Always the One

by Tara Randel

  Good to know. He wouldn’t have liked the idea of Tommy out here on his own.

  “You come after you do your homework, right?”

  The kid looked at him like Derrick had spoken a foreign language. Puffing out his chest, most likely so his friends would hear him, Tommy said, “Nope. I go home, change and come to practice.”

  “That’s dedication.”

  Tommy picked up the ball and threw it Derrick’s way. “Mind practicing with me?”

  “Not at all.”

  The other boys joined them and they spent fifteen minutes shooting, dribbling and stealing the ball. When Tommy’s face grew tomato red, Derrick suggested they take a seat on an empty bench. The other players remained on the court.

  “So, your folks don’t mind you working out so hard?”

  The boy frowned and averted his face. “Dad works late.”

  “And your mom?”

  “She left.”

  Derrick’s heart sank. “Sorry to hear that.”

  Tommy shrugged like it was no big deal, but Derrick saw the sorrow in the young boy’s eyes. “My dad died a few years ago. It’s tough when someone leaves.”

  Tommy glanced at him. “Do you wish he’d come back?”

  “Sure, even though I know it’s impossible.” If his father could come back, Derrick would have the chance to apologize for the ugly words he’d spewed at him after Hannah left. He so wanted to tell his father he loved him. Swallowing hard, he gazed over the park. “Your mom?”

  “I don’t know. Dad won’t tell me what happened. At first I got a card from her every once in a while...”

  “Now?”

  “Nothing.”

  Derrick reached over and squeezed the boy’s thin shoulder. “Sometimes life feels like we’re stuck in a bad passing drill. It’s when we make good throws that counts.”

  “I wish Dad was home more.”

  “I’m sure he does, too.”

  Tommy quickly turned away. “I don’t know. Sometimes I think I’m a pain.”

  “Hey, don’t ever think of yourself that way. Your dad’s just trying to make a living and sometimes adults don’t show their feelings in the best way.”

  Tommy shrugged again as if not convinced. Derrick now understood why the boy tried to control the other kids at school. Clearly he worried about his father’s love for him.

  Derrick remembered Hannah telling him about Tommy’s father and asked, “Do you two have problems?”

  Tommy frowned. “Like fighting and stuff?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Nah. Dad’s too tired.”

  “You do help out at home, right?”

  Tommy’s cheeks flushed red. “Well...”

  Derrick chuckled. Watched as the other boys grappled over the ball. “I know, chores are the worst. When I was a kid my brothers and I tried to pawn off our jobs on each other.”

  “Did it work?”

  “Not like we planned.”

  Tommy sighed. “Maybe if I had a brother I wouldn’t miss my Dad so much.”

  “It’s tough running a house alone. He’ll appreciate your help.”

  Tommy seemed to consider that for a moment. “You live alone?”

  “I do.”

  A car passed by, steam billowing from the tailpipe as the vehicle cautiously moved down the road.

  “So...” Tommy said. “No girlfriend?”

  “Not at the moment.”

  “Then I guess you’re no help.”

  Derrick let out a strangled cough. “Excuse me?”

  “There’s this girl.”

  “There’s always a girl.”

  “You like someone who doesn’t like you back?”

  The question of the ages. And sadly, his situation right now. Time to redirect. “C’mon, who doesn’t like you?”

  “Tawny Hughes.”

  “Isn’t she the quiet girl from your class?”

  One of the times he’d stopped by Hannah’s classroom he’d noticed Tommy hovering by the girl’s desk.

  “Yeah. I never know what to say to her.”

  “No matter what age you are, it never gets easier.”

  Tommy held out his fist for a bump. “Women. Am I right?”

  Derrick let out a gusty laugh. “You are right, little man.”

  “What about Miss Rawley? You hang around her classroom.”

  “We’re old friends.”

  “You’re way more fun than that boring guy who came to our class. That’s her boyfriend.” Tommy’s face crunched into a grimace. “Sure you don’t want to ask her out?”

  That had been the plan until he realized Hannah was happy with Jonathan. If he’d expected her to tell the guy that Derrick was back and now she was complete, he’d been disappointed. Years ago, she’d done what anyone in her situation would do; she’d picked up the pieces and moved on. He was the one wishing things had turned out differently.

  Tommy slid off the bench and they played again until the darkness grew and the air became so frosty it began to bite. Casey had had enough of the weather and told the boys to wrap it up. Tommy’s friends said goodbye and hurried down the block.

  “How about I walk you home?”

  “You don’t have to.” Tommy collected his ball. “It’s not far.”

  “Humor me.”

  Tommy shrugged and they walked a block to a small Craftsman-style house. The lights were on inside but there was no vehicle parked in the driveway.

  “Will your dad be home soon?”

  “Yeah. I should go and get stuff ready for him to make dinner.”

  “Hey, Tommy, why don’t you help him cook tonight?”

  “But SpongeBob is on TV,” the ten-year-old whined.

  “For tonight, keep the television off and work with your dad. It’ll be fun.”

  Tommy didn’t look convinced.

  “I used to spend a lot of time with my father. Best years of my life.”

  “Really?” He tilted his head like he was giving Derrick’s idea some thought. “Okay.”

  “I expect a full report at school tomorrow.”

  “I’ve got reading during my free period but maybe during lunch?”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  He watched Tommy run up the sidewalk and unlock the front door. He turned, his small body silhouetted by the warm inside lighting and waved. Derrick returned the gesture, an ache tightening his chest.

  He’d always thought he and Hannah would be married and have kids by now. It had been part of their plan: get married, finish school, wait a few years before having kids so they could travel, then settle down and welcome the rug rats. How naive he’d been. To think you could map out your life to such a degree and have it actually happen. Maybe others could do it, but not him.

  Once the door closed securely behind Tommy, Derrick started making his way back to the hotel. And the long night ahead. He paused when he noticed a car pulling into the driveway at Tommy’s house. Under the streetlamp, he recognized Mr. Parker.

  As he walked on, he thought of Hannah. Seeing her and Prescott together drove home the reality that she didn’t want him. Not romantically, anyway. It was time for Derrick to back off. He’d told Dylan earlier that he should move on and he was right. Hannah had chosen Prescott over him.

  Shoving his hand in the pocket of his running pants, Derrick pulled out the red gemstone. It flashed like fire under the streetlamp. Much like the way his heart heated up whenever Hannah came into view.

  He had to uncover the story behind the gems and let her decide what happened next.

  Someone had gone to great lengths to get him here. He needed to end the suspense. For all their sakes.

  CHAPTER NINE

  THE DAY OF the field trip dawned bright and sunny, a reprieve after the perpetually g
loomy month so far. The thermometer had risen ten degrees, a vast improvement over the last few weeks. It was only midmorning and the sun’s intense rays melted the lingering snow.

  Hannah lined up the children in the hallway to check name tags and soon they walked outside to the waiting bus. Two mothers had signed up to accompany the children and were already on the bus after packing the lunch bags in a plastic tote to distribute later.

  Once outside, the brightness made Hannah squint against the sun’s glare and she started digging in her purse for sunglasses. She stopped short to find Derrick at the bus door, greeting the children and helping them climb inside. Despite the fact that she’d vowed last night to give Jonathan her full attention, she couldn’t control the shiver of attraction whispering over her skin. Derrick’s smile was just as dazzling as the sun. He’d forgone his jacket, wearing just a long-sleeved pullover and jeans, which showcased his muscles. Muscles she should not be mesmerized by.

  Determined not to notice anything about Derrick—right, like that was going to happen—she marched over to him, pasting a smile on her face. “Thanks for helping.”

  He’d also donned sunglasses and she couldn’t read his eyes. His lips, however, curled up into a devastating smile. “No problem. Principal Muldoon said you needed a chaperone.”

  Confused, she asked, “A chaperone? Are you sure? I have two moms on board.”

  “Yeah, you know, as part of my security-guard duty.”

  “I didn’t know field trips fell under your job description.” She frowned, not exactly comfortable with this development. “A chaperone. For my class.”

  “I believe we established that already.”

  No. No, no, no. How was she supposed to get him out of her head if he was always around? She saw him more than her own fiancé.

  “The volunteers can cover the job.”

  “Looks like the principal is covering all bases.”

  Tommy passed by in the line and stopped. “You’re coming with us, Mr. Fields?”

  “Sure am.”

  The two high-fived and Tommy moved on. Hannah shot him a curious look.

  “What can I say? I’ve made friends.”

  He waited until the children had boarded the bus before taking her arm. She looked at his strong fingers wrapped around her sleeve then back to his amused gaze. But then he steered her a few steps from the bus, far enough away that the kids wouldn’t overhear them.

  Hannah’s heart skipped a beat. “What are you doing?”

  “I wanted to give you an update on Tommy,” he said, voice low. She had to move closer to hear him, which ensnared her in the scent of his spicy cologne. She wanted to close her eyes and drink him in but her inner enforcer yelled, Jonathan.

  She blinked at him. “Update?”

  “C’mon, Hannah, get it together.”

  At his teasing words, she straightened.

  “Things at Tommy’s house don’t sound as bad as you thought.”

  She cocked one hand on her hip. “How would you know?”

  “Tommy and I had a heart-to-heart. He says his dad is short with him sometimes, but that’s about it. I guess they’re both frustrated. He and his dad aren’t on the same page about responsibilities at home.”

  Compassion for her student swept over her, but she found herself annoyed that Derrick had been able to unearth this information and she hadn’t.

  “Thanks.” At his brilliant smile, she asked in a terse tone, “How, exactly, did you become a chaperone?”

  “Mrs. Muldoon insisted.”

  “Or did you insist, considering our...” She stopped, glanced around them and whispered, “...situation?”

  He grinned. “Nope. She thought it would be a good thing if I tagged along and I wasn’t going to say no.”

  That smile. It got her every time.

  She shook off his hold on her arm. “Let’s get going.”

  “After you.”

  She climbed onto the bus, took a quick head count, then looked for a place to sit. Tommy, in the second row, waved her to the empty front seat. “Over here, Miss Rawley. I saved you a seat.”

  “How sweet.” She settled in as Derrick climbed aboard and the driver closed the door. Behind her she heard, “Mr. Fields. Sit here with Miss Rawley.”

  At Derrick’s surprised look, she closed her eyes. Heaven save her from fourth-grade matchmakers. His arm brushed hers as he took a seat beside her and she steeled herself against the automatic reaction to her old boyfriend, shivers and shame. Why did she react to Derrick so easily?

  Not willing to answer her own question, she scooted as far away from him as possible, which wasn’t much considering the close confines. But hey, at least she tried.

  Not hard enough.

  Soon the bus rumbled through the parking lot before turning onto the road in front of the school. Just breathe, she told herself as she closed her eyes again to center herself. We’ll be at the museum in no time.

  Once under control, she dared open her eyes. Derrick leaned close and her resolve to stay unaffected failed. Man, did he smell good.

  “Just so you know,” he said in a low voice. “I didn’t put Tommy up to the seating arrangement.”

  “I didn’t think you did, being professional and all.”

  He chuckled deep in his chest. “But I won’t argue the strategy.”

  She turned and met his gaze. “Later, we need to have a serious conversation about boundaries.”

  “Really? Because I recognize that expression on your face.”

  “Expression?”

  “The dreamy one you got whenever we were tossed together at a school function.”

  She tugged her purse onto her lap, using it as a shield. Useless, since it was her emotions that needed protection. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

  “Just speaking the truth.”

  He was. She just didn’t want to go there.

  The children chattered behind them and Hannah tried to focus on their conversations, which didn’t work with Derrick’s arm now pressing against hers.

  “Remember the first time we sat together at the school rally?” He slid a tad closer. “You kept insisting you wanted to hang out with your friends, but when I walked in, lo and behold, there was an empty space next to you just waiting for me.”

  “One of my friends had moved.”

  “Right. And when kids started to fill the bleachers, we were practically plastered together.”

  She sent him an annoyed glance. “Your point?”

  “Eventually you relaxed, and it was the first time we held hands.”

  Her heart squeezed at the memory. At that point she’d already been halfway in love with Derrick.

  “That was a long time ago.”

  He shrugged. “Maybe. But you have the same exact expression on your face right now.”

  She smoothed her features. What was wrong with her? Where was her self-control? She wasn’t a lovesick teen any longer. No, she was a mature woman who had to get her act together.

  Thankfully the bus turned into the parking lot of the two-story mud-colored adobe building and she could breathe again. A banner hung over the door announcing a new Native American craft exhibit, one she hadn’t seen yet. The bright red front doors gave the drab building a pop of pizzazz and invited the curious to venture inside.

  Once the bus was parked, Derrick stood, holding out a hand to help her up. She hesitated, but felt dozens of inquisitive eyes on her. She graciously took his hand and rose.

  “I did that to show the children how to be polite,” she said as she passed him.

  He chuckled in response.

  Thankfully she got some much-needed space when she checked in at the main reception desk, then made sure the children had stored their outerwear in the appropriate place and still sported their name tags before she sepa
rated them into groups. A docent arrived to lead them into the interior of the building where the displays were set up. The shiny, dark brown floors echoed with footsteps, and voices bounced off the cream-colored walls, the sounds growing dimmer as the children moved deeper into the museum. The very pregnant museum director walked up to Hannah, a smile gracing her pretty face.

  “Anna.”

  At the use of her new name, Hannah shot a panicked glance at Derrick. She had to stop doing that any time he was around.

  “Hi, June.”

  “I was thrilled when I found out you were bringing your class here. We’ve missed you.”

  Hannah didn’t miss the probing look in Derrick’s eyes.

  “I used to volunteer here,” she explained. “Before my life got crazy with teaching and taking care of Mom.”

  “Please,” the director went on to say. “You’re being modest.” The woman grinned at Derrick. “Over the summer she was a permanent fixture here.”

  “Really?”

  His smile made her knees weak. “June, this is Derrick Fields. The principal saddled me with him today.”

  “Security,” he explained.

  June laughed. “You can never be too safe.”

  “See,” Derrick said. “I told you.”

  Hannah ignored him. “When are you taking leave?” she asked the director.

  “Next week. Hopefully the baby will decide to arrive soon after.”

  At the lovely glow on her friend’s face, the dreams she’d wished for, and lost, assailed Hannah. She and Derrick had hoped to raise a family one day.

  Sensing her mood, or remembering their old dreams himself, Derrick addressed the director. “Tell me more about Anna’s influence here.”

  “She set up one of our most popular displays.”

  “I certainly don’t work here,” Hannah protested, “but June was gracious enough to let me run with an idea I mentioned to her.”

  “And run with it she did.” June rested a hand on her swollen belly. “Honestly, she was so organized she almost didn’t need my help. Anna, you should take him over to see it.”

  “But the class...”

  “Liz has them enthralled over in the glassblowing section.”