A Wedding In the Family by Kathryn Alexander

rebellious…still something of a loner. Now Rob—he can be as aggressive at times as he needs to be, but underneath it all, he’s really very sensitive and tenderhearted.” She rolled up the sleeves of her blueand-green plaid flannel shirt. “It’s warming up. It’s hard to believe it’s October.”
    Adam looked past the picnic table and across the wide grassy expanse leading to the lake, whose waters remained calm and still. “It’s a perfect day for this. I just hope the kids actually catch some fish.”
    “They had a couple of bites when you were down there with them earlier, didn’t they?” she asked andcontinued pulling paper plates, cups and other necessary items from her basket.
    “Yes. I think I’ll see how it’s going.” He touched Angela’s forearm as he moved past her.
    Angela finished getting food on the table, and about ten minutes later, Adam and all three children returned to their picnic area to eat. Fishing tips became the mealtime topic, and the boys’ opinions differed. As usual.
    “You’ve only been fishin’ a few times, Nathan, so don’t act like you know it all,” David stated after listening to his brother’s talk a little longer than he cared to. “How many times has Grandpa took—”
    “Taken,” Angela corrected.
    ”…‘taken’ you fishing?” David asked.
    “More times than he’s taken you. That’s for sure.”
    Adam listened to more than what the boys were saying. He considered the things they weren’t saying. No mention of their dad taking them fishing, showing them how to use the bait or take a fish off the hook once it’s reeled in. How could Dan Sanders have had these two young boys in his life and seemingly have done so little with them? What a loss for all of them. A sharp twinge of remembering pierced Adam’s heart. Adam and his brother had grown up in much the same fashion. But at least their father’s illness had been something of an excuse. He couldn’t imagine what rationale Dan Sanders might have used to avoid a close relationship with his sons.
    And Angela? She seemed to Adam nearly too good to be true. What could possibly have gone so wrongwithin her marriage? She didn’t seem open to discussing it. Adam knew every relationship had its problems, it’s own uniqueness, but why did it seem everyone was so closemouthed about Angela and Dan’s? He wondered if Tiffany knew any more about Dan than he did. Probably not. If she did, she’d already have told him. And asking—that would seem gossipy.
    “What time do we need to leave for you to make it to work?” Angela asked, studying Adam’s thoughtful expression. “I don’t want you to be late.”
    “Let’s stay for about two hours if the kids are enjoying themselves. That would leave me time to shower and change before I have to be there.”
    Those two hours went by quickly, especially once everyone started catching fish. When departure time arrived, the boys both were asking to come back again. Soon. Heather wanted to know if next time they could fish with something less disgusting than wet, wriggly night crawlers. She thought something dry and plastic would be much more acceptable. The trip back to Angela’s was uneventful, and Adam helped unload the van once they had parked up near the garage. It didn’t take very long, considering all the stuff they had packed. And all three children helped after only a little prodding from Angela.
    “Well, I’ve gotta go. I’m due at the center in ninety minutes,” Adam said, walking out of her house. He wanted to drape an arm around her shoulders and pull her closer as they headed toward his truck, but hewouldn’t right now. Not in broad daylight with the children all around. They stepped onto the driveway, and Adam did reach down to take her hand—as if a touch would in any way placate his longing for this woman.
    “Thanks for spending time with the kids. The boys are desperate for that kind of attention.”
    “My pleasure. Nathan didn’t