He talked to Max every night, and heard the
disappointment in his son’s voice that he’d passed off coaching
duties for this week’s game and next week’s. Yeah, he was a sucky
father, no place to judge anyone else.
He didn’t want to be here. He wanted to be
home with his kid on the baseball field. He wanted to be slipping
away from everything with his girl and making love to her on a
boat. He wanted the peace of Bluestone, not the chaos of DC. He’d
finish this story, of course, and he’d have to figure out what he
was going to do as far as income. Maybe if things were more settled
at home, maybe if he knew Trinity would be waiting for him, maybe
if he bought that little house and knew he’d be coming home to her
and to Max, maybe then he could go on these occasional stories and
make his living.
Maybe he could write a book. He was
marketable, he had a platform. He played with the possibility as he
eased the car into the lane to the right, then bided his time to
the next lane change, just before the turn into the hotel garage.
Yes. He’d finish this story, and he’d go home.
***
When he got back to Bluestone, however,
everything was in chaos.
Lily paced in front of the baseball field
when he pulled up. “Maddox Bradley canceled,” she informed him
before he got out of the truck.
He hopped down, glancing past her to see
where Max was—practicing catching with John Evans—before turning
his attention back to her.“What? Are you kidding me? Why?”
“His management said it wasn’t cleared
through them so he couldn’t play. He’s not free Memorial Day
weekend.”
Okay, that messed up their schedule, with
Memorial Day two weeks away, but they could salvage this. “So we
get him to come another weekend. Has anyone talked to him?”
She shook her head. “No one can get ahold of
him. Leo, we’ve sold tickets already. A lot of tickets. We have to
give that money back. Do you know what a bind this has put us in?
all the reservations people have made at my lodge—we’re going to be
hurting after this if someone can’t get through and get him to
change his mind.”
He closed the truck door, again seeking Max
warming up on the field. He didn’t want the boy to see him just
yet. “Someone meaning me?”
She fell into step beside him, her arms
wrapped tightly about herself. “You’re the one who arranged it in
the first place. The only thing we can be grateful for is that he
let us know in advance, and not when we already had hundreds of
angry people in Bluestone.”
“Though that would at least have netted some
income for the town.”
She grabbed his arm, stopping him. “You’re
not saying we don’t tell them until they get here?”
He blew out a breath. “Of course not. That
would be dishonest. But maybe if we can’t get him to change his
mind, we can make a deal with them, another band, a reduced price,
if they keep their reservations.”
She hugged him quickly. “I should have known
you’d have a plan.”
“Why didn’t you call me when you found
out?”
“I knew you were busy and I thought—”
“Dad! You made it!” Max raced across the
field and barreled into Leo’s legs, sending him staggering back a
couple of steps as his arms went around his boy.
He hugged him tight. “Yeah, I figured we’d
test the theory about whether I’m a jinx or not.” They’d won the
game when he’d been away.
Max laughed and tugged his hand toward the
field.
Then, because he couldn’t resist, Leo scanned
the crowd for Trinity. Every blonde he saw made his pulse jump, but
no Trinity. He twisted to look at Lily, who’d followed, them. She
shook her head at his silent question. He inclined his head to
where Quinn sat in the stands and her head shake was more
vehement.
Leo let his thoughts focus on the game,
though he let the other coach lead the team. Still the theory he
and Max had come up with, that he was a team jinx, proved to have a
solid basis as the Bluestone Bulldogs lost soundly. Nonetheless,
Leo took the team out for pizza, his gaze drifting again and again
to the door, hoping Trinity would show up.
It was best she didn’t—he needed to talk to
her privately. And he needed to take care of other things first. He
hoped the delay wouldn’t make things worse.
***
Trinity sat on the toilet in the drugstore’s
bathroom and stared at the stick in both hands. This couldn’t be
happening. Not again. She had to be the most fertile woman to ever
walk the planet. She and Leo had been so careful, using protection
every time. What had gone wrong? How was she going to tell Leo,
especially now?
And what would she do next? She couldn’t
imagine telling her family again, certainly couldn’t stay in
Bluestone with her shame. Well, this was a sign, then. She’d move
away, to a city. She’d start sending out applications now.
What about the baby? Her hand went to her
stomach. Would she be able to give another child up for adoption,
knowing what it had cost last time? Was she capable of raising a
child on her own? She was more mature now, more settled. She would
have to stop helping her parents with the bills and use her salary
for herself and her child. She could make it. Of course, she
wouldn’t have friends nearby to help, not at first,
She didn’t have to make all these decisions
right now, sitting in a public restroom. She discarded the test and
the packaging, washed her hands and drove home, hands shaking.
***
Still reeling from her discovery, she skipped
movie night, but by Saturday, she couldn’t bear to stay in another
night. She would go to the concert, though she wasn’t particularly
a music fan. She wished she could have a beer with Lily, and hoped
her choice of a pop wouldn’t be commented upon. Still, it would be
nice to be with people.
Leo was back in town but she hadn’t heard
from him, hadn’t even seen him except from a distance when he
dropped off Max Friday and picked him up. They needed to talk, she
needed to tell him, but didn’t know how. She had no idea how Leo
would react, even if he didn’t know about her past. And then there
was Max to consider. God, what a mess.
She knew he was busy, scrambling to help
clean up the mess Maddox had left them in, calling ticket holders
and bargaining with them, promoting this week’s concert, coaching.
Still, he’d been busy before and managed to fit her into his
life.
But clearly he thought they were over.
She wore her favorite jeans, ones she planned
to wear every day until they didn’t fit anymore, and her favorite
T-shirt, fixed her hair and put on make-up, so she could feel good
about herself. Leo would be there, and she wouldn’t look like she’d
been mourning the loss of their relationship. She was going to go
with the age-old woman’s adage and make him eat his heart out.
She parked at Lily’s and crossed to Quinn’s,
where the stage was set up in the lot. A few dozen people milled
around. Not a lot better than the last concert, but Lily had said
her rooms were filled, and the bar was busy, people rolling in and
out. That was what they wanted, right? Business for the town.
Several of the townspeople waved a welcome to her and some stopped
to mention they’d missed her the night before.
And there was Leo, standing on the edge of
the parking lot, talking to Dale Simmons. He looked up when he saw
her and offered a hesitant smile. She jolted and froze in place.
They had so much to talk about and this was not the place. She
wished for Lily, for anyone to come and distract her now, but no.
Leo was crossing the parking lot toward her.
“I was hoping you’d come tonight. We missed
you last night.”
“When did you get back in town?” She hated
that her arms automatically went around herself protectively.
“Thursday, in time for the game. Sorry I
haven’t called, but it’s been nuts since Maddox backed out. I hoped
to see you last night.” He watched her closely, and she was afraid
he’d see too much. Even knowing she’d see him tonight, she had no
idea what to say. She hadn’t been certain he’d approach her.
She nodded.
“We need to talk, Trin.”
She nodded again, feeling like a mute
fool.
“Not here, though. Meet me for breakfast
tomorrow?”
“I have church.”
He looked over her shoulder and nodded.
“Okay, then I have baseball practice. Dinner? We can go to Wilson
or Pape.”
Just as she’d done with Charles so no one
would know her business. Could she tell him about the baby then?
The idea made her stomach turn. She didn’t want to tell him in a
restaurant. She wanted it to be special, even knowing he might walk
away. God, she was a fool.
“Pape would be good.” There were at least a
couple of nicer restaurants there. Somehow telling him he was going
to be a father again under fluorescent lights didn’t seem
right.
He nodded, a bit of relief relaxing his
features. “Would you like a beer or something?”
She took a deep breath. “A pop would be
great.”
His brow furrowed but he didn’t comment.
“I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”
As she watched him trot up the steps to
Quinn’s, she mourned the loss of the easiness between them. She
wanted to run home, to hide until tomorrow when she could tell him
everything. She turned to leave when she saw Lily, visibly upset,
stomping down the steps from Quinn’s.
She met her friend at the bottom. “What’s
wrong?”
Lily flung her arm in the direction of the
bar. “Did you know Quinn Alden is the most stubborn man on the
planet?”
Trinity could barely hide a smile. “I’d heard
that, yes. What did he do now?”
Lily shook her head, her entire body shaking
with impatience. “Did you know he danced with me the other
night?”
“What?”
“The night you and Leo were in. I stayed late
to help. I do that a lot. He took me out on the dance floor and
danced with me. It wasn’t a slow song and he wasn’t all pressed
against me or anything, but he was so focused on me. I could barely
sleep that night. I thought things would be different. And he’s
built the stage and he’s playing ball and then he tells me he got
an offer on the bar.”
Trinity stepped back, shocked. She’d known
he’d wanted to sell the bar for awhile now, but like Lily had
pointed out, he was invested in the town now. Why do all he’d done,
then sell? “He’s leaving?”
“He wants to. He tells me he can’t stay here.
He has that damned tattoo on his arm to remind him of Gerry every
day, but he can’t stay here because it reminds him of Gerry and the
life he wanted but won’t ever have. Now you tell me. Gerry’s dead.
Why does Quinn have to give up his dreams, too?”
Trinity curved her arm around her friend’s
shoulders, though she had to stretch to do it. “I’m sorry, Lily. If
he means that much to you, you can go with him.”
Lily pulled away, all vibrating energy. “I
don’t want to go to the city. I want to stay here. I love the lake.
I love Bluestone. I love what we’re bringing here, you and me and
Quinn and now Leo. I think we’re awesome. Why doesn’t Quinn see
that?”
For the first time since Trinity knew her,
Lily burst into tears. Trinity felt a twinge of guilt as she pulled
the other woman close. Here Lily was counting on her to stay to
help save Bluestone and Trinity was planning on bailing as soon as
she could. She’d miss Lily, who would be a terrific godmother to
her child, who wouldn’t judge her, who would be there for her. If
only her parents wouldn’t be so upset, her brother shamed. Why was
she born into a family of ministers anyway?
She wanted to confess to Lily her own
problems, but it would be wrong to tell Lily about the baby before
she told Leo, and when Lily had her own problems to deal with. She
just had to get through tonight, and tomorrow she’d know what her
next step was.
Leo returned then, with two beers and a pop.
He handed a beer to Lily while she tried to discreetly wipe her
eyes. He lifted his eyebrows in question at Trinity, but she merely
shook her head.
“I’m going to go,” Lily said, handing the
beer back to Leo. “I’m not good company tonight.”
Well, that made all of them. Trinity watched
Lily walk away and turned back to Leo with no buffer.
“Is Quinn busy?”
“They seem to be hopping. He has a couple of
waitresses. I’ve never seen more than one. So a good sign.”
She hated making small talk with Leo when so
much hung over them. “How was Washington?”
He grimaced as he took a sip of beer.
“Moments of insanity tempered by long periods of boredom. I don’t
know why Breiling sent me to do that story. Seemed more fit for a
rookie.”
“Maybe he thought only you could make it
interesting.”
He laughed. “Maybe. I hope I did.”
“You don’t know?”
“I can never judge my own work. Some stuff
I’ve written seems good and doesn’t get any recognition. Some that
I dash off win awards. Who’s to say? You want to go grab a seat?”
He motioned toward the end of one of the empty picnic tables.
Without waiting for her answer, he led the
way across the gravel and she followed, her legs shaking. The pop
was tasteless in her dry mouth.
“What was Lily upset about?” he asked when
they claimed their spot.
“Quinn got an offer on the bar.”
He straightened. “Ah.”
“You knew?”
“I made the offer.”
She whipped around so quickly, she knocked
the bottle over. He caught it, but not before half its contents
fizzed over the table and through the slats. “What? Leo, you can’t
buy Quinn’s bar!”
“Why not?”
She opened and closed her mouth, searching
for a plausible reason before her gaze settled on the sign on the
roof. She waved her hand in that direction, and he held the bottle
out of her reach. “Well, for one, it’s called Quinn’s.”