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"You’reyou for your twenty-first birthday," he whispers in lide overmy backside

"You’ll see" He plants a soft kiss on the back of ht, babydoll"

"Goodnight"

Breakfast with the Parker faet to reen eyes and graceful stature coracious Southern charreetsand a kiss on the cheek

"Aren’t you just the prettiest thing? Look at her, Kim scra row of breakfast plates lined up on the kitchen island "Doesn’t she re, Mrs Parker," I mutter, not certain if I should be flattered that I look like Winona

Adas and thick-cut bacon as he squints at hter hair I never noticed it until now"

"Who’s Winona?" I finally ask, taking the plate Ada breakfast table stocked with a basket of blueberry rab a aret sits next to me "Winona is o You would have loved her She was such a free spirit, like you That e to htsville all on your own"

I turn to Adam and he smiles as he keeps his eyes on his plate "I don’t know I’ around a lot My mother died when I was seven so Itiether as she rubs my back "I’m so sorry to hear that, but happy to see that you’ve turned into such an independent and beautiful young woht in us than others Just like my Adam You two make a fine pair"

This woinning to understand why Adam was so persistent e first lad to help when it was tis, and various other dishes while the men took their racks of ribs and slabs of onna be okay in here?" Adao ahead and do your aret says as she wraps her aro check on your father Make sure he’s not burning off what little hair he’s got left"

Adam looks visibly tense at the ive me a quick kiss on the cheek before he scurries outside to join the men

"A bit s aret watches the door for a moment after Adam leaves then turns to me "I know this may not be any of my business, but I want you to know that Adarab another stalk of celery and set about chopping this one a bit smaller

"I’m sure you’ve noticed the tension between him and his father"

I look sideways at her and her face is kind and inquisitive She’s not fishing for infor to impart some wisdom

"Yes, I’ve noticed that"

She breathes deeply and exhales a long breath; a breath that is probably filled with years of frustration and regret "Can you pro, honey? Because I know he can be as stubborn as aabout his father and you seeet him to open up But I need you to promise me you’ll keep an open h I feel uncomfortable with her request I don’t knohat she means by "when he opens his heart" What kind of secret is Adaaret and I finish up the potato salad and the coleslaw As soon as I start piping the filling into the deviled eggs, the door bursts open and Adae rolls off him in thunderous waves as he storaret and she quickly unties the strings on the back of my apron "Go ahead, honey I’ll finish this up"

I pull the apron overdoor into the living roo up the stairs and I follow quickly behind hie of the bed with his elbows resting on the tops of his thighs and his hands clutching his hair He’s tapping his foot i time bomb

I step inside and close the bedroom door behind me "Adam, are you okay?"

He shakes his head almost imperceptibly, but he doesn’t answer

I slowlyand take a seat next to him "I know you probably think I won’t understand because I never knew rets, and pain, eating away at me over the separation fros I want to say to her, but so those things And sometimes I think the secrets will kill me"

He lifts his head and looks at overnment officials for a new project on the naval base"

"What’s wrong with that? Hawaii is beautiful"