Chasing Hope

by Dana Wayne

  “Can’t you take him back to court or something? Get some of the back child support at least?”

  “I thought about it, but that takes money.” She sensed his preparation to speak and pressed a hand to his chest. “No. I won’t take money from you, so don’t offer. Besides, I found out I can get a lawyer through one of those legal aid groups for free.”

  “Are you going to do it?”

  “I honestly don’t know. He sends me money occasionally, but he has a wife and two kids to support, too, so I haven’t pushed it. She hadn’t asked about him in a long time until this week. Not sure what sparked it.” She sighed. “But we’re making it okay for now. Maddie’s prognosis is great, and her general health is good, too.”

  “That still doesn’t erase his obligation to her.”

  “No. It doesn’t.”

  Muscles tensed beneath his shirt, and he sucked in a breath. She knew he was angry for her, for Maddie, and that made her happy. How crazy was that? She eased back and touched his cheek with her finger. “Let’s talk about something else, shall we? Did I tell you I got the info from Doc about getting back into nursing?”

  His jaw muscles worked up and down as he clenched his teeth. “No, you didn’t mention it.”

  “It’s not going to be as hard as I thought. She gave me the paperwork a few days ago, and I just got through all of it last night. She wants me to give my notice to Ruby soon so we can start on it right away.”

  “That’s great news, Sky. I’m happy for you. And for Doc. She seems like a really nice person.”

  “She is. She offered me a job in her office, sorta like a work-study program, and she’ll help me jump through all those hoops.” She sighed and snuggled against him, enjoying the heat emanating from his body, the rightness of being here with him, knowing he cared for her. That he wanted her. Years of waiting, of dreaming of this moment finally came to fruition, and she savored it like fine wine as she drank in the comfort of his nearness. She took a deep breath, dropped her hand to his chest, and rubbed lightly. “I’d like you to kiss me right now, if you don’t mind.”

  His heartbeat thumped under her palm as the smoldering anger in his eyes softened to a passion-sparked mocha.

  “If you insist.”

  “I do.”

  The kiss was slow and surprisingly gentle as his lips skimmed hers with tantalizing persuasion. The tender massage sent the pit of her stomach in a wild swirl as the kiss went on. And on.

  “Sky…” he murmured as his lips left a moist trail down to the pulsing hollow at the base of her throat then up to the sensitive skin under her earlobe.

  She buried her face in his neck and breathed a kiss there, enjoying the sharp intake of breath that said he liked it.

  His mouth reclaimed hers, more demanding this time, and she gloried in the delicious sensation of his touch. A touch that pooled heat in her middle and ratcheted up her pulse.

  The man was a kissing ninja.

  Slowly, he pulled back, and the look in his eyes made her insides jangle with excitement and her heart pound out an erratic rhythm as he traced one finger along her jawline, over her lips, and down her neck.

  “You are so beautiful,” he whispered hoarsely. “So beautiful.” He pulled in a ragged breath and tucked her against his side, her head resting on his shoulder.

  His uneven breath on her cheek as he held her close was oddly comforting as they waited for normalcy to return.

  Her whole being seemed to be waiting for this moment. This man.

  Her instinctive, passionate response to him was so powerful, it gave her a moment’s pause. A part of her reveled in his open admiration, but a cautious voice asked if all her loneliness and confusion had welded together in one upsurge of untamed yearning.

  An undeniable attraction existed between them from the very beginning. But was it too soon? Was she letting her emotions rule her decisions again?

  The hard thump of his heart against her ear said he felt something for her. But what?

  It was difficult to think straight this close to him, when everything about him saturated her senses and robbed her of rational thought. But one thing she could not deny was that she loved him. Crazy as it may sound to some, she loved this man.

  She relaxed against him, enjoying the tenderness of his embrace, conscious of every spot his flesh touched hers, and letting her thoughts drift where they willed.

  She loved the way he was with Maddie and Big John. She loved his innate goodness that dictated he propose marriage to a girl in trouble with no plan other than to save her from disgrace.

  Thoughts of Anna threatened to put a damper on her fledgling emotions, and she thrust them aside. There’d be time for that later.

  “Any chance you could get Gail to watch Tink tomorrow night?”

  Max’s quiet question brought her back to the moment.

  “As a matter of fact, she’s having a sleepover at Bonnie’s.” She shifted to look up at him. “Why?”

  He cleared his throat. “I thought maybe we could go out. You know…on a date.”

  Beneath her palm, his heart gave several hard thumps.

  “I’d love to. But I won’t get off until seven, maybe a little earlier if things are slow.”

  “How about I come by about eight? Will that give you enough time?”

  “Eight is good.” Her smile grew. “What did you have in mind?”

  “I thought we’d grab a bite at that steakhouse near the interstate. Maybe check out the dance at the VFW. If that’s okay with you.”

  “I don’t care where we go or what we do…as long as we do it together.”

  An infrequent smile tugged up the corners of his mouth. “Same here.”

  She sighed and snuggled against him again.

  Long minutes passed in silence before he spoke up. “I hate to leave, but…I left Logan asleep on the couch.”

  Hand in hand, they walked to the back door. Max reached for the knob and stopped. “You know I’ll do anything I can for you and Maddie, right?”

  She smiled. “I know.”

  “No strings attached.”

  She lowered her eyes, then glanced up at him. “What if…what if I wanted some strings attached?”

  Nostrils flared as he sucked in a breath. “Then I’d say we should discuss those strings.”

  She ran one hand up his chest. “I look forward to our date.” She smiled and kissed him softly on the lips. “Don’t be late.”

  “Out with it,” said Ruby as Sky placed a ticket on the cook’s order holder. “You’ve been grinning like a jackass eating briars all day. What gives?”

  Still smiling, she looked at her boss. “I have a date. Tonight. An honest-to-goodness date for the first time in…years, with the sweetest, most thoughtful, and handsomest man ever.”

  Ruby placed a hand over her heart and sighed. “Well, in that case, girlfriend, smile away.” She glanced at her watch. “What time is this momentous event taking place?”

  “He’s coming by the house about eight.”

  “Things have been slow all day. Why don’t you go ahead and take off? Louise and I can handle things.”

  Sky hesitated. She could use the extra time for an important errand but hated to leave in case things got busy. “Are you sure? It’s just after five. I’d hate to leave y’all in a lurch.”

  “Go. We got this.”

  She quickly untied her apron. “Okay. You talked me into it.” Tossing the apron on a nail by the employee lockers, she grabbed her things and headed for the back door. Suddenly, she remembered Ruby hadn’t posted the schedule for next week, nor did Sky mention her impending departure, so she turned and went back out front. As she waited for Ruby to finish with a customer, a woman walked in the front door.

  It took all of ten seconds for Sky to recognize the now grown up and beautiful Anna Watkins.

  The years had been kind to her. She was tall, slender and moved with an easy grace. The long chestnut hair of the girl in the prom photo was now worn in
a short, wavy bob. Her face was well modeled and feminine, radiating both delicacy and strength. She shrugged out of her coat and threw it over one side of a booth, then slid into the other seat.

  In a moment of insanity, Sky placed her things on the counter and walked toward the newcomer. “Hi. I was just getting off, but since the others are busy, can I get you something to drink and a menu?”

  Liquid brown eyes darted around the room, then settled on Sky. “Just coffee, please.”

  When Sky placed the requested drink and a menu on the table, the woman looked up.

  “Are you from around here?”

  Before Sky could answer, she continued. “I’m looking for someone who lives on Pin Oak Lane. Four-thirty-two. Can you give me directions? My GPS doesn’t have a clue.”

  It took monumental effort to keep her voice light and her expression neutral. “Of course. I live on that street.” She gave the woman directions and turned to go.

  “You said you live on that street. Do you know Max Logan?”

  She paused. “We’re…friends. He lives next door to me.”

  Color drained from the woman’s face before it returned with a vengeance, staining it a bright red. “Thank you for your help.”

  Sky didn’t miss the tremble in Anna’s hands as she picked up the menu. “You’re welcome. Someone will be by to take your order in a minute.”

  She turned around and walked to where Ruby prepared a fresh pot of coffee. “I gave the woman in six some coffee. Left her a menu but not sure she wants to eat. And I forgot to ask about the schedule for next week.”

  Sky left with a heavy heart. Anna’s sudden appearance didn’t bode well for her date tonight.

  She pushed the encounter from her mind and headed across the street to The Sassy Sash. The owner was one of Sky’s friends and a regular customer at the diner. Jeannie had excellent taste, and Sky always enjoyed browsing the selections while they visited.

  But today, for the first time in forever, she intended to indulge herself a bit. She had a date. A real date. With a handsome man. The prospect of a better job soon was icing on the cake. And that called for a celebration of sorts. She couldn’t remember the last time she did something so utterly selfish and maybe even extravagant. Obviously, the sexy young girl was long since gone, but tonight, she wanted to be her again, if only in her mind, and racy new undergarments would help.

  Thirty minutes later, she exited the store with a pink, lacy bra and panty set…and three condoms courtesy of the store’s owner.

  When Jeannie asked if she was prepared, Sky thought she meant prepared to go out. After her friend stopped laughing and said, “I mean prepared,” Sky nearly died of embarrassment.

  Jeannie just smiled and pulled the foil packs from her purse. “A woman should always be prepared.”

  Sky didn’t bother with the heater all the way home. The heat from her face was enough to melt an iceberg.

  Max’s truck wasn’t in his spot when Sky arrived home with Maddie, though Logan’s remained parked out front. As she pulled to a stop, she saw the teen sitting on the back step, elbows on his knees, head down.

  He looked up as they exited the car but didn’t speak.

  Something about his dejection touched her mother’s heart. “Maddie…go on inside and get your things so we can go to Bonnie’s.”

  “Okay.” She looked toward Logan and smiled. “Hi, Logan.” She turned to her mother. “Mama, can Logan come over for some cookies while I get my stuff ready? He’s Max’s friend, and it wouldn’t be nice not to.”

  To refuse at this point wasn’t an option. “I have some cookies I bought at the Christmas festival. Would you like some?”

  At first, she thought he would refuse, but he sat up a little straighter. “What kind?”

  “Chocolate chip.”

  He hesitated, then glanced around. “Sure. I guess so.”

  “Does Max have any milk to go with them?”

  He ducked his head. “I drank it this morning.”

  “Would you like me to bring them over or would you rather come inside?” First his mother, now him. I’m just a glutton for punishment.

  He rubbed his hands on his knees and stood. “I guess it’d be okay to come over there since you and Max are together.”

  Maddie skipped over and took his hand. “Come on, Logan. These cookies are really good. Not as good as what Mama makes for Max, but they’re still good.”

  Thankfully, the house was warm since she’d lit the heaters before she picked Maddie up from Gail’s.

  “You can sit here at the table, Logan,” instructed Maddie. “I have to go get my stuff. I get to have a sleepover at Bonnie’s tonight so Mama and Max can have a date.”

  Sky closed her eyes as heat crept into her cheeks. She needed to have another talk with Maddie about filters. “Scoot, Munchkin.”

  Maddie skipped off down the hall.

  Sky plucked a glass from the drainer by the sink. “Won’t take but a minute.” She pulled milk from the fridge and placed both items on the table. The plastic container of cookies was next, along with a paper towel she yanked off from the roll on the counter. “Help yourself.”

  Hands in his lap, head lowered, he didn’t move.

  “Is something wrong?” The moment the words were out, she wished she could take them back. When his head jerked up, she tried to smooth it over. “Besides the obvious, I mean?”

  Jaws tight, cheeks tinged bright red, he didn’t immediately reply. “Why are you being nice to me?” he hissed. “I’m not his kid.”

  The bitterness in his voice didn’t conceal the hurt underneath.

  She sat down across from him, surprised when his troubled eyes locked with hers. Something about the look he gave her caused a sense of déjà vu, but she shrugged it off. “I won’t insult you by saying I know how you feel, because I don’t.”

  His stiff posture marginally relaxed.

  “But I do know hurt when I see it.”

  “She lied to me.” His voice cracked, and the redness in his face spread to his ears. “All my life…she lied to me.”

  Oh crap. What do I say to that?

  “…I know this is none of my business, but I can tell you from a mother’s perspective, we sometimes do things we think are right for our child, only to find out in hindsight we should have done it differently.”

  Jaw tight, he glared at her. “Did you ever lie to Maddie?”

  She sighed, tore off a piece of the paper towel-slash-napkin, then rolled and unrolled it between trembling fingers. “No, but I have let my own fears keep me from even considering another relationship, which has deprived Maddie of any male influence in her life.”

  Widened eyes and a slack mouth said her answer surprised him.

  “But I thought you and Max…”

  She risked a timid smile. “Only recently. It’s all still new to us.”

  “My mother will be here tomorrow. The shit’s gonna really hit the fan then.” Immediately, he sucked in a breath, and his face glowed scarlet. “I’m sorry, ma’am.”

  “It’s okay. This time.”

  “I’m ready, Mama,” chirped Maddie as she bounced back into the kitchen. “You didn’t eat your cookies, Logan.”

  The teen stood and headed for the door. “I better go. Y’all have stuff to do.”

  Sky pressed the plastic dish in his hand. “Take this with you. If nothing else, you’ll have a snack for later.”

  “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Maddie looked at her mother as the door closed behind him. “Why is Logan so sad?”

  “I…it’s complicated.”

  “I don’t like to see people sad,” whispered Maddie. “It makes my heart hurt.”

  Sky choked back a sob. How could one seven-year-old child have so much wisdom and compassion? “I know, sweetie. Mine, too.” She straightened her shoulders. “So, we’ll just do what we can to make him not sad.”

  “Like giving him the cookies?”

/>   “Yeah. Like that.”

  “I’m ready to go to Bonnie’s so you can get ready for your date with Max.” Maddie was practically jumping up and down. “Aren’t you excited?”

  Sky laughed. “Yes. I’m excited. Let’s go.”

  A few minutes later, they rang the doorbell on Janet Orm’s front porch.

  Maddie wasted no time spreading the news. “Mama has a date with Max tonight.”

  “How wonderful,” said Bonnie’s mother. “I’m so glad for you both.”

  “I have to be at work by eleven tomorrow, so I’ll be by to pick her up about nine if that’s okay,” said Sky.

  “Don’t worry about it. She can stay till you get off. Around two, right?”

  “Yes. But are you sure? I don’t want to impose on you.”

  “Of course. They’ll be up half the night anyway and sleep late in the morning.” She ushered Maddie inside. “Bonnie’s waiting upstairs for you.” When the child scampered off, Janet turned back to Sky. “I’m glad to see you and Max together. He needs someone like you in his life.”

  Sky chewed her bottom lip. Dare she ask questions? “Um, have you known him long?”

  “He was a year ahead of me in school. He and my Johnny were in several classes together. Kinda quiet. Mostly kept to himself. About his only friend was Anna Watkins.”

  “Anna Watkins?” Sky ignored the jump in her heart rate.

  Janet quickly placed a hand on Sky’s shoulder. “Oh, not like a couple or anything. Just friends. She was head over heels for Cade Jackson.”

  “Cade?”

  A gust of cold air swirled around them, and both ladies folded arms across their midriffs.

  “You think he’s arrogant and self-centered now, you should have known him in high school.”

  Before Sky could comment, Bonnie called from upstairs. “Mom…I can’t get the player to work.”

  “Sorry. Better get up there. Thanks for letting Maddie spend the night. Bonnie has been pestering me about it for a week. Have fun tonight.”

  Sky was almost back to her car when a sudden realization blindsided her.