The Accidental Encore

by Hayes, Christy

  He nodded. “Went to LSU. Geaux Tigers!” He raised his fist in the air.

  Allie wouldn't have been surprised if he'd had Les Miles’ head tattooed on his forearm. She hoped never to find out. “How'd you end up in Atlanta?”

  “I did my graduate work at Georgia Tech and interned for the company I'm with now.”

  “Do you think you'll stay in this area?”

  “I kinda have to,” he shrugged and lowered his eyes to the container of sugar packets on the table between them. “With the kid and all.”

  Allie's stomach dropped to her knees. “Kid?”

  “Oh,” he said and gave that jug head chuckle once more. “I haven't updated my profile yet. Just found out an ex-girlfriend named me in a paternity suit. I can't even think about leaving town until I get that squared away.”

  “What are you going to do if the child is yours?” she asked, although she couldn't have cared less. Greg, with the warm brown eyes and barrel chest, had just eradicated any prospect of a second date.

  He shrugged. “Get a lawyer.”

  Get a lawyer! How about get a life. Allie slammed her silverware drawer shut and measured honey into a spoon. She knew she was overdoing it on the caffeine, but she couldn't shake the chill that had stayed with her since fighting the biting wind back to her car after her date. She brought her mug of tea to the table where her latest project for hire sat scattered along the surface. She needed to get this latest piece finished and off to the composer before her next project showed up on Monday as expected.

  Her indignation about Greg's situation wouldn't let her go, and she needed to vent. She thought about calling Craig, but didn't want to sound desperate and alone on a Saturday night when he was probably out enjoying himself. She called Melissa instead.

  “Hey, what are you doing?” she asked.

  “Just walking out the door. I'm coming,” Melissa said before apologizing. “Ben's heading for the car, threatening to leave me.”

  “Go on then. I'll call you tomorrow.”

  “What's up?” she asked. “You sound weird.”

  “I'm fine. Where are you headed?”

  “Date night,” Melissa squealed. “My mom said that since Henry is on a regular sleeping schedule, she wanted Ben and me to spend some regular time together. He's honking. I've got to run.”

  “Have fun,” Allie said before hanging up the phone. Her married friend was having date night and she was all alone. Better than being with Greg, she told herself and got back to work.

  An hour later, with the project done and tucked neatly in the mailing envelope for her to send on Monday, she looked around her den. She could practice the music she was playing at church the next morning, but she'd played it a hundred times over and knew each keystroke by heart. She could call her friend Beth. They'd reconnected at Sharon's wedding and she'd said she'd call so they could go out. Beth, with her steady boyfriend, held little appeal. She eyed the phone and walked around the den, straightening magazines and folding the throw she'd left tossed in a heap on the couch. Her house could certainly use a good cleaning, but even wallowing seemed a better use of her time on a Saturday night.

  “What the heck,” she said and dialed Craig's number. She sat on the edge of the couch with her free hand sandwiched between her knees. When a voice on the other end of the line said, “Hello,” a voice Allie didn't recognize, a decidedly female voice, Allie blurted, “Wrong number,” and tossed the phone away as if it were toxic. Oh crap, she thought and pulled the neatly folded throw over her head.

  ***

  Craig watched the popcorn swirl around and around his microwave, listening for the pops to stop before the buzzer went off and burned the bag. Leah had already started in on him about the movie and he hadn't made up his mind about whether he'd let her watch it. They'd seen that stupid vampire movie, for God's sake, so how much worse could this one be? At least the characters were human. Of course, he hadn't had to worry about Carolyn's wrath back then.

  He'd let Leah sweat it out a little longer.

  He shook the popcorn into a bowl, poured two sodas, and called Leah to the kitchen for a hand.

  “Allie called you,” Leah said as soon as she walked into the kitchen.

  “I didn't hear the phone ring,” he said. Craig threw a piece of popcorn to Blackjack, who’d waited patiently for it to pop.

  “I answered when I saw her name on the screen, but she said, ‘wrong number,’ and hung up. Why would she do that?”

  Uh oh. “She probably thought you were a woman and she didn't want to interrupt.”

  “Like a date?” Leah giggled.

  “Yes, squirt.” He ruffled her hair and gave her armpits a poke with his fingers. “A date. I do that every now and again.”

  “Why don't you date Ms. Allie?” she asked as she carried the sodas to the den.

  “Are you and your dad tag teaming me now or what?”

  “Huh?”

  “Never mind.” He took a fist full of popcorn and tossed a piece into his mouth.

  “Are you going to call her back?” Leah crossed her feet on the coffee table, mimicking Craig's posture.

  He shrugged and began flipping through the list of movies they could order on the screen. He wasn't sure which topic would cause him more grief—the movie selection or discussing Allie. “I don't know.”

  “She called you for a reason,” Leah pointed out. “Aren't you curious what it was?”

  Unfortunately, his thoughts of Allie had moved well beyond curiosity, but he wasn't going to admit that to a twelve-year old. “Not really.”

  Leah held the phone in his face, blocking the screen. “Call her back, Uncle Craig. Tell her it was me and invite her over to watch the movie.”

  “You want me to invite her over? I thought you were looking forward to some special time with your uncle?”

  “It won't be any less special with Allie here.” She shook phone before his eyes. “Call her.”

  Craig sighed dramatically and took the phone from her hand. He went through his call history, saw her name, and hit talk. The phone rang three times before she answered.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, Blondie. Did you call?”

  He thought he heard her swallow. “Yeah, but it wasn't important. You can get back to your date.”

  He snuck a glance at Leah and lifted his brows suggestively. “My date's the one who insisted I call you back. She's pushy that way.”

  “I'm so sorry for interrupting, Craig. It was nothing, just another miserable date I thought you'd get a kick out of.”

  “What happened?” he asked.

  “Go back to your date, Craig. This can wait.”

  “She's in the bathroom.” He held his finger up to his lips to keep his giggling niece quiet. He may as well have a little fun with both of them. He tossed some more popcorn to Blackjack. “I've got some time.”

  “Craig, really. I'll call you later.”

  “Allie, really. Tell me what happened.”

  When she huffed into the phone, he knew he wouldn't have to ask her again.

  “I've gone out with some idiots before, Craig, but this one takes the cake. He's just been named in a paternity suit with an ex-girlfriend and he doesn't even have a lawyer. He's got multiple graduate degrees, but not a lick of sense. Of course, he hasn't updated his profile to mention any of this, so us unsuspecting women wade into the mess he's made of his life. I mean, really, in this day and age, if he didn't wear a condom or ask if his girlfriend was on the pill, then he deserves the mess. I mean, I'm on the pill and I can't even remember the last time I had sex. The one I feel sorry for is the kid.”

  He didn't hear a thing but the word sex in her righteous tone. “Would you like to come over?” he asked to stop her tirade. “My date insists.”

  “What? Are you kidding? No.”

  “It's Leah, Allie. We're just trying to pick a movie. We could use a tie breaking vote.”

  “What are the choices?” she asked.

&n
bsp; “One for the Money and Joyful Noise.”

  “I'm sure Joyful Noise is more appropriate—”

  “I didn't ask which was more appropriate. Which one do you want to see?”

  “Katherine Heigl or Dolly Parton? Do you really have to ask?”

  “So which is it?” he had to ask.

  “Katherine Heigl,” she said. “So who's my new best friend?”

  “We both are.” He flashed a thumbs up to Leah. “But we may have to use you as cover for Carolyn.”

  “Understood. Popcorn?”

  “Already popped.”

  “Twizzlers?” she asked.

  “Uhhh...”

  “I'll make a quick stop. Any requests?”

  “Only you,” he said and hung up the phone.

  “Is she coming?” Leah asked.

  “What can I say, squirt? I'm irresistible to women.”

  Chapter 25

  Allie pulled the sheet music from her bag and rested it on the stand in front of Leah.

  “What's this?” the girl asked.

  “A little something I thought you could work on. It's challenging, but I think you can handle it. I'd like you to try and work on this for the recital.”

  “The recital? I already have my recital song down.”

  “Exactly. You won't continue to progress if you don't keep pushing yourself. I know you can do this, Leah, and you're ready to perform more than one piece at the recital.”

  “Urggh,” Leah groaned. “Can you play it first?”

  “I'd be happy to.” They swapped places on the bench and Allie opened the sheet music. She'd chosen this song, a song she'd mastered as a girl, especially for Leah. Like it or not, she and Leah had formed a special bond thanks to Craig.

  Mark walked in the door as Allie finished playing the tune. He stood in the foyer in the exact spot Craig used to stand and clapped his hands. “Wow. That was beautiful.”

  Carolyn came out from the kitchen. Her white blouse had a splash of sauce on the front. “I didn't expect you home,” she said and popped up on her tippy toes to kiss him.

  “Speaking of beautiful.” Mark wrapped his arm around her waist and held her there while he deepened the kiss.

  Allie felt her cheeks heat and whipped her head around to face the piano. Leah made a gagging noise while Allie hopped up and took her seat in the chair. “Now you give it a try.”

  Leah puffed out her cheeks, placed her fingers on the keyboard, and slowly began sight reading the piece. Allie kept time with a pat on her leg while her mind drifted back to the scene she'd just witnessed in the foyer. They were so in love. Mark, with his bright blonde hair and sunny personality, seemed to shine all of his light on dark and unsure Carolyn. The woman seemed to glow under his adoration. How could Craig not want what his brother had for himself?

  She wasn't going to think about Craig. Not tonight.

  By the end of the lesson, Allie knew Leah could easily perform the song in the Christmas recital. “Very good. I think you'll have this mastered in plenty of time.”

  Allie put her coat on.

  “You're not staying for dinner?” Leah asked with a plea in her voice.

  “Nope. I've got a date.”

  “With Uncle Craig?”

  Allie placed her hand on Leah's shoulder. “Leah, you know we're just friends.”

  “You don't like my uncle?”

  “Of course I like your uncle. That's why we're friends.”

  “But you're not going to date him?”

  “No.” Allie stepped into the foyer and peered into the kitchen. She didn't want to leave without saying goodbye, but she also didn't want to interrupt whatever was going on in the kitchen.

  “Why not?” Leah asked.

  “Why not what?”

  “Why aren't you going to date my uncle?”

  Allie sighed and gathered her patience. “For one thing, he hasn't asked.”

  “What if he did?”

  “Leah, go tell your parents I'm leaving.”

  “She's not my parent.”

  “Fine.” Allie glanced at her watch. “Go tell your dad and stepmom that I'm leaving.”

  Carolyn came into the foyer wiping her hands on a dishtowel. The splash of sauce had disappeared and was replaced by a water stain. “I thought I heard you stop playing. Will you stay for dinner?”

  “I'd like to, Carolyn, but I can't tonight.”

  “She's got a date,” Leah offered. “And it's not with Uncle Craig.”

  “Oh, well,” Carolyn said, clearly unsure of how to answer. “Have a good time.”

  “Thanks. Leah did great. I gave her a new song and if she practices,” Allie narrowed her eyes at Leah, “she should be able to perform two songs at the recital.”

  “We'll make sure she does.”

  ***

  Leah grabbed the portable phone from the den and bolted up the stairs after dinner. She closed herself in her room and dialed the number she knew by heart.

  “Allie's on a date,” she said as soon as her uncle answered.

  “Hello to you, too.”

  “Did you hear what I said? Allie's on a date.”

  “So? She's a beautiful, single woman who's looking for love. That's what they do.”

  “You don't care?” she asked.

  “About what?”

  Leah sighed in frustration. She hated it when adults treated her like a kid. “That she's going on a date and it's not with you.”

  “Leah...”

  “I know you like her. I don't understand why you don't ask her out. When she left tonight, she said the only reason she's not going out with you is because you haven't asked.”

  “She said that?”

  “Yes, so why haven't you asked?”

  Leah heard him sigh as time stretched out. The second hand of her cat clock went from the five to the eight before he spoke.

  “We're friends, Leah. Friends don't date.”

  “My friend Nicole's older sister dates a guy who used to be her best friend.”

  “Yes, and if I were in middle school, I might just have to ask Allie out for that very reason.”

  “Nicole's sister's in high school.”

  “Drop it, squirt. Don't you have homework to do? Boys to chase? A dad to pester?”

  Why couldn't her uncle see how perfect Allie was for him? “I've done my homework,” she lied. “I'm not old enough to date according to my dad, and he's too busy playing kissy face with Carolyn to pester me.”

  “Do you need me to come over and mess with you then?”

  “No. I need you to ask Allie out on a date. Please, Uncle Craig. Just one date. For me.”

  “I'd do just about anything for you, squirt, but not that. When your dad's done playing kissy face, have him call me, will ya?”

  “Yeah,” she said. “Whatever.”

  She turned off the phone and fell back on her bed. Nothing was turning out the way she wanted.

  ***

  Craig picked up the phone on the first ring. “Mark?” he asked.

  “Hey. Leah said you wanted me to call. What's up?”

  “I'll tell you what's up.” Craig took a swallow of beer and set the bottle down gently before he did something stupid and threw it against the wall. He wasn't sure why he was so angry, but Mark was going to suffer the brunt of his assault. “You and your daughter need to butt out of my life.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “B-U-T-T O-U-T,” he said slowly as if speaking to a toddler. “I don't need either one of you trying to fix me up with Allie. What she does on her own time is none of my business.”

  Then why did he feel like she'd stabbed him in the back and twisted the knife? “I don't have any idea what you're talking about,” Mark said.

  “Oh hell yes, you do. Your daughter called, announced Allie had a date, and pleaded for me to ask her out.” But wasn't that why he felt so betrayed? Because after the evening the three of them had spent together, he'd spent a restless night dreaming of her? Because eve
ry time he logged onto that stupid dating site, he ended up staring at her profile wondering which Bozo would ask her out next? Because he couldn't get the image of her, snuggled up next to Leah on his couch, under his blanket, out of his mind?

  “I didn't know she'd done that, Craig. I'm sorry. I'll have a talk with her.”

  “And tell her what?” Craig demanded. “To stop doing the very thing you do every time we talk?”

  “Look—”

  “No, you look. I'm sick of you two trying to set us up. I'm sick of having to defend my friendship with her, and I'm sick of you and Leah butting into something that is none of your business.”

  “Okay,” Mark said. Craig could picture him standing somewhere in the house, his hands raised in the air. “Did you and Allie have a fight?”

  “Urrrrrrgh!” Craig stomped into the den. “This is why I don't need women friends!” He hung up the phone and gave himself major points for not throwing it across the room and only dropping it on the couch. How dare his brother and his niece gang up on him about Allie? What was so damn special about her anyway?

  Chapter 26

  Being late for dates was the story of her life, Allie thought as she sprinted up her porch steps and tried to jam the key in the door. Something made her stop, stand up straight, and turn around. She walked back to the steps and used her foot to test the landing. It didn't budge. She grabbed ahold of the banister and tried to ease it back and forth. For all her effort, it didn't move.

  Late or not, she had a phone call to make.

  Craig barked a greeting into the phone. Allie held the receiver away from her ear before speaking nicely. “Hello, Craig.”

  “Allie?”

  “Yes, it's Allie. Where are you and what in the world is that noise?”

  “I'm at the house I'm renovating.” She heard the noise recede into the background and recognized the strain in Craig's voice. He sounded exhausted. “They're working on the floors.”

  “Oh. Listen, I just got home and realized you fixed the step and the banister. I wish I had something better to say, but thank you. That was...” lovely, charming, and downright the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for her, “really great of you.”