by Holly Jacobs
“Don’t you worry about me, dear. Now, tell me more about the children. Chuck said they’re both in seventh grade?”
“Sean and Rhiana were born ten months apart, and Sean wasn’t quite ready for school, so I held him back a year—”
They finished what they were doing in the kitchen and took the appetizers into the living room.
“Mom, we’ve gotta get a Wii,” Sean said as Chuck’s father swung his arm back then forward. The little avatar on the screen mimicked the move and a bowling ball spun down a cyber-lane.
“Strike,” Mr. Jefferson yelled excitedly.
“See, Mom? We need one.”
Carly wasn’t a big fan of video games. She’d avoided buying them for the kids, although she knew they used them at friends’ houses. But watching Anderson take a turn proved that this one did look fun. “Maybe next Christmas.”
“Next Christmas will be too late,” Sean muttered. “Everyone else will have something new by then.”
“We’ll talk about it later.”
Anderson’s avatar got a spare. He beckoned her over to the couch. “I just wanted you to know, Chuck got me the paperwork right after you finished on Wednesday, and I’ve put it into the system. You should be a record-free citizen in short order.”
“Thanks, Andy—”
He frowned. “I’d rather thought we’d gotten past the Andy stuff.”
“I’ll confess, I called you Andy at first to needle you. Now, I do it because that’s who you are when you’re here. In court you’re Your Honor, or Judge Bradley. The rest of the world knows you as Anderson. But here, in the Jefferson house, among family, you’re simply Andy. It fits who you are here.”
He didn’t say anything for a second, then he nodded. “Fine. When you put it like that, how can I complain?”
“Oh, you could complain, but it wouldn’t do you any good,” she teased.
“Are you two at it again?” Mrs. Jefferson asked. “I still have the time-out corners I used to use with Chuck and Julia.”
As she mentioned her daughter’s name, it was as if every adult in the room froze, waiting for Anderson’s reaction. The kids, unaware of the tension, continued crowing about the game.
“Well, Carly started it,” Anderson said, with the right degree of childish whine.
Carly might not have known the Jefferson family long, but she knew them well enough that the fact that Anderson was joking—that he’d heard his wife’s name without freezing up—was something of a milestone.
Maybe that’s what set the tone for the meal.
Or maybe it was Mrs. Jefferson’s misguided newly discovered belief in kismet.
Or maybe it was simply having kids in the house.
Whatever it was, the Sunday dinner became a festive one.
Carly and Anderson, and occasionally, Anderson and Chuck kept up a jovial banter, Mrs. Jefferson lectured all three of the adults on behaving and warned of time-outs, much to Rhiana and Sean’s delight.
When the meal finished, they had another round of Wii bowling, before Carly proclaimed it time to go home.
The kids both moaned.
“Now, now,” Mrs. Jefferson said. “It’s not as if you won’t come over again. We’ll just have to convince Chuck to bring you all back soon.”
Chuck’s mom leaned over and hugged Carly. “I’m so glad you brought Sean and Rhiana. I hope we see you at more Sunday meals.”
Carly didn’t want to say yes, because she wasn’t sure how much longer she’d be seeing Chuck. And coming to Sunday meals at his mother’s felt too intimate. Too much for what they were. So she didn’t acknowledge the blanket invitation. She simply said, “Thanks for inviting us. We had a lovely time.”
“Don’t be a stranger,” Chuck’s father said. He reached out and slapped Sean’s shoulders. “You and your sister were good fun. You remind me a lot of Chuck when he was young.”
“Oh, poor kid,” Anderson teased. “Seriously, don’t scare the boy by telling him he reminds you of Chuck. That’s just wrong.”
“Nice, Andy. Better me, than you. I mean, Sean’s already said he’d like to be a cop. How many kids his age say, oh, man, being a judge must be so cool?”
“I don’t think anyone uses the word cool any more, Chuck. It’s not hip,” Anderson corrected.
“Come on, guys,” Carly prompted, which put an end to Anderson and Chuck’s banter.
She loaded the kids in her car. Then turned to Chuck. “Well, thanks again.”
“Is something wrong?” Chuck asked. Carly had barely talked to him all night. She’d chatted with his mom and Anderson. Even his dad. But not him.
“Of course nothing’s wrong.”
“Then do you mind if I come over for a bit? I’ve got some stuff for the kids.”
She nodded slowly. “Sure.”
Chuck trailed Carly’s van to her house, and grabbed a bag from the passenger seat before he followed them inside.
“I have a present for you,” he said after they’d shed their coats and boots.
He handed the bag to Sean, then turned to Rhiana. “I know you weren’t the one who asked, but I thought you might enjoy it as well.”
Sean had already opened the bag. “Oh, cool.” He thrust the bag at Rhiana.
She looked up at Chuck and smiled. “Will you show us how?”
“What is it?” Carly asked.
“I brought the stuff we need to fingerprint, and I have my duty handcuffs,” he explained.
Sean crowed with delight.
“Just to show you,” Chuck added.
“Yeah, I guess Mom would be mad at you if you let me keep them and I locked Rhiana up every time she tried to hog the bathroom. And Rhiana hogs it a lot, so she’d be handcuffed up a lot.”
“Hey, I don’t want you to think I forgot you.” From his jacket pocket he took out a small plastic bag.
Carly took it gingerly and peeked inside. “Highlighters?”
“I thought it might make the studying go faster. It’s a four-pack.”
She gave him an odd look, then simply said, “Thanks.”
For the next hour Chuck taught both kids the art of fingerprinting while Carly flitted about the house, doing this and that. He knew how busy she was and wouldn’t have minded her catching up on house stuff if he thought that’s all there was to it. But it didn’t take a detective to notice Carly seemed to be avoiding him. He wasn’t sure why.
When they finished fingerprinting, Sean asked for math help and Chuck volunteered. He was pleased to discover he remembered enough algebra to assist the kids with some simple equations they had for homework.
Carly finally sat down at the table with them, filling out forms, making out the check for the kids’ February lunches.
Chuck rather liked the feeling of the four of them all sitting around the dining-room table, working together.
There was a stack of nursing books on the sideboard. He caught Carly eyeing them as she got up to toss another load of laundry in.
“Hey, Chuck, are you leaving?” Sean asked.
“It’s almost nine. So, I’d better be going soon. You two have school tomorrow, and I know your mom wants to study.”
“We’ve got a while. We thought maybe you’d like another game of Monopoly? We can play the short version.”
“There’s a short version to Monopoly?”
“Well, we’ve sort of made up our rules in order to make the game go faster. The three of us can play while Mom studies.”
“Does that work for you?” he asked Carly, who’d come back into the room with a basket full of clean clothes.
She looked uncertain. “Sure.”
An hour later, game played, laundry put away, and kids in bed, he knew it was really time for him to go. “When can I see you again?”
“The next few weeks are going to be busy. My boards are just a couple of weeks away. I’ve got to study.”
“Maybe I could help you study.”
“I don’t mean to look a gift-helpe
r in the mouth, but Chuck, just what do you know about PICC lines?”
“Carly, let me help.” He wasn’t sure why she was trying to push him away. Normally, Chuck would take that as a sign that it was time for a relationship to end. All he knew was that wasn’t what he’d prefer to happen.
“I’ll bring dinner over tomorrow and if I’m in the way at any time, you can kick me out.”
She shook her head and let out a huge sigh. “I was going to say no. I meant to say no. And yet, here I am saying yes. I’m not sure why.”
Something had spooked her. Had his mother said something to her in the kitchen? Still, whatever it was, she’d said yes, and he wasn’t about to pass up the chance to be with her, and the kids.
“Great. See you then.”
And before she could say anything else, he kissed her good-night. It wasn’t nearly enough and a big part of him wanted to push for more, but he could tell Carly needed her space.
“Tomorrow,” he said then sprinted out the door.
Maybe tomorrow he’d get to the bottom of what was wrong.
Chapter Ten
February
Carly had meant to tell Chuck no on Sunday night.
And she meant to tell him no again on Monday night, then Tuesday night…
It had been entire week of her meaning to tell him that no, she couldn’t see him the next day. An entire week of saying yes instead.
She had managed to tell him she was capable of studying on her own when he offered to quiz her.
Which is why Chuck was at her house after dinner Thursday night, sitting next to her on the couch, going over some report for work while she studied.
Rhiana and Sean came running into the living room, and Rhiana asked, “Mom, after dinner, could me and Sean go to the basketball game at school? I bet we can get Mrs. Williams to give us a ride home if you don’t want to come get us.”
“Seton says he’s going,” Sean added.
“What time does the game start?” she asked, her plan of hibernating with her books evaporating before her eyes.
“Eight,” Rhiana said. “We’d be home before nine-thirty. And it’s not like we’re staying out late just to stay out late. We’re going to support our school.”
“Or I could just run you two down to the school, then pick you up when it’s over,” Chuck offered.
“Really? Thanks, Chuck,” Sean said. “Can we, Mom?”
“That way, if Chuck takes us, you can study.” There was more than a hint of wheedling in Rhiana’s voice. “All my friends are going.”
“Sure,” Carly said. That’s all the kids needed to hear. They both took off up the stairs. “You made their night. But really Chuck, I can take them.”
“Why get all bundled up to drive them a few blocks? Put your nose back in your books. I’ve got it.”
She hesitated, but finally nodded. “Thanks.”
“Any time.” He paused. “I can go home in between, or…”
She recognized that or. Or he could come back and they could enjoy having the quiet house all to themselves.
She looked at her books and knew that she should study for her boards.
Then she looked at Chuck.
“How long will it take you to get back from Erie Elementary?” she asked with a grin.
“A lot less time than you think.”
He gave her a kiss that was a mere appetizer for what was to come, and abruptly pulled away as the kids came thundering down the stairs.
Carly looked at her books again.
Somehow she’d figure out how to get it all done.
She always did.
“…AND THAT’S BEEN MY two weeks since our last meeting,” Carly wrapped up at the PTA social planning meeting the next night.
“Wow, you have been busy,” Michelle said.
“And by busy, she means buuusssy,” Samantha teased.
Carly chuckled. “I know it sounds silly. I have two kids, so it’s not as if I was in any way virginal, but that first night at the hotel felt so different because I took charge. I got the room. I made the moves. I feel as if I’m liberated, somehow.”
Michelle passed her a tray of Romolo chocolates. Carly picked a small square and was delighted to find what was inside. “I love caramel.” She sighed contentedly. “Do you ever have a moment in your life where everything seems to be going so perfectly that you can hardly stand it?”
“Caramel pushing you over the perfect edge?” Samantha took a chocolate. “Mint. I like mint.”
“Caramel is just another indication of how well my life is going. My kids like Chuck. Chuck likes me and doesn’t mind being my boy-toy. As a matter of fact, he’s made it abundantly clear that boy-toyness is all he aspires to. And if everything goes according to plan, I’ll have a date for the Valentine’s dance—which is right on track, planning-wise—before we break up.”
Carly ignored the memory of Bob saying she was in love with Chuck. Bob didn’t know her. He had no way to assess how she felt.
Michelle and Samantha did know her, and both of them seemed convinced that the only thing Carly wanted from Chuck had nothing to do with love.
“Planning to break up doesn’t sound very perfect to me,” Michelle said.
Carly shook her head. “You’re young and still in that initial glow of first love. Me? I’m older and jaded. A boy-toy with an upcoming expiration date is exactly what I need.”
“That’s what I thought with Harry. The fact he was an interim principal was perfect…until it wasn’t.” Samantha offered her a sage smile, as if she knew some secret that Carly didn’t.
And if Samantha did know some secret, Carly didn’t want to know it. “Well, Chuck’s not leaving. He’s just not the serious kind. And that’s what I want. I want to be on my own. I don’t want to fade into the shadow of another man’s life.”
“You want to find your own color,” Michelle said.
Carly was surprised she remembered that off-the-cuff comment she’d made weeks and weeks ago. “Yes. I want to find my own color. I’m standing on my own two feet. So knowing Chuck and I are temporary is perfect.”
“Although a second dinner with his family doesn’t sound very temporary—” Samantha started.
Carly interrupted. “It’s nothing. Besides, there was no way to say no—his mom’s so nice.”
“As long as you’re happy.” Michelle still look worried.
Samantha nodded, but didn’t look overly convinced. “How goes the studying for the boards? Need some help?”
“I haven’t studied as much as I’d hoped,” Carly admitted.
She wanted to. But every night Chuck had shown up with dinner or for dinner. And then they’d both do whatever the kids needed. Homework, a game, or watching a show on television. Then the kids would go to bed, and she’d spend an hour or two with Chuck just talking. About their days. About their plans. About their pasts.
“I’m sure I’ll find more time next week. I’ve pretty much finished all the Valentine plans. So, we’re good there. Now onto the important business. How about the wedding plans, Samantha?” Carly asked, mainly to get them off her back about Chuck. She knew that one simple question would lead to a discussion that could easily last the rest of the meeting.
“Uh, I have a bit of an announcement,” Michelle interrupted. “Daniel and I set our date. The second Saturday in July. I was hoping you’d both be my maids of honor.”
Carly was happy for her friend, and joined Samantha in hugging Michelle. But seriously, how much romance was she expected to survive? Valentine’s Day, Samantha’s wedding. Now Michelle’s?
And as Samantha and Michelle waxed poetic about their upcoming weddings, Carly tried to keep smiling. She didn’t want her lack of enthusiasm for weddings, or her lack of belief in happily-ever-afters to rob her friends of some of their joy. They both deserved their days.
Even if Carly didn’t believe they could last forever.
When Michelle had asked about her color, Carly thought about how ma
ny times she’d started to say no to Chuck, and ended up saying yes. Maybe it was happening again?
Was she losing herself?
The thought scared her.
CHUCK WAS BORED.
He’d cleaned and done his laundry, and even read an old report. He glanced at the clock.
It was only eight. There was no way Carly was back from her PTA meeting yet.
And because he didn’t think he’d be able to sit still long enough to watch a television show or movie, he decided to start painting the foyer. He pulled everything off the wall, and spackled the holes.
Eight forty-five.
Carly might be home. He dialed, hoping that if she was home, she’d invite him over.
Maybe he’d invite himself. “Hello, Lewis house.”
“Hi, Sean. It’s Chuck. Is your mom home yet?”
“I knew it was you,” Sean said with laughter in his voice. “She just came in.”
Without covering the phone, Sean yelled, “Hey, Mom, it’s Chuck.”
“She said hang on a minute while she gets her coat and boots off. It’s snowing hard.”
“Yeah, I noticed.”
“Me and Rhi were going sled-riding tomorrow. Wanna come?”
Before Chuck could answer, he heard the phone being jostled and Carly said, “Chuck.”
There wasn’t any hint of pleasure in her tone as she said his name. “Listen, maybe we should have a talk, but first, how was the PTA meeting?”
“It was fine. And I’m not sure what there is to say.”
He was worried now. Carly’s words were clipped. “I thought maybe we all could—”
“Chuck,” Carly interrupted, “my boards are a week from tomorrow. I really have to study.”
“Okay. No problem. Actually, tell you what. I know Dean still won’t have the kids. So, why don’t I come get them tomorrow afternoon. Sean mentioned sledding, or I could take them to see a hockey game or something. That will give you the house to yourself so you can spend some serious alone time with your books.”
“I don’t need you to take the kids. I’m perfectly capable of—”
“There’s no doubt in my mind that you can handle it all, Carly. But I like your kids. I think they like me. Or I could take them to the station. You know Sean would go nuts. Rhiana probably wouldn’t admit it, but she’d like it, too.”