Читать книгу Their Family Legacy - Lorraine Beatty - Страница 14

Chapter Three

Jake stole a glance at Annie and she lingered at her table. Apparently there was no way to avoid Annie Shepherd. Truth was he didn’t want to avoid her. Despite his best efforts to put her out of his mind, she kept slipping back in. He wanted to know more about her. His biggest question was why was she continuing his sentence?

Jake had kept an eye on Annie throughout the meeting, but particularly when Sharee announced the committee teams. The look on Annie’s face had said it all. She was not happy about the assignment. It bothered him more than he wanted to admit that she was uncomfortable around him. He wasn’t the monster she probably had imagined him to be. He hated to think what her aunt had said about him. Unfortunately, they were now neighbors and colleagues. For whatever reason, they’d been thrown together, and the only way to deal with that was to get along.

He approached her as she was gathering up her things. “Looks like we’re partners.”

She shook her head. “This isn’t going to work. We can’t be on a committee together when we have this... I mean, since you’re...because of...”

Jake knew what she was trying to say. She couldn’t see past the accident. “If this is too uncomfortable for you, I’ll speak to Sharee and have her put you on another committee.”

Annie touched her temple as if trying to sooth a headache. “No. That would only create questions neither one of us want to answer.” Her eyes held confusion and doubt. “How much work will this committee require? I have two boys to take care of and a house full of clutter that’ll take a year to clear out.”

Jake sympathized, but working on the carnival was something expected of all the teachers and staff. “This carnival is a big deal around here. Everyone pulls their weight. Unfortunately, the publicity committee is one of the most important and takes the most time. There are permits to acquire, flyers and banners to design, and then we’ll have to canvas local businesses for donations and sell ads.”

Annie sighed, her shoulders sagging. “I had no idea.”

“That’s why everyone laughed when we were put on the committee. We drew the short straw.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “When do we have to start?”

“Right away. We have to have the permits in place sixty days before the event. That means we’re already pushing the clock.”

She pressed her lips together in a tight line. “All right. Where do we have to go?”

Even irritated to the max, she was a very attractive woman. “The courthouse, and it closes at 4:30 p.m. It’s already three.”

She frowned. “Can’t you take care of that and we’ll tackle the other things in a day or so?”

She really didn’t want to spend time with him. “Afraid not. It takes two signatures on the applications.”

“Fine. But I can’t be late getting home.”

“No problem. It won’t take long. I’ll get the list of the necessary permits from Sharee, then we can get started.” Sharee had everything lying on the edge of her desk. He picked it up and joined Annie in the hall. She stared at the thick stack of papers he held.

“Do we need that many permits?”

He shook his head. “No. These are our committee packets. All the things we need to do our job. You ready?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Yes, Annie, you do. I told you I can get you onto another committee.” He watched her mull over the idea. Would she seize the opportunity to walk away? The defiant lift of her chin was his answer.

“No. It’s fine. I don’t want to be seen as the new teacher who couldn’t be a team player. Besides, I never walk away from my responsibilities.” She turned and walked ahead of him and out of the building.

This was the second time he’d given her an out and she hadn’t taken it. Why?

Jake walked to his SUV, unlocking the door with his key fob as they approached. He opened the driver’s side door, but Annie had stopped a few feet away, her blue eyes wary.

He stared at her, puzzled. “Something wrong?” It hit him then. She was afraid to get in the car with him. He set his jaw. “We can take your car if you’d rather drive.”

A look of chagrin passed over her face. “No. You know your way around town. I don’t.” Reluctantly she climbed into the passenger seat and buckled up.

Settled in behind the wheel, he cranked the engine, suddenly aware of her sweet fragrance permeating the air. He stole a quick glance. Annie sat pressed against the passenger-side door as if ready to jump out at any moment. He set his jaw. Her aunt had painted him with a very black brush. Suddenly it became important to prove her wrong.

“I won’t bite you. I promise.” Her cheeks turned a very pretty shade of pink and she quickly looked away, though she kept stealing quick peeks at him as he drove. “Go ahead.”

“What?”

“I can practically hear the questions rattling around in your head. Go ahead and ask them before you burst.”

She took her time replying. “You’re not what I expected.”

He uttered a small grunt of amusement. “Let me guess. You expected a tattooed, earring-wearing biker dude with a chip on his shoulder.”

She looked away.

“Don’t feel bad. It’s what everyone expects of a foster kid.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to appear so unfeeling,”

The pity in her tone scraped across every nerve. He gripped the wheel a little tighter. “No need.” Jake pulled to a stop in the parking lot of the county courthouse and got out.

Annie joined him, walking stiffly at his side. He pulled open the large wooden door and they stepped from the humid August air into the cool interior. After checking the directory, they took the stairs to the office on the second floor.

Jake requested the permits and took the applications to a nearby table. “How’s your handwriting? Mine isn’t so hot. You should probably fill them out.”

“Okay, but you’ll have to tell me what to put down.”

Jake pulled up a chair as close to hers as he could, leaning toward her so he could give her the information she needed. Too late he realized his mistake. His closeness made him acutely aware of her silky hair brushing her shoulders. Everything about her screamed femininity. Even her handwriting as she wrote was filled with curvy, ladylike strokes. He had a hard time believing she was as vindictive as her aunt. No one who looked like a fresh spring day could have a black heart.

Paperwork complete, Jake returned it to the desk. “Next up, utility permits.”

“Where’s that?”

“Down the hall.” Annie stepped over to the water fountain while he continued on. He inhaled a deep breath, welcoming the brief separation. Being close to her did strange things to his senses, and he didn’t welcome the feelings that stirred up. Women hadn’t played a part in his life since Crystal had canceled their wedding a week before the ceremony.

A man approached him as he neared the office door.

“Jake. Good to see you.”

Jake grinned and grasped his hand. “Same here, Judge.”

“I was sorry to hear your sentence was extended. I’d hoped with Mrs. Owens passing that would all end. I’ve always regretted that arrangement but at the time, well...” He patted Jake on the shoulder. “I’ll keep you in my prayers, son.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Annie met Jake’s gaze and then quickly looked away, but not before he saw the questions flare up in her blue eyes. He pushed open the office door and took care of the permits.

Back in the SUV Annie fell silent again and he noticed her rubbing her thumbnail, a gesture he suspected meant she was either stressed or confused. “I feel more questions coming on.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because you get all quiet and tense and you worry your thumb.” She quickly clasped her hands in her lap.

She was silent a long moment before speaking. “The man you spoke with.”

“Judge Rankin. He worked out my sentence with your aunt and uncle.”

“He sounded like he regretted it. Do you?”

The muscle in his jaw flexed as he tried to form a response. He regretted everything about that night. “It was better than prison.” It was time to turn the tables. He had a few questions of his own. “You’re not what I expected either.”

“Oh. In what way?”

“You’re not like your aunt.” The two women were like darkness and light. Ice and sunshine.

“I’m nothing like her.”

There was an edge to her words. Had he insulted her? “Then why are you continuing her retaliation?”

“I’m not. I’m honoring her wishes. Big difference.”

“Not to me. Do you agree with this arrangement?”

She kept her face averted. “It doesn’t matter if I agree or not. It has to be this way. It’s about family.”

What did she mean by that? Was she saying she’d do whatever her aunt asked regardless of the circumstances? Jake pulled into the school parking lot, stopping near her car. Annie immediately opened her door.

“Wait. I have your committee packet.”

“I’ll get it later. I’ve got to get home to the twins.” She shut the door, not waiting for him to reply.

He watched her hurry to her car like someone was chasing her. Did she fear him that much? What had she meant about it having to be this way? Did she mean his sentence? Or something else?

He waited for her to drive off and then let his foot off the brake. So much had happened today and he had no idea how to deal with it all.

Maybe she was right. Maybe working together wasn’t a good idea. It definitely would create a lot of tension unless they found some common ground. For reasons he didn’t quite understand, he wanted her to see the man he was now—a responsible adult, a productive member of society—but maybe she’d never be able to see beyond the accident.

What would she do if he told her the truth about that night? Would she believe him? Probably not. He doubted anyone would. It’s why he’d kept silent about the accident all these years.

An accident that didn’t happen the way people believed.

* * *

Annie watched her sons enjoying their meal that evening with gusto. Their appetites were growing as fast as they were. Listening to them talk about playing with Denise’s kids helped relieve her stress over the unsettling events of the day. Sharing quiet time with them was a blessing. There’d been precious few of those when their father was alive.

Her conscience rose up and stung her. It wasn’t as if she were glad that their father was gone, but life was so much more peaceful without his drunken rages.

Ryan took a sip of his sweet tea. “I’m glad we moved here, Mom. There’s lots of kids to play with and Coach is awesome.”

Her heart warmed at seeing her boys so happy. Life here was so much better than the harshness of before. They’d talked often of the coach who played sports with the neighborhood kids. She’d been too preoccupied with the house to watch them playing. “He is, huh? Why’s that?”

Tyler nodded in agreement. “He teaches us stuff. He showed me how to hold the football a special way to make it spin when I throw it.”

Ryan giggled. “He’s awesome ’cause he got Tyler interested in sports.”

“I’ve always liked sports.” Tyler glared at his brother.

“Next time we’re going to play basketball. Coach has a goal in his driveway. Can we get one? That would be so cool.”

“We’ll see. So, who is this coach?”

Ryan shrugged. “One of the dads, I guess.”

After clearing the table, the boys went off to the family room. Annie opened her new laptop and clicked on her student roster. She was looking forward to the new job even with Jake across the hall. Logically, there was little reason for them to interact during the day, and after school he’d be busy coaching. When they were at home she simply would keep her distance. The only glitch in her plan was the publicity committee for the carnival. There was no way out of that.

The doorbell chimed and Annie shoved back from the table and walked to the door, anticipating finding Denise on the other side, but Jake stood on her porch with a folder in his hand.

“Sorry to bother you but you left before I could give you the committee information you’ll need.”

She took the folder, a rush of shame warming her veins. She had bolted from his car when he dropped her off without even a thank you. Jake had been nothing but kind and helpful and she’d behaved poorly. “I was in a hurry to get home for the boys.”

His expression showed his skepticism. “I understand.” He pointed to the folder. “Look that over. If you have any questions, just ask. We’ll need to get together soon and design a flyer, but it can wait until after school starts.”

She nodded. “Good. I have a lot to do before then.”

Ryan came up behind her. “Hey, it’s Coach. Tyler, Coach is here.”

The boys crowded around her, smiling up at Jake.

“Hey, fellas.” He smiled at the twins but it vanished when he looked at her.

Annie stared at him. “You’re the coach they’ve been talking about? I thought it was one of the dads from the neighborhood.”

Tyler pushed forward. “We’re going to play basketball soon, right, Coach?”

She saw Jake wince. “Why don’t you two go back inside. I need to talk to Coach for a minute.”

They waved and went back into the house. Jake spoke before she could.

“Sorry. I thought you knew. I hope you won’t let the past prevent you from letting the boys play in the games. They seemed to enjoy it, and I make sure it’s safe.”

What did she do now? The boys knew nothing about the sentence imposed on Jake. If she made too big a fuss about them playing ball in his front yard, they’d want to know why and that would require an explanation she wasn’t willing to give.

“My heart wants to say no, but my head says it’s why I brought the boys here. I wanted them to have the freedom to play they’ve never had.” She shifted her weight. “Since my husband died I tend to be overly protective of the boys.”

“Sorry to hear about your husband. What happened?”

“He was killed in a drunk-driving accident.” Jake’s eyes darkened and his expression turned to stone. Too late she realized that he must have interpreted her remark as a dig about Bobby Lee. She extended her hand to apologize but he stepped back.

“I’d better go. If you have any questions about the committee, just let me know.” He pivoted and hurried down the porch steps and down the side walk.

She hadn’t meant to taunt him. She took a deep breath. It had been a very emotional day with too many adjustments on the fly. She went inside and closed the door. He’d been attempting to reassure her about the boys playing ball games and she’d responded with an unintentional slap in the face. Not her finest moment.

Maybe it was time to let go. Accept that Jake was in her life and deal with it the best she could. She couldn’t continue to live with the tension every time she was around him. Just because he wasn’t what she’d expected didn’t mean he was a bad guy. He’d been kind, helpful and the neighborhood kids adored him. He was well respected at school. Shouldn’t that be a trustworthy endorsement?

But technically Jake was a criminal. Wasn’t he? And what would her aunt think of the boys befriending the enemy? As she walked down the hall toward the kitchen, she passed a large mirror on the wall and glanced at her reflection. Be honest, Annelle. You’re feeling guilty about agreeing to your aunt’s terms. The truth was she was ashamed of her part in the arrangement, but she had to think of her children’s future. They deserved a home and a life without chaos and uncertainty. Didn’t they?

She exhaled a loud exasperated sigh and strode into the kitchen.

Thankfully tomorrow night was her widow’s therapy session. She needed all the advice and support she could get because she had no idea how to proceed from here.

* * *

Jake jogged across the street, his mind choking on the news Annie had revealed. Her husband was killed in a drunk-driving accident. No wonder she had issues with him. Every time she looked at him, she either saw her cousin or her husband.

Annie’s revelation rocked him, unleashing a long-buried need to forget and escape. He needed to get some perspective before he made a very bad decision. Pulling out his cell, he placed a call to Harley. “I’m going to be late getting there tonight. I have a meeting to go to.”

“You okay? You sound strange.”

Harley was not only his friend but his foster brother and his pastor. He knew him better than anyone. Most times that was a blessing, but sometimes it was a nuisance. At the moment he wasn’t sure which was which.

Jake ran a hand through his hair. “Ever have a day when you were blitzed on all sides?”

“Many. What’s going on?”

“We have a new teacher at the school. Annie Shepherd.”

“Whoa. That’s going to be interesting.”

“It gets worse. Her boys are in my class.” Harley made a sympathetic sound. “And we’re teamed up on the same committee for the carnival.”

“Oh man. What are you going to do?”

“Nothing I can do. I’m more worried about what she’ll do.”

“Such as?”

“Tell everyone how we’re connected, for one thing.”

“Would she do that?”

Even in the short time he’d been around her, he knew Annie would never do that. “I don’t think so, but she could say something inadvertently that could jeopardize my job, not to mention my hopes of snagging that high school coaching position.”

“I doubt that. Your records were sealed, and that was a long time ago. We talked about this when you decided to move back here. It’s sad to say few people remember Bobby Lee or how he died.”

“And what if the athletic director at Heritage High learns that the guy wanting to coach the students was driving drunk and killed his friend? How’s that going to look as a job reference?”

“You’re letting Annie’s presence get to you. Or is it more than that?”

He hesitated. “She made a comment today about family and how important it was to honor her aunt’s wishes.”

“Understandable. Family ties are strong.”

Jake pinched the bridge of his nose. “I suppose. I’m probably worrying for nothing. I’ve got to go. See you later.”

He ended the call just as an email popped up on his phone. It was a notice from the Heritage High administration office letting him know his application had been received and was being processed. He wanted that job. It was the next rung on his way to achieving his goal. He only hoped that Annie’s presence at his school wouldn’t put his future plans at risk.

The knot in his chest tightened as he drove to his meeting. The look on her face when she told him about how her husband died was burned into his mind. Was her husband’s death the reason she’d agreed to continue his sentence? Did she believe he should pay forever the way her aunt did? If she didn’t, then why wouldn’t she simply cut him loose? He parked his car and got out. How deep did her animosity run?

Jake strode down the narrow hallway to the small room at the back of the old storefront in downtown Hastings. A dozen or so people were already there, milling around, and a few had already taken a seat in the rows of folding chairs. At the front of the room a man stood at a rickety lectern. He didn’t know anyone at this location but he knew their situation and he knew the routine.

The man at the front called the meeting to order. After a few opening words, he asked if anyone would like to speak. Jake stood and squared his shoulders.

“My name is Jake and I’m an alcoholic.”