"Sit next to Dad. He won't mind, will you?" she asked him.
Aware of his gaze on her, Theresa held back. "Maybe I should sit at another table. I don't think there's room."
"Sure, there's room," Kelsey said. She quickly organized the seating arrangements. "Steven and David, move down. Dad, scoot over a little so Miss Rogers can sit with us."
Theresa didn't think she would be able to eat a bite, if she was sitting that close to Austin. "Kelsey, you sit next to your dad. I'll sit by Amelia."
"But I want to sit by Amelia. You sit next to Dad. Please?"
"Kelsey, be quiet," Austin said. "Let Miss Rogers sit where she wants."
Theresa watched Kelsey. Something was going on in that impish brain of hers. Kelsey had always been precocious and a little bit spoiled. She thought Kelsey was going to put up a fuss, but after a moment, she sat down beside her father.
"Why don't you call her Theresa?" Kelsey asked her dad. "All the other parents do."
Theresa felt her cheeks grow hot as she unwrapped her food. "Not all of them, Kelsey." She glanced at Austin. He was staring at her as he slowly bit into his sandwich. Something was going on in his brain, too. Speculation and longing seemed to alternate with caution and irritation. She wished she didn't find him so intriguing.
"Dad?" Kelsey prompted.
"I'm thinking about it, Kels." He took a long, slow drink of soda, then set the can down.
Theresa felt something go off inside her own brain. The sudden urge to give the man a nudge. "As a matter of fact, I asked your dad to call me by my first name. He refused."
There, what would he say to that?
Kelsey frowned. "When was this?"
"Last week, when he and I talked," Theresa said, before Austin could answer. The hazel eyes narrowed even more. She saw speculation and irritation winning out over the caution now. Maybe she was getting to him. It was exciting and scary at the same time.
"So what's the problem? Why won't you call her 'Theresa'?" Kelsey asked.
"I don't think it would be appropriate." Austin concentrated on his sandwich.
"Aww, come on!" said Kelsey. "That's a lame excuse if I ever heard one. Especially when most of the parents have dropped the 'Miss Rogers'."
"Kelsey--" Austin's voice held a warning note.
"But, Dad--" she began.
Theresa decided to intervene. "Kelsey, your dad obviously doesn't want to use my given name. It's no big deal. Don't push him."
"Somebody needs to give him a push," Kelsey grumbled into her sandwich.
"What did you say?" Austin asked. His eyes flashed with annoyance.
"Nothing," Kelsey said. "Nada. Forget the whole thing. Although, it wouldn't kill you to be more friendly with Miss Rogers. You like her don't you?"
Austin nearly choked on his soda. Kelsey thumped him on the back. "Well, don't you?"
"I like her," he said grudgingly. "She's a very good teacher."
"And you like my dad, don't you, Miss Rogers?"
Theresa heard Amelia giggle beside her. She felt Kelsey kick her friend under the table. Something was going on, and Theresa had a glimmer of what it might be. She wondered if Austin suspected anything.
"Of course, I like your father. What's not to like?" She smiled sweetly at the glaring man sitting across from her. "But if he doesn't want to be friendly, we can't force him." Astonished by her own boldness, she popped a potato chip in her mouth and waited for him to make the next move.
Austin's eyes followed her movements. Lingered on her lips. Theresa suddenly felt flushed.
"All right,
Theresa
. If that's what you want. I guess I can be a little more
friendly
." He took another bite of his sandwich, his gaze lasered in on hers.
The bottom dropped out of her tummy. All the way to her toes. His deep voice curled around her name, making it sound like a caress. All sorts of provocative thoughts swirled in her brain. She fervently hoped the kids couldn't read the heat in the look he directed at her. She hoped the other parents were too busy to notice. She wished she knew what he was thinking. Had he changed his mind about her?
"There. That wasn't so hard, was it?" Kelsey asked.
"No, it wasn't," Austin conceded, finally breaking eye contact with Theresa. "Now, eat. We don't have much time. The show starts at the planetarium in twenty minutes. You don't won't to be late, do you?"
Kelsey shook her head and attacked her lunch.
Theresa went through the motions of eating, not really tasting anything. Something had just happened between Austin and herself. She wasn't sure what it was. A vague sense of excitement and uneasiness settled in her stomach. Glancing at Kelsey, she noted the satisfied smile on the little girl's face.
Oh, Kelsey. What in the world are you up to?
****
"I don't like to be put on the spot. You put me on the spot, Kels." Austin pulled onto the highway and headed for the ranch. He had dropped off two of Kelsey's friends after the field trip.
"
What?
" His daughter turned big, blue innocent-looking eyes on him.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about, young lady. Inviting Miss Rogers to sit with us. All that stuff about her name. What was that all about?"
Kelsey shrugged and looked out the window. "Nothing. I just thought you should loosen up. You're always so tense, Dad. Can't you ever just relax? You never have any fun."
"What do you mean, I never have fun. I had fun today, didn't I?" Out of the corner of his eye, he saw an exasperated look thrown his way.
"I don't know," she said. "Did you have fun? And if you have to ask me, then you probably didn't. Thanks anyway for going.
I
had fun, at least." She crossed her arms across her chest and stared out the window again.
"Look, Kels," Austin said, "I had fun. But I didn't appreciate you asking me point blank if I like Miss Rogers, especially right in front of her. It wasn't good manners."
"Do you?" Kelsey asked.
Austin frowned over the steering wheel. "Do I what?"
"Like her? Miss Rogers, I mean?"
"She's a very nice lady. But I'm not looking for . . . I don't want . . . I loved your mother. No one can take her place."
He heard Kelsey let out a huge sigh as she shook her head. "I know, Dad. I know," she said softly.
"Listen, why don't we stop by the big house and see what Grams is cooking? We haven't seen her all week."
"Whatever," Kelsey said, with a shrug and a sigh.
Austin stifled a sigh of his own. Kelsey was getting moodier and more temperamental as the days passed. He cringed at the thought of going through the next few years. How was he supposed to raise a teenage girl? All by himself? He cursed fate for taking Deborah away not only from him, but from their daughter as well.
The rest of the drive was silent until they pulled to a stop behind Ruth McCade's rambling old ranch house.
"Oh, cool!" Kelsey cried. "Uncle Tyler's back from the air show." She flung open the door and hurried into the house.
Shaking his head and smiling to himself, Austin followed at a more leisurely pace. Something his daughter didn't know the meaning of. It was either all or nothing for Kelsey. Always had been. And he guessed it always would be.
It was times like this, when Austin missed his wife the most. Missed sharing the simple pleasures in life, like Kelsey's enthusiasm over the littlest things. He missed the friendship they had shared. A physical ache suddenly washed through him. He missed the intimacy they had enjoyed, too.
An unbidden vision rose before him. Dark, auburn hair. Green eyes glinting with awareness. A pink tongue moistening full lush lips. Theresa Rogers was getting under his skin. It made him angry because the memory of Deb seemed to be diminishing in direct proportion to his growing attraction for Kelsey's teacher. He didn't want the memories to fade. He didn't want to fall in love ever again.
Austin knew he had no control over the love he felt for Kelsey. Or his mother. Or his brothers and sister. If something happened to any of them . . . he couldn't think about it. He had no choice but to love them.
However, he did have a choice about how close he allowed himself to another woman. And he chose not to get involved. At least, not on an emotional level.
On the other hand, a physical relationship
might be
possible. He had avoided women and relationships since Deb had died. One-night stands had taken care of his baser needs.
Theresa Rogers had practically dared him to cross a line this afternoon. He discovered to his annoyance that he wanted to cross that line. But on his own terms; within his own parameters. He was willing to share a bed, but not his heart. He didn't think the shy, prim teacher was ready to do that, no matter how strong the attraction.
Walking into his mother's kitchen, Austin saw Kelsey seated next to Tyler. Dallas sat at the head of the table, nursing a drink. His new wife, Gillian, was helping their mother with dinner.
"Looks like Kelsey and I came just in time. You're not hogging all of the good stuff, are you?" he asked his brother, slapping him on the back.
"No, help yourself," said Dallas, raising his glass.
"I think I'll do that."
"From what Kelsey's been telling us, you deserve a double." Tyler stood and shook Austin's hand, then punched his shoulder.
Austin punched him back. "You said it. And it's about damn time you came home. Those air shows are encroaching on your workload, little brother."
"Hey! I hold my end up. Don't worry about me," Tyler said.
Austin walked over to the stove and kissed his mother's cheek, then Gillian's. Pouring himself a drink, he sat down at the old oak table.
"I can't believe you spent four hours on a bus full of screaming sixth graders." Tyler whistled under his breath and jabbed Kelsey with an elbow.
"We weren't screaming the whole time," Kelsey grinned. "Besides, there were a couple of other parents and Miss Rogers, of course."
Tyler whistled again. "
The
Miss Rogers? The
pretty
Miss Rogers? I have a good mind to ask the lovely teacher out on a date."
Kelsey frowned. "She's not your type, Uncle Tyler."
"And how would you know what my type is, hotshot?"
"I just know."
Gillian McCade set a bowl of mashed potatoes on the table. She grasped Kelsey's shoulders and bent toward her ear. "We all know Uncle Tyler's type, don't we?" she said in a loud whisper.
Kelsey nodded. "And Miss Rogers is definitely not it."
"Hey now," Tyler protested. "You girls better not gang up on me. Help me out here . . . Austin? Dallas?"
Dallas grabbed his wife and pulled her onto his lap. "You're on your own, Ty. I know when to mind my own business."
"Damn. It's a crying shame to see how the mighty have fallen. First Cameron. Now Dallas." Tyler pointed a finger at Austin. "You better watch out, brother dear. One of us will be next."
"Not me. I had my chance. I'm out of the loop for good." Austin downed half his drink.
"Well, it certainly won't be me," Tyler said. "I like my freedom too much."
"Don't you believe in second chances, Austin?" Gillian asked. "Your brother took one and didn't do so bad. He got me."
Dallas kissed her hard on the mouth. "Not bad at all."
Gillian grinned and jumped off his lap. She hurried to help Ruth with a platter of crispy golden-fried chicken.
"Kelsey, help Grams set the table," Austin said, tossing off the rest of his drink.
"Are Uncle Cam and Aunt Jessie coming to eat with us?" Kelsey asked.
Ruth McCade shook her head as she set the platter on the table. "They won't be here tonight. Little Daniel has the croup. They don't want him out in the night air."
"Okay, gotcha." Kelsey counted out knives and forks and placed them carefully on napkins by each plate. When she came to her dad, she stopped and draped her arm across his neck. "You
do
you believe in second chances, don't you Dad?"
"No," he said, giving her a hug. Taking a napkin from her grasp, he set it next to his plate, avoiding his daughter's questioning look.
"Why not?" Kelsey asked. "Uncle Dallas took a second chance and so did Aunt Jessie. She lost her husband, then married Uncle Cameron. They all seem to be happy."
"It wouldn't work for me." He was aware of the silence in the kitchen. Everyone was listening.
"Why wouldn't it work?" Kelsey asked, setting the last of the silverware on the table.
"I loved your mother too much."
"But, Dad--"