Halfway through the meeting, the duo was introduced to everyone as William and Jack Johnson.
“Thank you all for welcoming us,” William said, pausing to rise to his feet. The flecks of salt and pepper in his hair glistened beneath florescent lighting. “My son and I are glad we came.”
A smattering of applause broke out.
“My wife and Jack’s mom—Laura—died a few years ago, and we’ve been trying to make our peace with it, but it hasn’t been easy,” William added with a quick look around the room. His gaze settled on Amy, who felt a shiver race up her spine. She shifted and inched closer to Emily, who was staring at the two of them. “All this time, I—we’vebeen struggling. A friend of mine told me about this place and how life-changing it was.”
Silence settled over the room.
William’s remarks were met with a chorus of well-wishes and sympathy a heartbeat later.
“It’s taken us a while.” William placed a hand on Jack’s shoulders. “But we’re here, and we want to move forward together as a family.”
Another smattering of applause rose, louder than the first.
Amy was among the first to clap and the last to stop.
She didn’t realize she had tears in her eyes until Emily handed her a packet of tissues. In silence, Amy ripped it open and dabbed at her eyes. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of movement and turned to it, smiling when she saw a half-circle forming around William and Jack, many of them women who couldn’t stop batting their lashes at the Johnson family patriarch.
It was shameful.
But Amy paid them no mind, especially when the excitement died down and everyone went back to their seats. With an awkward smile, William sat down first and glanced over at his son, who smiled and held his gaze.
Outside, a strong gust of wind blew, rattling the windows. Then, there was howling in the distance, followed by the loud screech of a tire.
Several of the members of the support group glanced up, startled.
Silence settled again, and everyone went back to their stories.
Amy was only half-listening as the hour drew to a close. Slowly, she rose to her feet and followed Emily to the slew of tables pushed together in the back. Someone had already laid out the donuts and cookies, and a few pitchers of iced tea were set out, along with some cans of soda. Emily got to the front of the table first and snagged a few treats for them.
The two of them stood in a quieter corner of the room, whispering amongst themselves as people trickled out. When only a few people were left, Emily and Amy hung back to help clean up. When they came out of their secluded corner, Amy’s sides hurt from laughing so hard. She followed Emily to the back of the room and rolled up her sleeves. Before they could start, William and Jack emerged from the shadows and began to help.
“Cleanup duty isn’t for first-timers,” Emily joked with a quick look in Amy’s direction. “Unless you have the misfortune of being friends with the person who brought the treats.”
Up close, the father and son duo were even more handsome than Amy had realized. Jack was a bit on the shorter side, with midnight-black hair that curled at the nape of his neck and a pair of striking blue eyes. His black button-down shirt looked like it had seen better days, and his jeans hung a little too low on his hips.
William, on the other hand, was magnetic and towered over his son.
He was at least five inches taller and kept his back erect and his shoulders straight. With a sharp jaw, caramel-colored eyes, and salt-and-pepper hair that made him look more distinguished, Amy suddenly realized why all of the other women flocked to his side, especially when he turned to her and smiled, his eyes crinkling around the corners.
He truly was better looking up close.
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, Amy dismissed it and busied herself with the plastic plates and cups, tossing them into the garbage bag Emily held. It wasn’t long before Jack commandeered control of the garbage bag, leaving Emily, Amy, and William to tidy up the rest. In amicable silence, the four of them worked while the overhead fluorescent lights buzzed, and their shoes squeaked against the polished hardwood floors.
Eventually, Jack went to carry the garbage bag out, and Emily hurried after him, realizing he had no idea where to go. Once Amy realized she was alone with William, the first man she’d been alone with other than Eric in years, a flush crept up her neck and cheeks.
“I’m sorry about your wife,” Amy began, her voice climbing toward the end. “It sounds like you really loved her.”
William’s answering smile was sad. “I did. I thought we were going to end up in a retirement home together, making fun of each other, and waiting for our grandkids to come and visit.”
“I’m sorry you didn’t get the chance to do that.”
William nodded, some of the shadows on his face lifting. “Me too. What about you?”
Amy blinked. “What about me?”
“You look too young and beautiful to be a widow,” William pointed out, his lips spreading into a slow smile. “Or was he an idiot who let you go?”
