Tangled Up in You

by Samantha Chase

  That was their pattern for the next hour. Occasionally Bobby would hit the ball and let Lucas try to catch it, but after each ball Lucas would ask if he could be the batter again. Rather than push, he figured it wasn’t a big deal to let him get comfortable with one skill at a time. Maybe next time they’d work on playing catch.

  Next time? Was he seriously standing here thinking of when he could hang out and play ball again? Sure, he wasn’t opposed to it and he really was having a great time, plus he really wanted to get to know Teagan better…

  No, he wasn’t going to use Lucas in an attempt to win over his mother. It was wrong on so many levels. What he really wanted was to find a way to see her again in a bit of a different setting—one that didn’t involve a big family gathering or babysitting. That shouldn’t be too hard, right? Maybe if he could just—

  Whack!

  The next thing he knew, something hit him hard, his eye was stinging like it was on fire, and he was stumbling back.

  “Oh my God!”

  “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

  Eyes squeezed shut, Bobby bent at the waist as he hissed out a breath. It didn’t take long to realize Lucas was on one side of him and Teagan on the other.

  When had she gotten back?

  His eye stung like a…well, he wanted to let loose a string of curses, but was mindful of the five-year-old beside him. No doubt if Bobby could get it together, he’d see Lucas’s big brown eyes looking scared.

  Pull it together, Hannigan, he chided himself. You were shot, for crying out loud. This was a plastic ball to the eye! Man up!

  Slowly, he straightened and let out a long breath, forcing himself to open his eye—which was now tearing up wildly.

  Awesome.

  Teagan stepped in front of him and cupped his cheek in her hand while she looked at his eye. “We’re going to have to put ice on that. Come on.” She took him gently by the hand and led him back to the house. Lucas grabbed his other hand and Bobby had to fight the urge to pull away from them both because they were treating him like an invalid.

  Or maybe he was just acting like one.

  They stepped through the back door and into the kitchen. Bobby sat down on one of the bar stools while Teagan prepared an ice pack. Between the pain and the tearing, his vision was slightly blurred, but not enough that he couldn’t tell that the woman fussing over him had received a bit of a makeover. She had different makeup on, her nails were painted a bold, bright pink, and her hair was full of curls that looked like they had been kissed by the sun. He knew enough about women to know how to compliment a good haircut and highlights, but this was the first time he’d been stunned speechless by the sight of them.

  She looked younger and more carefree than he’d seen her before.

  Except now she was frowning at him.

  “Here,” she said softly, lifting the ice pack over his eye. “Hold this on there for a few minutes. Can I get you something for the pain?”

  “No. I’m fine, really. It looks worse than it feels.”

  Even though it felt pretty painful, he had to remember that he’d been hit by a plastic ball, not another bullet.

  “It’s my fault, Mom,” Lucas said, his small voice coming from the stool beside him. “I hit the ball before he asked if I was ready.” Bobby could hear the tremor in his voice and had a feeling the kid was going to start crying any minute.

  Resting one arm on the counter, Bobby turned and mussed up Lucas’s hair. “It wasn’t your fault, Lucas. I wasn’t paying attention. You’ve got nothing to be upset about, okay?”

  Lucas’s eyes went wide. “But—but you got hurt and—”

  “And that’s what happens when you don’t pay attention,” Bobby said firmly but gently. “It’s an important lesson to remember when you’re playing sports. You always need to be paying attention or you could get hurt.” Then he pointed to his eye and gave a lopsided grin. “Just like this.”

  Lucas studied him and then looked at his mother before turning his attention back to Bobby. “So…you’re not mad at me?”

  Bobby shook his head. “Nope.”

  “And maybe you still want to play ball with me?”

  “Any time,” he said with a nod.

  “Like right now?”

  “Lucas,” Teagan quickly interrupted. “I think Bobby needs to rest for a little while. Why don’t you go and read for a bit, okay?”

  “But Mom—”

  Before Teagan could respond, Bobby leaned close to Lucas and whispered, loud enough for her to hear, “This is another important lesson to remember—don’t argue with your mom.”

  “Oooh,” Lucas said, dragging out the word. “Okay.” Then he hopped down and ran to his room.

  When they were alone, Bobby found Teagan looking at him. For the life of him, he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say. Should he apologize for interrupting her when she was talking to her son? Or maybe apologize for teaching the kid how to hit a ball? Her expression was mild and a little unreadable, and it made him feel sort of uncomfortable.

  “Teagan, listen. I know I should have—”

  She held up a hand to stop him. “Can I just say something first?” she asked gently, glancing over her shoulder at the door to Lucas’s room.

  He nodded.

  “You handled that very well and I appreciate it. And while I hate that you ended up getting hurt, I’m very thankful you didn’t take it out on Lucas.”

  Placing the ice pack on the counter, he looked at her like she was crazy. Had someone else done that to the kid? Had his father been abusive? Was that why they were willing to move so far away from him? Then another thought hit him—had this unknown, unnamed man been abusive to Teagan, as well?

  Swallowing the rage he was feeling, Bobby took a minute to gather his thoughts. “First of all, I meant what I said. I was the one at fault, not Lucas. And yeah, it stung like son of a—” He stopped when he saw that Lucas’s bedroom door was open. “Anyway, it hurt. But there was no reason to get mad at anyone except myself.”

  Teagan laughed and gently touched the skin right under his eye. “I don’t think there’s any permanent damage, but you’ll probably have at least a bit of a bruise there. Sorry.”

  Unable to help himself, Bobby captured her wrist to keep her hand on his cheek. He heard her soft gasp, saw the surprised look on her face.

  He had so many questions that he was dying to ask—about her life, about Lucas’s father—but he couldn’t make himself form the words. Now wasn’t the time. His gaze lingered on her face. “Your spa day agreed with you. You look beautiful.” And even that felt awkward coming out of his mouth. Normally, he could sweet-talk his way around any girl. He was good at it. But right now with Teagan, he felt like a teenager around his first crush.

  She blushed. “Thank you.”

  He swallowed. “It’s true. Not that you didn’t look beautiful before,” he quickly corrected. “But right now, you just look…amazing.”

  He almost groaned at how lame he sounded.

  Slowly, she pulled her hand from his and took a step back. “You, um, you should really keep the ice on your eye for a little longer.” She turned and walked over to the refrigerator. “Can I get you something to drink? Some soda? Water?”

  She was nervous, and Bobby found it cute as hell. This was something else that was new—a woman who wasn’t afraid to be herself. Most of the women he’d dated since—well, forever—were very practiced and calculated in how they responded to him. But everything about Teagan was honest and sweet, and it made him feel totally out of his element.

  “I’m good,” he said, but it was a lie. He wasn’t good. Right now he was feeling things he wasn’t used to feeling, and suddenly he wasn’t particularly sure of himself.

  When she faced him, she cocked her head to one side and she looked as if she could see right thro
ugh him. “How’s your shoulder?”

  “Uh…it’s good. You know, healing.”

  She nodded. “And how’s physical therapy going?”

  That one he wasn’t really interested in talking about. “It’s going.”

  Another nod.

  They stayed like that until it started to feel awkward. It was too quiet, her expression was too knowing. He stood and walked over to put the ice pack in the sink.

  The sink he should have installed.

  “He did a good job,” Teagan said, interrupting his thoughts. She walked closer and stood beside him. “It was pretty quick, too.”

  There wasn’t anything he could say.

  “I hope they reimbursed you for the materials,” she added. “And maybe you charged for the labor.”

  He knew she was teasing, but he couldn’t make himself laugh.

  Turning his head, he looked down at her. Her expression still hadn’t changed. “I’m sorry.”

  One perfectly shaped brow arched at him.

  “I was embarrassed,” he admitted in a low voice, and saying it out loud nearly killed him. “I overdid it that day and it annoyed the hell out of me because I’m so damn tired of being in this recovery mode. I’m ready to move on and get my life back, and something as simple as holding a pipe had me in pain.” He paused and let out a long breath. “I’ve never had to deal with anything like this before, and every time I think I’m good to go—that everything’s going to be all right—I’m not.”

  She didn’t say anything. Didn’t offer him empty words or even sympathy.

  Shifting slightly, he went on. “This whole recovery has been rough. I had to come home and live with my parents—had to ask them to do pretty much everything for me—and I hate it. I hated every minute of it. I’ve always been independent. I started my own business when I was Lucas’s age because I wanted to have my own money to buy important things like ice cream and candy.”

  Teagan laughed. “What was the business?”

  “I raked leaves and helped people move their trash cans to the street and back on garbage pickup days.”

  “Really?” She was smiling and definitely looked amused.

  “Scout’s honor,” he replied. “It’s just the way I am. I don’t like having to rely on anyone for anything. I don’t know why, it’s just always been my thing. And up until this injury, I’ve never had to rely on anyone.”

  “You’ve never gotten hurt on the job? How is that possible?”

  “Don’t get me wrong, I’ve gotten injured, just not to the point of being incapacitated.” He sighed with frustration. “And now all I want is to get cleared to go back to work, but it’s not happening.”

  “It hasn’t happened yet,” she corrected. “That doesn’t mean it’s never going to happen, Bobby. You have to be patient.”

  “That’s what I’m saying!” he shouted and instantly regretted it. The shock on her face wasn’t necessary to prove he was out of line. “Sorry. I’m just…this whole thing is making me crazy.”

  “Maybe you need to talk to someone. Like a professional,” she said warily, and Bobby was sure his expression was horrified.

  “Uh, no,” he said adamantly. “Not gonna happen.” Then he looked over his shoulder toward the clock on the microwave. “You know what? I should go. I didn’t realize how late it was. So I’ll, um… I guess I’ll see you around.” He started to walk toward the front door. “Tell Lucas to keep practicing with that T-ball set. He’s really getting the hang of it.”

  He was only five feet from the door when Teagan stepped in front of him. Bobby stopped short so he wouldn’t slam into her.

  “Oh no. You are not doing this again.”

  “Excuse me?”

  With her arms crossed over her chest, she nodded. “This running away crap? I’m done with that.”

  He still wasn’t sure he understood what she was getting at, and she must have figured that out.

  “First time we met? You walked away after a plate almost slipped out of your hands.”

  “Teagan…”

  “Then you pretty much sprinted out of here last week after you hurt your shoulder.”

  “I had ice cream first.”

  She gave him a sour look. “And you didn’t come back like you said you would.” She stepped in close to him. “I prefer it when people honor their word.”

  Now he was getting a little annoyed.

  “I think if Anna hadn’t asked you to come today, I’d probably never have seen you again. I mean, sure, maybe at some Shaughnessy family event years from now, but other than that, you would have done whatever you could to avoid me. Except thanks to Anna, you did come back, and you’ve played with Lucas and by now he’s got some sort of hero-worship thing going on with you. So if you think I’m going to just let you pull another disappearing act, you’re crazy!”

  She was doing her best to keep her voice down, but there was no mistaking how angry she was. Now what was he supposed to do? Or say?

  Teagan must have taken his silence for something else because she let out a huff of annoyance and stepped aside, motioning toward the door. “Fine. Whatever. Just go.”

  He heard her annoyance, but he saw her disappointment. And that got to him more than anything else.

  Instead of walking out the door, he advanced on her. Her eyes went wide and she took a step back, even as he took another toward her.

  “You’re wrong,” he said, his voice low and gruff. “I did want to see you again. Since the day we met, I’ve wanted to see you again. Even after I stormed off like a jackass, all I could think about was how good it would be to see you again.”

  Teagan took two steps back and hit the wall. Bobby moved in until they were toe-to-toe. “I don’t like asking anyone for help or needing help, but the fact that I kept embarrassing myself in front of you? It was almost more than I could stand.”

  “Bobby, you had nothing to be embarrassed about. I totally understand what you’re dealing with,” she argued.

  But he shook his head. “You don’t. You can’t,” he countered. “I’m just a man, Teagan, and I can’t help but have a little pride. I don’t like looking weak. I don’t like being weak. If we had met at any other time—”

  “But we didn’t,” she whispered.

  Yeah, it was crazy to wish for something he couldn’t have. In a perfect world, he wouldn’t have gotten shot. In a perfect world, he would have been confident enough to ask her out. And in a perfect world, he’d have every right to close the distance between them and kiss her.

  She swallowed hard, her big blue eyes never blinking, and watched him as if waiting for…something.

  “What is it you want from me, Teagan? You want me to apologize for walking away? For not coming back? What? Tell me what it is you’d like me to do.”

  He hoped and prayed she wanted the same thing he did.

  “I want you to stop running. You have nothing to fear from me,” she said, brutal in her frankness. “I don’t care that you’re still recovering. I don’t care that you may need help from time to time. But I expect honesty from my friends, Bobby. Always.”

  Friends.

  The kiss of death.

  Dammit.

  So many retorts were on the tip of his tongue, yet he couldn’t speak. Friends? So the attraction he’d been feeling was all one-sided? For a man who never had to put much effort into getting a woman, this was like being hit in the face with the ball all over again.

  “Friends,” he finally said.

  She nodded. “It’s all I can offer you.” Apparently, he was that transparent. “My main priority is Lucas, and I’m not looking to get involved with anyone. Especially someone who…” She paused and looked down at the floor.

  “Someone who what?” he prompted, feeling more than a little annoyed now.

  After a moment,
she looked back up at him. “Someone with a history of being a serial dater,” she said defiantly. “If I were single, no kids, it would be one thing, but I have my son to worry about. I don’t get involved in casual relationships. I can’t. As it is, I was scared even to let you come and watch him today, because other than my dad, Lucas hasn’t had any other male role models. Now that I see how quickly he bonded with you, I regret my selfishness.”

  “How the hell were you selfish?”

  “I was desperate to have a day to myself!” she cried. “To get my nails done and my hair cut and do all the things I haven’t had the time to do in forever. And now I’m going to be hearing all about you for who knows how long!”

  Now he was thoroughly confused.

  “So now I’m not good enough even to have around as a friend?” he asked incredulously.

  “That’s not what I’m saying, Bobby. I’m saying…I don’t want to confuse Lucas. I don’t want him getting attached to someone who has no interest in sticking around.”

  Again the questions about Lucas’s father came to mind, but he was too wrapped up in all the ways Teagan was insulting him right now to ask.

  He leaned in close. “You don’t know anything about me.” He meant to sound menacing, and he felt like he pulled it off.

  “I know enough. People talk,” she replied confidently.

  “People? What people?”

  “Quinn,” she said with a smug smile. “He told me all about you.”

  If he thought he was angry before, it was nothing compared to how he felt right now. How dare his brother-in-law say anything derogatory about him! That crap was supposed to be all ancient history.

  “You know my history with your cousin,” he countered. “Of course he was going to talk trash about me. And why would you even ask him? Why not just come to me if you wanted to know something?”

  “Because you were usually walking away. When was I supposed to ask you anything?”

  Okay. She had a point. But still…