After the vendor meeting yesterday, she had asked Leslie to meet her at the town square. She was tired of not knowing what the woman would do with the damning information she had about her and Sam.
Leslie was not someone she considered a friend, but she was a fellow advocate for the kids of Bay Point High. She was hoping to appeal to her kinder, gentler nature, if she even had one, to let it go. Maybe she already had, but Mariella needed confirmation.
She sneezed and smoothed imaginary wrinkles from her beige pants. Over the past several days, her cold had gotten worse.
Though she didn’t know it, Leslie was holding her back from truly getting over Sam. In a way, she had not only caused the distance between them, she was also standing in the way of closing it.
Heels tapped on the pavement and she looked up and raised a brow as Leslie approached, carrying two paper cups. She didn’t automatically assume the beverage was for her, since Leslie’s husband’s office was close by.
She rubbed the tissue against her nose. “Ah-choo!”
“Bless you,” Leslie said, handing her one. “Herbal green tea with lemon and honey. You sounded as if you could have used this yesterday.”
Mariella took it from her, touched at the gesture, but also wary of it.
“You noticed, huh?”
“I think everyone in the meeting did.”
She balled up the tissue and stuck it in her purse.
“Thank you. This is very kind.” Her voice had a croaking sound to it, to match her raspy throat.
“I need it more today, but at least I haven’t started coughing yet.”
She pried off the plastic lid and took a tentative sip of the hot drink, wondering how to begin what could be a difficult conversation.
“I guess I’ve been worrying myself sick.”
Leslie, dressed in black skinny jeans and a white turtleneck sweater, sat down.
“Over what?” she asked, turning toward her.
As if you didn’t know, Mariella thought.
She reached into her purse and pulled out a folded piece of paper. “This.”
Leslie met her eyes, took it from her and read it quickly. “It’s a resignation letter. You’re stepping down from your post as PTA vice president?”
“I thought it would be the best thing, before you kicked me out anyway.”
Mariella had thought long and hard about the decision, having devoted so much time to the organization. When Josh was a freshman, she was simply a member of the PTA, but in subsequent years she rose through the ranks, serving as secretary, treasurer and finally, vice president.
Leslie folded the paper and laid it aside. “I can’t deny I’ve thought about it. Sam is incredibly hot, but what you guys did and where you did it was incredibly stupid. You’re actually lucky I was the one who discovered you.”
“I know and I can promise you it will never happen again.”
Leslie nudged her in the side with her elbow.
“At least on school grounds, right?”
“Maybe never again, anywhere. I broke it off with him.”
She raised a brow. “You did what?”
“I broke up with him.”
“Because of me?”
Mariella thought she saw a little smile cross Leslie’s mouth, which put her on guard once again.
She debated telling her Josh had caught them, too. Her son no longer trusted Sam had her best interests in mind, and she was inclined to agree with him. Sam was just a sexual thrill-seeker, and she was just along for the ride.
“I admit I was very concerned about what you’d do. That night you hinted there would be consequences, but you left it open as to what they would be.”
“I was shocked, Mariella. I mean, wouldn’t you be, if the roles were reversed?” Leslie curled a finger on her chin. “Come to think of it, I wouldn’t mind being in Sam’s arms.”
Mariella looked at her sideways. “You’re married, remember?”
She grinned innocently. “A woman can still fantasize, can’t she?”
“Of course, just not about my man.”
Leslie laughed, and then her expression turned solemn, and her voice quieted. “In some respects, I’m jealous of you, Mariella.”
Her eyes widened. “Jealous of me? Why? You have a wonderful husband who loves and adores you.”
“Ha!” Leslie snorted. “Loves, yes. Adores? Not so much. I wish he would look at me the way Sam looked at you.”
“You’re wrong about Sam.” She covered her nose with a clean tissue and sneezed.
“Maybe you couldn’t tell, but I could.”
Mariella shrugged her shoulders. “He was sitting in the back of the room. I was at the front.”
“Right. And I was sitting next to him. I could tell he was having a hard time maintaining his focus on the vendor presentations. His eyes kept on floating over to you.”
“And I was doing my best to ignore him.”
Leslie pointed a finger at her and laughed. “See, you did notice.”
“Did anyone else see, too?” she asked with a tentative smile.
It felt like she and Leslie were two teenagers discussing a crush.
“No. Principal Taylor and Brian didn’t have a clue. They were too busy waiting for the cost portion of the PowerPoint decks.”
“Do you think there are some people in town who know about us?”
“Not sure. Maybe. Are you surprised?”
Mariella nodded her head. “Yes, I am, actually.”
“I may like to talk about people, but I’m not evil.”
“Then why do it?”
Leslie looked her straight in the eye. “Because I’m nosy, and because I like comparing other people’s lives to my own. Isn’t that awful?”
When Mariella did not reply, Leslie continued. “Can I give you some advice?”
She nodded, and mentally braced herself.
“If he’s in love with you, don’t let that go. If you do, you’ll never know where it leads.”
Mariella held the tea in both hands. “You’re not going to tell anyone, are you?”
Leslie shook her head. “No, but only because I remember how it used to be with my husband and me. How we couldn’t keep our hands to ourselves. I took that time for granted, and now I’m paying for it.”
She felt like hugging Leslie, but didn’t want to make her uncomfortable.
“Thanks. I’d better get to work.”
Both women stood, and Mariella’s resignation letter slipped to the ground. Leslie picked it up, tore it in half and handed the pieces to her.
“Here. I can’t accept this. You helped the PTA raise more money in the three years you’ve been involved than anybody else. Nobody stretches a dollar like you do.”
Mariella stared at her. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Think of it as a belated Christmas gift. Now get out of here before I change my mind.”
This time Mariella did hug her, and Leslie hugged her back.
* * *
Sam pushed through the revolving door of City Hall, and entered the rotunda. There was a small cart set up inside that sold sandwiches and beverages, and a line had already formed.
The elderly security guard manning the desk near a bank of elevators appeared to be half-asleep.
“Excuse me.”
Sam pressed the small dome-shaped bell. The man roused to attention.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“At my age, sometimes I need a jump start to the heart. This little bell helps. What can I do for you?”
Sam saw the man’s name badge: Prentice.
“I’m looking for the mayor’s office.”
Rather than wait for Mariella to approach him, he was going to talk to her.
She can’t ignore
me here.
He had to know if she loved him, and then he could figure everything else out later.
Following his conversation with Niles, he wasn’t able to go back to sleep. He’d lain in bed, thinking of what he should do. Stay in Bay Point or take the coaching position back home in England?
There were pros and cons to both.
Here in Bay Point, he could live in relative anonymity. In time, his star status would dwindle and he’d be considered a permanent resident of the community. Maybe someday, he might even apply to become a United States citizen.
He could also focus on the game he loved, and continue the work of building the Titan soccer team into the powerhouse he knew it could be.
But what about the woman he loved? If she didn’t feel the same way, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to live here, knowing he wasn’t the one for her. His pride would be hurt, but even worse, he wasn’t too confident his heart would recover as quickly as he would need it to.
A gnarled finger pointed at him. “Sign the book.”
Sam scrawled his name. Prentice noted the day and time, and gave him a wide-eyed look.
“Hey, I’ve heard about you. You’re the guy who’s putting Bay Point soccer on the map.”
“Thanks, but the kids do all the work,” he said, refusing to take all the credit.
With his thumb, Prentice pushed the brim of his cap farther up on his head. It was khaki-green, which, other than the white shirt, was the same color as the rest of his uniform.
“I’ve been to a few games. I wish my legs and feet could move as fast as theirs, then maybe Miss Maisie wouldn’t be able to catch me.”
Sam smiled. “Now if you could direct me to the mayor’s office?”
“Oh, yeah.” The guard scratched his head. “Elevators behind me to the second floor. Then go down the hall and to the right.”
A thought occurred to him. “Is Mariella back from lunch?”
“Yes,” Prentice said, nodding. “But come to think of it, the mayor just left twenty minutes ago. You may want to come back later.”
“Thanks for the tip, but I think Mariella will be able to help me with what I need.”
Prentice shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
Sam stopped at the food cart and afterward, went to the elevator. Exiting on the second floor, his sneakers screeched on the polished tile.
He rounded the corner and saw Mariella emerging from an office he assumed was the mayor’s.
She closed the door, and he heard her sharp intake of breath. “Sam, what are you doing here?”
There was a sandwich on her desk, unwrapped, and also a big bouquet of flowers. He assumed the sandwich came from the cart downstairs, but who had given her the flowers?
“Mariella, I hate to bother you on your lunch hour, but I had to see you. Is there someplace we can talk privately?”
Her expression was wary. “Sure, we can go into the conference room. What’s in the bag?”
“Chicken soup. In the vendor meeting, I noticed you weren’t feeling well.” He gave her a slow grin. “Plus, you’ve been pretty cold to me for the past couple of weeks. Since you wouldn’t let me see you, I had to do something to warm you up.”
“Ha-ha. Lower your voice.”
“But there’s no one around.”
“That’s what we thought the first time.” She held a tissue to her nose and took the paper sack. “Thanks. I’m feeling better now.”
“Because of me, or because of those flowers on your desk?” he asked, encouraged by the hint of a smile on her lips.
“Maybe a little bit of both. Follow me. The conference room is right down the hall.”
When they entered the room, he asked her to close the door. “What I need to tell you is private.” She hesitated and he said, “I won’t bite, though I know you like it.”
Mariella gave him an exasperated look and shut the door.
He slid out of his black jacket and settled into a chair. It took his entire strength not to grab her by the arm and pull her onto his lap.
“It’s quiet here. Is that normal?”
“No. The mayor and a few of his aides left for a meeting a little while ago. There’s some vacant land that belongs to the city in the southeast corner of Bay Point where he is considering building affordable townhomes.”
“Hmm...keep me posted. I may or may not be in the market for one.”
She did not sit down, and leaned against the table next to him. “So you’re considering staying in Bay Point?”
“That depends on a lot of things.”
She tilted her head and seemed to consider his statement, but didn’t press him further. “Actually, I’m glad you stopped by.”
At her words, hope of a reconciliation raced through him. He touched her hand and kept his voice light. “You’ve missed me as much as I’ve missed you. Is that it?”
Sam was relieved when she nodded. “I have missed you. A lot. But that doesn’t change the facts.”
“Which are?”
She took a deep breath. “Josh knows about us.”
“Yes. He told me to stay away from you.”
“And I told him I would,” she replied. “I can’t break a promise to my son.”
Sam got up, cupped his hand behind her neck and brought her face to his.
“Then how about I break it for you?” he whispered. “I still want to be with you.”
She pushed him away. “It’s not that simple, Sam. I don’t want Josh to get hurt. I dated a few men when he was younger and he got emotionally attached to one or two. When things didn’t work out, he was devastated because the men weren’t sincere.”
She turned her back on him, and his heart sank as she walked over to the office window.
“There is no you and me anymore.”
“It doesn’t have to be that way, Mariella.”
Her words had squelched his courage and now he wasn’t sure if he was ready to tell her he loved her. Not until he found out where he stood.
He went to where she sat on the windowsill, and sat next to her.
“It’s Leslie, isn’t it? You’re still worried about what she might do.”
“She’s not going to tell. She’s going to keep what she saw under wraps. I arranged to meet with her this morning, before work. I was afraid she wasn’t going to show up, but she did.”
“What did she say?”
Mariella seemed to consider her next words. “She understood why it had happened.”
Sam folded his arms in disbelief. “She empathized with us? And what was her reasoning?”
“Past experience, I gather, but she didn’t offer any specifics.”
“That’s good, right? Good for us?”
“It is good, but good for us? I’m not sure.”
He touched her arm. “I’m thinking about going back to England, once the season is over.”
“I understand and I hope you make a decision soon. Quite frankly, I’m tired of your flip-flopping. One minute you want to stay in Bay Point, the next minute you don’t. I don’t want to start anything again we can’t finish.”
“Just calm down and listen to me, okay? My agent is negotiating a deal for me, where I would coach another team instead of play professionally. I want you to come back home with me.”
Her eyes widened. “And leave Josh?”
“He can take a gap year and come with us. Or there are plenty of wonderful universities in the United Kingdom.”
“When would you have to start?”
“Right after the season ends.”
She bit her lip. “I don’t think I’m ready to move, let alone take our relationship to the next step. Don’t hinge your decision on me.”
“I’m not, but you’re important to me. Too important to leave without taking a chance to ask if you’ll go w
ith me.”
“Do what is in your heart.”
He took her hands in his, brought them to his lips.
“You’re in my heart.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “I can’t go with you, Sam.”
“But I thought you were bored with your job. You said you were looking for something new and challenging. If you didn’t find it, you would leave.”
She slipped away and sat down at the table.
“Right, but I spoke with the mayor. He’s looking to see if there’s anything available.”
Sam stood and leaned against the wall with a tight smile.
“That’s wonderful.”
“But not necessarily for us,” Mariella said, and he noticed the sad tone in her voice.
“Everywhere we turn there seems to be a brick wall.”
He joined her at the table, just to be near her.
“There must be some way for us to break through, and I’m not going to stop until I find it.”
Mariella turned to him. “Why is this so important to you?”
“Don’t you know?”
She shook her head and he touched his lips to hers, his heart about to burst with emotion.
“You and I have a future together.”
“I’m sorry, Sam. My future is here. I’m not leaving Bay Point.”
He frowned and was about to continue to try to change her mind when his phone rang. He dug it out of his pocket, saw who it was, and his stomach clenched.
“Excuse me,” he said, turning slightly in his seat.
“Where are you?” he said, keeping his eye on Mariella, who didn’t look happy at the interruption.
He listened again and stood. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Who was it?” she asked, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue as he zipped up his jacket.
He slipped his phone into his pocket. “My mother. She’s in town and wants me to pick her up at the airport.”
Chapter 14
His mother, Ida Kelly, was a year short of sixty, but could pass for forty. She kept her body trim with daily walks around their neighborhood, and occasional visits from her personal trainer. Her skin was smooth, wrinkle-free and untarnished, like a newly minted copper penny, which was apropos because she cherished money. And had plenty of it.
Winning Her Holiday Love Page 17