by Dani Collins
“I want to go to a real playground,” Dayton said.
Mercedes glanced at her watch then over to the front office where she should have been a week ago, instead of in Holbrook, fruitlessly waiting for Porsha.
“If I take you to the park for a little bit now, can you sit quietly while I have my meeting later? No jumping on furniture like yesterday?”
“That was Dayton’s idea,” Ayjia said.
“You did it, too.”
“I don’t care what happened yesterday. Do we have a deal for today?” Mercedes slammed the car door with her hip and motioned the kids onto the sidewalk that led to the pedestrian gate.
“Yes,” both kids chimed together.
“All right,” Mercedes turned to close the gate behind them only to hear Ayjia say, “Hey, there’s Zack.”
Sure enough a cyclist coasted toward them from a side street. Mercedes recognized the yellow and green helmet. Zack had strapped it on yesterday before lifting his slick racing bike out of the back of a well used pick-up truck—the kind where virginities were lost on old wool blankets.
For a moment, she wondered if L.C. kept a blanket behind the driver’s seat, then Zack braked beside her and lowered his sunglasses, his smile genuine enough to make her smile back. “Hey.”
“Hey.” Mercedes checked her watch. Still forty minutes to go before the meeting. “Are you early or just out for exercise?”
“Uh, yeah. Exercise. Before it gets too hot.” His gaze slid sideways and he pushed his sunglasses back into place.
Lying. Huh.
Mercedes resisted Ayjia’s tug on her hand. “And you rode all the way over here? ‘Cause we’re a long way from the college.”
“Dad and I are staying at the motel by the highway.” He jerked his elbow in the direction of the interstate.
“Oh. Right.” But it didn’t explain why he and his friends had been all the way over here a couple of nights ago.
“Auntie M,” Ayjia insisted. “Dayton’s way ahead.”
“Oh. Okay, let’s go. Um, Zack?” Mercedes said over her shoulder, letting Ayjia drag her toward the park two blocks away.
He balanced one foot on a pedal as he rolled beside her. “Yeah?”
“Do you have a minute? Or do you have to get back and clean up?”
“No, I can talk.”
“At the park, if you don’t mind. It’ll be easier for me if the kids are playing on the monkey bar— Dayton, wait at the gate!” she called.
Dayton stopped running and sagged his shoulders at her.
“I’ll catch up to him,” Zack said, his bike clicking as he picked up speed.
“Thanks. It’s too hot to...run,” she finished, as Ayjia pulled away from her grip and took off.
Mercedes trotted to stay in sight of the kids, catching up to everyone at the swings where the children bickered over who Zack would push first.
The scent of mown grass hung on the air, but the park was quiet and empty but for a pair of moms with strollers, watching over toddlers in the sandbox. Of course they had toddlers. Older kids were supposed to be in school.
Mercedes avoided their curious gazes and watched Zack rest his bike against a bench. “It’s all right,” she told him. “I can push them.”
“I don’t mind. I have to stand here while you try to convince me to drop the idea of serving community hours, right?”
“Not exactly, but—”
“Push me first, Zack,” Ayjia said.
“No, me.”
“I can push both of you. Watch.” Zack spread his arms to their full, six-foot span and ran forward, flinging both kids into the air, then walking around behind them to alternate nudges that kept them flying.
“More,” Dayton demanded.
“More, please,” Mercedes corrected, and nodded at Zack’s questioning look, giving him permission to let Dayton set the height.
“It’s not that I want to discourage you,” Mercedes said when he had the kids zooming. “It’s just that I have my own...” her stomach knotted, “situation to explain to the board. They’re not going to be very receptive on the heels of my standing up for you so I want to be very sure I’m not wasting my time doing that.”
“Mmm.” He shrugged his shoulder to catch a trickle of sweat sliding down his chin. “How do I convince you I’m worth it?”
“I don’t know. Maybe tell me why you’re so stuck on doing this? I mean, why not go home? Is missing a semester that big a deal?”
“To me it is, yeah.” He was still hiding behind his sunglasses and turned away to push Dayton again.
“Aren’t there other colleges? Are you that attached to this community?”
He didn’t answer as Ayjia asked him to stop her swing and twist it. A moment later, he released her to spin before answering.
“I do like it here. I’m from Washington and we get a lot of rain there.” He flashed a grin then shrugged. “And I’m only a day away if I need to go home, but I’m far enough away to feel like I’m not still attached to Mom’s umbilical cord, you know?”
Mercedes resisted the urge to ask about the woman who had once been close enough to L.C. to make a child. Really none of her business and so very inappropriate, but she was curious. L.C. must have been very young when he’d fathered Zack.
“I want to go on the merry-go-round,” Ayjia said.
“Sure, hon,” Mercedes said.
Ayjia took off and Dayton jumped from his still moving swing.
“Dayton—” She caught back the useless warning, catching Zack’s grin.
“Why bother?” he asked.
“I don’t know. Makes me feel like I’m in charge, I guess.” She strolled with him toward where the kids pushed the bars of the slowly circling merry-go-round.
“Are you in charge of that old folks home?” Zack asked.
“Retirement community,” she corrected with a mocking scowl. “And no, I’m not in charge. The board represents the residents, so they have the final say. They’re mostly a bunch of retired people who would rather enjoy their free time, though. They hired me for the day to day running of things and usually follow my recommendations.”
“And you’re going to recommend...?” Zack prompted.
“I don’t know. To be honest, Zack, you’re a tough sell. I know those back few units have been neglected over the years, but breaking in like that?”
“All I’m asking for is a chance.” He leapt onto the merry-go-round, kicking it into rotating faster.
The kids urged, “More. Faster!”
He did, laughing, and had the kids squealing before he dragged his foot to slow down. Dayton jumped of course.
“That kid’s a broken bone waiting to happen,” Zack said, watching Dayton sprint to the monkey bars.
“Please don’t say that.” Mercedes thought of Ayjia’s chin. Worried about it.
“I could help you watch them,” Zack suggested.
“Oh, nice try,” Mercedes said, chuckling.
Zack looked affronted. “What? I like little kids. I was an only child until my sister was born and by then I was graduating. I think it’s cool how they’re so close like that.” He motioned to the human monkeys clambering on the colored bars.
“My sister and I were pretty close,” Mercedes murmured, thinking of how they’d had each others’ backs at school, at parties, against gossip and boys and social workers. The whole world.
She stopped a few feet back from the kids and turned to Zack.
“I appreciate the offer, I do, but I don’t know you that well.”
“What about the community hours then?”
“Ultimately that would put you under my supervision. In the short term, I’ve got the kids to worry about. How can I take responsibility for you as well?”
“Is Dayton allowed up the tree?” Zack asked, his face slightly averted, watching over her shoulder.
“What? No!” She turned and scanned the park.
Ayjia stood at the bottom of the lone, leafy tree, looki
ng up.
“Dayton?” Mercedes called.
“Up the tree again,” Ayjia said.
“No! Dayton we’ve talked about this.” Mercedes hurried forward.
“I’ll get him,” Zack said, peeling off his sunglasses and handing them to Mercedes. “That is, if you’ll recommend me to the board?”
“Oh, don’t gloat.”
Chapter 5
Mercedes set the kids to playing Uno at her feet while she sorted through the correspondence and bills that had piled up while she’d been gone. The board was supposed to have sifted through it, but all that meant was that Mrs. Garvey had tagged everything ‘Urgent’ in her red, spidery scrawl. She was helping now by standing on the other side of the horseshoe-shaped reception desk, reviewing the binder of bylaws for a ruling on underage guests of residents.
Mercedes sent another hopeful glance beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows fronting the main office. Zack had told her he was a lifeguard. She had told him she wouldn’t believe it until she saw his name on a certificate. Now he was late, maybe not coming at all. She glanced at the kids.
Dayton wiggled his bottom tooth while he waited for Ayjia to take her turn. Ayjia played a yellow six, then rubbed under her chin.
Maybe the board would agree to meet poolside to discuss her situation. Surely they’d be sympathetic. It was only temporary. They understood about family.
Mrs. Garvey sniffed.
Some did.
“We set a two week limit on visiting guests,” Mrs. Garvey said, thumbing through pages. “I remember.”
“I thought it was only a recommendation,” Mercedes murmured, knowing it was.
Dayton stood and tried to help himself to the jar of jellybeans on the counter.
Mercedes shook her head and moved it, then pointed back to the cards.
“I don’t wanna play anymore. Can we go swimming?”
“Maybe later.”
“It’s your turn,” Ayjia said.
Dayton kicked the pile of cards.
“Hey!” Ayjia yelled.
“Don’t—” Mercedes caught Ayjia’s fist before she took a swing at her brother.
“Mercedes,” Mrs. Garvey said with affront.
“He always does that when I’m winning. It’s not fair!”
“Keep your voice down, please. Dayton, you need to clean up the cards.” Mercedes straightened to smile at Mrs. Garvey. See? No problem.
Below her, Dayton skated cards across the lino with his foot while Ayjia tried to slap them out of his reach.
Mrs. Garvey dipped her head and flipped pages.
A tense knot of helplessness caught in Mercedes’s chest. It eased slightly as she caught sight of a blue pick-up slowing to turn into their parking lot. Sunlight glinted off the windshield then cleared as he turned, revealing L.C. at the wheel. His tanned arm rested on the open window. His other hand steered with negligent fingers.
Mrs. Garvey stiffened as L.C.’s diesel engine rumbled to a stop outside. He cut the motor. He and Zack dropped out of the vehicle to slam doors.
L.C. wore jeans again, these ones faded and sporting frayed holes in the knees and at the pockets. The sleeves were gone from his Mariners T-shirt, exposing a colorful tattoo that climbed from his bicep and flowed over his shoulder, but he’d managed to shave. He combed his fingers through his wet hair as they entered.
When he saw Mercedes, he lowered a cardboard cup from his lips.
Mercedes subtly forced herself to keep her breaths measured and looked to Mrs. Garvey. “Would you like to tell the board that our guests are here? I need a quick word with Zack before we come down.”
Zack had changed from his cycling shorts into the same pants he’d worn yesterday, but he’d found a crisp white shirt that contrasted starkly against his deep tan.
Mrs. Garvey made another snooty noise and checked the watch face dangling from a brooch above her left breast. “You used to be so organized, Mercedes.” Her tone held the weight of disappointment. She circled behind the desk to avoid the men. “What is this?”
Mrs. Garvey halted at the head of a trail of cards. It led to the lounge area where Dayton knelt on a sofa beside Mr. Corcoran, bouncing and earning a frown while Ayjia dropped more cards in a circle around the coffee table.
“No,” Mercedes breathed. “Kids!” She tried not to raise her voice as she crossed to the lounge. “I asked you to pick those up. I’m sorry, Mr. Corcoran.” Crouching, Mercedes scooped up cards, aware of Mrs. Garvey trotting out of sight, no doubt to demand her immediate dismissal.
“But it’s a path,” Ayjia said.
“I know, honey, but not here, okay? Clean them up. Dayton stop bouncing.”
“I wanna watch cartoons.” He leapt to the floor.
“How about swimming?” Zack asked, coming up behind Mercedes, straightening to offer her the stack of cards he’d collected.
“Don’t—” Mercedes started.
“Yeah!” both kids shouted.
Promise them things, Mercedes had been about to say.
Zack handed her an envelope with his other hand, saying to the kids, “You have to pick up the cards first.”
L.C. stayed by the desk, sipping from his cup, clearly amused by the show.
While Dayton bulldozed the remaining cards into a pile, Mercedes pulled Zack’s lifeguard certification from the envelope.
“I brought my suit. I’ll watch the kids in the pool so you can talk to everyone uninterrupted.”
“About you,” Mercedes said doubtfully, still convinced Zack would make things harder, not easier.
“Please.” Zack’s grin held the same promise of sin as his father’s. It was near impossible to resist.
“Those poor freshman girls,” Mercedes murmured, shaking her head. To L.C., she said, “Were you this age when you fathered him? Because it explains a few things.”
“Little younger,” L.C. said. “And thank you.” He set his teeth on the rim of his cup in a wicked smile. A biter.
Heat climbed from low in her spine.
She dropped her head to study Zack’s certificate, but needed a few seconds to make sense of it. Finally, she decided it looked authentic enough. She’d be able to see the pool from the meeting room if she left the door open.
“Keep them in the shallow end,” she said to Zack, handing back his paperwork. “If they scream, they have to sit on the edge until they calm down. They know that rule.”
Mercedes felt like she was under water, pressed from all sides, desperate for a chance to breathe.
“Let’s go.”
L.C. followed Mercedes and Zack outside, across the courtyard to the fenced pool where the boy tugged off a Spiderman T-shirt and claimed his Spongebob trunks doubled as a swimsuit. He shot through the gate and plunged into the water before Mercedes could argue.
Meanwhile, the little girl balked at entering the change room, explaining she wore her Disney Princess bathing suit already.
“It’s my bra and panties. So I can be a grownup lady, like you.”
“Oh. Well, pretending is nice, but I think you should just be a kid right n—”
“Dayton’s in the water. Shouldn’t you yell at him?” the little girl asked.
“Dayton, sit on the edge until Zack gets in there or you’ll have to dry off and watch Ayjia swim.”
Dayton grumbled and took his time about obeying, watching Mercedes to see how far he could push her.
“He’s not out yet,” Ayjia said.
L.C. would have grinned if he hadn’t been struck by how much those two kids reminded him of himself and his own sister. He snapped the lid off his coffee, swirled it, thought about everyone in Liebe Falls and couldn’t bring himself to drain and swallow. He raised his gaze to something that didn’t put such a lump in his throat: Mercedes. Now there was a tall, refreshing margarita.
She wore khaki shorts that would have come to just above the knees on most women, but hit mid-thigh on her long, smooth legs. Very nice. The shorts cupped her butt in a delic
ious way when she bent to retrieve the boy’s T-shirt, hinting at a firm, lush handful despite the fact she was more tomboy than hourglass.
He checked out the top half as she straightened. She’d tied off a filmy yellow button blouse over a brick-colored tank that snuggled pretty teacups. Not a weighty chest, but definitely worth sipping.
“Can I trust you to handle this?” Zack asked.
“What?” L.C. dragged his gaze off Mercedes’s long throat to Zack’s belligerent frown. Zack must have hit the men’s room because he wore blue trunks.
“Can I trust you to go into that meeting and not screw this up for me?”
L.C. gave his son a hard stare. “You keep telling me you’re handling this.”
“I know, but I said I’d watch the kids so she could talk them into keeping me.”
L.C. shook his head, not understanding his kid at all. Never in a million years would it have occurred to him to fight this hard to stay in school. He’d hated every minute of being there and had actually been relieved to quit and get a job after knocking up Brit.
“Just tell them I can handle the repairs. Maybe ask if we can look at them later, together, so I can ask you questions if I have any.”
“Don’t you have class?” L.C. asked absently, distracted as Mercedes leaned to retie the girl’s bikini top, making the legs of her shorts climb and show another half inch of supple thigh. Damn that was pretty.
“Don’t you?” Zack demanded.
Jesus fuck. L.C. tossed his cup in the outdoor bin and glared at his son. Any other asshole with this attitude would have felt a hard shove in his chest and the ground meeting his ass.
Zack flushed and said quietly, “I’m just asking you to leave her alone and do what I told you to do. I thought you quit all that!”
L.C. narrowed his eyes. “All what?”
“You went out last night then couldn’t get up this morning. Now you’re—” He waved at Mercedes.
Drawing a deep breath through his nose, L.C. looked over his son’s shoulder to the door that led back to the office, where he could walk away. Just climb into his truck and keep going.
Tempting. Very tempting, because it was clear that Zack didn’t want him here and L.C. really didn’t need to be reminded of the man he used to be. But he had dues to pay, always would, he supposed. So he forced himself to stand there and take the punishment of Zack’s frustrated, disappointed glare.