Kevin knew Trena would have lectured their son about shoes on the bed, but he could care less about a dirty duvet right now. He knew he had bigger problems, perhaps bigger than he’d ever faced before. Danny was crying out for help and he had to make it his mission to help him.
“Is there a girl?” Kevin asked, trying to figure out how to approach the delicate subject he knew most teenage boys hated discussing with their parents. “Someone you like? Someone you’ve been dating maybe?”
“I don’t wanna talk about this with you,” Danny said, popping the earbuds back in his ears.
Kevin gestured for him to pull them out while giving him a menacing look that usually made his witnesses squirm in their seat. “We’re going to talk about it whether you like it or not. You’re obviously depressed and I need to know why. You’re unhappy about your mom and I, I get that. But you’ve alluded to the fact it’s more than that. I need to know what’s wrong so I can try to help.”
“I already told you what you could do to help. Dump the chick and let me crash here for a while. I need to get away from Mom and that douche she’s marrying.”
Kevin knew he should tell his son he had no intention of ending his relationship with Bree, but when he considered the alternative, he wondered if he had a choice. He’d never forgive himself if his son ran away, started experimenting with drugs, or worse, took his life because he felt no one cared enough to hear his cry for attention.
“I’ll talk to your mom,” Kevin said, standing. “We’ll figure this out.” He paused at the door, looking over his shoulder at his sullen son, who seemed to have grown into a young man overnight. “If you need to talk, about anything, ever, I’m here. Just remember that, okay?”
Danny lifted a shoulder and Kevin knew his promises meant nothing. Only his actions would prove to Danny he was prepared to put him first, no matter the cost.
Chapter Thirteen
Kevin looked across the desk at his ex-wife, wondering what he’d ever seen in her. Sure, she was beautiful, but she gave shallow a new meaning. “I’m telling you the kid is in trouble, Trena. We’re his parents. We need to figure out how to help him.”
Rubbing her temples, she said, “I really don’t need this right now. My wedding is in less than a week. If Danny was going to have a meltdown, you think he could have waited until I got back from my honeymoon. I swear, that kid is so selfish.”
“I wonder where he gets that from?” Kevin knew trading insults with his ex wouldn’t serve a purpose, but he was finding it difficult to contain his outrage. They were discussing their son’s depression and Trena found a way to make it all about her.
“Oh right, like you’re so selfless?” Her full lips twisted into a scathing smile. “Give me a break, Kevin. Tell it to someone who doesn’t know you as well as I do.”
“I don’t want to argue with you,” he said, leaning forward. “I want to figure out a way to help our son. I feel like he’s shutting down, pulling away, refusing to talk to us, and I don’t have to tell you what that can lead to, do I?”
“Are you referring to that kid you committed suicide at his school?” she asked, paling. “Danny would never do something like that.”
“I’m sure that kid’s parents would have said the same thing.” He sighed. “Look, I’m not trying to scare you, or place blame, but we can’t bury our heads in the sand and pretend this isn’t happening. All you have to do is turn on the news to see shit like this happens every day. We can’t become another statistic.” His eyes met hers when he said, “I can’t lose him.”
“I know,” she said, releasing a shaky breath. “You’re right. So what should we do? Talk to the school, set up an appointment with a counsellor?”
“I’d like to have him stay with me for a while,” Kevin said. “Like you said, you’re busy with the wedding and he’s going to be getting out of school for Christmas break in a few days. I think it might do us some good to spend a few weeks together. Maybe I could get him to open up, confide in me about what’s going on with him. If we have a sense of what the problem is, we can figure out how to get him the help he needs, right?”
“You think this is all my fault, don’t you?” She reached for a tissue on the corner of his desk and began dabbing her heavily made-up eyes. “You think because I left you for another man—”
“I don’t think it’s any one thing,” Kevin said, trying to diffuse the situation before it escalated. “I think we’ve both made mistakes, but I think Danny’s issues run a lot deeper than us. Bullying, maybe? A girl? I don’t know, but I intend to find out.”
“He said you have a new girlfriend? Is that true?”
Kevin hadn’t spoken to Bree since she left his house on Saturday morning. She’d called last night and left a message, but he couldn’t bring himself to call her back. He didn’t know what to say. Until he decided how to handle the situation with his son, he couldn’t think about their future. Assuming they still had a future by the time this blew over.
“I’ve been seeing someone.”
“Didn’t take you long to move on,” she muttered, lifting a manicured eyebrow. “Or were you seeing her all along?”
Kevin grit his teeth, wanting to remind her that she was the one who’d been unfaithful, not him. “Bree and I dated when I was in college. We just reconnected recently.”
“Bree,” she said, narrowing her emerald green eyes. “The girl who broke your heart?”
When they’d first started dating, they, like most couples talked about their previous relationships. It didn’t surprise him that Trena remembered what he’d told her about Bree. He’d claimed Bree was his first and only love up to that point. He suspected that’s not the kind of thing most women would easily forget.
“That’s the one.”
“Wow.” She shifted the Louis Vuitton bag in her lap before meeting his gaze. “Must be fate, huh?”
Kevin thought so, but now he was beginning to wonder whether Bree coming back into his life when she did was a cruel twist of fate. “I don’t know where things are going with Bree,” he said. “We’ll just have to wait and see how this whole thing with Danny plays out before I make any decisions.”
“He’s not happy about the new woman in your life, is he?”
“No, he’s not.”
“Are you going to let our son dictate your happiness, Kevin? I’ve known you a long time. You like to call the shots. Suddenly you’re going to let a teenage boy decide whether—”
A knock on the door interrupted them before Kevin called, “Come in.”
Bree poked her head in the door, her smile fading when she spotted Trena. “I’m sorry to bother you. I had an appointment with David and I thought you might be free for lunch.”
Waving her in, Kevin said, “Come in, Bree. I’d like you to meet my ex-wife, Trena.”
Kevin had been a coward not to call Bree as soon as Danny left last night. She had a right to know where they stood, and as much as he wished there was another way, he knew there wasn’t.
He watched the women politely shake hands while sizing each other up before Trena said, “I should be on my way. I’m meeting Victor for lunch.” With a pointed look at Kevin, she said, “Just let me know when you want me to drop Danny off at your place.”
“The sooner the better,” Kevin said, walking her to the door. “We’re shutting down for the holidays and I’d like to spend as much time with him as possible. Maybe by the time you get back from your honeymoon, we’ll have a better handle on the situation.”
Gripping his forearm, Trena said, “Thank you for stepping up like this, Kevin. It means a lot.”
“He’s my son,” Kevin said, turning his back to Bree. “He’s my number one priority. Always.” He watched Trena step on the elevator before he’d collected himself enough to face Bree again.
“I’ve come at a bad time,” Bree said. “I’m sorry. I should’ve called first, but since you didn’t return my call last night, I thought there may be a problem.”
&
nbsp; “There is a problem.” Kevin thought she looked stunning wearing trim black dress pants, a body hugging black sweater and multi-colored silk scarf, but he couldn’t let his attraction to her distract him, not when his son needed him more. “Please, sit down.”
Bree did as he asked, her eyes following him as he sat on the edge of his desk across from her. “Is this about Danny? Is that why Trena was here?”
“Yes.” Kevin had rehearsed this speech dozens of times over the past couple of days, but there was no easy way to break someone’s heart. “It seems he’s having a hard time with the divorce.”
“I understand,” Bree said, sinking her teeth into her glossy bottom lip. “It’s not easy for kids, no matter how old they are.”
He loved her even more for being so compassionate, but he couldn’t dwell on her attributes and hope to get through the next few minutes. “It’s not just the divorce. He seems to be having a lot of issues, though I can’t say for sure exactly what they are. He’s been pretty tight-lipped lately. But he’s depressed, really depressed, and that scares me.”
Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second before falling to her lap. “I understand why you’re concerned, Kev. He’s your son. It’s your job to protect him.”
“Here’s the thing,” he said, reaching for her hand. “You know I’m crazy about you…” He knew judging by the look of resignation on her face she was bracing herself for the inevitable. “I want to be with you.”
“But…?”
“Danny needs me now.”
“Of course he does,” she said, withdrawing her hand. “I’m just curious, did he ask you to end things with me? Is that why you’re doing this?”
Kevin hadn’t even said the words yet and already she knew. Sinking down to one knee in front of her, he whispered, “Please try to understand. This is a difficult age for kids. If I’m not there for him now, if I can’t figure out a way to help him through this, things could go from bad to worse.”
“You’re right,” she said, nodding. “Of course you’re right. If I were in your position, I’d be doing exactly the same thing. We’re parents. We have to put our kids first.”
He appreciated her understanding, but it incensed him at the same time. He wanted her to be as angry and frustrated by this situation as he was. “I don’t know how long it’s going to take to work this out and obviously it wouldn’t be fair of me to ask you to give me time…” He let his words trail off praying she would tell him that she would wait as long as he needed her to because she knew they were meant to be together.
“I think your focus needs to be on Danny now.” She sat up straighter, squaring her shoulders. “You can’t afford any distractions.”
“What does that mean?” He wanted to ask if she planned to date other men, but was too afraid of the answer.
“Things have been moving too quickly.” She crushed her purse against her stomach. “We rushed right back into a relationship, thinking we could just pick up where we left off, which is ridiculous. We’re not kids anymore. We’re adults and we have responsibilities.”
He knew she was trying to spare him the anguish of having to explain how he’d come to this decision, but hearing her let him off the hook only made it harder. “Are you going back to Houston for Christmas?” he asked, needing to talk about something other than the demise of their short-lived reconciliation.
“Um, no. Actually, Lyle called me last night. He intends to come here instead.”
“I thought he didn’t have a license? How is he getting here?”
Shifting her eyes to the ground, she said, “He’s coming with my father.”
“Your father?” Kevin assumed Bree’s father would despise his son-in-law, unless Bree had kept him in the dark about the reason for their split. “Where is he staying while he’s here?” Kevin knew he had no right to ask, but he couldn’t help but wonder if this was a last-ditch attempt on Lyle’s part to convince Bree to give him another chance.
“We haven’t worked out all the details yet,” she said, looking uneasy. “He’s going to call me again in a few days.”
“You said you were here to see David. That means you’re moving ahead with the divorce?”
“Yes, but I think it would be best if I found my own lawyer in light of the circumstances.”
“Don’t do that.” Kevin reached for her hand, his eyes pleading. “David is the best. I’d feel better if I knew he was looking out for your best interests.”
“I appreciate that,” she said, slowly withdrawing her hand again. “But I really don’t need your help, Kevin. I can manage just fine on my own.”
“You’re angry with me.” She wasn’t spewing venom like Trena did when they’d argued, but he could see Bree’s fury as clearly as if she was hurling vases and insults at him. And he couldn’t blame her. He felt like a coward, even if he was doing it out of love for his son. “You have every right to be. Just know this is gutting me too, Bree.”
“I’m sure it is.” She stood, careful not to brush against him as she made her way to the door. “Good luck with your son. I hope everything works out.”
As the soft click of the door echoed through the silent room, Kevin tipped his head back and closed his burning eyes while only one thought filtered through his mind: Please don’t let it be over.
* * *
Bree tried her best to fake a smile when she got back to the shop, but she wasn’t surprised when her aunt called her out. Aunt Bella had always been able to read her moods.
“Did you and Kevin have a disagreement?” Bella asked. “Is that why you seem so sullen?”
“Um…” Bree knew it was like tearing off a bandage; the faster she did it the less it would hurt. “I won’t be seeing Kevin anymore.”
Bella rounded the counter, reaching into the packing box to still Bree’s hand when she attempted to continue unpacking a shipment they’d received earlier that morning. “What happened, honey?”
“He’s having some trouble with his son.” Her hands were trembling, so she buried them in the packing box as she pretended to look for a piece buried at the bottom. “He needs to focus on his problems now.”
“Then you’re just taking a little break?” Bella asked, sounding relieved. “The way you said it, I was afraid you’d broken up for good.”
Bree had no idea how to characterize what happened between them earlier. She just knew she felt hollow and sad. “I don’t think Danny likes the idea of his dad being involved with anyone right now.” She knew she couldn’t take it personally since she hadn’t even met Kevin’s son, but it was hard not to.
“Of course he doesn’t,” Bella said, folding her arms over her ample mid-section. “He’s a kid. He’s probably harboring some fantasy about his parents getting back together.”
“I don’t think so. His mom is marrying someone else soon. I think Danny’s just experienced too many changes in the last little while. He needs some stability in his life. He needs to know his dad’s not going anywhere, that he’s not going to put anyone else first. And I’d say Kevin has proven that to him now.”
“And that hurts, doesn’t it?” Bella grabbed Bree’s shoulders when she attempted to walk away. “It hurts that he isn’t willing to stand up for you and what y’all have? But isn’t that kind of like what you did to him all those years ago?”
“That was different,” she said, trying to temper the frustration that had been dogging her all day. “I didn’t have a choice. Mr. Foster—”
“I know, you felt he backed you into a corner. But don’t you think that’s how Kevin feels now?”
Bree wrapped her hands around her aunt’s before crossing the store. She wanted to escape, but knew she couldn’t. “I’d like to help him through this, but he won’t let me. Why? Why is he doing this? I thought we had something special. He said he wanted to build a life with me.”
“And I’m sure he does, but think about it for a minute, honey. Would you want a future with a man who put your child’s welfare behind
his own?”
“What do you mean?” Bree leaned against the glass counter, needing some support, even if it was from an inanimate object.
“I assume if y’all got married you’d want to have a baby? Am I right?”
“We’ve talked about it.”
“And he’s proving to you right now what an amazing father he’d be to your child because he’s already an amazing father to his own son.”
Bree knew her aunt was right. If Kevin had made a different choice, it would have called into question everything she’d believed about him, but there was a finality when she left his office and she couldn’t shake the feeling there’d be no going back for them.
“I respect and admire Kevin, Aunt Bella. I always have. You know that.”
“Even more so now?”
“I guess,” Bree admitted reluctantly. “But I’m mad at him too. I don’t expect him to put me above his son, but—”
“Honey, it’s not a question of Danny coming first. He’s a child. He needs his daddy. You’re a strong, independent woman. With or without Kevin Foster, you’re going to be just fine.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” Bree whispered, refusing to meet her aunt’s eyes. She wasn’t proud of the fact she’d become so emotionally dependent on him in such a short time, but she couldn’t help how she felt.
“Well I am.” Bella gave her a long, hard look before propping a fist on her hip. “Let me ask you this. What if it was Ainsley going through something and you asked Kevin for a little time to work things out? Do you think he’d resent you for needing to put your daughter first for a while?”
That’s what Bree loved about her aunt. She had a way of making her see things from an entirely different perspective. “No, I know he’d understand.”
“I don’t have to tell you that men like Kevin don’t come along every day. You’ve spent the last twenty years comparing every man you met to him…” Bella held up a finger when Bree would have argued. “Don’t even try to tell me otherwise. You’ve loved that man from the time you were old enough to know what love was. So what if you have to wait another six months or maybe even a year for him to work things out with his son? Won’t it be worth it?”
Fast Break (Texas Titans Holiday) Page 14