Rain beat down on the gabled roof above him. It streamed along the shingles, blowing off the roof, missing the gutter about a quarter of the time.
Was it justice he wanted? Or was it revenge?
He leaned against the back wall of the balcony, watching water sluice from the sloping roof. He’d been so sure of himself and his actions two years before, a man on a mission.
Now, second thoughts gripped him. Should he walk away from the lawsuit or see it through?
He honestly had no idea which way to go.
Chapter Seven
Julia looked up from the papers her attorney Mike Silver handed her that afternoon and frowned. “There’s nothing I can do except take the boys to their father next week?”
“Nothing that will do any good,” he told her. “If it’s a long, drawn-out custody battle you’re seeking, they usually end badly and drag children through a whole lot of mud.”
“I’d never do that.”
Mike tapped the letter from Vic. “A fact he knows, I’m sure. So he’s throwing his weight around, and we’re going to go after him for his back child support. We can garnishee his wages if he doesn’t come up with it within thirty days. He’ll be mad about that, but if he’s determined to have this part of the divorce decree followed, my guess is he knows better than to fight the financial aspects.”
“I don’t need his money,” Julia asserted.
He shrugged that off. “Start a fund for the boys. College will be here before you know it. The fact is, their father should be providing some level of support. Kids are expensive, and footing the bill yourself hasn’t prevented him from staking a claim now, has it?”
She shook her head.
“So we’ll make it clear that he needs to follow all aspects of the divorce decree. Have you chosen a handoff point on I-86?”
“Alfred/Almond. There’s a convenience store just off the expressway.”
“I’ll note that in our reply. Is six o’clock Friday okay?”
It wasn’t okay but she nodded, because what else could she do? Didn’t King Solomon favor the woman who tried to save her child from demise, the one who looked out for the boy’s safety? She longed to be that kind of mother but she’d be lying if she ignored the misgivings grabbing hold of her heart. “I’ll make it okay.”
“Good.” He stood and extended his hand. “I’m glad we’re working together, Julia. It’s been a pleasure to see you again.”
“I appreciate your help,” she admitted. “And I want to thank you again for seeing me so quickly. I didn’t want to talk with Vic until I knew all my options.” She shook his hand and smiled, and when he walked her to the outer door of the office, she thought she read a glimmer of interest in his eyes.
It’s lack of food, most likely. The wry voice of her conscience really needed a muzzle, the sooner the better. You always eat when you’re anxious. Let’s hit the drive-through on the way to the clinic.
Let’s not, she decided, and headed straight home.
She parked next to Tanner’s car outside the clinic the following afternoon and nudged excitement aside. She stepped out of her car the same time he did, and when she met his gaze, her resolve melted into puddles at her feet.
Wearing a long-sleeved T-shirt and blue jeans, he came toward her, smiling, and that look of expectation grabbed hold of her heart and refused to let go. “I’ve got something for you.”
“For me?”
“You and the boys.” He held out his hand, clearly excited. “Tickets to the monster truck show in Orchard Park next weekend.”
“Tanner. Thank you.” She met his eyes with a look of regret. “I thought about getting tickets for the boys, but then realized they won’t be here. They start their weekend visits with their father next weekend.”
* * *
He read the disappointment in her voice, but Tanner read misgiving, too. The fact that a woman like Julia didn’t trust the boys’ father meant there was a good reason for it, because in the short time he’d known her, he’d figured out one thing. She was honest and upfront, the kind of person who inspired the faith of others.
He held the tickets up for her inspection. “It’s for the final show, five o’clock on Sunday. What time do you pick up the boys?”
“Three o’clock.”
“Where are you meeting them?”
She told him the location and he hit a few buttons on his phone. “It’s only ninety minutes from there to the show, and it’s an inside venue, guaranteeing loud noise, dirt and exhaust fumes.”
She smiled up at him as she moved toward the door. “I’m so sorry to miss it.”
“That’s just it. We don’t have to miss it.”
“We? As in you and me?”
He held her gaze. “You, me and two boys who would love seeing the Extreme Dominator crush six cars in one monstrous sweep of terror.”
Her hesitation made him press his point further. “I’ll go with you to pick up the boys, we’ll head to the show, it’s over by seven and we drive back to Kirkwood. Boys are in bed a little late, but with great stories to tell their friends the next morning.”
“Tanner, I—”
He sighed on purpose. “If it makes it easier for you to say yes, we can pretend it’s not a date.”
“Is it a date, Tanner?”
Was that doubt clouding the anticipation in her eyes? Suddenly he really wanted it to be a date. “Absolutely. I’ll even buy the popcorn and slushies.”
“My hero.”
He threw her a quick grin as he took the key from her hand and opened the door. “Or a guy who’s using cute kids as an excuse to see a monster truck rally. I’ve never been to one. And when I heard on the radio that the last show wasn’t a sellout, I went online and got us really bad seats away from the action. Less dust to infiltrate our lungs that way.”
She laughed, and it made him feel good to hear. “You don’t mind driving with me to pick up the boys?”
“Not if it’ll get me ninety minutes of quiet time with you.” He peeled off his jacket, hung it on the hooks around back and moved to the saw at the far end of the newly formed hallway. “And it gives them a little transition time from going to Ithaca to see a dad they haven’t seen in a long time—”
“Zach talks too much.”
He shook his head as he withdrew the floor plan and then a two-by-six piece of wood. “Piper, actually, but she wasn’t dishing dirt, she was singing your praises. My parents got divorced when I was a kid, the messy, long, convoluted kind. I figured a couple of hours of something completely different would end their weekend on an up note.”
Silence reigned until he looked at her. She stared at him from the opposite end of the clinic, her expression saying she wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. “I think you’re right, and the boys will be out-of-their-heads excited.”
“Good.” He smiled at her across the work zone, and they stood there, smiling at one another for long, slow ticks of the old clock on the wall. “Well...”
“Yes.”
He pulled his attention back to the wood as Marty strode through the door. Julia turned to greet her father, and if her greeting sounded a little more excited than usual, Tanner figured that wasn’t a bad thing.
They were going on a date with two kids, a long drive, dust-filled air and really bad food, and he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this excited.
Pathetic?
Naw.
The thought of watching the enthusiastic oohs and aahs of two little boys felt downright good, and that was enough for the moment.
* * *
Julia scanned her Sunday morning checklist as her father walked through the door leading to the laundry room. “Dad, did you order the food for Zach’s party today?”
“Yup.” Mar
ty ruffled Connor’s hair and dropped a kiss on Martin’s head as he moved through the kitchen. “I’m going to get cleaned up for church. We’ll head over to Zach’s to surprise him afterward. The food trays should get there around one.”
“Perfect.” Julia refilled the transparent frosting bag and set plastic jars of sprinkles in front of the excited boys. “But if he gets tired or is in too much pain,” Julia cautioned as she finished topping two dozen cupcakes with blue-and-white swirled icing, “we leave.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She sent her father a smile that apologized for being bossy and turned the boys loose on the cupcakes. Sprinkles went everywhere. She’d put a cookie sheet underneath the cupcakes to catch the excess, but a fair share of sprinkles bounced their way to the floor. Spike came around, tail wagging, licking the carpet as fast as he could.
“Spike likes sprinkles!” Connor laughed at the dog’s happy expression as Spike lifted his gold-and-brown head, looking for extras. “Can I give him some?”
“He’s had enough, I think.” Coming home to a sick dog later wouldn’t be fun for anyone.
Martin dropped his sprinkle shaker onto the floor, and when he bent to pick it up, a few clandestine shakes sent a fresh round of sprinkles scattering across the kitchen tiles. “Oops.”
“He’s like a vacuum cleaner,” Connor breathed, watching as the sprinkles disappeared into the young mixed-breed overgrown pup. “And he loves them so much.”
Julia grabbed up the sprinkles, capped them and tucked them away.
“Why is Titus so much better than Spike?” Martin wondered. Reverend Smith, their church pastor, had adopted Spike’s littermate, one of the pups Zach rescued almost two years ago.
Connor threw an arm around Spike, then covered the dog’s ears. “He’s not one bit better, Martin! Spike’s the best dog ever, he likes us so much and he always wags his tail.”
Martin rolled his eyes in a look that said Connor was young and stupid. “Titus behaves better. He’s always good. Reverend Smith can take him anywhere and he behaves. Spike’s only good once in a while.”
“You’re a jerk!”
“No, you are!”
Connor clung more tightly to the wriggling dog as Julia closed the cupboard. “No one’s a jerk, and if you keep acting like brats, you won’t be eating cupcakes at Uncle Zach’s birthday party later. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes.” Martin scowled at his younger brother and shoved his fists into the pockets of his pants. “I’m gonna go wait in the car.”
“I’m gonna hug my dog.” Connor stayed right where he was, whispering five-year-old comfort to Spike. The big pup sprawled onto the floor, then flipped, belly-up, hoping Connor would give him a belly rub.
Connor fulfilled the dog’s wish, and when Julia called him to wash up for church, he sighed, then crossed to the kitchen sink. “Spike wants to be good.”
Julia smiled. “Does he?”
“Yes. But he says it’s hard sometimes.”
“I expect it is,” offered Marty as he came back into the kitchen, knotting his tie.
“You look wonderful, Dad.”
He dipped his chin in acknowledgment and the sparkle in his eyes said he was trying to look good. “Thanks. Back at ya’. New dress?”
“Nope.” She finished putting the lid on the cupcake tray. “It’s one I didn’t fit into for a few months. And now I do.”
“Well, it’s pretty.”
“Thanks. Connor, you ready?”
He stared at Spike, called the dog’s name and pointed to the big crate they’d brought from their house. “Go to bed, Spike.”
The dog pretended not to hear. He looked right, then left, acting oblivious.
“Spike.” Julia put a note of caution in her voice and the big puppy stood, rolled his shoulders and wandered into the crate, chin down. “Oh, you’re breaking my heart, Spike.”
Julia’s offhand tone said the dog’s antics weren’t breaking her heart at all, but Connor’s face said his angst was real. “I wish he would be good like Titus.”
“Give him time, bud.” Marty reached down and picked Connor up. “Let’s get to church, and then we’ll go pester Uncle Zach and make noise and tell him happy birthday and make him forget about his sore leg for a while. It doesn’t hurt Spike one bit to be in the crate for a few hours.”
“No?”
“Well, does it hurt you to be in bed at night?”
Connor shook his head. “’Course not.”
“Well, this is Spike’s bed. Dogs like to nap and lots of dogs nap in their crates. Makes sense, right?”
“It does.”
Marty headed for the door. “We’ve got spring in the air today. I don’t think he needs a jacket, do you?”
“Nah.” Julia grabbed a lightweight sweater and the cupcakes, then followed them to the car.
Her boys missed out on a lot of that man-to-man interaction. They were blessed to have their grandpa nearby, and their uncle Zach, but the lack of a father left a big gap in their lives. Maybe Vic’s timing would turn out to be beneficial. Maybe he truly wanted to be the father Martin and Connor deserved. Her prayer time today would be directed that way.
She climbed into the front seat of her dad’s truck, determined to forge ahead, heart, mind and body, praying Vic had done the same. Which meant she might have to forgo a cupcake this afternoon, but knowing this dress finally fit right made her feel as if she was taking charge of her life again.
It felt good.
Chapter Eight
Drop-dead gorgeous.
Tanner couldn’t hide the gleam of appreciation quick enough. When Julia spotted him at the far end of Zach and Piper’s living room, the warmth in her cheeks said she caught his look...and knew exactly how much he liked the dress.
He started her way, determined to tell her how pretty she looked. Up close.
“Tanner, can you help Laura?”
Piper’s request delayed his quest. “Of course. Where is she?”
“Coming in the front with the food trays.”
“I’ve got it.” Marty moved past them, swung the front door wide and handed off a large warm tray to Tanner. “If you guys wait inside the door, Laura and I can relay the trays to you. The warming racks are set up in the kitchen.”
“Can do.” Piper winked at Tanner. “How cute are they,” she whispered as Marty cut across the grass in a hurry to help Laura. “Look how he rushes to help her. Zach, remember when we were like that?”
Tanner burst out laughing, and Zach managed a wan smile. “I’ll be a hero again, I promise. Around June, just in time to plant the garden, mow the lawn, paint the eaves and seal the driveway.”
“My poor baby.” Piper leaned over and kissed him while Tanner accepted the next food tray from Zach’s father. Julia appeared beside him and tried to take the tray into the kitchen. “I’ve got it.” He kept a stubborn grip on the tray so nothing would mar the top of her dress.
“You sure?” She looked up at him and the Caribbean hues of her eyes put a lockdown on his heart. “I can carry this in while you get the next one.”
“And ruin that pretty dress? Not going to happen.” He grinned. “You look great, by the way.”
A fleeting smile touched her face, as if she loved the words but couldn’t quite trust them. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. And there’s enough food here for an army.”
“Which means a lot of leftovers,” she whispered. “I think Dad wants to show Laura he supports the restaurant. Like, big-time.”
“This’ll do it.” He ducked a little lower so she couldn’t possibly miss his intent and said, “He does okay with this whole romance thing.”
“Better than me,” Julia muttered, and smiled when Tanner shoulder-nudged her. “B
eing out of practice is rough, because the rules have definitely changed in the past twelve years.”
She was right. They had, Tanner realized. He motioned to the food. “Shall we start the line? We’re here, the food’s here and there’s no mob scene.”
“Kids first.” Julia lifted a bunch of smaller plates. “Rainey, send the kids up here. Tanner and I will help them fill their plates.”
“Excellent.” Luke Campbell’s wife turned their way as they pulled the lids off the food. Intense and inviting food scents poured forth. Chicken, Italian sausage with peppers and onions, barbecued beef...it was a feast for the eyes and the stomach.
Rainey Campbell turned pale and headed downstairs while sending her three kids up.
“Don’t tell me. She’s expecting, too,” Tanner observed.
Julia nodded. “She’s due just before Piper, and these adorable children,” she drawled the words with full dramatic resonance, “are Zach’s darling identical nieces Sonya and Dorrie...”
“I’m Dorrie and I wear purple,” interrupted a little girl sporting a knowing look and a saucy smile. “Sonya’s quiet and she wears pink. Unless we decide to swap just to mess everyone up.” Dorrie gave Tanner a dazzling white smile against honey-toned skin. “And Aiden’s our brother because our mom married his dad and now we’re going to have a baby.”
Clearly Tanner had no recourse around the Harrison/McKinney/Campbell crowds when it came to avoiding baby talk.
“We don’t know if it’s a girl or a boy,” a blond boy about Martin’s age explained. “Mom and Dad want to be surprised.”
“Surprises are nice,” Julia told him as she handed out plates. “You guys are big enough to know what you like and don’t like, just don’t waste food. Got it?”
“Got it!”
“Yes, Aunt Julia!”
“Tanner and I can help if you need it. We’ve got tables set up in the family room downstairs—”
“Can we eat outside, Mom?” Connor pleaded. “Grandpa moved the picnic table out of the garage with Uncle Luke, and it’s really nice out today.”
Healing the Lawman's Heart Page 8