Outside, he paused to draw in a lungful of fresh air, glad to be breathing something other than paint fumes and sawdust. Maybe his mood would improve if he had something better to look forward to than eating leftover pizza while watching some lame movie on pay-per-view. Granted, Jack had told him he was welcome to hang out at his place and play computer games with him and Ricky, but Tino had given his invitation a pass. The idea held little appeal, not that he didn’t love his brother and his new family. He did. However, sometimes spending time with them only reminded Tino of everything that was missing from his own life.
Unlike the hellish early childhoods that both Jack and Mikhail had experienced, Tino had started off life as the only child of two people who truly loved him. Being the center of their little three-person universe had been amazing, and it killed him that he barely remembered what his parents had looked like anymore.
Most of the time, he tried like hell not to think about those special times, but tomorrow was the anniversary of their deaths. Even now, after fifteen years, images from that night sliced through his mind like jagged pieces of broken glass. A tire blowing out had killed both of his parents and destroyed Tino’s world in a single moment. Worse yet, the distant relatives who’d been saddled with him afterward had done nothing at all to help him rebuild it. God knows he’d done his best to fit in, worked so damned hard to earn his place in their family. No matter how hard he’d tried or what he’d done, he’d never been able to win them over.
Looking back, it was clear to him that all they’d cared about was the small trust fund his parents had left for him. Funny how both his welcome and the money had run out at the exact same moment. For the second time, his life was turned upside down and inside out. A series of foster placements had followed—some good, some bad, none of them home.
Then he lucked out and ended up on Sergeant Joe Lukash’s doorstep. The retired soldier and his wife, Marlene, had welcomed Tino with open arms, saying that he had a home with them as long as he wanted one. By that point, experience had told him not to believe such promises. After all, if his own kin didn’t want him, why would a pair of total strangers be any different? Especially ones who had already taken in another foster kid. Why would they have needed a second surly teenager giving them grief?
Tino smiled. From the first, he and Jack had vied for Joe’s affection and approval, occasionally using their fists to stake out their territory. However, when Mikhail had joined the family, Tino and Jack had immediately joined forces to put the intruder in his place.
Joe had cut the three of them only so much slack before resorting to some of the same tough-love techniques he’d learned back in his drill-sergeant days. How many times had they cleaned his already-immaculate vehicles or vacuumed the same carpet they’d done the day before? It was amazing they hadn’t worn the windows thin from washing them inside and out at least once a week for some infraction or another.
Even so, somehow Joe had transformed three badly scarred teenagers into the trio of close-knit brothers they were today. With her endless supply of cookies and patience, Marlene had done her own part to heal their hearts and teach them to trust again. No amount of gratitude would ever repay the pair for what they’d done for the three of them.
As a result, that he still missed his real mother and father always left Tino feeling guilty and disloyal to the people who had saved his soul. Regardless, tomorrow he’d take flowers to his parents’ graves and catch them up on his life. Natalie’s image filled his mind. He couldn’t wait to tell them about her. Yeah, maybe it was crazy to talk to a pair of granite headstones, but he always felt better for having made the trip to see them.
He’d never told Marlene about his visits, but he suspected she would understand better than most. After all, she had regular conversations with her late husband. Maybe he’d even invite her to come with—
“Hey, mister! Watch out!”
“Everybody down!” Tino flashed back to Afghanistan, taking cover from incoming fire. He flung his toolbox aside as he dropped to the ground and covered his head. Reality came crashing back as a basketball bounced on the ground within inches of his head. Son of a bitch, could he look any more like a complete fool? Cursing under his breath, he pushed himself back up to his feet and dusted off his clothes.
To buy himself a few seconds to regain control, he trotted over toward the fence to pick up the basketball. By the time he returned, a ragtag bunch of kids had set his toolbox back upright and collected the screwdrivers and other things that had spilled across the pavement. They stared at him, their eyes wide as they glanced at him and then back down where he’d hit the ground.
“Sorry, sir. The ball got away from us.”
Tino bounced the ball a couple of times before shooting it back at the kid who’d spoken. “Not a problem. Guess I forgot where I was for a minute.”
A deep voice joined the conversation. “No sweat. I’ve hit the deck a few times myself since getting back.”
Tino flinched but at least he managed to stand his ground this time. Damn, how had the other man managed to slip behind him without him noticing? He adjusted his stance to where he could face the newcomer and still keep an eye on the kids. His head told him that none of them presented any real threat, but his fight-or-flight instincts hadn’t yet made it back from their momentary trip back to Afghanistan.
The other man stood still, patiently giving Tino all the time he needed to pull his act together. Finally, Tino offered his audience an apologetic smile. “Sorry about that, kids. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Then he stuck his hand out to the other man, who shook it with a firm grip. “Tino Gianelli. I left the army a few weeks ago, but things still manage to sneak up on me once in a while.”
“Jay Tobin. I was with the Seals.” After pointing to his left leg, which was made up of metal rods and screws from the knee down, he added, “I’ve been out almost two years now.”
Tino never knew what to say, what kind of comfort he could possibly offer, but then Jay had probably heard it all by now. Besides, the kids were getting restless. “Do you coach these guys?”
“That I do.” He nodded at the boys. “Time to get back to work. Do it like I showed you, and I’ll be with you in a minute.”
The two men watched as the small mob of boys sorted themselves out into some semblance of order and began running a drill where one boy dribbled toward the basket to make a shot while a second waited to snag the rebound and pass it on. Once they got into the flow, Jay glanced at Tino and then down at his toolbox.
“I take it you were working inside today.”
“Yeah. I helped unpack the new computers for the lab and then helped paint the gym.” He wasn’t sure why he felt compelled to add, “I’ve got the time, and it’s something to do.”
“Having fun with all of that?”
Something in Jay’s voice made Tino hesitate before answering. “It’s okay. I like the people, and it feels good to be useful.”
Jay nodded in the direction of the boys out on the court. “Have you played much basketball?”
“Some back in high school. Pickup games with my brothers and friends over the years.” Actually, Mikhail had been the star athlete in the family, but Tino had played starting guard on the varsity team for four years.
“Do you like working with kids?”
What was with all the questions? “I’ve never tried it. Why?”
Jay rubbed his hand over his buzz-cut scalp, looking more than a little frustrated. “I’m trying to get my team organized and ready to join a local youth league, and I could really use an assistant coach to help teach them the fundamentals.”
It was tempting to walk away before the conversation went any further, but Tino found himself asking, “Why not get one of their parents to take on the job?”
Jay closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. “Believe me, I’ve tried. I had someone on board, but then her husband took a job transfer out of state. In a couple of cases, the dad isn’
t in the picture, and it’s all the mom can do to hold down a job and take care of the family. Some of the others are foster kids, and so no parental help at all.”
Tino had a gut feeling that he was circling the drain and about to get sucked in. That didn’t mean he was ready to make that final leap. Not until he got more answers. “You don’t know squat about me. What makes you think I can be trusted around these kids?”
Jay jerked his head back in the direction of the community center. “First out of the gate, the word is that Natalie Kennigan likes you. Her opinion counts for a lot around here.”
The former Seal offered up his other reasons. “I know you served, so you and I have that much common ground. Since you’ve got free time on your hands, I’m guessing you haven’t yet figured out what you want to do next or maybe how to fit back into the civilian world. Speaking from my own experience, being part of something bigger than yourself, even on such a small scale, can help with that. As far as working with kids, you didn’t yell at them for startling you. You apologized to them for overreacting. That tells me a lot about your character.”
Then he laughed. “And then there’s the fact that I’m getting pretty damn desperate. The league requires there to be at least two coaches per team. I’ve got one parent who is willing to be the backup if one of us can’t make a practice or a game, but he’s not in a position to take on the job full-time. I’ve also got some feelers out trying to find a sponsor for the team. The league provides T-shirts and some basic equipment. However, not all of these kids can afford the registration fees, and I don’t know if the organization will have enough scholarships to go around.”
Jay stopped to yell a few instructions at the boys before continuing. “Look, I hate to put you on the spot like this, but if you’d sign on, even temporarily, that will buy me some time to find someone else to coach.”
Tino watched the boys scrambling for the ball and trying to hit that wreck of a basket. If anything, the damn thing was in worse shape now than the last time he saw it. The painted lines that marked the court were badly faded and in places, gone completely. The hoops inside the gym weren’t much better. Maybe he and Jack could do something about that. “How much time is involved?”
Jay grinned like a fisherman who knew for damn sure he’d just hooked a big one. “We practice two afternoons a week and on Saturdays. The season starts in a few weeks. When that happens, we’ll have two to three games a week. I’m not sure right now what the practice schedule will look like then.”
It was tempting to walk away, to say Jay had been mistaken about Tino not knowing what came next in his life. The problem was, the man wasn’t wrong. A few hours a week riding herd on a bunch of preteen kids wouldn’t kill him, and it would get his mom off his back about finding something worthwhile to do.
Besides, most of those scrawny boys could’ve been him and his brothers back in the day. He knew firsthand the difference the right person could make in a kid’s life. There was no telling if Tino was that man, but it was obvious Jay was trying to be.
Feeling like he was about to step off the high dive for the first time, Tino swallowed hard and said, “Fine, I’ll give it a shot.”
“Great! Come on over, and I’ll introduce you to the team.”
—
Marlene was waiting for Tino when he returned from the cemetery. She stepped out of the back door and waited for him to get out of the car. “How did your visit with your parents go?”
He stumbled to a stop. “You knew?”
When she simply smiled and nodded, he had to ask, “And you don’t mind?”
“Of course not. Your parents loved you, Tino, and you loved them. I’d never begrudge you honoring their lives, especially on the anniversary of their deaths.” She hugged him tight. “I know they’d be so proud of the man you’ve become.”
It was hard to ignore the burn of tears in his eyes. “I also put fresh flowers on Joe’s grave while I was there.”
“That’s nice, son. I appreciate it.” She looped her arm through his. “Jack called to let me know they’re on their way. I have to say that you’ve got us all curious about why you’ve called a family meeting.”
He let her lead him into the house. “I’d rather explain everything once, but I promise it’s not bad news or anything.”
“Okay, I’m willing to wait, but I wouldn’t keep your brother in suspense for long. You know how he gets.”
Yeah, he did. How many times had Joe or Marlene had to step in to referee when he and Jack had locked horns over some stupid thing? Too many to count. It would be nice to think they’d both matured to the point that they wouldn’t resort to fists to finish a discussion, but he wasn’t going to make any rash promises on that score.
The front door banged open followed by their favorite teenager bellowing, “What’s for dinner?”
Predictably, they heard the deep rumble of Jack’s voice next. “Damn it, Ricky, were you raised by wolves? Try waiting to speak until you’re actually in the same room as my mom, so you don’t have to yell loud enough to break the windows.”
Tino smiled as they headed into the living room to greet the rest of the family. “Big brother is channeling Joe today. Funny how Dad always complained the three of us were always so loud that we’d break the windows, but I can’t remember a single pane ever cracking. Well, unless you count the times when a baseball got away from us.”
Marlene chuckled, as he’d intended, and the sound of her laughter washed away the last bit of sadness they’d shared over his visit to the cemetery. Having honored his past, it was time to focus on his future.
Ricky plowed into them at full speed, with Tino’s quick reflexes the only thing keeping them all upright. He reached out to cuff his nephew on the head. “Slow down, kid.”
The teenager ducked the half-hearted blow. At least he had the good sense to apologize to Marlene for nearly knocking her down. “Sorry about that, Grandma. Are you okay?”
He’d only recently started calling her that instead of using her first name, and the change clearly pleased her. She gave the teenager a quick hug. “I’m fine, kiddo, and we’re having lasagna, salad, and apple pie.”
The boy whooped and spun back to face his adoptive parents. “Did you hear that? Lasagna and pie!”
The adults all exchanged eye rolls and then smiles. Jack pushed past his son to punch Tino on the arm. “Are you going to tell us what’s going on before or after we eat Sunday dinner?”
When he winked and glanced toward Ricky, Tino immediately changed what he was going to say. “I’d rather get it over with, so we can eat in peace. It shouldn’t take more than an hour, maybe two, to go over everything. You’ll all need to take notes.”
One look at Ricky’s crestfallen face and both Jack and Tino lost it. The boy’s expression went from disappointed to pissed in a heartbeat. “Did I ever tell you two what jerks you both are?”
Jack was the first to regain some control. “Several times. We wouldn’t mess with you so much if you weren’t so gullible.”
Tino ruffled his nephew’s hair. “And we wouldn’t bother if we didn’t like you.”
Ricky threw his hands up. “So, what you’re saying is either way, it’s my fault.”
Jack met Tino’s gaze before nodding. “Yep, pretty much.”
“Okay, that’s enough.” Caitlyn stepped into the fray and gave both her husband and Tino a hard look. “You two would do better to set a good example for Ricky.”
Jack only grinned and kissed his wife soundly. “Sorry, honey, but we have to uphold years of tradition.”
Marlene sighed. “Caitlyn, I swear I tried hard to civilize them, but there was only so much I could do considering what I had to work with.”
Even though he’d just been insulted, Tino couldn’t help but laugh. “Nice one, Mom.”
“Nice had nothing to do with it. Now, help me get dinner on the table. I want to hear this big news you have.”
—
They’d consume
d Marlene’s excellent lasagna like a swarm of locusts. After making quick work of the dishes, they decided to hold off on the pie until their dinners settled a bit. This time, they gathered around the kitchen table with cups of coffee and tea and waited impatiently for Tino to get to the point. Now that the moment had arrived, the words wouldn’t come.
Jack leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “So, Runt, you called this meeting. Why don’t you get with the program so we can go watch the game?”
Caitlyn raised an eyebrow. “What game is that?”
Ricky answered for his dad. “Doesn’t matter. If there’s a game on, we want to watch it.”
Before the conversation could deteriorate even more, Tino started talking. “It has been suggested that I need to find something to do with my time.”
He couldn’t help but notice his mother looked hopeful, but it was Jack who responded. “It’s about damn time you quit spinning your wheels.”
“Glad you feel that way, Jack, because this involves you, too.”
His brother immediately leaned forward, elbows on the table, to glare across at Tino. “I’m not the one who needs something to do. You might have noticed that I have a job, a wife, and a kid that I need to ride herd on.”
Ricky almost spewed his tea in protest. “Hey, leave me out of this!”
Great, Tino hadn’t even told them what his project involved, and he’d already pissed off the two whose help he needed the most. “Look, let me start again. Yesterday at the center I met a former Navy Seal who is coaching a basketball team of twelve-year-olds, and he needs an assistant. He asked if I’d give him a hand at least until he has a chance to find someone else.”
“You’d be good at that.” Marlene gave him an encouraging smile. “However, I sense there’s more than you spending time with the kids.”
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