Blame it on the Stars (The Blame Game)

by Hill, Jamie

  “That could be arranged.” Jim nodded toward his wife. “Suppose we have to bring them?”

  They all laughed, and Steve answered, “Why not? It could be fun.”

  Jim put his arm around Jetta and led her away. “We’ll let the women work out the details, and we’ll just show up. See you soon!”

  “See you,” Steve said, and turned to Dana. He pulled out his car keys and handed them to her. “Tell your brother to take it easy.”

  “Ooh!” She grabbed the keys. “Thanks Daddy. Could we maybe stop for pizza?”

  Steve feigned irritation, and pulled a twenty dollar bill from his wallet. “I’ll be home later. Miss McCall is going to take me for a ride in her sports car.”

  Dana laughed as she headed toward their car. “Have fun! See you later!”

  “Bye,” they told her, and Steve turned to Catlin. “Finally, just you and me.”

  “Well, let’s go.” She led him to her car. “If I don’t get out of these pantyhose soon, I think I’m going to pop.”

  “I’d pay a quarter to see that.” He grinned seductively at her.

  She pulled out her keys and handed them over. “What, me popping?”

  He unlocked the door and handed the keys back to her. “No, you getting out of those pantyhose.” He kissed her, and she put the keys back in his hand.

  “Take me home.”

  He let her in the passenger side, and got into the driver’s seat. He started up the car, and backed it carefully out of the parking space. “Wow.” He drove down the road, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. “This car is great.”

  Catlin closed her eyes, leaning back into her seat. “You’re pretty great, yourself,” she said softly.

  He squeezed her hand.

  They arrived at her house, and Catlin led him in through the kitchen. “Can I get you anything?”

  “Yep.” He tossed her keys on the table, and loosened his tie.

  She grinned at him. “I mean food or drink?”

  “Not right now.” He backed her into the bedroom, and kicked the door shut with his foot.

  An hour later, they made it back out to the kitchen. Catlin wore Steve’s shirt, and nothing else. He wore his slacks only. He opened the refrigerator door, and pulled out the leftover lasagna. “Now I am really hungry.”

  She laughed and got out plates. “I hope you don’t mind leftovers.”

  “The second day is just a good as the first.” He pinched her rear end as he went to the microwave.

  Catlin laughed. “I don’t know if I can eat, staring at that sexy chest.”

  “Guess we don’t have to eat….”

  She ran her hands over his chest. “I can’t believe what you do to me. I haven’t felt this way in—well, I’m not sure I’ve ever felt this way.”

  Steve pulled her next to him. “We do seem to be a good match.”

  “Oh, a very good match” she agreed, and they kissed and groped each other until the microwave timer sounded.

  “I’m tired of being interrupted by your kitchen appliances.”

  Grinning happily, she nipped at his neck one last time.

  They ate, and Catlin changed into some jeans and a sweater. “I wish you had something more comfortable to put on.”

  He wore his slacks and shirt, but left off his jacket and tie.

  “It’s okay. Why don’t we go over to my place? I can give you the tour, and then I’ll change.”

  “Sounds good. I’d love to see your palace. I mean, place.”

  He swatted her rear end as she waltzed out the door.

  Catlin whistled as they pulled up to his house. It looked huge.

  He chuckled. “I love this car.” He ran his hand over the hood as they got out.

  “Well, it’s a start!” She grinned.

  He chased her into the house.

  “Wow.” She took it all in as she entered the foyer.

  It was a large, old stone house that was completely modern on the inside. She walked through the foyer into a formal living room, which was so fancy, it didn’t look like it got much use.

  “Back here.” Steve led her into the next room, which looked like a much more comfortable family space.

  “This is something.” Catlin was still taking it all in. “Wow, those are lovely.” She pointed to paintings of Dana and David on the wall.

  “Nice, aren’t they?” He set his sunglasses on the coffee table.

  “Very.” She noticed a picture on the table next to his glasses. Catlin picked it up. “Oh, a family photo.”

  It was a professional sitting, with Steve, Dana, David and a woman—Catlin stared at her, getting her first glimpse of Steve’s wife. She was tall and blonde, but severe looking. Not very pretty, Catlin decided, secretly pleased.

  Steve came up behind her and took the picture from her hands. “I’m sorry. The kids, you know.” He set the photo back down.

  Catlin turned to face him. “It’s okay. Twenty-one years is a long time. We can’t pretend she never existed.”

  He pulled her next to him. “Oh, but we can try, can’t we?”

  She kissed him lightly, and then looked around. “Show me more, sir.”

  “Well, come on.” He pulled her by the hand and showed her the rest of the house. “I like the kitchen,” he admitted.

  She could see why. It had an abundance of counter space, and an island in the middle with pans hanging above it. There was a bar with padded barstools, where two or three people could eat, and the far corner had a breakfast nook, with a table and four comfy-looking chairs.

  “We usually eat in here. We haven’t had occasion to use the dining room, yet.”

  “It’s just lovely,” she said sincerely. “But how do you do it all? Take care of the house and the kids by yourself?”

  He grinned. “That would make me pretty amazing, wouldn’t it? Actually, we have a housekeeper, Teresa. She’s been with us for years, practically helped raise the children.”

  “She moved here with you?” Catlin was surprised.

  Steve nodded. “Her sister lives here, and Teresa was happy to move closer to her. Now that the kids are older, we only need her part-time, so she’s living with her sister. She stays here when I have to go out of town on business. She’s feisty. She’s Mexican, and speaks Spanish to the kids to make them learn it.”

  Catlin chuckled. “I’d like to meet her.”

  Steve wrinkled up his face. “We might want to wait on that a bit. Teresa is, shall we say, quite loyal.”

  “To you?” Catlin looked at him, and then it dawned on her. “Oh, to Barbara.”

  “It’ll be fine. Give it time.”

  They ended up in the backyard.

  “Eight bedrooms.” She shook her head. “Holy shit, Steve. It is a mansion.”

  He laughed. “What can I say? I grew up here. We’ve done a lot of renovating, and the place has been rented out the last few years. But I like it.” He sat in a lounge chair, and pulled up one next to him for Catlin.

  “Well, I should say so.” She glanced around. “Hey, where’s the garage?”

  Steve pointed to the far corner of the house. “Over there. Three of them.”

  “Well, good.” Catlin tossed her hair back haughtily. “I could never live in a house without a garage.”

  David and Dana came around the corner. “Don’t tell me she’s moving in,” David grumbled to his father.

  “Shut up!” Dana slapped his arm. “Hi Miss M.! Did you guys eat? We have some leftover pizza.” She set the box on the patio table.

  Catlin waved her hand “We ate, thanks.” She looked at David. “I was just kidding about the garage, David.”

  “Sure,” he said, mockingly. “Hey, my dad would be a pretty good catch for someone like you. If he was available, that is.”

  Catlin tried not to let her jaw drop open. She’d only seen the boy a handful of times, and he’d barely even given her the time of day. Where was this attitude coming from? She looked at Steve.

  He seem
ed totally oblivious, simply smiled at his kids. “So how was the pizza?”

  “Good.” Dana kissed her father on the cheek. “Thanks, Daddy. I’m going to go change.”

  “Okay.” He watched her walk off and turned to his son. “What are you up to today, Dave?”

  “Not sure. Going to go change now.” He grabbed the pizza box and headed into the house.

  “Talk to you later then.” Steve turned back to Catlin. “Oh, I didn’t tell you, behind that fence are a pool and a Jacuzzi.”

  Catlin thought about saying something, but decided to let it slide. “A Jacuzzi, huh?” She leaned over next to him. “I enjoy a dip in the hot tub.”

  Steve winced. “Unfortunately, we never opened the pools up this year. It was so late in the season when we moved, I thought we’d just wait.”

  “But you can use a Jacuzzi year round.” She slid her arms around his neck. “Haven’t you ever snuggled in a really hot tub on a really cold night?”

  He shook his head. “I never have.”

  “Ooh.” She nuzzled his neck. “You’d be amazed how hot it can get in one of those tubs.”

  He rubbed his hand over her hair. “We may have to check it out.”

  The phone rang, and they heard David yell, “Got it!” A moment later he yelled again, “Dad! It’s Mom!”

  Steve cleared his throat. “Excuse me. I’ll take it in my office.”

  She nodded, and he went in.

  Dana came out and sat next to Catlin. “So, Miss M., how are you and my dad getting along?”

  Catlin chose her words carefully. “He is a very nice man.”

  “He is the best! He deserves someone really cool like you.”

  “Dana…” Catlin started, but didn’t know what to say. “Your dad and I are just friends.”

  “My mom’s kind of nutty, you know. Dad deserves so much better.”

  “Dana!” Catlin was surprised at the comment, but found herself again at a loss for words.

  “Well, it’s true.” Dana looked away with a pouty expression, and then turned back to Catlin. Her eyes lit up. “If you’re going to be hanging around here, do I have to call you Miss M.? Can I call you Catlin?”

  Catlin rubbed her hands over her face. “Well, I guess. But not at school, please.”

  “Yeah, duh.” Dana stood up as Steve came back out.

  “I’m sorry that took so long.” He stood next to Catlin and fiddled with one of her long curls.

  “Hey Dad,” Dana said excitedly “Catlin says I can call her by her first name because she’s going to be hanging out here!”

  He raised his eyebrows at Catlin.

  “That’s not exactly—” Catlin tried to explain, but Dana interrupted again.

  “I’m going to go upstairs. See you later, Catlin!” She bounced back into the house.

  Catlin closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. “That was not exactly how the conversation went.”

  Steve laughed. “She’s gregarious, you’ve got to give her that. So, what do you feel like doing?”

  Catlin shook her head. “Nothing. I’m beat. I just need to get home, I think.”

  “No fun, no fun.” Steve swung her hand back and forth.

  Catlin pulled her hand back. “Please. I’m getting a headache.”

  Steve looked at her. “I can drive you home,” he said simply.

  “No need, I’ve got my car, remember?” She stood, and went in for her purse and jacket. She faced Steve at the front door.

  He looked disappointed.

  She reached out and caressed his cheek. “It’s been a big weekend. I just need to relax a little. Do you mind?”

  “If you’re sure. I could follow you home if you want.”

  “Really, no thanks. How about I call you later?”

  He reached for his wallet, and pulled out his business card. “Here’s my cell number. You can call me anytime. If I’m busy, you’ll get voicemail and I’ll call you back.”

  “Thank you.” She kissed him lightly. “It’s been fun.”

  “I’ll talk to you later, then?”

  “Yeah.” She offered one last smile, then walked out. Her head was pounding. She made it home, lay down, and relaxed by thinking about Steve. Thoughts of his kids, on the other hand, seemed to make the headache return. Catlin sighed.

  Jetta cornered her Monday for details, and Catlin told her about the weekend, leaving out the details of the headache-producing children. Jetta reminded Catlin that Steve mentioned dinner for the four of them sometime soon.

  Catlin pulled his card out of her purse. She picked up the phone and dialed.

  He answered businesslike. “Steve Naughton.”

  “Hi, it’s Catlin,” she said softly.

  “Hey, I’m glad to hear from you.”

  “Can you talk?”

  “Since I was one or two, anyway.”

  She laughed. “So much for my concern that you might be busy. I just didn’t want to interrupt you.”

  “You are a welcome interruption. How’s your day going?”

  “Good. Jetta and I were talking about dinner this week. Do you think you might be free?”

  “Well, let me pull out the old calendar.”

  She heard him rummaging around on his desk. “Any night but Wednesday is good for them,” she added.

  “No Wednesday, eh?” It sounded like he was still rummaging.

  “Jimmy has a bowling league that night.”

  “Ah, bowling! I haven’t bowled for ages.”

  “Bowling.” Catlin sniffed. “The thing I don’t like about bowling is wearing other people’s shoes. Gross.”

  He laughed. “You can bring your own shoes, you know.”

  “Then there’s that other thing I don’t like. Making the ball stay in the lane instead of rolling in that gutter-thingy.”

  Jetta was laughing, and Steve laughed over the phone. “Okay, I see bowling is not your sport. I found my calendar. Thursday I have a Chamber of Commerce thing. But I’m good tomorrow or Friday.”

  Catlin looked at Jetta and said to Steve, “Tomorrow?”

  Jetta nodded, and Steve said. “Sure. What time?”

  “Shall we meet them at six-thirty?” Catlin asked both at once. Jetta nodded, and waved as she left the lounge.

  “Six-thirty will be lovely,” Steve told her. “I’ll pick you up between six and six-fifteen.”

  “Sounds good. Any chance I could see you tonight?”

  “Well, it would have to be later. I like to have dinner with the kids as often as I can.”

  “Later is fine.”

  “Unless you want to come to dinner?”

  “No, thank you,” Catlin jumped on that. “Spend some time with the kids, and I’ll see you whenever.”

  “Do you want me to call before I come over?”

  “Nope, I’ll be there.”

  “And so will I. See you then.”

  “Later, ‘gator,” she said softly, and hung up the phone.

  Chapter Five

  They met the Crafts the following evening for dinner and dancing. The men hit it off immediately, and they all agreed to get together again soon. Later that evening, Catlin and Steve lay wrapped in a big fleece blanket on her couch. She curled up next to him and sighed. She loved the curly, soft hair that covered his chest, and she always ended up rubbing her face in it.

  “Don’t start something I can’t finish.” His eyes were closed, his hands rubbing over her bare back.

  “I’m not trying to start anything. I just love the feel of you close to me.”

  “Ditto,” he murmured.

  She laid there for a minute, thinking about that. Then she laughed. “Is that all the better you can do? Ditto??? What a romantic you are.”

  He laughed, too. “Yeah, you’d never know I’ve won awards for my editorials. Sorry, guess I’m just tired.”

  “Long day,” she agreed.

  He pinched her waist from both sides. “I wasn’t nearly as tired before I got over here!” />
  She giggled as they wrestled around a little bit. Steve ran his hands over her face and held her cheeks. “You are so beautiful,” he whispered, and stared into her eyes.

  Catlin climbed up and over him to reach his face, and pressed her mouth on his. They held each other tightly, and kissed fervently.

  When they finally stopped, she looked away. “I can’t believe how I’m feeling, and I’ve only known you a matter of weeks. I swear it seems like so much longer.” She looked him in the eyes. “It’s almost like I can’t remember not talking to you or seeing you every day. You’re the first thing I think of when I wake up in the morning, and the last thing I think of when I go to sleep at night. And during the day, when I realize there’s this happy feeling in the pit of my stomach, I smile, because I’m thinking of you again. Am I crazy?”

  He didn’t answer, but pulled her face close and kissed her hard. After several more minutes, he brushed her hair back and told her “You’re not crazy. I feel the same way. I’ve never been in a better mood. People must be wondering what I have to be so damn cheerful about.”

  She looked him in the eyes one more time. “I know this is soon. But I just have to tell you... I love you, Steve.”

  He didn’t speak, but his eyes burned right through her. He shifted her weight and guided her down on top of him. He leaned forward and nuzzled her breasts. “Tell me again,” he murmured.

  “I love you,” she moaned, and before long they shuddered together.

  Catlin’s amazing happiness spilled over into the next week, after spending much of her weekend with Steve. She was feeling very comfortable with him and more comfortable with his daughter all the time. Dana was pleasant and a hard worker in school, and Catlin enjoyed the girl’s company.

  David was another story. When he passed Catlin in the halls at school, he ignored her. She considered that to be an improvement from the snotty comments he usually had for her, if he ever saw her with his dad. “Give it time,” Steve kept telling her, and she forced herself to repeat it over and over.

  On Wednesday night, one of the bowlers on Jim’s team was sick. Steve was thrilled when Jim phoned and asked if he’d like to fill in as a substitute. Catlin and Jetta went along to watch and tease them.