Scrimmage Gone South (Crimson Romance) (4 page)

“Yes, you are,” Janice said without emotion. “It’s no one’s first choice but that’s what is going to happen.”

Wild-eyed, Kirby turned Tolly. “Is this true, Miss Tolly? Do I have to go with them?”

Don’t get emotionally involved
. She’d heard it said a thousand times but never understood it until now.
Ask questions, be a lawyer,
she told herself.

“Are there any other relatives?” Tolly asked Janice. “What about on his mother’s side?”

“We have a great aunt in a nursing home and his mother’s people live out west. They didn’t want him when he was two, so I doubt they want him now.”

Tolly turned to Kirby. “Honey, it won’t be so bad. It won’t be for long. This is your family. They love you.”

“They do not.”

“Well.” It was hard to argue that. “Next fall, you’ll be going to college. Those plans do not have to change. I know you haven’t made up your mind yet about where — ”

“I’m waiting to see about a football scholarship. Coach says — ”

“College?” Carl laughed. “You people live in a different world from us. We don’t have time for football, college, and lawyers. We have to work for a living.”

Harris cleared his throat. “Tolly has been helping Kirby with college and financial aid applications — with Miss Eula’s full support. And Nathan Scott and I have a few connections we’ve been exploring. There is every reason to believe that with just a bit of help from family, Kirby can get a good education and play college ball.”

“Randy isn’t going to college,” Janice said. “He’s already been promised a job at the soap factory where Carl works. We could probably work something out for Kirby.”

“A soap factory?” Tolly said evenly. “I’m not sure you understand. Kirby is an honor student. His ACT and SAT scores are high. There is no reason — ”

“Factory work is good enough for me and it’s good enough for my son,” Carl said. “And it will have to be good enough to for Kirby. Eula coddled him but it’s time he learned there’s more to life than football.”

“It was certainly not my intent to insult your profession,” Tolly said. Surely she could make them understand. “And I would be delighted to help Randy with paperwork, like I have been helping Kirby.”

“Miss Eula really wanted this for Kirby,” Harris said. “You are all grieving here. Maybe you’d like to talk about this privately, as a family.”

“But I’d still have to go to Ohio,” Kirby said. “I can’t go to
Ohio
.”

“We have nothing to talk about,” Janice said, ignoring Kirby. “Carl and I talked about the different ways the will could go and we decided this is what we’d do if it went this way. Really, I’m surprised. I thought she’d leave everything to Kirby.”

“Mrs. Johnson — Janice,” Harris said. “Miss Eula had that will written right after her son and daughter-in-law died. Kirby was a baby. I’m sure she would have made different decisions today. In this life, there are the things we must do, the things that are required by law. And there are things that we know in our hearts are right and fair.”

“Is that so?” Janice said. “Well, Mr. Bragg, I’ll tell you what my heart tells me is right and fair. My mother took care of Kirby like he was her own child from the time my brother died. She’s fed, housed, and clothed him. She bought for him at Christmas and his birthday like he was her kid and bought for mine like they were her grandkids. So I think it’s time my kids got their share. If Kirby can manage to get some fancy education on his own, fine. But we will feed and house him until he graduates. That’s four months longer than we have to. After that, he’s on his own. And meanwhile, he can get himself a part time job instead of playing football. So don’t you come in here making
Law and Order
speeches at me. I’ve had a rough week and I’ve got my own kids to think about.”

“Aunt Janice,” Kirby said softly in a tone that sounded so close to begging that it ripped through Tolly’s gut like a shark fin. “Couldn’t you just let me stay here in my house and finish school? I can take care of myself.”

“And you’d do what for food and utilities?”

“I’ll sell my car and when the season is over I’ll be working here every afternoon. Just leave me here. Please.”

“No,” Janice said sharply. “You should have thought about all that before you acted like a brat to me. You’re my responsibility. If I left you alone in that house, you’d trash it. It wouldn’t be worth selling come May. As for that car, it’s in Mama’s name and my Toyota is on its last legs.”

Tolly bit the inside of her cheek. Harris was right. She had been naïve. In each other’s parents, both she and Harris practically had a second mother and father. Still did. This would have never happened to them.

“Could I become an emancipated minor?” Kirby asked. Apparently, he’d picked up a little legalese working in the office but not enough to know the fine points.

“I’m afraid not, son,” Harris said kindly.

“Besides,” Tolly said gently, “you need someone to take care of you. You can’t be on your own.”

“If I can figure it out, can I stay here? Legally?”

Harris shrugged. “If your aunt agreed, and if there is someone to see after you, I could arrange it.”

“Fine by us,” Janice said. She seemed startled by her own eager tone and quickly added, “Of course, they’d have to be decent people.”

Like you?
Tolly wanted to say. But she didn’t let it show. She
never
let it show.

“Kirby, do you know someone?” Harris asked. “Someone in your church, maybe? Or are you close with the parents of a friend?”

“Not like that,” Kirby admitted.

“Then that’s it.” Janice rose and gathered her papers. “Kirby, I don’t want to hear one more word out of you. You don’t have to like this, but you have to shut up. There is no one in this town to take care you.”

Tolly’s heart raced. She took in the hateful contempt in Janice Johnson and the lazy apathy in her husband. Then she looked at the devastated grieving boy sitting beside her. Watching dreams die was a hard job. She didn’t think about it at all. With only her feelings to guide her, she spoke.

“I’ll do it.” Four pairs of shocked eyes and at least one dropped jaw turned toward her. She focused on Kirby’s face. He looked like someone who had fallen off a mountain and just realized he was going to land in a net instead of on jagged rocks.

“Tolly … ” Harris said with quiet warning. She could read all the
oh, nos,
the
you aren’t thinkings,
and the
you can’ts
in his face. But she did not question her decision.

“I’ll take care of him,” she said with the strength of a lion — no, a lioness. This wasn’t her cub, but, damn it, he ought to be somebody’s.

She wanted to jump up from her chair, hit Janice Johnson over the head with her laptop, leap on the conference table, and scream,
“We don’t want or need anything from you, but you can bet your sweet ass you’ll be getting a hefty bill, payable before you take your sorry self out of this town. Now get the hell out of my law office!”

But she didn’t. The ice saved her from herself, as it always did. She smiled coolly and said in an even cooler voice, “This will be so much better for everyone, don’t you agree, Janice?”

Janice Johnson tried and failed to keep the glee and relief off her face as she nodded her consent.

This probably was not what Nathan had in mind when he’d told her to stay away from his QB-One.

It was Tolly’s turn to host book club tonight, but Missy had agreed to do it instead, in spite of her advanced pregnancy. She claimed she had never felt better.

Which worked out well for Tolly, considering her charming, usually perfect carriage house was in utter chaos. The house belonged to town grand dame Caroline Brantley. Tolly had fallen in love with the house and Miss Caroline right after moving to town almost three years ago and it had been a perfect fit — the carriage house and living behind Miss Caroline’s Victorian home. Of course, at the time she had not known she would be moving a 6’4", 225-pound teenager in with her.

It had happened fast. After their meeting at the law office two days ago, she’d driven Kirby home, they’d packed up his clothes and personal items, and he’d been with her ever since. Harris had taken care of the legal end of things and here they were. She really should be home putting her life back in order tonight, but Missy had pressured her and it had been easy to agree. She hadn’t seen her friends in days — and she was exhausted.

Missy opened the door before Tolly had a chance to ring the bell. In some ways Missy was like all the other girls Harris had dated throughout his high school years — blonde, tall, and beautiful, but that’s where it ended. She loved Harris without worshipping him. Harris had a tendency to believe his own press and Missy kept him in check.

“Come in.” Missy led her to the sunroom where Lucy Mead and Lanie Avery, who was about six months pregnant, sat in club chairs sharing an ottoman.

“How’s parenthood?” Lanie asked with a grin. Lanie was her closest friend and they usually saw each other every day, even if was to just share a quick cup of coffee at Lanie’s candy shop, Heavenly Confections. But between Lanie’s new family — husband Luke, three-year-old Emma, and baby on the way — and Tolly’s new development, they had spoken only once since Kirby had moved in.

“Exhausting.” Tolly sat on the sofa and tucked her legs under her.

“Who knew you’d have the next baby?” Missy said as she sat down in front of the coffee table and started to serve the food she’d set out.

“I bet mine is bigger than yours will be.” Tolly accepted a glass of wine and plate of artichoke quiche and fruit salad from Missy.

“I hope so,” Missy said, “but it doesn’t feel like it right now.” Missy and Harris’s baby was due the week after Thanksgiving — seven weeks away.

“How’s it going?” Lucy asked.

Tolly took a bite of quiche. Heaven. What Missy could do with food. “Kirby’s fine. He’s sad, of course, and we’ve got to get used to each other, but he’s sweet and respectful. Right now I’m just trying to get my nest back in order.” Knowing her penchant for organization, they were all on the verge of laughing at her.

“Where is he sleeping?” Lanie asked, still trying to hide her amusement.

“He’s been sleeping on the sofa, but as of tonight, thanks to Lucy, he has his own beautiful new room.” Lucy was an interior designer and had dropped everything to deal with Tolly’s emergency. “I put him upstairs in my old room and moved my bedroom to the office downstairs. I didn’t use it much anyway. But now, I’ve got a ton of stuff to go through and get rid of.”

“You know you’re the town heroine, don’t you?” Lucy said. “You saved their star quarterback.”

“I don’t know about that, but today Darla Sturges brought me a Bobcat Mom rah-rah kit.”

“What is that?” Lanie asked.

“It consists of a shirt with Kirby’s picture and number, a button that says
QB-One Mom
, a bumper sticker, stadium seat, a yard sign with his number, and hell — I don’t know what else. Blue and gold pompoms. Baseball cap, like I’d wear that. Crap for days. She said the kits are a booster club fundraiser, but all the mothers went in together and bought it to welcome me into the fold. I haven’t felt this special since I pledged Chi O.”

“Don’t forget Junior League,” Missy said.

“Lightweight. Talk to me about Junior League when they come up with a car magnet, two feet across. Oh, and before I forget.” Tolly pulled a piece of folded paper from her pocket. “I am to help serve the pregame meal the week after next, and the week after that I am to provide sixteen dozen cookies for them to have after the game. Darla said I
could
buy them
but
, and she just let that
but
hang in the air like we all
know
what kind of women
buy
cookies. And certainly Kirby has been through enough without being embarrassed by Oreos and Chips Ahoy.” Tolly cast Missy a pitiful look.

“I got you, baby,” Missy said. “I won’t even tell anyone you didn’t bake them.”

“Sounds like a cult,” Lanie said. “Tell us more.”

“That’s what I know. There was also a big manila envelope, labeled
Student Athlete Parent Information Packet
but I didn’t have time to look at it. I had to take delivery on a bed and Lucy and I hung curtains.” She was in no hurry to bask in the wisdom of Nathan Scott. That day was done.

“You’re doing great,” said Lucy, who was always everyone’s biggest cheerleader.

“Am I? I’m scared. I did something I thought I’d learned my lesson about. I reacted without thinking.”

Missy laughed. “Tolly Lee, I’ve never known you to so much as ask a waitress to hold the pickles without working the angles.
What if I decide I want the pickles, after all? Even if I don’t, what if someone else at the table wants them? What if they are special pickles that I would like, even if I don’t like most other pickles?”
Everyone laughed.

“I wasn’t always that way.”

“You have been as long as I’ve known you. How old were you when Harris and I started dating? Sixteen?”

“That would be about the time I learned the importance of being in charge of my own destiny.” And the importance of the ice. She drained her glass and held it out for more wine.

“It’s hard not to be scared,” Lanie said. “But just remember, your worst will be better than the best he would have gotten in Ohio.”

Maybe. But oh, how she despised clutter, surprises, or being out of control.

So, it was not exactly a dream come true when she returned home later than night to find Nathan Scott sitting on her front steps.

• • •

At least Nathan didn’t witness her surprise. Miss Caroline allowed her to share the garage, located on the other side of the big Victorian house. Because she’d left the porch light on, she caught sight him long before he would have any chance of seeing her. She ducked behind the big oak tree to collect herself. What the hell? He sat on her steps like he owned the place, running a pen over a stack of papers in his lap and eating what looked like miniature candy bars from a plastic bag. Maybe she needed to put a lower wattage blub in that light to discourage would-be invaders who wanted to read and eat candy. Of course, if she had a weaker bulb, she wouldn’t have been able to see him as well.