Second Chance (24 page)

“Some is okay.”  Grabbing the back
of her nightie, he dragged her back against him.  “But too much isn’t good for
them.”

“Aw, but they look so pitiful.”

“Pitiful my arse.  They know a
soft touch when they see one.  I’ve fed them already.”

“Huh.”  Avoiding his eyes
suddenly, she picked up her spoon again.

He looked at her.  “What?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t make me pull the stern
doctor routine.”

“As you’re a vet, I find that a
little alarming.”

“Very funny.”

“Not really. I’ve seen those
gloves that go all the way up to your shoulder.”

“What are you trying to hide from
me?”

He couldn’t believe it when Gretel
actually turned and looked right at Tam, who held her hands up helplessly.  It
was a coincidence, sure, but it looked so perfectly timed.

Just a coincidence

Had to be.

Shaking the absurd thought from
his head, he nudged Tam with his shoulder. “’Fess up, woman, what did you do?”

Scooping up some ice cream, she
debated it.  “Think, Grant.  Would you really expect me to come into your house
and leave your animals unfed when you weren’t home and it was dark?”

Actually, he hadn’t thought about
it.

“Oh, for-”  She punched his
bicep.  “Really, Grant? 
Really?
”

“You’ve got a violent streak in
you.”  He rubbed his arm, eyed her.  “I’m not sure if I should be worried or
turned on.”

“That’s because you’re sick.”

“Sick?  Who had her ruler at my
balls? Now that was sick.”

“Pfft.  Don’t be such a baby.”

“Hey, you weren’t the one with a
threat to your nut sack.”

“How delightfully put.”  She poked
his chest with the ice cold spoon, making him flinch.  “And you’re right, I
don’t have a nut sack.  Very observant of you.”

Laughing, he dropped his spoon
into the empty bowl before grabbing the spoonful of ice cream she had almost to
her lips and stuck it in his mouth, swallowing it while leaning over her to
place the bowl on the bedside table.

“Hey,” she complained.  “I wasn’t finished.”

“Neither am I.”  He searched in
the drawer, going by touch.

“You’re getting more?”

“No, you are.”  Finding what he
wanted, he pulled back to hold it up triumphantly in front of her eyes.  “All of
it.”

She looked from the packet he held
to his face.  “That’s a condom.”

“Yep.”

“No ice cream?”

The disappointment in her voice
was so real he’d have thought she was serious, except her eyes danced with
laughter and yep, definite flickers of heat.

“There’re some smacks on the arse with
a ruler that we need to talk about.”  Grant grabbed her.  “Come here, you bad
librarian.”

Tam squealed, the cats fled, and
Fergus whined and ran from the room.

Chapter 9

It seemed that everyone in and
around Gully’s Fall had turned out for the fair.  Kids ran everywhere while
adults wandered around, grouped and chatted, greeted each other and basically
settled down to enjoy themselves.  Teenagers were liberally sprinkled around,
trying their luck with the shooting targets and other games sure to take their
money for a small return if they were lucky.

Hand-in-hand, Tam wandered along
with Grant.  In one hand she held a toy rabbit.

“I’m really impressed with your
shooting skills,” she said.

He grinned.  “Tam, honey, be
prepared to be dazzled.  I’m king of the fairs.”

“Now I feel confident you can keep
me safe if a zombie apocalypse happens.”

Leaning down, he pecked a kiss on
her smiling mouth.  “Give my life for you, baby.”

As always, he had a way of making
her feel so protected, so appreciated, so loved.

“Well, well,” drawled a voice
behind them.  “If it isn’t the lovebirds.”

Turning, Tam saw Scott with his
arm around Ash’s shoulders.  In his other arm was Kurt, who blinked sleepily at
them before laying his head back down on Scott’s shoulder.  The toddler had his
father’s brown hair and his mother’s sky blue eyes, and all the hallmarks of a
future heartbreaker.

“Couldn’t get a babysitter?” Grant
queried.

“This is family time,” Ash
replied.

Scott tugged her closer to kiss
her on the top of the head.  “Best time ever.”

She looked up at him, the love in
their eyes so plain to see.

As if reading her thoughts, Grant
gave Tam’s hand a little squeeze, which she returned.

“Someone’s been showing off,”
another voice said.

“I see they just let anyone into
the fair nowadays,” Grant responded as Ryder and Dee wandered up.

Ryder took the rabbit from Tam’s
hand.  “Jesus, a stuffed rabbit?  That was all you could manage?  You’re
embarrassing me.”

Tam took it back.  “Hey, I like
it.”

“I understand,” Ryder said
kindly.  “You have to pretend gratitude.  It’s touching.”

“Don’t you need to go back to
work?” Grant asked.  “Do something useful for a change?”

“I’m on a lunch break.  No one
would dare get hurt until I’m back on duty.”  Ryder ran a hand over his uniform-clad
chest.  “I’m in more danger.”

“Why?” Tam asked.

Everyone groaned.

“You had to ask,” Dee complained.

Ryder held a hand up for silence. 
“No, no, she has a right to know.”

“Going by everyone’s reactions,
I’m not sure I want to now,” Tam said.

“In my natural state-”

“Of madness,” Scott added.

“I’m a heartbreaker-”

“Here we go.”  Dee rolled her
eyes.

“But in uniform-”

“He’s a dickhead.” Kirk appeared
beside Tam with Molly, their daughter Lily between them holding onto each of
their hands while bouncing excitedly in her little sandals.

“I’m dashing,” Ryder finished.  “Dee has to beat the hordes of women off me with a stick.  And you’re all morons.”  He
looked at Ash.  “Except Ash, because she’s too sweet.”

Ash dimpled.

“And you, princess.”  Swooping
down, Ryder caught Lily under the arms and tossed her up in the air.

Squealing out ‘Uncle Ryder, Uncle
Ryder!’  Lily kicked and shrieked with laughter as he caught her, gathered her
close and blew raspberries on her cheeks.

That had Kurt blinking sleepily at
Ryder.

“Aw, how’s Uncle Ryder’s little
man?”  Still holding Lily, he leaned forward to blow a raspberry on Kurt’s
cheek, making the toddler giggle and burrow his head in Scott’s neck.

“I was worried you were aiming for
me then,” Scott said.

“You’d be wishing.  Here, Kirk,
catch your girl.”  Ryder tossed Lily to Kirk, who caught the squealing child
and set her on his hip.  “Now I can catch mine.”  Moving behind Dee, he wrapped his arms around her neck, hands dangling dangerously close to her breasts.

Dee looked up at him.  “You really
don’t want to go any lower.”

“Babe.”  He flashed her a wicked
grin.  “Lower is where I always want to go with you.”

“They’re children present, dumb
arse.”

“We’re speaking adult code,
they’ll never know.”  He gave her a smacking kiss on the lips.

“Kiss!” Lily shrilled.  “Kiss! 
Uncle Ryder and Aunt Dee kiss!  Kiss!”

“Thanks, numb nuts,” Kirk said. 
“You’re perverting my daughter.”

“Numb nuts!” Lily squealed.

“What?”  Kirk stared at her.

“Oh yeah.”  Molly lovingly tugged
one of her daughter’s pigtails.  “She’s learning new words all the time.”

“Right.”  He speared the group
with a stern eye.  “From now on, we watch our language around-”

“’umb ar’,” Kurt mumbled sleepily.

“-the babies,” Scott finished.

“That especially means you two,”
Kirk cut his eyes to Dee and Ryder, then flicked them to Molly, “and you.”

“Geez,” said Molly.

“We’ll have to gag him.”  Dee thumbed upwards to where Ryder towered over her, his chin resting on top of her head.

“I had to gag you this morning to
stop you screaming in ecstasy,” Ryder said.

“You lying sack of s-”

“Dee,” Kirk said ominously.

“-star dust,” she finished.

“I think I’m going to like this.” 
Ryder grinned widely.

Laughing, Tam leaned against
Grant’s arm.  “Maybe we should set up a swear tin.  They’ll both have enough to
go to university before they’re even three!”

“Laugh it up, sister.”  Dee glared at her.  “You’ll keep.”

“Oohh,” said Ryder.  “Girl fight.”

“Up your-”

Scott cleared his throat loudly.

“-flowerpot,” she finished, before
adding mournfully, “This is going to kill me.”

“Don’t worry.”  Ryder kissed her
temple.  “I’ll give you CPR.”

“Sweet,” Ash said.

“With lots of tongue.”

“Maybe too much information.”

Ryder winked.

“Merry-go-round!” Lily tugged on
Kirk’s shirt.  “Daddy, merry-go-round!”

“She’s not going to stay still for
much longer,” Molly said.  “We better get going on these rides we promised her.”

The group broke up and went their
own ways.

Meandering along with Grant, Tam
felt more contented and happy than she’d ever been in her whole life.

They had just neared the centre of
the fair when a man came running up to Grant.  “You the vet?”

Grant nodded.

“Could you come and check this
pony?  He’s supposed to be giving children’s pony rides, but he’s looking a
little off.”  The man gestured towards the edge of the fair.  “We’ll pay, of
course.”

“No worries.”  Grant turned to
Tam.  “I won’t be long.”

“It’s fine,” she assured him.
“I’ll go get a cup of tea or something.  I’m sure I saw a tent around with
drinks.”

Tipping up her chin, Grant kissed
her gently, smiling down at her before following the fair man in the direction
he’d gone.

Wandering through the fair
grounds, Tam sought the drinks tent.

“Tamara!  Darling!”

Startled, she looked around.

“Tamara!  I’ve missed you so!”

Oh no
.  A familiar voice
spouting very unfamiliar words.  A very unwelcome familiar voice.  Surely it
couldn’t be-

Out from behind some curious
townsfolk appeared a blonde man dressed in very overdone country clothing.  The
jeans were spanking new, the cowboy shirt fringed, and - oh horrors - brand new
cowboy boots.

If she wasn’t so mortified it’d be
hilarious.  “Oh my God.”

The cowboy approached, handsome
face beaming, hair slicked back, the scent of cologne drifting in his wake as
he strode up to Tam.  “Darling, it’s me.  Anthony.”

Was this a nightmare?  “Anthony?”

“It’s me.”  Completely
disregarding the passer-bys, he bent down and kissed her.

Right on the lips.  In full public
view.

Horrified, Tam jerked back.  “What
the-”

Anthony’s smile was all white
teeth, thanks to a very expensive doctor who was an expert at veneers.  “Happy
to see me?”

“Wow,” breathed someone behind
her.

For the first time, Tam became
aware of some nearby people watching with open mouths.  One of those people was
Yvonne, her eyes fairly popping out of her head, her friend Jaci clutching a
forgotten drink in her hand, her gaze riveted on Anthony.

Farris and Marion were standing by
the side of another tent, Farris holding fairy floss and a concerned frown, Marion, her hand in his, with a lollipop forgotten in her hand.

They both started forward, but she
shook her head at them.  At first she thought Farris was going to continue
towards her, but he stopped when she shook her head more vigorously.

Wanting to get out of sight of the
avid viewers, Tam grabbed Anthony’s arm and glanced around for a private place.

Anthony responded by attempting to
slide his arm around her waist, making her skin crawl.

“Keep your hands to yourself,” she
snapped. “Or I’ll rip the bloody things off.”

The shock on his face was
priceless.  If she’d had time to enjoy it.

Spying what appeared to be a
deserted tent, she hauled Anthony into it.  Inside was a table with a clipboard
and two chairs.  A bottle of water stood on the end of the table, but most
importantly, the tent was empty of people.

She caught sight of Marion talking earnestly to Farris, saw his gaze on the tent, and hoped his girlfriend
could stop him from coming over.  Tam had every intention of sorting this
problem out herself without anyone the wiser.

Turning to Anthony, she hissed,
“What are you doing here?”

“I’ve come to take you home, of
course,” he replied.

“Are you insane?  I’m not going
back to the city with you!”

“Don’t be silly.”  He smiled
charmingly.  “Come on, you know you’ve missed me.”

“Like a hole in the head - and a
bloody huge one at that.”

“I know that you wanted more from
me, and I promise I’ll ensure you get it.”

“Get this.  Go home.”

“Darling, really-”

“What is it with this ‘darling’
business?” she asked suspiciously.  “You’ve never called me any endearment
except, well, ‘dear’.”

“This is the new me, the kind of
man you want me to be.”  There went that flash of white teeth.  “Affectionate.”

“Affectionate?” she repeated
incredulously.  “You?”

The tent flap snapped open.  “I
thought I saw you two duck in here.”

Holy heck, in walked Peter in his
expensive shiny shoes now covered in dust, blue, short-sleeved pricey shirt and
pressed slacks.  His hair was expertly coiffed, his good-looking face smooth as
a baby’s bum.  Not a wrinkle in anything, clothes or skin.  And he sported an
identical set of veneers as Anthony’s.  Go figure.

Crap on a stick. 
“Peter?”

“Ah.” Anthony studied him.  “What
brings you here?”

“The same as you.”  Moving close
to Tam, he took her hand.  “You didn’t like the flowers?”

“Flowers?” Anthony repeated. 
“What flowers?”

“You sent them?”  Tam jerked her
hand from Peter’s smooth grasp.  “Why?”

“An open show of my love for
you.”  Peter smoothed his hand down his shirt as though not quite sure where to
put them, finally sliding one into his pocket and leaning on one leg with a
pose worthy of a highly paid male model.

“Tam is mine,” Anthony said. 
“You’ve wasted a trip.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”  Peter cast
him a withering look.  “She can do so much better married into my family.”  He
switched his attention to her, smiled winningly.  “Sweetheart.”

“I don’t believe this.”  Tam took
a deep breath.

That had both men looking at her,
their gazes sweeping over her, and not really admiringly.  They both took in
her plain pedal pushers, lavender polo shirt, black ballet flats and finally her
jaunty ponytail.

“You’re looking - er - good,”
Peter managed.

“Don’t you mean, not up to par?”
she asked ironically.

“Nothing that can’t be taken of. 
Sweetheart,” he tacked on belatedly.

“Will you stop with the endearment
crap?” she snapped.

“Darling, really.”  Anthony took
her hand.  “He’s irritating, I give you that.  Let’s go home, calm you down-”

“Will you let
go
?”  She snatched
her hand from his, taking a step back.  Hands on hips, she glared at them
both.  “Look, you pair of dingbats-”

Both their mouths fell open.

“I know you two for what you
really are.  I ended both relationships, remember?  That hasn’t changed!”

“Really, Tamara,” Peter
blustered.  “I can give you so much more-”

“No,
you
think
I
can
give you so much more in the way of a supposed inheritance!”  She flung out her
hand.  “I found everything I need right here.”

“This clapped-out, backwards
town?”  Anthony frowned.  “You can’t mean that.”

“I do.  In fact, I found a man so
much more worthy than you two put together.  His affections aren’t feigned, his
endearments are real, and one thing he did that you two never did, and will
never do, is accept me for who I am.”  Folding her arms, she nodded decisively. 
“He made me see myself as someone worthy.  I had no idea before then that you
two broke down my self esteem so much and I, fool that I was, went along with
you to try to gain your acceptance.”

“You are accepted-” Peter began.

“Not by you.”  She stabbed a
finger in Anthony’s direction.  “And not by you.  But you’d both marry me for
what I’d bring.  Let me tell you right now, it isn’t going to happen-”

The tent flap this time was just
about torn open as Grant stormed inside.  “It sure as hell bloody isn’t!”  He
took one look at Anthony and Peter, and snarled, “The only man here she’s
marrying is me!  And who the hell are you two?  Why are you upsetting my woman?”