Heart of Clay (The Tanner Series Book 6)

by Jo Willow

  Claire was due in any minute, as were Rose, Ian and the tribe. Maggie was napping with a headache. When the back door flew open and Scott and Phil ran in wearing matching Mickey Mouse t-shirts, Beth rolled her eyes.

  “Nice shirt son. Getting into the spirit of things?”

  Scott smiled and looked up at Phil.

  “Me and Uncle Phil have a lot of matching clothes so that we can keep an eye on each other at Disneyland. Mom, can I ride Space Mountain?”

  “You can ride anything you’re tall enough to ride I reckon, as long as Rose and Ian say it’s alright.”

  Rose, Ian and Amber came in with a fussy Jem and Alex and a smiling, but quiet Patty. She sat down at the kitchen table and braced her little head on her hands.

  Beth continued rolling out biscuits while Carie wiped her hands on her apron and pulled up a chair next to the little girl.

  “What’s up Pattycake?”

  “I’m too little to ride the scary rides.”

  “I don’t know about that. Ever ride in a teacup?”

  Patty perked up and looked at Carie. Jem and Alex wandered off toward their room and the three adults collapsed around the table. Patty was focused on Carie.

  “A teacup? What kind of ride is a teacup?”

  “You sit in the cup and Uncle Ian turns the wheel in the center and you spin around like a nutjob until you wanna throw-up while the cup goes in a circle like a merry-go-round. It’s pretty scary if you ask me.”

  Ian piped up at her description.

  “Why can’t Aunt Rose turn the wheel in the center and let the little ones throw up on HER?”

  Carie shot him a look and her voice became strained.

  “Because Aunt Rose can’t take off her shirt in public and whip on a new one. That’s why. Don’t be a party-pooper Ian. You get to do The Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean and the friggin’ teacups. Rose and Amber will have to be Princesses and get their pictures taken hugging ducks and giant chipmunks. You can turn the damned wheel and smile.”

  “Jeebus Carie. Are you hormonal or has Kevin screwed up again? You’re never this nasty. I’ll do my share. I’m just tired, that’s all. Lighten up.”

  Rose looked over at Ian and narrowed her eyes. Before she could say anything, Patty stroked Carie’s arm in commiseration.

  “It’s okay Aunt Carie. He’s an asshole. Aunt Rose said so.”

  All conversation stopped. Phil kept clearing his throat in an attempt to keep from laughing and Rose blushed and looked at Beth. Beth continued rolling out her biscuit dough and cutting the biscuits with the juice glass. She addressed her daughter first without missing a beat.

  “Patricia Lynne if I ever hear that word come out of your mouth again, you’ll be having soap for dinner. Do you understand?”

  “Yes mama. Is that a bad word too?”

  “Yes it is.”

  “Then how come Aunt Rose said it?”

  “Because Aunt Rose knows your Uncle Ian better than anyone honey. She’s allowed to use that word. When you grow up, if you marry an asshole then you can use that word too. Okay?”

  “Yes ma’am. Should I wash up for dinner?”

  “Yes and take your brother with you.”

  The children left the kitchen and Rose looked sheepishly at Beth.

  “Beth...”

  Beth held up her hand to stop Rose while she placed her biscuits on the cookie sheet.

  “Rose, you don’t have to apologize or explain. I’ve called Mitch worse than that and we’ve all spent time with Phil. Patty has to learn that just because an adult says something, that doesn’t mean that it’s okay for her to say it too. She’ll get there.”

  “Are you gonna punish her?”

  “Not unless she says it again. They don’t know it’s bad until you tell them it is. Now that they know, I’d better not hear it again or punishment will follow.”

  “Beth? Will you raise Jem and Charlie please?”

  Beth grinned at Rose and popped the biscuits into the oven.

  Dinner was on the table by seven. Twelve adults sat around the large dining room table and the children sat at a smaller folding table that had been set up in the corner. The pot roast and mashed potatoes were going down well and the conversation revolved around Disneyland vs. Disney World. Ian and Phil monopolized the discussion to the fascination of everyone else.

  “Look, all I’m sayin’ is Florida is a lot closer than California.”

  “I passed basic geography Phil, I know where Florida is. We don’t own a beach house in Florida.”

  “So rent one. We’ll have Epcot, Disney, that Animal thingy and the Movie Studio Park. Those should keep us busy for a week. If we rent something in Tampa or St. Pete, we’ll have Busch Gardens too.”

  “Are you a theme park freak or something? How many weeks do you think we’ve got?”

  “Who cares? We’ve got little kids now and I’ve got a fellow coaster hound that’ll ride with me. Isn’t that right Scott?”

  Scott gave him a thumbs up from the corner.

  “Maybe you should ask Scott’s mom and dad how they feel about it.”

  Phil looked at Beth and Mitch who were looking back at him.

  “Look, school’s out and we deserve a good time. We worked hard and made good grades. Mom, Dad, we’ve earned this.”

  “You’re not campaigning for Spring Break in Cancun Phil. When did you go back to third grade?”

  Beth smiled at Mitch’s assessment.

  “Okay Dad. Are they good kids?”

  “They’re exceptional kids. They do what we tell them to do and they make good grades.”

  “They have a shot at the kid lottery here. The way we work, our kids will be in third grade before we take this on again. What do you say? Can me and Scott go to theme park heaven then check out the babes on the beach?”

  Beth looked at her son. He was eating, but he was paying close attention as well. She focused on Ian, Rose and Amber.

  “Ian, how do you feel about this? Ultimately, he’s your responsibility.”

  “I can handle Scott.”

  “I’m talking about Phil.”

  Rose snorted and elbowed Amber who was grinning.

  “I never thought about Florida, but it is closer. I wouldn’t be afraid to take them on for three weeks if David’s willing to man the studio. I think Scott would be okay away from home that long, but would Patty? She’s younger and I don’t wanna stress her out.”

  Beth took a sip of water and smiled.

  “Patty will have a ball. She’ll learn all kinds of new things. Just promise that if you decide to teach her how to smoke and shoot dice, you won’t let her get too drunk first. She should at least be able to count the dots if she’s got a fair shot at winning.”

  Mitch started laughing so hard he started choking. Rose turned red and Ian just grinned at her. Phil was nodding in appreciation.

  “You’re a first class smartass Beth. I like that. Not only can we honor that promise, I’ll go one better. I’ll make sure she stays away from blue eyeshadow and stilettos. How do you stand on glitter?”

  “On her princess dress it’s okay, in her makeup, it’s a no-go.”

  Rose and Amber were back to grinning, as was Ian. Phil seemed to be taking the conversation seriously as he ate his dinner. Beth looked at Mitch.

  “What do you think? Are you okay with this?”

  “Honey, I trust my family and the kids will be good. The kids are always good.”

  “Okay Ian. Good-luck.”

  Scott saluted Phil who saluted him back, then Phil turned to Ian.

  “I’ll get on the computer, find the house, and get the tickets. David are you cool with this?”

  David looked at Claire who nodded and he squeezed her hand.

  “We’ll do it, no problem. Have fun. Bring us back some Mouse hats with our names on them.”

  “Can do. I thought me and Scott could take the tram to Epcot and drink our way around the world. What do you think about that
Scottmeister?”

  Scott looked at the adult table and rolled his eyes.

  “I think friends don’t let friends get stupid. I’ll keep an eye on him, don’t worry.”

  Ian winked at Scott and Beth felt marginally better.

  Marla sat in a trendy wine bar in downtown Savannah, waiting for her date. She was fifteen minutes early and had ordered a glass of white wine for courage. Something about the man struck her as a bit dangerous, but that had never deterred her in the past. Mitch had a touch of that when provoked and it turned out to be a major turn-on. Brian was different.

  Brian was rough around the edges and difficult to handle. Manipulation might be possible, but she wasn’t sure what she’d have to do to gain his trust and cooperation. She could no longer rely on strangers to disrupt Mitch’s life and distract him because the game had changed considerably. Now she’d have to eliminate or distract his wife to make headway with the man. The way to Beth was through her children. The way to her children, was meeting her in another ten minutes.

  She wore a tiny black dress that accentuated her incredibly long legs and then she’d added three-inch heels. The front was modest, but the back scooped to her waist, showing an impressive expanse of skin. Getting in and out of the car was tricky and she’d had to concentrate to pull it off.

  She sat at a small table in front of the window, watching people and hoping to catch a glimpse of him as he drove up. As men went, he wasn’t unattractive, he just wasn’t a Tanner. Mitch wasn’t refined, but he carried himself with grace and an innate sense of who he was. You could weigh Mitch down, but you’d never break him.

  Brian wasn’t quite as tall and he was stocky. He’d been in construction for the past few years and the extra weight he carried tended to go more toward muscle than fat. His sandy blonde hair and blue eyes rivaled Mitch’s, but the comparison stopped there. Brian was nowhere close to Mitch’s league.

  Marla took another sip of wine. She’d taken the drug store pregnancy test that morning, hoping that this date wouldn’t be necessary. She was so bitterly disappointed, she’d bought and taken another. Still negative. Desperation had made her willing to have an unwanted child if it tied her to the Tanners in some way. Now she had to rely on Brian to distract Beth long enough for her to get Mitch alone and take another shot at it.

  Brian pulled up in a late model pickup. When he got out she could see that he’d made an effort. He wore his Levis well, his boots were clean. He had on a light blue dress shirt and the top two buttons were undone. He wore a darker blue tie, knotted loosely around his neck. When he saw her checking him out he smiled, earning him a smile in return.

  Brian had been impressed with Marla at their lunch date. She had a spark that Beth lacked and she wasn’t lugging around baggage or insecurities. She had her shit together and he appreciated that. He had a feeling she’d be fun to play with and when she’d called him for a second date, he thought he might be getting his chance.

  He approached her casually, smile in place, his hands on his hips. When he got to her, he leaned down and kissed her. She allowed it, primarily because he’d surprised her with it. She was used to being the instigator in every encounter. To have a man confident enough to make the first move was a novelty for her. She took a second look and wondered if he was deeper than he looked.

  He ordered a glass of Giacomo Barolo and Marla was visibly impressed. When the wine steward walked away, she lifted her glass and sipped.

  “You know your wine.”

  He smiled and lowered his head slightly, looking at her threw his impossibly long lashes.

  “I know what I like. Have you tried it?”

  Marla got the impression that he was engaged in double speak and she wondered if he was someone she could toy with. He made her nervous and that was a first for her.

  “Only on special occasions.”

  The steward put the glass of dark liquid in front of Brian and he pushed it toward Marla.

  “Indulge. This might be a very special occasion.”

  Marla kept her eyes on Brian’s as she lifted the glass and took a sip. It was ambrosia and she closed her eyes in appreciation before sliding the glass back in his direction. He took the next sip and licked his lips.

  Something about that simple act made her adjust her position and touch her throat. Both tells not lost on Brian. He’d come a long way since his beer guzzling days with Beth. He’d missed her, but he’d forgotten that there were two kids now instead of one and he was frankly relieved to discover she was married. When Marla informed him that she’d lied about that he was pissed, but more than that, he was intrigued by Marla’s interest.

  “Marla, why am I here?”

  “Don’t you want to be here?”

  “That depends. Am I here because of what I can do for you, or am I here because of what I can do to you?”

  Marla pulled her long hair over her shoulder and sat back in her chair, appraising him.

  “What if they’re one and the same?”

  She watched his cornflower eyes darken to a twilight blue and he took another sip of wine to hide his nervousness. She was getting to him and she liked it. When the intensity of his gaze trapped her, her breathing quickened and once again her thoughts scattered.

  “Tell me what you need Marla and I’ll tell you if I can help you.”

  He looked at her over his wine glass and all games were over. Marla felt it and instinctively knew that if she approached him the wrong way with this, she would not get another chance.

  “Brian, I want to ask you something.”

  “I’m all about questions tonight baby, shoot.”

  “I’ve lost one man to your ex-wife, understand that I might be a little nervous here. Did you show up on her doorstep for her or the kids?”

  Brian finished his wine and gave no thought at all to his answer.

  “Her. I hardly remember the kids at all. Scott was only two and Patty was still in the oven.”

  “Is she that impressive that you wanted another shot with her?”

  He thought about his answer this time. It was a good question.

  “I don’t think she was that impressive, I don’t remember to be honest. She was an easy shot the first time and I had no reason to believe she’d changed. That’s why I went back.”

  Marla nodded, realizing her job just got harder.

  “What about the kids? They’re yours, aren’t you curious? Don’t you want a relationship with them?”

  “Not particularly. I never wanted kids to begin with, she did. I thought she’d be happy with Scott. Hell, she was on the pill. When she came at me with another pregnancy, I saw the writing on the wall and got the hell out. I’d still be moving dirt if I’d stayed with her.”

  Marla leaned forward, the conversation suddenly becoming interesting again.

  “I thought you worked construction.”

  “I manage a construction crew. There’s a big difference Marla. I make good money and I don’t have to get my hands dirty to do it. I don’t want her to know that or I’ll be up to my ass in child support.”

  “Did you know that Mitch has petitioned to adopt your kids?”

  Brian signaled the steward and ordered two more glasses of Barolo. When he focused on her again, she knew he wasn’t as dumb as he appeared.

  “Is that what this is about? You want me to contest the adoption?”

  Marla finished her wine and leaned forward, bracing her head on her hand in a casual pose.

  “I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to do, I just thought you’d be interested.”

  “You know what interests me Marla? You. I wanna have another glass of wine with you, then you and I are going dancing.”

  “Dancing? Where?”

  “There’s a jazz club not far from here. The food is good and the music is better. Spend some time with me and then we’ll talk again. What do you say?”

  He was stringing her along and she knew it. He was still her only hope and she knew t
hat too. The game was getting interesting and she still wasn’t sure if he was dangerous or not. She cleared her throat and sipped the Barolo.

  “I don’t know what you’re hoping for Brian, but I think you’ve got the wrong girl.”

  He ran his index finger up her arm and felt her shiver before he smiled.

  “I quit hoping years ago sweetheart. I tend to take what I want now and worry later on. Finish your wine.”

  Marla did as she was told, shocking both of them. When he stood and reached out his hand, she took it and stood. The wine hit her hard on an empty stomach and she wobbled. Brian put his arm around her and steadied her. Her heels put them close to the same height and his hand found the exposed skin on her back. His fingers slipped just inside the dress and he leaned over and whispered in her ear.

  “Nice call on the dress babe. Sleazy looks good on you.”

  He kissed her just below the ear and she jumped, earning her a throaty chuckle from Brian. Making her nervous was fast becoming his favorite past time.

  They walked outside and he started leading her toward his truck.

  “I’d rather take my car if it’s alright. I don’t want to leave it here.”

  “How far do you live from here?”

  “Not far. Five or six miles maybe.”

  “I’ll follow you home and we can drop it off. I don’t get drunk anymore. I’ll make sure you get home alright.”

  Knowing it was a bad idea but unsure of what to counter with, she agreed. She pulled into traffic with Brian following close behind.

  When they pulled into her driveway, the shadows were falling but the sun hadn’t quite set. The heat was oppressive and the cicadas were already singing the song of the south. The leaves rustled, but the breeze hadn’t reached street level and the air was moist and fragrant with the scent of moss and freshly mowed lawns.

  Marla knew his truck was behind her car and the debate in her mind became more focused and less scattered. Either she begged off and changed her plans, dropping Brian entirely, or she continued down the dark path with the scary stranger. She’d always been the scary stranger and now she knew how Mitch felt when he was around her.