A Silver Lining

by T. R. McClure

  Doug nodded. “Mitch.” He turned as they heard a car coming down the gravel drive. A late-model BMW parked behind the sports car. “There’s Rob now.”

  Ten minutes later, they sat around the poker table in Mitch’s dining room. “Five card draw, jacks or better to open.” Cigar clenched in his teeth, he dealt the cards. This was more like it. Just a bunch of guys, a good cigar, and cold beer. What more did a man need?

  Rob pulled a handful of cigars from his shirt pocket and dropped them in the middle of the table. “Compliments of a client, fellas. Help yourselves.”

  “I believe I will.” Matt picked up a cigar and reached for Mitch’s cigar cutter. “Hey, Mitch. Did you know Linda’s husband’s an actor?”

  “Ex-husband.” Mitch focused on the cards in his hand. Looks like I might get lucky tonight.

  “Man, he is one good-looking fella. We’ll have to keep the girls away from him.” Matt elbowed Alex in the side.

  “When did you meet him?” Alex leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through dark, curly hair.

  “I ran into Linda and him with their son on the mall yesterday. He just got a role in Young and Rich in LA.”

  Alex’s eyebrows lifted. “Yea? Who’s he play?”

  “Are you kidding me?” Suppressing the urge to rip the cards into tiny pieces, Mitch growled around the cigar clenched in his teeth. “You girls watchin’ soaps now?”

  Brows bunched, Alex cut his gaze at Mitch. “Kat watches them to improve her English. I just watch them to keep her company.” His face relaxed in a grin.

  Studying the goofy look on his friend’s face, Mitch wondered how in the heck Alex had gone over to the dark side. “I need another beer.” He dropped his cards face down on the table and pushed back his chair.

  “Get me one while you’re up, buddy.” Matt studied his cards.

  Good. He was distracted by his cards. The last thing Mitch wanted to hear about was Linda getting together with her ex-husband. Mitch stalked into the kitchen.

  Behind him, Matt raised his voice. “Well, anyway, Roger, his acting name is Cliff, but he said I could call him Roger, wanted to see the college. You should have seen the girls going cra—”

  After coming back in the room, Mitch set two bottles on the table with a thump. “Are we playin’ poker or havin’ a gabfest? Give it a rest, Berk.” He dropped into his chair and swept up his cards. “Whose turn?” Mitch felt five pairs of eyes as the conversation around the table stilled.

  Alex tossed a card in the middle of the table. “Last time we were here, I took Doug’s car and drove to San Jose Airport to catch Kat before she ran off to Germany. Remember that, bro?” He elbowed his younger brother with a grin.

  “Do I?” With a wide grin, Doug patted the pocket of his jeans. “That’s why my keys aren’t on the counter at the moment.”

  “You tossed tortilla chips all over the place too just looking for those keys.” Mitch played a seven. His heartburn eased as the talk centered on Alex. “I’m still finding chips.”

  “You might want to consider a cleaning lady, Mitch.” Alex elbowed his brother again as he studied his cards. “Man, that car of yours can move. I made it there in record time.”

  Shaking his head, Doug raised a hand. “More than I want to know.”

  Matt took the cigar from his mouth and blew a long stream of smoke toward the ceiling. “Yea, that time, you were a mess. Remember? This time, Mitch is a mess. Who woulda thought?”

  Mitch’s hand jerked and his cards scattered across the table. Scraping the loose cards onto his lap, Mitch scowled at Matt. “What the hell are you talkin’ about?” He rubbed his chest. The heartburn had returned and he blamed the salsa.

  Leaning his chair back on two legs, Matt stroked a lightly whiskered chin with his fingers and peered at Mitch over his wire rim glasses. “You know exactly what I’m talking about, my friend.”

  Throwing the reorganized hand on the table, Mitch rose. “I’m out.” He grabbed his beer, went into the kitchen and through the door onto the deck. The cool, fresh air would clear his pounding head. He needed a clear head. He had some thinking to do.

  ****

  Mitch leaned on the podium, waiting for the stragglers to take their seats. First day of classes for the fall semester. Another group of young, innocent college students.

  But this year his heart just wasn’t up for introducing a new group of students to the finer points of leisure. This year, his heart felt like it had been pulled out of his chest and stomped on by a herd of elephants. For two solid weeks, Linda had been avoiding him. He knew Anna wasn’t happy with the arrangement, but she was loyal to her new boss and deflected all his calls.

  Mitch rounded the podium and grinned at the fresh faces. “Who wants to give me a definition of leisure?” And so the hour went. Mitch had taught the class so many times he could teach with only half his brain. The other half continued to worry the issue of Linda Lafferty. As soon as the clock on the wall hit the hour, Mitch waved a hand and dismissed the class. He propped both arms on the podium and stared unseeing at his lesson plan.

  The heavy door at the back of the auditorium clanged shut. A minute later, footsteps sounded on the stairs.

  Mitch looked up.

  Austin Rockwell strolled down the steps of the amphitheater, followed by Sydney.

  This couldn’t be good.

  Linda had done a great job of raising the boy. Mitch wasn’t surprised she was having a hard time letting go. She had committed her whole life to raising her child. The boy was smart, savvy, and sophisticated. Just like his dad.

  While he, Mitch, was none of those things. He shook his head. The one time he got close to something real, he blew it. He should have spent the whole evening next to Linda, instead of allowing the president’s wife to distract him and giving Donna the opportunity to chat with Linda. Big mistake.

  His grin faded as Austin approached. “Hi, Austin, how are you?”

  “I’m fine, professor.” He looked around.

  Sydney took a seat in the front row, her gaze locked on Austin. She smiled.

  “Well, actually, I wanted to ask you about—” He lifted his chin and stared Mitch straight in the eyes. “—about you and my Mom. What are your intentions?”

  At the unexpected challenge, Mitch bit back a smile. This was a switch. Austin was watching out for his Mom. He suspected if Linda knew, she would have been appalled. “Your mother’s not too happy with me right now.”

  “So what are you doing about it?”

  Mitch glanced toward the back of the auditorium. What was he doing about it? Somewhere between “You ate my French fry and It’s a bear! It’s a freakin’ bear!” he had fallen in love with Linda Lafferty and thanks to her eighteen-year-old son, he had only now come to the realization he was in love with her. His mouth went dry at the thought.

  Struck by sudden inspiration, he grabbed Austin by the shoulders. “I’ll prove I’m not—” he was about to say your father but caught himself in time, “the ne’er-do-well she thinks I am…with your approval, of course.”

  Austin smiled the slow, dazzling grin that had all the girls following him around like puppies. “If anyone’s up to the job, I think you are, Professor.”

  Mitch threw an arm around his shoulders and they strolled toward the back of the room. Letting out a deep breath, he muttered, “I sure hope so, son.”

  ****

  When Linda opened the door the last person she expected to see was Mitch Collins. The sudden burst of happiness in her heart reminded her she had missed being in his arms the last couple weeks. Her solitary lifestyle didn’t fit anymore. Her gaze moved downward. Mitch wasn’t alone.

  In one hand, he held the leash to a big black dog and in the crook of his other arm, a potted red geranium, sporting a big, white bow and a tag with The Flower Basket’s colorful logo.

  As soon as the dog caught sight of Linda, he got down on his front paws, rump in the air, tail wagging, wanting to play.

  Linda
was a sucker for dogs and kneeled down, her hand stroking the domed head. “Well, aren’t you the handsome one?”

  “Are you talking to me or him?”

  What was he up to? Linda pursed her lips as she observed Mitch dressed in his usual attire of jeans and denim shirt. His hair was still brushed back in his new style and he had shaved. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He looked as innocent as a new-born babe, as if the last time they talked she hadn’t slammed the door in his face. “He does favor you, doesn’t he?” She stroked the sides of the dog’s muzzle. “He’s gray.”

  “You sure know how to hurt a guy.” Mitch slapped a hand on his chest and feigned a heart attack. “He’s a stray. Matt and Colleen found him at their place, and since they have Tiny, the Newfoundland, they needed a home for this fellow.”

  “And they chose you?” Linda scratched the indentation behind the floppy ear. By avoiding Mitch the past few weeks, she thought her life would return to normal. Just her and Austin, and weekly phone calls to her mother in New Jersey, and running the finance department. But something had shifted, and now she saw a hole where before her life seemed full.

  “Imagine. Believe it or not, some people think I’m not such a bad guy.”

  The dog rolled over, paws hanging limply in the air.

  Linda put her hands on her knees and studied the dog. He had some gray on his paws as well. Older dogs were often hard to place but would Mitch take care of a dog? “You’re adorable, aren’t you?”

  “Are you talking to me or the dog?”

  Laughter bubbled up despite her attempt to be serious. “You need to get your hearing checked.” She rubbed the dog’s belly, realizing as she did so she had missed Mitch’s witty repartee. “What’s his name?”

  “I thought we’d name him together.”

  Still scratching the dog’s white belly, Linda’s hand slowed. The conversation had taken a sudden turn into something a lot more serious than she expected from Leroy Mitchell Collins. She resumed scratching as the dog leaned back his head on the porch floor, his brown eyes half closed. “Together, huh?”

  Setting the potted plant at the end of the porch, Mitch kneeled. The dog’s tail thumped a steady beat.

  When Linda looked from the dog’s belly to Mitch’s hazel eyes, her breath grew short.

  “Together, Linda.” He stood and pulled her into a standing position as he wrapped his arms around her waist. “I apologize for leaving you alone so much at the dinner.”

  Surprised at his statement, Linda slapped his arm. “What? That was no big deal. I’m a grown woman. I don’t need coddling.”

  “I know. Regardless, my behavior was rude. It’s hard to change years of expectations. Like you said, I’m a party in a bottle. People expect me to liven things up.”

  Linda studied Mitch’s solemn face and concluded he had been doing some soul-searching. His apology was heartfelt. Her throat tight, she placed her palm on his cheek. “I wasn’t angry because you spent time with others.”

  “No?”

  Thinking back to the night of the dinner, Linda remembered the camaraderie of the faculty, how the still tender sprained ankle had compounded her inability to join in with the fun. “Everybody was waiting on me, I couldn’t do anything by myself, and then when Donna came over—”

  Mitch’s eyes darkened. “What else did she say?”

  “She said she hoped I could make you happy because she couldn’t. And I saw you at Mrs. Johnson’s table with all those women and I knew what she was talking about. I didn’t think you were the kind of guy to be with one woman. I mean—” She looked away, as much to hide the tears as to corral her runaway thoughts. Turning back, she caught his gaze. “I’m over forty, Mitch. I’m not a starry-eyed co-ed. I was and look what happened. I ended up with a man-child and a baby to care for.”

  “I’m not a child, Linda. I’m a man. I would never let you down. Despite appearances, I am responsible.” He pursed his lips and stared up at the light in the porch ceiling before returning his gaze. “Donna didn’t want me. Donna wanted to be a mother. Any available male would do. I dodged a bullet. She’s a manipulative woman.” His gaze locked with hers and he shrugged. “I didn’t see that.”

  Her hand still pressed to his cheek, Linda rubbed her thumb over his lips, remembering the magical time in the forest, when real life seemed so distant. “You brought a dog and a geranium. I get the dog. You’re showing me you can be responsible. What’s with the geranium?”

  “You need a life, too, Linda, and you said you liked flowers but never had the time.” He wrapped his fingers around her hand, still resting against his cheek. “Austin is a young man. You’ve raised him to be independent. Now’s the time to fulfill some of your own dreams.”

  Linda squinted as she looked into the bright rays of the setting sun. Mitch had a point, one she preferred to ignore. Tears burned at the back of her eyes. “You and I each have our own lives. I don’t know if they can be meshed together.”

  “I like what I do, Linda. But when I met you, I realized what I’ve been missing all these years.”

  Linda leaned back in his arms and put her hands on his chest. This was the last thing she ever expected to hear from this man. “A financial advisor?”

  Mitch laughed. “If the financial advisor is you, then yes, I’ve been missing you all these years, Linda Lafferty.” He cupped her face with his hands. “I love you, Linda.”

  At Mitch’s declaration, Linda’s heart skipped a beat. She struggled to respond but words failed her. Fear nestled behind her breastbone. The last man she had said those three words to was Roger, and look how that relationship had turned out.

  “By the way…I know you’re over forty.” Mitch’s hazel eyes twinkled.

  Linda rolled her eyes. Here it comes. “Pray tell. How did you know I was over forty?”

  “I have access to personnel files, too. I am a professor, you know.”

  The dog wiggled between them and, when they separated, jumped up and placed both paws on Linda’s breasts, leaving two dusty paw prints.

  Mitch’s eyes gleamed. “Dog’s got more cajones than I do.”

  Linda tilted her head as she sized up Mitch. “You had plenty of cajones on our wilderness adventure.”

  He grinned and stuck out his chest. “I did, didn’t I?”

  His unanswered declaration of love dissipated into the air as Mitch ruffled the dog’s ears.

  “I happen to have two rib-eye steaks in my fridge at home. Would you like to join me and—” he studied the dog, “Jonesy?”

  Linda shot him a look. “Is that an anglicized version of cajones?”

  “What do you think?”

  “I like it.” Linda eyed the dog. “Sit, Jonesy.”

  The dog tilted his head.

  Mitch tried, using a hand motion. “Sit, Jonesy.” When the dog just looked at him, Mitch took his hand and pressed down on his rear end. As if a light bulb went on, the dog sat, his feathery tail brushing against the doormat in side sweeps.

  “Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Mitch winked at Linda, a grin on his face.

  Warming to his comment, Linda wasn’t sure if he was talking about the dog or himself. “You were saying…”

  “I thought I’d take you out to my place for dinner.”

  Still torn, Linda pointed to her jeans and slippers. “I’m not dressed.”

  “You’re fine—except for the slippers. You might want to put on shoes. You can even wear your flats. I guarantee you we won’t be walking anywhere.”

  Linda stuck her hands in her back pockets and stared down the street, trying to organize her milling thoughts. He had told her he loved her. Why? Why her? Why now?

  She felt a nudge on her knee as Jonesy nosed her and looked upward with big brown eyes. His tail continued to brush the doormat.

  “Come see my place, Linda. I’ll bring you back whenever you say.”

  “You want me to see your bachelor pad? Are you sure?”

  Mi
tch chuckled. “I’m sure.”

  “Okay. Let me grab some sneakers.” She caught a glimpse of delight on Mitch’s face as she went into the house. She couldn’t make up her mind. Was seeing Mitch a mistake? All she knew, today was the first she’d laughed in two weeks.

  An hour later, Linda stood in Mitch’s kitchen preparing a salad while the sound and scent of sizzling steaks came from the back deck. She had been impressed when they drove up to the isolated cedar cabin, nestled among the pines. Even more awed at the vaulted ceiling in the living room and the bedroom loft. The only thing she wasn’t impressed with was the pool table in the dining room. “Why am I not surprised?” she said when she glimpsed the massive structure from the kitchen.

  Mitch shrugged. “I don’t have many family dinners.” He opened the fridge and bent over to peer into it. “In fact, I don’t have any family dinners.” He grabbed a beer and held it up. “Beer or wine?”

  “Do you have any of Marino’s California Dream?”

  “Of course.” Mitch handed her the bottle and a wine opener. “You take care of opening the wine and I’ll get the grill going.”

  They worked in companionable silence. The dog followed Mitch out to the deck and found a spot on a mat at the top of the stairs.

  When the food was ready, they sat on stools at the kitchen island.

  Drizzling dressing on her salad, Linda watched as Mitch devoured his steak. “You did a good job on the steaks. Do you grill out often?”

  Mitch shook his head. “Usually I stop at the Mexican place on the way out of town for takeout, sometimes Chinese.” He lifted his beer and held it poised before his mouth. “I’ve had the guys out here a few times. We usually do steaks and then play pool.”

  Focusing on her salad, Linda stabbed a chunk of tomato. “What about your girlfriends?”

  After taking a long drink, Mitch shot her a look. “Still think I’m a playboy, don’t you?” He sliced off another chunk of steak. “You’d be surprised.”