The Comeback Girl

by Debra Salonen

  The back door opened again and three people entered. Kristin’s gaze never made it past the first in line. Donnie. His broad shoulders beckoned like a haven, but she walked to the stove instead. This is my problem and I can handle it. I’m not going to fall apart.

  Jenny’s chatter and Sam’s deep voice blended into the background when Donnie appeared at her side and asked softly, “Are you okay?”

  “A little freaked-out, but I’ll survive. I saw Tyler. And now that I know where I stand, I need to make plans.”

  He nodded. “I kinda figured that was the case. What can I do?”

  She handed him a pot holder. “Please take the beans to the table. I’ll call Andi and Jonathan.”

  “We’re here,” her sister said from the doorway.

  Jonathan guided his wife to a chair then went to the refrigerator and filled two glasses of milk. “Milk, anyone?”

  “Water for us,” Jenny replied from the sink.

  “Something stronger, Kris?” Donnie asked. “Iced tea?”

  “Yes, please. The pitcher’s on the table.”

  She piled the chicken, which she’d kept warming in the oven, on a platter and carried it to the table. Donnie pulled out a chair beside him. Kris felt her family watching as she sat down.

  She cleared her throat. “Thanks for coming on such short notice. Jen, who’s watching the twins?”

  “Sam’s mom is visiting for a few days,” Jenny said, folding a napkin in her lap. “Diane’s turned into quite the loving grandmother.”

  The word made Kristin shudder as she pictured Gloria’s chilly greeting. Nothing grandmotherly about that woman.

  “Besides,” Jenny added as she passed the rolls, “this sounds like adult talk. I notice your son isn’t here.”

  Kristin’s throat closed and she said softly, “That’s because he’s with his father.”

  Her sisters gave identical gasps of surprise. The men exchanged looks. Donnie shifted his chair a little closer to hers.

  “It’s about time, right? Eleven years. I took Zach to meet his grandmother, and Tyler was there. What could I do—run and hide? Been there, done that.”

  Andi waved her fork. “Okay. We’ve engaged the enemy. Now, we need strategy, people.”

  Kristin smiled. Andi had served in the U.S. Marines and she reverted to the old lingo every once in a while.

  Jenny spoke before Kristin could reply. “Do we know for sure that Ty is the enemy? What did he say, Kris? Is there going to be a court battle or will he work out some kind of shared custody with you?”

  Kristin took a sip from her glass. “No, Jen, I don’t think he’s amenable to compromise. He made it quite clear that he will do whatever it takes to be named Zach’s custodial parent.”

  Sam sighed. “Is that what Zach wants? A judge will be the one to decide, and there’s no judge around here who would take a child away from his mother without a legitimate reason. What Kristin did was wrong, but she was eighteen. We’ve all made mistakes at that age.”

  Something in his tone and the look he gave his wife made Kristin wonder if there was more to the story, but Andi diverted her attention. “I don’t know why we’re acting like a bunch of cowering sissies. So she raised Zach alone. She did a damn good job, and she had no reason to believe Ty was anything more than a hoodlum.”

  “And mental instability runs in the family,” Ida added.

  Kris’s attorney had mentioned the possibility of raising this defense as well, given Arthur Harrison’s suicide. “And we all remember what a temper Ty had,” Jenny said. “Look what happened with Donnie.”

  All eyes turned to the man beside her. Donnie touched his napkin to his lips, even though Kris hadn’t seen him eat a bite. “That wasn’t the finest hour for either of us. But I don’t think there’s anything on his record.”

  Jonathan said, “I realize I’m coming into this saga late, but didn’t Harrison leave town before graduation? And he never made any attempt to reach Kris.”

  Donnie looked at her, an apology in his eyes. “A moot point, I’m afraid. By not letting him know about Zach, Kristin violated Tyler’s rights. If he finds a sympathetic judge—”

  “Which is why I need your advice,” Kristin interrupted, looking at each member of her family. “Last night, Donnie and I discussed an option that could be beneficial to us both. But it’s a bit extreme, and I’m open to other suggestions.”

  Donnie touched her sleeve. “Kris, can we talk in private?”

  His proximity made butterflies dance around the few bites she’d managed to swallow. It really would make things simpler if she wasn’t so darn attracted to him.

  “Now?”

  He nodded.

  “Come on, you guys,” Andi said testily. “I get my fill of little secret conclaves at the Chamber of Commerce. Just tell us what’s going on.”

  Donnie pushed his plate aside and set his elbows on the table. When he moved, Kris caught the scent of outdoors. His cheeks were tinged with color, his hair wind-combed. He reminded her of the boy she’d loved with all her heart.

  He linked his fingers and hunched forward slightly. “Last winter I applied for a job as a Federal Air Marshal. I didn’t tell anyone—except Sam, who was one of my character references—because I honestly didn’t think I stood a chance. But I just found out that I’ve been accepted.”

  Jonathan let out an appreciative sound. “Good for you, man. Congratulations.”

  “Thank you. Unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to accept it.”

  “What?” Kristin asked. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

  “When I applied for the job, Lucas was going to be living with Sandy in Los Angeles. Her plans changed, and now he’s staying with me. Last night, when Kristin and I talked, I thought there was a chance I could still pull this off if I found someone I trust to live in my home and care for my son.” He looked around the table. “Obviously that person is Kris. We discussed the possibility of her moving in with me.” Kris heard Andi’s little noise of surprise. “But because of her situation with Tyler’s possible custody suit, I decided it would be better for her reputation if we got married.”

  Jenny and Sam said nothing, which led Kristin to conclude that Donnie must have already broken the news to them, but Andi leaped to her feet. “Are you nuts? That’s a horrible reason to get married. No offense, Donnie, but I’d shoot you if you’d have asked me.”

  Before Kris could respond, Donnie cleared his throat and said, “It’s a moot point, Andi, because it’s not going to happen.”

  Kris sat back, stunned. “What do you mean? You’re unproposing now?”

  “I’m sorry, Kris. I tried to reach you. I ran by the bordello, and when I didn’t see your car there, I drove to the ranch.”

  “They’ve been sweet on each other since they were kids,” Ida Jane said, obviously not noticing the tension surrounding her.

  Jenny who was sitting beside their aunt patted her shoulder and said, “Ida, dear, that was history. They’re just friends, now.”

  Kris felt her sisters’ stares, but she was focused on Donnie. “You should have told me. If you didn’t want to marry me—”

  He made an off-hand gesture. “I was so greedy. I wanted it all. But last night, after I left you, I sat in Lucas’s room and tried to picture this through his eyes. His mother is in Africa. He’s lost his chance to attend a fancy school in L.A. And his father not only abandons him for a job flying around in airplanes, but leaves him home with a stepmother he doesn’t know.”

  Andi grunted. “When you put it that way, it sounds like a Grimm’s fairy-tale.”

  “Granted Lucas would have the finest care available—a loving mother with eleven years’ experience, but he’d still feel abandoned. I know. My dad died when I was Lucas’s age, and I felt the same way.”

  Kristin’s momentary disappointment fled. She could recall long talks with Donnie on this very subject. How strange, she thought, that it had taken him so long to spot the similarity
in his and Lucas’s situation.

  “I’m sorry, Kris. I should have done more thinking before I opened my mouth. As much as it kills me to say this, I can’t leave.”

  Kristin felt a powerful emotion take hold of her. Compassion, regret, respect. She couldn’t define it, but it made her want to throw herself into his arms and never let go.

  “Why’d you apply for that job in the first place?” Andi asked. “I thought you liked it here.”

  “I did. I do. Although working under a man like Magnus…” He didn’t say more, but Kris saw the look he exchanged with Sam.

  Jonathan sat forward, his expression serious. “So, if I understand this correctly, Donnie, you asked Kristin to marry you and be your housekeeper while you went off to be an air marshal. And, Kris, you agreed to this because…help me out here, I’m a little foggy on your motivation.”

  “Partly to strengthen my position when I go to court. Partly to prove that I’m here to stay. I know you all think this is just another temporary stop, but you’re wrong. I went away because I didn’t feel as though I belonged here anymore, but Gold Creek is home. Donnie offered to let me buy his house once he got settled in his job.”

  Andi snickered. “A house is nice, but the whole thing sounds a little too cold to me. Did this gig include sex?”

  “Andrea,” Jenny scolded.

  Sam coughed. “I’d like to say something. I know this is strictly between the two of you, but I’ve been privy to some of what Donnie has been experiencing at the sheriff’s office. Our current sheriff’s dealings are self-serving at the least and damaging to the town. When Josh was alive, we approached Donnie about running for the office.” He sighed. “Obviously, a lot has changed since then, but, now, I think it’s clear what has to happen.”

  Kristin checked each person’s face to see if she was the only one who didn’t know what he was talking about. Donnie wouldn’t meet her gaze. When she could stand it no longer, she asked, “What?”

  “Donnie needs to marry you and run for office.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  BY THE TIME Donnie walked Kristin to her door, it was almost eight. They’d spent the entire evening at the bordello discussing the pros and cons of his bid for sheriff. Jonathan and Andi were ready to sign on as campaign managers, Jenny and Sam had left a check to open a “war chest.” No one seemed to have any doubt that Donnie and Kris would “get with the program,” as Andi put it.

  Donnie was tired—both physically and emotionally—but he’d followed Kristin in his car so they could talk alone. “When do you expect Zach home?” he asked as she unlocked the door.

  “I don’t know. I was hoping he would call. You don’t think Ty would…”

  Donnie touched her arm. “Don’t worry. Tyler’s too high-profile to try to abduct Zach.”

  “It happens. You hear about parental kidnappings all the time.” Her voice broke.

  “Tyler’s got too much at stake. He won’t go into hiding.”

  They were close enough that he heard her exhalation. He knew she believed him. Trusted him. “According to the newspaper articles,” he added, “Tyler has a lot of money tied up in Gold Creek at the moment. I can’t picture him just leaving.”

  She opened the door and started inside. “Do you want anything to drink?” she asked, walking to the kitchen.

  “No, thanks. I’m fine.”

  She returned a second later, a glass of water in hand. “I read in the Ledger that Tyler’s company is planning to build a shopping mall. That will surely kill the downtown merchants. Do you know anything about it?”

  Donnie had been hearing rumors for months. In fact, even before Josh died there’d been the hint that developers had their sights set on Gold Creek. “There’s been talk that Meridian, Ty’s company, is working with Cal-Trans,” he said, using the colloquial name for the California Highway Department.

  “To do what?”

  He wasn’t anxious to say. “It’s probably rumor,” he said, sitting down on the couch. “Even Andi hasn’t been able to pin down any specifics, and you know how tenacious your sister can be.”

  She followed him, kneeling on the cushion adjacent to him. “Tell me what you know. I hate feeling out of the loop. And Andi’s right. If we’re going to fight, we need to understand how the enemy thinks.”

  Donnie looked around. They were alone. On a couch. He remembered a time when they’d have been in each other’s arms with only one thing on their minds, given an opportunity like this.

  “Donnie.”

  He smiled apologetically. “Sorry. Woolgathering. I honestly don’t know much. But I did overhear some county planners who were in the office the other day talking about the number of traffic accidents that have taken place over the years at the intersection of Main Street and the highway.

  “I got the impression that with those kinds of numbers, Cal-Trans might be able to procure funds to assist in rerouting through-traffic around town. Like they’ve done in Sonora.”

  She sat back sharply. “Gold Creek isn’t as quaint and tourist-attractive as Sonora. A bypass would kill the downtown businesses. The Old Bordello Antique Shop and Coffee Parlor gets at least half its income from drop-in traffic.”

  Donnie made an offhand gesture. “I wouldn’t get too excited about it. The plan has been on the books for years and never been implemented. I remember seeing a mock-up of the proposed bypass at the sheriff’s office back when we were in high school.”

  “Tyler worked with you one summer, didn’t he?” she asked. “The judge ordered him to because he’d ridden his motorcycle through the hallway at school and crashed into the big display case by the principal’s office, remember?”

  Donnie remembered that event all too clearly. He’d been the one who’d gotten stuck baby-sitting the stupid jerk that entire summer when the judge placed him on Donnie’s Search and Rescue team. “You’re right. He did.”

  “Maybe that’s where he got the idea for what he wanted to do.”

  “The bypass hasn’t been introduced at any of the city council meetings that I’ve attended. And Andi would tell you if anything’s been said at the Chamber of Commerce.”

  Kristin didn’t look particularly mollified. Impulsively, he reached out to give her a hug. She stiffened for a second then relaxed. “I’ve been wanting to do this all night,” he said. “You looked sorta shell-shocked from all the political talk.”

  She moved away too soon for his liking, but he let her go. She stood up and paced to the picture window. Turning to face him, she said, “Donnie, my family may have approved of this harebrained scheme to get you elected, but I haven’t. When I agreed to marry you the other night, things were different. You were leaving town. Now, you’re staying in Gold Creek and running for office.

  “The more I think about it, the less I like it. Andi’s crazy if she thinks the past won’t get dredged up. Neither of us wants that—not just for my sake or yours, but for Zach’s. And Lucas’s.”

  She was right, of course. Political skirmishes could be brutal. Every aspect of a person’s life is subject to public scrutiny.

  “And there’s no way we could fake a marriage. That would mean asking the boys to pretend we’re a family even though the two of us aren’t…well, together.”

  The talk at the table had shifted from marriage to campaign strategy so fast, Donnie hadn’t had time to think about how Kristin would fit into the plan. Her sisters had simply acted as though this marriage was a given.

  “Then we just have to be together,” he said simply.

  She dropped her arms, mouth open. “What?”

  He rose but didn’t approach her. His heart was racing. “Marry me for real, not pretend.” Even though this proposal made less sense than his previous one, he meant it.

  Despite the shadows, he could see the tears forming in her eyes. She swallowed, then lifted her head defiantly. “That isn’t funny.”

  “Am I laughing?”

  “But you can’t…”

  “Love y
ou? Why not, Kristin? The truth is I never stopped loving you.”

  She shook her head as if she didn’t believe him. He couldn’t blame her. He’d let his hurt feelings and foolish pride ruin everything between them.

  He started toward her. “Listen, there’s been a lot of talk tonight. Go to bed now. Sleep. Maybe tomorrow things will look different.

  “If you want to consider my proposal—tonight’s proposal—” he added with a smile “—there’s something you should know.”

  He paused until she made eye contact. “The minute I throw my hat into the ring I’ll be out of a job. I plan to e-mail my regrets to the FAM program in the morning. So, you could land up married to an unemployed bum.”

  She almost smiled, but the sound of a car distracted her. Kristin pulled open the drapes. Donnie could see past her. A single figure emerged out of the full-size luxury sedan in the driveway. Gloria’s car.

  Kristin flew to the entry. Donnie kept his distance, but he didn’t leave. He was curious. Meeting his father for the first time must have been a highly emotional experience for Zach.

  “Hi, sweetheart. Was that Tyler who brought you home?” Kristin asked when her son entered. Her arms started to lift, as if to hug him, then dropped to her sides.

  “His mother. He fell asleep about an hour ago. Right in the middle of Harry Potter.” Zach moved slowly, as if exhausted. He didn’t even seem to notice Donnie.

  “She said I could finish watching the movie before she drove me home,” Zach added softly.

  Donnie could sense that Kristin had a million questions for her son, so he started to leave. “I’ll call you tomorrow, Kris.”

  “Did you really break his nose?” Zach asked before Donnie had taken two steps.

  He recognized the tone. Belligerent yet respectful. In a boy’s world, power and force were synonymous. “It was a stupid fight, Zach. We were both teenagers and we should have known better. Fighting never solves anything.”

  Zach started to turn away but Donnie added, “I may have won the fight—I was a football player and much heavier than your dad—but I lost everything that was important to me. Your mother’s l…friendship, the respect of the man I was working for, and my football scholarship. Fortunately, a judge made me take a course in anger management. Now I know what anger really is and how to control it.”