Cold Midnight (41 page)

He grinned, then glimpsing someone a few rows down, he jumped to his feet. “Oh, hey, there’s Rhonda and Maddy.”

Kylie rose, too, and greeted Chase’s former wife and daughter, grateful for all the activity to distract her from her nerves and Chase.

Maddy ran up and gave her a tight hug. “Hi, Kylie!”

“Hey, kid. How’s it going?” Kylie returned the girl’s embrace, sharing a smile over the top of her head with Rhonda, who had to be the most amazing ex-wife on the planet. She seriously didn’t seem to harbor any ill will toward Kylie at all.

Maddy peered at the tennis court. “Is T.J. playing yet?”

Chase tapped Maddy on the head. “Hey, don’t I get a hug?”

Giggling, she wrapped her arms around his waist. “Hi, Dad.”

“Thanks for dropping her off,” Chase said to Rhonda.

Rhonda, a petite blond woman with hazel eyes, plopped down on the bleachers. “I’m here to watch. Rumor has it this kid’s going to be the next Kendall Falls tennis star.”

“When are they going to start playing?” Maddy asked.

Kylie drew the girl, who was all elbows and long legs and smelled faintly of her dad’s sunscreen, onto the seat next to her. “It won’t be long, Squirt.”

“T.J.’s going to win,” Maddy said. “Just watch.”

“It doesn’t matter if he wins or not,” Kylie said, inwardly looking forward to watching T.J. kick his opponent’s butt all over the court until the other kid fled, sobbing for his mommy. “It’s how he plays,” she said to Maddy.

“Dad says that’s bullshit. He’s supposed to win.”

“Maddy!” Rhonda exclaimed in parental horror, even as she covered her mouth to hide a laugh.

Chase shrugged at Kylie’s reproachful glance. “Well, it’s true. Isn’t that the point?”

Kylie sat up straight. “The point is that he develops into a mature, professional player.”

“And
wins
,” Chase said, then grinned before he chucked Maddy under the chin. “Your nose is turning red from the sun already, kiddo.”

“Hi, everyone!”

Jane, in a sundress and floppy yellow hat that sharply contrasted Kylie’s own khaki shorts and white tank top, waved from a few rows down. As Kylie waved back, she couldn’t help but be amused that Jane dressed up even for a junior tennis tournament.

Their relationship had improved considerably in the past six months. Of course, Jane had focused her psychoanalyzing attention on Quinn these days. Luckily, she’d appeared to have learned that a lighter touch was often more productive.

Jane gestured over her shoulder as she made her way toward the empty seats in front of Kylie and Chase. “Sorry we’re kind of late.”

“You’re fine,” Kylie said. “Match hasn’t started yet.” She shifted to see behind Jane, curious about the “we.” Spotting Wade Bell, she smiled and returned his wave, thinking how perfect they were for each other. She hadn’t seen Jane this happy . . . ever.

Seeing who followed behind Wade, she grinned. “Trisha, excellent!” And then she saw who accompanied Trisha and squealed. “Quinn! I thought you had to work.”

Her brother hugged her and pecked her on the cheek. “Playing hooky. Don’t tell anyone, okay?” He waggled his eyebrows toward Trisha, as if to say, “Look who I brought!”

Kylie couldn’t stop grinning. Holy cow. Quinn and Trisha hanging out together. She could hardly believe it.

Chase signaled Maddy. “Come here a sec, Madster. We need to sunscreen that nose.”

“I want to sit next to Kylie during the game,” Maddy said, giving her chin a stubborn set.

Chase chuckled. “Don’t worry. We can share.”

“So,” Quinn said as he and Trisha settled down behind Kylie. “Big day, huh?”

She gave a nonchalant shrug. “Another day, another match.”

“Yeah, right,” Quinn said with a snort. He glanced at Trisha, pitching his thumb toward Kylie. “She’s about to take off like a rocket.”

“I can tell,” Trisha said.

Kylie laughed. “Don’t light my fuse.”

“Hey, have you guys seen Mom yet?” Jane scanned the crowd. “She said she’d meet us.”

Emotion thickened Kylie’s throat. The whole family was going to be here. She didn’t think everyone had ever turned out for any of
her
matches, even the championship ones. They were all here for her now, though, and that’s what mattered.

She checked center court to see that T.J. and his opponent had begun their warm-up volleys. “Here we go.”

Chase slid his hand over hers and linked their fingers. “Marry me?”

She looked at him with a gasp. “What?”

He hugged her arm to his side and leaned in close to nuzzle her cheek. “Don’t worry. I’ll ask again later when you’re not so distracted.”

The players on the court were introduced, and the stands shook with cheers at T.J.’s name. Kylie saw his eyes widen before he looked toward her and grinned.

He won the coin toss for first serve, and a hush fell over the spectators while he threw the ball high into the air and slammed it at his opponent in perfect grace.

Ace.

While the crowd erupted in cheers, Kylie scooted closer to Chase and put her lips near his ear. “Yes.”