Читать книгу There Comes A Season - Carol Steward - Страница 16

“Why do we have to go to another football game?” Carrie complained.

“It’s not T.J.’s game, Carrie. It’s the Broncos’. At Mile High Stadium, like on T.V.” Laura poked the needle through the canvas and pulled the floss taught, then crossed the square to complete the stitch.

“It’s still football.”

Laura took a deep breath and counted to ten. After the way she’d lectured Bryan the week before, she figured she owed it to him to try his advice on parenting. “If you want to stay here, that’s fine. You could go to Lisa’s house while the boys and I are gone. I’m not making that decision for you. Just let me know your answer so I can let Bryan know how many tickets we’ll need.”

Her daughter straightened her back, the whiny attitude replaced with interest. “Bryan’s going with us?”

“T.J.’s entire football team is going. They needed a parent to go along, and Bryan was nice enough to ask us.”

She’d been ready to say no after their discussion on Thanksgiving day. But he’d come in the door the following Monday morning and admitted that she’d hit a nerve.

While he hadn’t agreed to go to church with her, he seemed curious. For his and Jacob’s sake, she vowed to do anything she could to convince Bryan to keep his son.

At the game a week later, Bryan absentmindedly handed a granola bar to one of the boys. He watched Kevin and Laura come down the steps with refreshments. Kevin leaned provocatively close, and she blushed in response to whatever he’d whispered in her ear.

Laura handed the tray of snacks to Carrie, who was sitting next to Bryan. As she stepped over several boys, tiptoeing through their gear, Laura lost her balance. Bryan jumped up, but it was Kevin who grabbed her around the waist and helped her regain her footing. Bryan’s glare brought a raised eyebrow and mischievous smile from his friend.

This day couldn’t end a minute too soon. It had been pathetic. The Broncos won, T.J. and the rest of the team had had a great time, Chad was enthralled with everything, and even Carrie appeared to have enjoyed herself. None of that mattered. It was Laura that had been the center of his attention. There was no doubt in his mind, she’d had a great time, too. Why wouldn’t she? Kevin didn’t taken his attention from her the entire game.

Daylight quickly faded into darkness during the last quarter. As they left the stadium, Kevin caught up to Bryan. “Great game, huh? Say, I’ve been thinking, Laura shouldn’t drive back after dark with a bunch of kids to handle.”

Bryan had thought the same thing, but reasoned that she had more experience dealing with a car full of kids than he did. Still, her van had been acting up lately and she might need help. He glared at Kevin. “Well, I guess that leaves you to do the noble duty then, doesn’t it? I have to drive the company van.”

Kevin smiled. “A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.”

“When did you become so chivalrous?” Bryan grumbled, and continued to lead the group back to the parking lot.

Laura helped the kids load their backpacks and accepted Kevin’s offer to help with the kids. She followed close behind Bryan’s van until they were on the interstate, then let the distance between them grow.

They arrived at the school twenty minutes earlier than expected, but streetlights illuminated the grounds. The kids raced to the playground as Kevin joined Bryan.

“That is one terrific woman,” Kevin said.

Bryan watched his friend’s gaze return to Laura, who was sorting through the scattered gear left in her van. As she leaned over the seat, he knew exactly what Kevin was thinking.

“Quit playing your games, Kevin. Not with Laura.”

“Who says it’s a game?”

Kevin tossed his coat into the company van, then returned to Laura, appearing to be offering his help. Bryan continued to supervise kids and greet parents. When Laura leaned over the middle seat, Kevin moved closer to her, blocking Bryan’s view of her completely.

While they waited, Bryan threw the football with the boys, keeping one eye on Laura’s van. He fought the temptation to see just how accurate his throwing arm was after all these years.

Why do I care? A woman is the last thing I need complicating my life right now! Forget her. In just three more weeks, Jacob will be with Cassandra, and everything will get back to normal.

He realized how much he had come to respect and admire Laura Bates. She was compassionate and sensitive. Charming and intelligent. Dignified and beautiful. And how he’d tried to ignore his growing feelings for her. Even reminding himself of Andrea’s betrayal didn’t taint the warmth he experienced when Laura was around. Their conversation from Thanksgiving day played over and over in his mind like a stuck record. If there’d been any doubt before, it became clear that day. Nothing meant more to Laura than her family. She’d never understand his decision.

Three weeks. If I can just survive three more weeks.

After the other parents left, she approached him.

“Thanks for the tickets, Bryan. We had a great time.”

“Glad you could come. You and Kevin certainly seemed to enjoy yourselves.”

“He’s something else.”

The smile on her face could have been considered admiration, could have been contempt; he wasn’t sure.

“I’d be glad to fill you in on what makes him tick.” Bryan wanted to warn her about Kevin—how he toyed with women, how he loved them and left them. What a fool you’d be to fall for him, Laura Bates.

“I already know what makes a man like him tick. Thanks anyway.” She stepped back as Kevin joined them. “See you in the morning. Bye, Kevin.”

“Later,” his friend replied with the obvious intent to see her again.

Bryan watched Laura drive away, then got into the van and slammed the door. “Hands off, Kevin!”

“I never touched her,” Kevin claimed, raising his hands, pleading innocence.

“You know what I mean.”

“Thought you weren’t interested.”

“My wife just died!”

“Andrea’s been out of your life for over a year. You’re free to start dating again, and Laura seems like as good a place to start if you ask me.”

“I didn’t ask you, but that hasn’t stopped you from throwing interference, has it? We have a professional working relationship. Nothing more.”

“Right. That’s why she brought you Thanksgiving dinner. Did she take any of the other families dinner?”

“Just admit that your stunt didn’t work. You know as well as I do, that if any of the other families had been in the shape I was, she would have done the same. Laura takes care of everyone. That’s as far as her feelings for me go.”

“The question is, for how long?”

Bryan stared straight ahead, simmering with jealousy. She was a wonderful woman, possibly one who could blow Kevin’s chauvinistic attitudes all to pieces, but in the end, it came down to the fact that he had no right to stop Kevin, and no intentions of exploring his own feelings for Laura.

He was about as interested in a wife and three more children as he was in eating quiche. Though if given a choice of kids, T.J., Carrie and Chad wouldn’t be so bad. In fact, they were just what he’d hoped for so many years ago.

The next weekend he overheard Kevin on the phone. “Afternoon Laura, what do you say we take in a movie?”

Bryan stopped to listen.

“You never know, I could be the man of your dreams.”

After a pause, Kevin cleared his throat.

“Well, when you change your mind, let me know. Goodbye, Mrs. Bates.” Kevin hung up, mumbling to himself, “Imagine that woman trying to develop a conscience in me!” Kevin walked into the kitchen, obviously surprised to find Bryan was cleaning out the refrigerator.

“What are you doing now?” Kevin growled. “Next thing you know, you’ll be cleaning closets and washing windows!”

“Laura is quite a lady, and she rattled you. I haven’t seen a woman do that to you in a long time.” Bryan razzed his friend, hoping he’d give up the matchmaking attempts.

Kevin had been the first one scheduled to make the trip to the altar, and the scars of being jilted still hadn’t healed. Yet, as sour as Kevin was about marriage, he seemed to think a family would take care of all Bryan’s problems.

“Don’t worry. No woman’s going to get to me.” Kevin turned to leave and called back over his shoulder, “But Laura Bates has gotten under your skin, friend, and it has nothing to do with ‘professionalism.’ May as well admit it.”

“Not on my life.” Bryan insisted. “We’re down to two weeks.”

“Fool,” Kevin muttered as he closed the door to the den.

It had been a long day, and an even longer week. Bryan had left the office early to work out before picking Jacob up from Laura’s. She looked up from the picture book she and Jacob were reading.

“Rough day, huh?”

Rough is losing a major account, this goes way beyond that. He grunted something in response and looked at his son.