"That good, huh?" Elizabeth said.
"You want to jump out and get in line?" He stopped the car.
"No," she said quickly, "I'll walk with you."
He was silent then, driving up a side street and then around again until she lost her bearings.
He parked the car. The air felt like rain coming. Neither of them had rain jackets. "Wait here. I'll see if Linda has an umbrella in the trunk."
"I don't mind the rain," she said.
"Humor me," he said. She waited while he dug around the trunk and slammed it shut. He came to her door and held out a gray-streaked wad that, shaken out, turned into a lightweight rain jacket that looked like it had been in a war. "That trunk is packed with everything under the sun except an umbrella."
"I don't need an umbrella." She put on the jacket. Tommy walked fast, always a half-step ahead of her.
Elizabeth skipped a few steps to get even with him. "You go back to your rez often?"
"Not really," he said.
"What's it like there?"
He shrugged. "Trees, river, lake. The usual. We're going this way." They turned the corner. "I rarely go back home."
"Why? Did you knock up the Chairman's daughter? Run over someone's dog? Did your pants fall off during the Horse and Cowpoke Days parade and you're too embarrassed to show your face in town?"
"Could be any of those," he said with humor. His phone rang and he checked the display. "Funny you should ask," he said, shaking the phone at her. When he answered, all he said was, "Where are you?"
There was a long pause while he listened to the person on the other end. His steps faltered, then he stopped walking.
"Tell me where and I'll come get you."
He gave Elizabeth a sheepish shrug as if to say: What can you do? But there was an edge to his voice.
He turned away and muttered something she couldn't hear. He nodded at whatever the person said. "Stay put. Promise me. I'll be right there."
Tommy put his phone in his pocket and took out the car keys. "I gotta take care of this. I'll come right back and pick you up in front of the store."
There was no way Elizabeth was getting left behind in this strange place. "I'll come with you."
"Not a good idea." He pointed out a bus stop, a half-block away. "I can give you the fare, and it's an easy bus ride to Linda's—"
"Where are you going? A strip club? A men's prison? Hot yoga? I can deal with it. Take me with you."
His hands fell to his side and clenched into fists. Every exhale was a frustrated sigh. His eyes turned back to the direction of the car.
Elizabeth couldn't figure out what was happening. "Why can't you tell me what's going on?"
He threw back his head and forced a laugh. "Let's go, then."
Tommy drove to a diner not far from his apartment. Elizabeth sat next to him without saying a word. Today she wore purple skinny jeans and the purple fleece with yellow flowers. She smelled good, and on any other day of his life he would give anything to have her sitting next to him. But this was a disaster. Once she got a front-row view of his life at the moment, she would give him a kind look of pity and turn around, happy to be on her way out of town.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want," she said.
"I don't want," he said.
"How bad could it be? Did you run over a box of kittens? Steal the donation bucket from a convent? Make an orphan cry? Whatever it is, you can tell me."
Holding it in was exhausting but he couldn't make the story come. He preferred to avoid these confessional moments, and by keeping the story private he avoided giving anyone an excuse to lecture him.
"What can I do?" Elizabeth said. She had her body turned to him, ready for anything.
The weariness was tearing him apart. He blurted out, "My cousin lives with me. She crashed the bus."
Elizabeth exhaled with an adorable little whistle between her teeth. "That was her that called?"
"She's a mess. She's a...she drinks."
"Oh." Elizabeth conveyed her complete understanding in that single word.
"I'm supposed to help her sober up and I'm failing." They arrived at the diner.
"Is this the first time you've dealt with this kind of thing?" Elizabeth asked, shaking her head like she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Not really," Tommy said.
"You already know this. If she doesn't want to get better, that has nothing to do with you. You can't tear your life apart because she has a drinking problem."
The accumulated weight of all the secrets and keeping up the illusion that everything was okay was yanking him down. There was a part of him that wanted to propose they find a brunch with Bloody Marys to help them get through this.
Elizabeth's eyes stayed on him, achingly understanding.
He spotted Angie through the window. He said, "People are counting on me."
"I get it." She tilted her head at the diner as if to say, shall we?
"Maybe you can get Granny something while I deal with this."
They walked in together. The diner was half full and smelled like bacon and coffee. Elizabeth went to the bakery case.
A disheveled Angie sat in a booth by herself, her eyes swollen from crying. Her trembling hands clutched a coffee cup, empty packets of sugar and cream scattered in front of her.
"You hurt?" Tommy asked when he sat down.
She shook her head.
"I need my wallet."
Angie gave him a look of disdain before throwing it on the table.
He resisted the urge to check the contents. He put it away. "What happened? Was Jason with you?"
Angie let out a sob. "He ditched me as soon as the beer was gone."
No loss there. A server came over and plunked a coffee mug in front of him and filled it without asking. She gave him a cheerful smile. "You need a menu?"
"Not sure yet," he said.
"How are you doing?" she said to Angie.
Angie pretended to smile and let the server top off her coffee. When she was gone, Angie nodded at Elizabeth. "I didn't know you had a girlfriend."
Elizabeth waited at the glass counter by the cash register, her dark eyes darting around the busy diner. Her bright clothes were the most colorful thing in there. She spotted him checking on her and flicked a teasing eyebrow at him before the counter clerk took her attention away. That tiny exchange gave him a surprising thrill.
Tommy returned his attention to Angie. "How could I have a girlfriend? I don't even have a life."
Her eyes welled up with tears. "Am I in trouble?"
"You stole a bus and crashed it and then ran away. What do you think?"
"I knew I shouldn't be driving so I was trying to park," Angie said as if explaining away a little misunderstanding.
"We're all in trouble. I'm in trouble," Tommy said. "You have to face this."
The server returned with a plate loaded with crispy potatoes and fried eggs and triangles of buttered toast. "Need anything else?"
Angie didn't say anything. Tommy wanted to make a joke about bail money, but instead, he said, "Another place setting?"
The server pulled a set of utensils wrapped in a paper napkin from her pocket and put it in front of him before she hurried away. In the short time since they arrived, two more booths had been seated and every chair at the counter filled. The diner was overly warm, even without a coat, and the booth felt crowded.
Angie used a mangled napkin to wipe at her eyes. She pushed the food at Tommy. "Do I have to go to jail?"
"I don't know...drunk driving...maybe?" Tommy leaned forward. "You need to call your dad. You need to go to the police. You need a lawyer. I don't know how to deal with this level of trouble."
Elizabeth left the counter. He fished for the keys, so she could wait in the car, but she scooted into the booth and reached across him to set the paper bag. Every time she brushed against him the air squeezed in his lungs.
"I'm Elizabeth," she said to Angie. She shot him a da
zzling smile while she snuck the utensils from him. "Anyone plan to eat this?"
The tension at the table deflated a half-notch. Tommy pushed the salt and pepper to her.
"Like you're reading my mind," she said, holding his gaze.
His heart hurt with how much he wanted her. That smile.
"Whatever," Angie said in a voice heavy with scorn. After a moment's hesitation, she pulled herself to the edge of the booth. "I'm getting out of here."
The lightness in his heart extinguished just like that. "Don't move," he said.
Angie stayed where she was and wiped her sleeve across her eyes.
Elizabeth didn't acknowledge the unfolding drama. She took a couple of bites before she pushed the plate at him. "I love a greasy breakfast and this one meets and exceeds all expectations. Want to try?" She wiped the fork off with her napkin and handed it to him. She picked up his coffee cup and took a sip.
He took the fork from her, a spark of arousal startling him. He stared at the plate for a long moment before taking a bite. Tommy didn't realize how hungry he was until he tasted the eggs. Angie made a production of extracting another napkin from the dispenser and wiping her eyes. Elizabeth didn't say anything. She handed him his coffee and nudged her leg against his in their own silent conversation. They traded the fork back and forth until she pushed the plate over and said, "Finish it."
He shoveled the last couple of mouthfuls and drank the last of the coffee.
Angie hiccupped a few times and then said, "Could you say you did it?"
Elizabeth went rigid next to him but didn't say anything. Tommy shook his head. "I drive for my job, Ange. I can't do that."
"Not to mention, you're not the one who crashed the bus," Elizabeth said.
"Mind your own business," Angie said. She jumped up and stormed out of the diner.
She expected him to follow because that's what he'd done before. They would strike a bargain, and she would keep her part of the deal for a few weeks, and then the cycle would start again.
"How many second chances have you given her?" Elizabeth asked.
"Enough," he said. "I should call the police."
Elizabeth tilted her head toward his. "Sorry you have to deal with this." Her face was inches from his. He could feel her exhaled breath. He couldn't remember the last time someone's gaze had drilled through him like that. She said, "I'll take care of the bill and meet you outside."
He knew he should say something but he couldn't stop staring at her lips. They froze like that for the space of several heartbeats. He couldn't bear the idea of her leaving. He searched for an excuse, some reason to drag out their time together. Being around Elizabeth was the only thing he'd looked forward to in as long as he could remember. If he was going to drown, he wanted as much oxygen as possible before sinking below the surface.
The server stopped by the table again. "More coffee?"
The moment passed. Elizabeth pushed the cup away. The server put it on the empty plate and carried it away.
11
The car smelled like coffee and blueberry muffins. Elizabeth had given Linda her muffin and coffee when they dropped her off at the office. Granny still had hers. She sat in the back seat with the takeout cup on one knee, the paper bag open on the seat next to her.
"We gonna stop somewhere?" she asked.
"We're on our way to the train station," Elizabeth said.
"I don't like my food in my lap," Granny said. "The station gotta place to eat?"
"Does it?" Elizabeth waited for Tommy to answer. He'd barely said a word since they left the diner other than friendly banter with Granny as he loaded her into the car and exchanging some work-related planning with Linda before he dropped her off at the office.
"There are benches in the station," Tommy said.
"She likes to eat at a table," Elizabeth said.
"You'll be on the train soon. They have those little fold-down trays," he said. "You ready to go home, Auntie?"
Granny made a non-committal grunt at the back of her throat. "Didn't get to see my dress," she said.
"I'll get us to that museum, Granny. Not sure how but I'm working on it," Elizabeth said.
They drove through downtown. The clock tower of the train station loomed ahead. He pulled into a line of cars waiting to drop passengers off at the main doors.
Tommy took his eyes off the road long enough to shoot her a look. "I thought you were starting your job?"
"I might have to take a few days without pay. They won't mind. Everyone loves Aunt Dotty, and you know how it is on the rez."
The SUV in front of them stopped and the doors on either side popped open. A college-aged woman got out of the driver's side and went around to hug the guy from the passenger seat. They could hardly tear themselves apart. The driver waited until he had gone through the doors into the train station before she got back in and drove away.
Next, it was their turn. Tommy stopped the car and got out to help Granny. After this, they were unlikely to see each other again. Why couldn't a guy like this show up at home? Even in the midst of his problems, he had a steadiness about him. His life was in upheaval and he was here for them, reliable and grounded. Had George ever been this dependable?
Elizabeth got out and watched Tommy as he navigated Granny out of the back seat, letting her do as much as she could but hanging right there to make sure she didn't fall over. He said something she couldn't hear and Granny responded with a huffy laugh. As Granny pulled herself out of the seat, the muffin bag tangled in her clothes. It landed on the ground with a slap and the muffin rolled out and under the car.
"Fukoladola," Granny said.
"I owe you a muffin," Tommy said.
"Yeah, you do," Granny said, reaching up to thump his chest. He set her up with her cane and went around to pop open the trunk. He turned to study the cars and cabs lined up behind them. His eyes narrowed, staring into the distance. She'd never met anyone like this, his quiet competence was surprisingly sexy.
And she was never going to see him again.
A wave of disappointment washed over her and she forced herself to shake it off. She took out her backpack and unzipped the front pocket. She pulled out the tickets and slapped them against her hand. "Thanks for hauling us around," she said, hoping she didn't sound weepy.
Tommy grabbed the strap of Granny's backpack and then let it go. "I know another spot where we could get doughnuts," he said.
Granny opened up with the delighted grin of a little kid. "We got enough time?"
Elizabeth glanced up at the clock. "Sorry. We don't."
Tommy kept his attention locked on Granny. "I know a rest stop south of town that has nice picnic tables."
"What are you saying?" Elizabeth asked.
Tommy looked like he was doing complex equations in his head.
"We need to get in there and catch our train," she said.
"What if I take you?" Tommy said.
"You want to drive us to the rez?" Elizabeth asked, the ridiculousness of the plan overshadowed by the possibility that they didn't have to say goodbye.
"No. I'll take you to the museum," Tommy said.
"You know where it is, right?" she said, but she was ready to run with the idea, too.
"That lady gave me the name of the place," he said. Whatever stress and anxiety he'd been dealing with, he'd put it behind him now. He stood closer to her than he needed to, but the proximity thrilled her.
"What about—?" Elizabeth said, pointing over her shoulder at the imaginary manifestation of the problems Tommy was having.
"It'll all be there when I get back," he said. He eased the backpack off her shoulder and threw it in the trunk. He took the tickets from her hand and tossed those in too, and slammed it shut.
"Doesn't Linda need her car?"
"It's a day of driving. We get there tonight. Go to the museum in the morning. I'll drive you guys home and return Linda's car late tomorrow night. She'll understand." He helped Granny back in the car.
"Something being a terrible idea has never stopped me before," Tommy said. "Besides, we're doing it for Auntie."
Elizabeth stood next to the car, off balance by this sudden change in plans. Tommy shut Granny in and stood next to her, close enough for her to see a faint stubble around his chin. He was in her personal space, his feet inches from hers. "You coming?"
"Quick," she said, climbing in the car, "before you change your mind."
"I'm not changing my mind," he said.
Tommy leaned against a tree with his phone in his hand. He had the center's number on the screen, but he couldn't bring himself to press the call button.
The clouds had broken up and warm sunlight showed through. The tall trees made the rest stop like a park. Granny was set up at the picnic bench, a pink box full of doughnuts in front of her. She'd grimaced when he told her about the fancy ones, but she was polishing off doughnut number two without slowing down.
If this was a mistake, it wasn't too late to turn back. He could put Granny and Elizabeth on the train tomorrow. The Angie problem could be strung out another day—he didn't even know whether she was in jail or what—and he could deal with the wreck like he promised Linda.
Back at the table, Elizabeth caught his attention and nodded at Granny, who was digging through the pink box again. Then Elizabeth gave him a smile that he felt in his entire body. He wanted to hold her. She would be soft and smell sweet. Nothing could happen with Granny around, but with one night…even the remote possibility was enough to keep him moving forward.
He swiped through his contacts and called Ester instead.
"Yo! Are the rock stars on their way?" Ester asked.
"They sure are," Tommy said. "I need a favor."
"Anything for you, my brother from another mother."
"I need to keep Linda's car for a day. Can you tell her something?"
A group of Canada geese flew in a sloppy formation overhead. Their squawks drifted down like sounds of outrage.
Sweetheart Braves Page 8