by Jillian Hart
“I can.” He’d expected a depressing place, but not this. The kids playing, forgetting their troubles for a while, carefree and happy, just the way it should be, heartened him. “I’m glad I skipped that boring meeting. This was better.”
“At least you got some fresh air.”
“True. I’ve been trying to ease back on my workload for a long time. Maybe this is the first step in turning over a new leaf.”
“And what leaf would that be?”
“A better one, at least that’s what I’m hoping.”
“What was wrong with the old one?”
“Apparently I work too much. People tell me I’ve turned into a serious workaholic.”
“And you believe them? The Wyatt I knew didn’t like listening to anyone.”
“You wouldn’t be wrong. I didn’t want to at first. I was in denial.”
“It’s good to know some things haven’t completely changed,” she quipped. Including the goodness in him and that charming sparkle in his eye, Mariah thought.
“True, but it’s time to take a good look at my life. Bet you never thought you’d hear that from me, right?”
Humor chased the shadows from his eyes, reminding her of the boy she’d loved. The years threatened to melt away and she could glimpse the girl she’d been, full of hopes and dreams, and innocent love. Had he lost his illusions, too?
“We all reach the point where we have to look at the truths in our lives,” she heard herself say.
“After my marriage fell apart I completely buried myself in my work. And before you comment, yes, I’m divorced. My wife found me difficult to live with. You’re not shocked, right?”
“I am sorry. I know how divorce feels. I always thought our problem was with the combination of us, not with you necessarily.”
“My ex-wife would disagree.” A muscle jumped along his jaw, and he kept his attention on the players. The game had halted and Jake seemed to be offering advice to the kids as he dribbled, aimed and shot. “Hey, Jake’s really good.”
“That’s what they tell me.” Pride filled her. “He’s a good kid.”
“Obviously. And although it’s killing me, I’m not going to mention the summer camp again. I’m keeping my mouth shut.”
“But you mentioned it all the same.”
“Okay, I guess I can’t stay quiet. Now, this might make you mad, but I think he’d benefit. I’m just tossing it out there one more time.” Those dimples played at the corners of his mouth. “Go ahead and yell. I can take it.”
“I’m not sure yelling will work. Why is this so important to you?”
“He just reminds me of someone, is all.”
“You at that age?”
“Now that you mention it…” Something that looked like sadness crossed his face, but he shrugged it away. “I’m just trying to help.”
“Whether I need it or not?” Mariah arched an eyebrow, not sure why she was amused.
“See, this is what always got us into trouble. Me wanting to help, and you not wanting it.”
“That’s not necessarily true. I’m more grateful than you can imagine for the land donation. There is no way we could afford to buy such a prime piece of property, and that check you wrote for the diaper drive was truly generous. I’m grateful for the shelter’s sake—“
“You don’t have to be. I wanted to do those things.”
“That’s great. It’s a lot coming from a man new to town. Not that I’m complaining. Just curious.”
“I have my reasons.” He paused thoughtfully, watching a towheaded boy shooting from the free-throw line. Shadows haunted him. “Someone really helped me once when I was down and I didn’t think I could get back up. I owe him big time, and I’ve been trying my best to pay it back.”
Mariah had worked with broken hearts enough to recognize a wounded soul. No one was immune to life’s hardships. Regardless of class, race or creed, the human heart hurt the same.
“I know how it feels, Wyatt. I’ve been there, too.” That’s what Nellie’s had done for her. The amazing people there had helped her get back on her feet, and had shown her there was light at the end of the tunnel. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No, I’m not ready.” Their gazes caught and held.
“Mr. Royce? Wow, I can’t believe it’s really you!” Jake trotted up, genuine gladness widening his smile.
“What are you doing here?” Wyatt asked. “Shouldn’t you be at practice or something?”
“Nope. No practice on Mondays. Tomorrow’s a different story. So, you’re here checking things out?”
“More or less.”
“Hey, you aren’t catching up with Mom, are you? Got any more stories to tell?”
“Let’s see.” Wyatt turned thoughtful, but his twinkling eyes served as a warning. “There was the time your mom was caught smoking behind the gym.”
“Yeah, that doesn’t surprise me. And all that valedictorian stuff is just bogus, right?”
“Absolutely. She spent more time skipping classes than in them. She was a bad influence on me.”
“Honestly, you two.” Mariah shook her head, not at all liking them uniting against her. “You know I was the kind of girl who asked for extra homework from my teachers. I was a total bookworm.”
“I’m just kidding, Jake. Your mom was the nicest and the smartest girl in school.”
“Yeah, that’s what I figured.”
“Some guys even thought she was the prettiest.”
Mariah couldn’t say why her heart warmed. “Nope, that’s not going to work with me, not now. I’m wiser to a man’s flattery. That’s the supper bell. Jake, would you mind rounding up the kids and putting the balls away?”
“I live to serve.” The teenager winked. “See ya later, Mr. Royce.”
“Bye, Jake.”
Her time with Wyatt had come to an end again. Mariah couldn’t say why that made her sad as she walked him to the door. Or why that sadness clung to her, refusing to let go after she’d said goodbye.
Chapter Four
Although it was Wednesday, it felt like a Monday, Wyatt thought as he crossed his office. Constant phone calls, new crises cropping up, and now that the meeting called to deal with all of it was finally over, he dropped into his chair. He breathed in the calm, hoping it wasn’t the lull before another storm. He was beat.
Carol, his executive assistant, knocked on his door and opened it. “Sorry, I know you didn’t want to be interrupted.”
“It was inevitable. What’s up?”
“The projections from accounting. You said you wanted them as soon as they arrived.”
“That I did.” He stood, meeting her halfway across the spacious room, saving her a few steps. She was having the same kind of day he was. “Why don’t you take off early? It’s almost four and you worked through lunch, too.”
“I nibbled on something at my desk.”
“Not good enough.” He couldn’t help it. He wanted to make sure she took care of herself. “Go on. You need to take advantage of this quiet while you can. No telling what’s coming next.”
“There’s a mountain of work—“
“The company won’t fall apart overnight.” Not his company. He worked hard to make sure it was as healthy as a corporation could be. “I insist. Good night.”
“I’m not sure I should leave you to your own devices.” Carol squinted up at him, skeptical. “My assistant can keep an eye on you. Don’t you stay too late. You’re trying to cut back, remember?”
“The harder I try, the more work there is to do.”
“Then try harder. Learn to say no.” Carol winked on her way out the door, heading home to her husband and daughter. To what truly mattered.
Well, so much for keeping my promises today, Wyatt thought as he hunkered down at his desk and flipped open the file folder Carol had handed him. Spreadsheets stared up at him, numbers that he couldn’t seem to make sense of. Just tired, he told himself, rubbing his forehead. He shoved the f
ile to one side. The day had gotten away from him again.
Time to wrap up loose ends and check his email. Hoping everything could wait until morning, he scrolled through his in-box. A note from accounting. Skip that. A message from his VP. That could wait. An email from Mariah Duncan. He clicked on it so fast his hand was a blur.
Once again, he was listed in the cc line.
Ella Jean—hope your week is going well. Thank you for your help in hunting down the appraisal. You’re the best. I owe you lunch after the property had closed. Name the time and place, and I’m there.
Mariah. The thought of her brought a smile to his face. Always had, always would. Seeing her Monday had put a spring in his step he couldn’t explain. He admired what she’d done with her life, and respected the woman she’d become. That’s all it was…old friends catching up. That’s all it could ever be. Sorry about that, and he really was, he clicked on the next message from his real estate agent.
If we’re still on for tonight, go ahead and preview these homes. I’ve sent the links. Let me know if this is in line with your expectations.
He sighed. And so the house hunt continued.
* * *
It was dark when Mariah pulled into one of the last available parking spaces in the community center’s lot. Exhausted from a long day of standing in line at the city land office trying to find out the status of their building permit, racing to a women’s entrepreneur luncheon where she was a speaker, and finally sitting through three interviews for a new social worker—with four more scheduled for tomorrow—she was late, late, late. Knowing she’d missed Jake’s practice, she climbed from the car, grabbed her bag and jogged across the lot. With any luck, a kick of caffeine from the snack bar might give her the energy she needed to make it home.
The community center buzzed with activity. The echoing thud, thud of dribbling balls, the stampede of kids charging down the court and the faint scent of chlorine from the pool were all so familiar. In one of the rooms, a seniors group practiced tai chi; in another aerobics was the activity of choice. She zoomed straight to the concession stand.
“Mariah. Good to see you.” Bill, the center’s director, closed the cash register. “Decaf mocha, right? I meant to shoot you an email this afternoon. Good news.”
“I like good news.”
“Then you’ll be happy with this. Not only did I manage to round up a few more hoops, but a ton of sign-up forms came in. We’re already way above target for the fund-raiser.”
“That’s a wonderful surprise.” She relaxed against the counter, glad to chat about the upcoming hoop fest tournament for Mary’s Place that the community center was hosting. “The event keeps growing. I’m getting media lined up for it, and I think we’ll have even better coverage this year.”
“Excellent.” Bill’s machine whizzed and whirred. “That’ll be two-fifty.”
Mariah unzipped her purse, but a hand settled on her shoulder, stopping her. Recognition jolted through her. She didn’t need to turn to know the identity of the man behind her; would she recognize Wyatt’s touch anywhere. His hand moved away, leaving her breathless. A five dollar bill dropped onto the counter in front of her.
“I’d like one of those, too, please. It looks good.” Wyatt gave his tie a tug, loosening it. “Hey, are you picking Jake up from practice?”
“Yes. Perhaps the bigger question is why are you here?”
“I’m looking at some houses in the area later, so I thought I might as well drop by and check out the league Jake mentioned. See if it was someplace I’d fit.” A sparkle gleamed in his eyes, something that hadn’t been there before. Wyatt seemed happier and more relaxed than last time she’d seen him. It looked good on him.
“Are you going to join?”
“Got the sign-up forms right here.” He patted his jacket pocket. “Met two of the team members. They seem like good guys, so it could be fun. The games are on Saturday night, though.”
“Won’t that interfere with your personal life?”
“What personal life?” Wyatt thanked Bill, who set two cups on the counter, steam curling in the air. “I normally spend my Saturday evenings finishing up my workweek. Kind of pathetic, now that I say it out loud.”
“You’re a single man. Why aren’t you out on the prowl?”
“The prowl?” Yeah, Wyatt saw that hint of a smile. She was teasing him. He picked up his cup. “You know I’m not the type.”
“Hey, a lot of things have changed. Maybe that’s one of them.”
“I’m a sad excuse for a single man. I haven’t dated since college. I’m out of practice and I’m worried I’ll get shot down.”
“That’s a terrible excuse. I’m sure the right woman for you is out there somewhere.”
“Why does that sound like you think there’s only one? Am I that bad of a guy?” He liked that pink crept across her face. “It’s okay, you don’t have to answer that.”
“No, I’m just trying to be diplomatic. You’re a donor, Wyatt. I make it a policy not to upset the donors.”
“Good plan.” Chuckling, he wandered toward the nearest set of open double doors, catching a glimpse of the court. “What about you?”
“Me?”
“Are you seeing anybody? Do you have a fiancé I should meet?”
“Hardly likely.” She led the way through the doors and slipped into the nearly empty bleachers, settling onto a bench. “When would I date, assuming I’d want to? I’m raising a teenager. You have no idea how much time that takes.”
“Oh, I might.” Pain drilled through Wyatt’s sternum as he eased beside her. Some losses just never left you. “So that’s a no on dating?”
“One marriage and one divorce was enough for me. I’m not looking for another.”
“I hear ya on that.” He nodded, that muscle jumping in his jaw, and fixed his attention on the players. Practice was apparently over and the pickup game on the court looked fun. The kids’ shouts and thundering gaits echoed in the rafters. “Hey, doesn’t this make you nostalgic?”
“Me? Nostalgic? No, I’m not the type.” The glint in her eyes said differently.
“Are you telling me that sitting with me here on the bleachers watching a ball game doesn’t take you back?”
“Not one bit.”
“Sure, you remember. I can tell.” He laced his fingers together, recalling the boy he’d been, so in love with her. First loves were something special. “I fell in love with you the first time I saw you. In the gym.”
“What I remember is you having to sit out a couple weeks because of a pulled tendon. Didn’t you hurt your knee clowning around that day?”
“I tripped over my own feet and hit the floor. I looked like an idiot, but the upside was I got to sit out a few games. Not a bad thing, since I sweet-talked the prettiest girl in school into going out with me.”
“Don’t even start.” She gave him a twitch of a smile. “Didn’t I warn you about flattery?”
“It doesn’t change the truth. You were the prettiest girl anywhere.”
“I’m not that girl. Not anymore.” She rolled her eyes as if she didn’t know what to do with him, then scanned the length of the gym. A look transformed her. A mother’s love. “Jake,” she called, “there you are. Are you ready to go?”
The teenager tromped over, surrounded by his posse of friends. Before he could answer, someone called, “Duncan!” Jake dropped his duffel, leaped into the air and caught a ball flying his way. A dribble, a leap and swoosh—slam dunk.
I remember being that kid, Wyatt thought, the one with all the friends, and skills on the court. A kid to whom laughter came as easy as breathing. Where had he gone?
“Hey, it’s Mr. Royce.” Jake’s grin was greeting enough. “What are you doin’ here?”
“Annoying your mom.”
“It’s nice to have help with that for a change.” Jake loped out of bounds, snagged the ball and hooked it. It sailed through the air.
Automatically, Wyatt caught it.
He was on the court and halfway to the basket before he realized it. His shoes squeaked on the floor. One of Jake’s friends blocked him and Wyatt pivoted, dribbled, spotted Jake and passed. Wyatt pressed toward the basket and, when Jake shot the ball back, moved in, dodging and feinting. A perfect layup. Two points.
“Wow, not bad.” Jake rescued his duffel and slung the strap over his shoulder. “You and I oughta go one-on-one sometime. I’d like to see what you’ve got.”
“You’re pretty good yourself. You have some moves, kid.”
“Thanks. So, you really played college ball?”
“All four years. We made it to the playoffs twice.”
“Cool.” Jake’s eyes widened in admiration.
Uh-oh, Mariah thought, feeling herself tense. This couldn’t be a good sign—the two of them getting along so well. Jake’s best friend, Dan, joined in the conversation, bantering easily, three sport-loving males conversing away.
She sipped her coffee, letting the flavors roll across her tongue as she trailed behind the trio. Wyatt caught the door, the boys going through first. He turned to her then, his dark blue eyes inscrutable as he stepped into the cool evening beside her.
“Thanks for letting me hang with you.” He lingered to talk with her while the boys surged ahead.
“No problem. You mentioned you were looking for a house tonight?”
“Can’t live in a hotel room forever. I’ve been searching for a while, but I haven’t found the right place.”
“Don’t worry. You will. You’ll know it when you see it.”
“That means a lot, Mariah. Thanks for listening. Old friends are hard to come by. I ought to know. I’ve lost track of all of mine, and I regret it.”
“So do I. I hated the way we left things back then.”
“Me, too. The good news is that I’ve mellowed. I’ve learned a few lessons.”
“Haven’t we all?” She dug for her keys as her car came into sight. There were memories she’d never forgotten. Such as the time she’d shown up for dance team practice and spotted the handsome new boy shooting hoops after school. His gaze had met hers and her heart had skipped three beats.