cans inside rattled.
“Are you okay?” Jack asked.
She blinked a couple of times. Her lips pressed together in an awkward, shy grin. She started to shake her head, but it quickly turned into a nod. The result was her head wobbling all around her shoulders.
Michelle came out onto the porch. Jack looked to her for help, awkwardly holding his hand out in the direction of the girl.
Michelle sized up the situation and giggled. She took the girl by the hand and the bag from Jack. “Have fun, Jack,” she called over her shoulder as she tugged the smiling girl toward the house.
“See ya, Half-Pint!”
He walked to his car, but paused when he saw an unmarked police cruiser driving down Aunt Haddie’s road. Two men in suits were in the car. As they passed, Jack recognized one of the men as Detective Vargas.