Audra frowned. “Who’s her husband?”
?
?State Representative Isaac Green.” Jack practically spat the other man’s name.
Audra froze in the act of filling the second bowl with salad. She opened her mouth twice before she could voice her question. “Did Kerry cheat on you with an elected official?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, my word.” Her voice was faint.
“She married me for the prominence of my name and slept with Green for the prominence of his office.” Jack carried the sandwiches into the dining room.
Audra followed with the salads. “I’m sorry Founders Day is going to be so awkward for you.”
“What makes you say that?” He walked past her and back to the kitchen.
Audra set the salad bowls beside the plates of sandwiches and returned to the kitchen with him. “Won’t you have to sit on the stage with the person who broke up your marriage?”
Jack poured two glasses of lemonade. “I’m not going to speak at the event.”
Audra paused in the act of selecting silverware from a drawer. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” He returned to the dining room.
It bothered her more than she thought it would that Kerry could still incite such strong feelings in him.
She marched back to the dining table and stood with her hands on her hips. “Jack, you have to speak at the celebration. Do you have any idea how few towns established by African Americans have survived? On August ninth, Trinity Falls will celebrate its one hundred and fiftieth birthday. This is extraordinary. As a descendent of the town’s founding family, you have a responsibility to address its residents.”
“Damn it, Audra!” Jack dragged his hands over his close-cropped hair and paced into the living room.
Audra dropped her arms and followed him. She softened her tone. “I know this situation is unfair, but you’ll regret it if you don’t represent your family on Founders Day.”
“It’s my decision to regret.” Jack stared into the cold fireplace. His words carried much less heat.
“Don’t allow Kerry to continue to have power over you. She’s moved on. You should, too.”
“I don’t give a damn about Kerry.”
Audra closed the gap between them. She rested a gentle palm on his taut back. “All of your reasons for initially agreeing to represent your family still exist—your grandfather, your father, Zoey.”
The muscles under her palm shook as though electrically charged. Had she been unfair in evoking his daughter’s name? Perhaps, but Zoey was a member of the founding family. His words would represent her as well.
“And one very good reason not to make the speech also exists.” He faced her. “I don’t care anymore what Kerry did to me and our marriage. But I’ll never forgive her or Green for Kerry not being there when Zoey needed her mother.”
Audra nodded, ashamed that she hadn’t realized Jack wasn’t holding a grudge against Kerry for himself. He was still hurting for Zoey. She could understand that. Although she’d never met mother or daughter, Audra also resented Kerry for putting her selfish pleasures above Zoey.
“I’m sorry Zoey’s mother wasn’t there for her. But her father was.” Audra laid her hand on his chest. “Honor her memory and the memory of the rest of your family by being there for them now.”
Audra returned Jack’s tortured gaze. A battle raged within him. She never moved a muscle. But her eyes pleaded with him, If not for the town or yourself, then for Zoey.
Slowly his tension eased. His sigh was long and heavy. Jack drew her to him, wrapping his arms around her waist. “You have a way of ripping out all the ugliness from my heart and leaving only what’s good.” He whispered the words into her hair.
Audra inhaled sharply. Her body shook with shock. “You’ve come a long way from five words and no emotion to a declaration like that.”
“You’ve changed me.”
She leaned back to look up at him. “So you’ll give a speech at the Founders Day event?”