Better Late Than Never (17 page)

Todd laughed and touched the brim of his hat. “I will.”

Kristen turned and headed toward the table. Todd had given her a lot to think about. The main thing being why his touch didn’t leave her unable to think like Randy’s did. She sat down at the table she and her sisters picked out, but both of them were on the dance floor. Keirra was still dancing with Eric, and Kayla was dancing with Jonah. She wondered what was up between the two of them. Jonah was a good guy, and he was friends with Randy. She scanned the room to see if she could find him, but she couldn’t. A sigh of disappointment fell from her lips. She didn’t realize how much she wanted to see Randy until now. She wanted things to work out with him, but she couldn’t figure out how.

“Hey, beautiful.”

Kristen looked up at the sound of Randy’s voice. She had begun to count down the time to when he was going to show up.

She smiled. “Hey, you.”

“Did you miss me?”

She laughed. “Of course I did.”

He held his hand out to her. “Would you like to dance?”

She nodded. “Yes, I would.” She paused. “Where is Wade?”

“Mom and Dad insisted he stay with them. They are down at the square.”

She was glad his parents helped him like they did. It was tough being a single parent, and she gave Randy all the credit in the world for doing it the way he did. She allowed him to pull her into a standing position before leading the way to the dance floor. When they reached the dance floor, Randy pulled her into his arms and gave her a brief but passionate kiss. When he lifted his head, she was breathless.

“What was that for?”

He smiled. “Because I missed you.”

He continued to lead them around the floor. “Did your grandparents make it off all right?”

She laid her head on his shoulder. “Yes, they did, and after my conversation with them, they are thinking about trading in the RV for a home here in Baxley. However, they did try to add in the stipulation of great-grandchildren with the deal.”

He laughed. “I have always liked your grandparents, and I think it would be good for all of you for them to move here, great-grandchildren or not.”

“I know. I am just glad they were willing to listen to me.”

He gave her a puzzled look. “Did you think they wouldn’t?”

She shook her head. “Sometimes I think my grandparents keep busy so they aren’t always reminded of everything they’ve lost.”

Randy nodded, and she knew it made sense to him because he knew her family history well. Her grandparents only had one child because her grandmother had suffered complications while in childbirth, and an emergency hysterectomy had been performed. Kristen couldn’t imagine how difficult that would be on anyone. In the short time she had spent with Wade, he had become special to her, and if something happened to him, she would be crushed, not to mention Randy. She was just glad everything was working out okay with Kristen and her sisters. They had been devastated when they had first come to Baxley. The loss of their father had been fresh, and there had been a lot of grief. Still, they had managed to make it through by supporting each other.

Randy smiled at Kristen. “Did I tell you look beautiful tonight?”

She grinned. “Yes, you did.”

“Well then let me tell you again. You look beautiful.”

She brushed a speck off of his shoulder. “You look quite handsome yourself.”

He was dressed in a green polo shirt that emphasized his broad shoulders and strong arms. Khaki pants covered his bottom half showing off muscular thighs and a firm butt. The man was sexy as sin. She could remember being the envy of a lot of girls.

Dating an older guy who just happened to be sexy and very popular helped fuel the envy. Her arms tightened around him reflexively.

“Let’s go somewhere private.”

She looked up at with surprise. “Okay.”

He took her hand and led her off the dance floor. She spoke to people as they passed by. Randy led her outside to his truck, and she climbed in on the passenger side. She watched Randy walk around to the driver side. When he got in beside her she smiled. “This wasn’t an excuse to get me into the backseat was it?”

He chuckled. “As tempting as that sounds no it isn’t.”

He was silent, and after a long pause, she scooted closer to him. “So why did you bring me out here?”

Randy turned to look at her with an expression she couldn’t decipher. “To talk.”

She gave him a questioning look. “About?”

He looked away from her and his hands tightened on the steering wheel. He swallowed a few times before looking back at her.
 
“Us.”

She exhaled softly. “Okay.”

Randy gave her a grim smile. “I saw you dancing with Todd tonight.”

Her eyes narrowed at his expression. She was here to have a good time tonight. The last thing she wanted was to have a heated argument with him. Not here. Not now. “And?”

He looked away from her again to stare out the window. His body language told her this was hard for him to talk about. After a few heartbeats of silence he sighed. “I was jealous.”

Her eyebrows rose. This was the last thing she expected him to admit. “Why were you jealous?”

Randy frowned. “Because I didn’t like seeing another mans hands on you. Anymore than you would like seeing another woman’s hands on me.”

“Yes, but I trust you.”

He sighed. “I trust you as well. In more ways than you know. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have told you everything that I have about what happened between Lila and
myself
. You know things that other people don’t.”

Shock traveled through her. “I do?”

He nodded. “You do. I care about you more than I think I can ever get you to understand, Kristen, but we can’t continue like this. It isn’t fair to either of us to only get fifty percent when we both deserve a hundred.”

He sighed with aggravation. “This is driving me insane. I’m trying to be patient, Kristen, but I needed to know if we are going to be together all the way or not.”

He reached across the truck and took her hand in his. “I just need to know that you want a relationship with me as much as I want one with you. I need to know that you are going to fight for me the way I’m fighting for you.”

Kristen closed her eyes. Randy was saying everything that she wanted to hear, and he was backing it up with his action. When she thought about it, he was right. He had been giving her everything that he had, but she wasn’t doing the same in return. She was dragging her feet with him, and she couldn’t remember why. Yes, Randy broke up with her for a stupid reason, but they had been young. She could have handled things differently than she did. She could have fought for Randy, but she hadn’t. Her eyes popped open.
Why didn’t I fight for Randy
? Kristen groaned. All this time she wanted to place the blame for the fallout of their relationship on Randy, but she could have done things differently as well. It wasn’t fair for her to continue to hold him accountable when she was just as guilty. As the realization struck her, she shook her head. Well she did want Randy, and she always had. This time she was willing to fight for him.

She glanced over at him. His intense gaze was on her. She sighed. “You are right, Randy. It isn’t fair to either of us to only go at this halfheartedly. I also realized something else tonight when I was dancing with Todd.” She gave his hand a light squeeze. “Your touch is the only one that I want, the touch I crave, the touch I need.”

A slow smile spread across his face, and he leaned closer to her. “Does this mean we are going steady?”

She laughed. “I don’t think they have called it that since the sixties, but yes we are going steady.”

“Good. I promise you won’t regret it.”

His lips came down on hers, and she opened her mouth to him. A short time later, he pulled back.

“I promise you will never regret this. Now let’s get back inside because I love the feel of you in my arms, and I plan to have you in them all night.”

She didn’t have time to respond before he backed away and climbed out of the truck. Her thoughts were racing as he led her back inside. Randy was true to his word because he tugged her onto the dance floor. A slow song was on, and he gathered her close. She rested her head on his shoulder and enjoyed his embrace. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long because the slow song went off and a fast song came on. The floor cleared some, but most people stayed on the floor. Randy leaned back and looked at her with a wicked grin.

“Do you remember our old moves?”

Kristen nodded. There was no way in the world she could forget dancing with Randy. It had been something they had in common and something they had done a lot of. They had even won a few dance contests together. Before she could say anything, Randy spun her out and drew her back in. She emitted a breathless laugh.

“I just had to test you to make sure.”

He spun her out again, and they continued around the dance floor. After a few times around the dance floor, she realized most of the attention was on her and Randy.

The song was about to end and she took a deep breath right as Randy took her into a continuous spin. After all the times they danced together she knew what to do. When the song ended, he brought her into him and stopped. There was a lot of applause, but the music resumed, and everyone began dancing again. She had missed this. Until this exact moment she hadn’t realized just how much. Being back here with Randy made her happy.

She leaned back and looked at him a little winded. “I don’t know about you, but I need a break.”

He nodded and led the way off of the dance floor. Keirra and Eric were sitting at their table. Kristen felt her eyes widen when she saw her sister laugh at something Eric said. She had never seen Keirra amused by anything Eric said. To mention Eric’s name was enough to make her sister frown. She walked up to the table, and then took a seat next to Keirra.

Keirra smiled at her. “The two of you looked good out there.”

She grinned. “To be honest, I am surprised I remembered all of the old moves.”

Randy sat down next to her taking a deep breath. “It was like we never stopped dancing.”

Kristen laughed. “I know.”

He stood. “I am going to go and get some punch. Would you ladies like any?”

They all said yes, so Eric stood up to go with him. Once the two men were out of ear shot Kristen turned to look a Keirra. “So what is going on between you two?”

Keirra shook her head. “Nothing. Just being nice.”

Kristen’s eyebrows rose.
“Oh, is that all?”

Keirra laughed. “What can I say?”

Kristen leaned forward to whisper. “You can say Eric is the finest man you have ever seen, and you are interested in him.”

Keirra reached out and took her sister’s hand in hers. There was sincerity in her gaze when she spoke. “How about it is Friday night, and I am here to have a good time, and Eric just so happens to be the person I’m having fun with.”

Kristen sat back and smiled. “Okay, I can go for that tonight.”

Her sister had come a long way, and she didn’t want to ruin any of the progress. Having Keirra in the same room with Eric for more than five minutes without an argument ensuing was close to a miracle. She didn’t care because Keirra was happy. Come to think of it, so was she.

Chapter Thirteen

Kristen smiled while she watched Randy work on Wade’s bike. They were in the backyard, and Randy had been on his knees for fifteen minutes trying to repair the bike Wade had wrecked with daredevils antics. She wasn’t going to pretend she hadn’t almost had a massive coronary when Wade jumped the curb, especially when he teetered to the side. Before he right himself, she had been certain she was going to have to make an unplanned trip to the emergency room. It seemed Wade had done this several times before. She was tempted to let the bike remain in the state it was in but Wade loved the bike. Now she was glad Randy had strapped the bike helmet, knees and elbow pads on Wade. After what she had seen him do earlier he might need more padding. She couldn’t recall her or her sister’s being so adventurous. Well okay maybe Keirra had been because of her tomboy streak, but her sister had never pulled any daredevil antics on her bike. She and Wade handed him every tool he called out.

“Wade, this is why you shouldn’t jump curbs.”

Kristen laughed “You have a
Tony Hawk
on your hands.”

Randy looked up at her and laughed himself. “Not really since I believe
Tony Hawk
is a skater.”

Kristen shrugged her indifference. She had come over to spend time with him and Wade. She smiled at the sight they made. Randy was doing his best to repair the bike with Wade watching his every move. Randy put the wrench down, and she handed him a towel so he could wipe his hands.

“Don’t tire yourself out.”

He chuckled. “Fixing a bike isn’t going to tire me out. He pulled her into his arms. “Why would you be concerned that it would?”

She stretched up to whisper in his ear. “Well I thought we should take advantage having the house to ourselves tonight after we drop Wade off at your moms.”

She pulled back and chuckled at his wicked smile. “And what do you think we should do to take advantage of that time?”

The suggestions Randy whispered in her ear had her wanting to gather Wade up and take him over to Ophelia’s immediately. He released her from his embrace.

“Now if you want me to make good on any of those promises, I need to make sure this bike is fixed. Wade will want to take it with him.”

She nodded and stepped back watching him as he knelt before the bike again. Her heart swelled with happiness. She was back where she wanted to be and she was content. No, she was more than content, she was ecstatic and she was ready to build a stronger relationship with Randy.
 

He checked the chain on the bike, inspecting his handy work. He must have found something else wrong because he picked up the wrench again. He began tightening a bolt by the wheel and the house phone rang. “Could you answer that for me?”

She nodded and headed into the house. She picked up the ringing phone and spoke. There was a brief pause before a woman’s voice came over the line.

“Um . . . I was looking for Randy.”

Kristen put the woman on hold and walked toward the patio door leading to the backyard with the cordless extension. Randy was bent over the bike again with the wrench in his hand.

“It’s for you.”

“Who is it?”

She shrugged. “I didn’t ask.”

He gave her a strange look before putting down the wrench. Randy cleaned his hands on the towel then reached for the phone before giving her another kiss on the lips. It took her a few moments to get her mind back in focus. The funny thing was it always did when he touched her. There was so much about him she just couldn’t get enough of.

Randy had worked hard to convince her to date him even though she cared a lot about him and wanted to be back with him. She had been afraid of what he represented even back then. Randy was a good friend and an even better boyfriend. Those were things in him she knew she would never find in another man. If she had, she didn’t remember but it did not matter. The Randy she was dealing with now was more mature more polished. He was hers.

Wade interrupted her mental rambling by asking for some water so she led him toward the house. He slipped his hand inside of hers and held it while they entered the kitchen. She gave him some water in his water bottle and a graham cracker to give him energy he didn’t need. She put him at the table before going back to the patio door. Randy liked graham crackers, too, and she wanted to know if he wanted her to bring him a few. When she stepped out the door she knew something was wrong. Randy looked tense and angry. Also every other word that came out of his mouth was a cuss word.

“For the last time I said
no
!
”

He hung up the phone, and she could tell he wanted to throw it, but he controlled himself. Although his tight grip on the phone wasn’t any better. Kristen had to keep her mouth from dragging the ground. She had never seen Randy lose his temper. Ever.

“Who was it?”

He turned to face her and looked a little surprised to find her standing behind him.

“Lila.”

Kristen struggled to keep her expression blank. She never expected to hear that name. “What did she want?”

Randy knelt back down beside the back and sighed with irritation. “She wants to see Wade because she misses him and wants to see how he is.”

“Why won’t you let Lila see him? Didn’t you say that you wanted her to be concerned about him?”

He looked at her like she had just asked him to jump in front of a fast moving car. “Wade doesn’t need someone like her in his life.”

“Don’t you think he needs to make that decision?”

“When he’s old enough, yes, but until then I have no choice but to say no on his behalf.”

He looked at her, and she saw pain in his eyes. “What do I do when she leaves Wade again? Because trust me she will. It’s who she is.” He gave her a sad smile. “But don’t worry about it. This is my problem.”

She frowned. “Don’t you mean our problem? I am your girlfriend.”

“But not my wife. Being his father makes me the one responsible for his well-being.”

Kristen felt reeled back like she had been slapped in the face. She was speechless to the point that her knees trembled.

How could he be so cold? Not to mention that once again he had made a decision about their relationship without her input. It made her wonder if he even had any intention of making her his wife or even including her in his life. She tried to compose herself when she felt more like screaming, but it was difficult. It took all of the years of training she had to keep from hitting Randy in the face. It wasn’t often she felt like resorting to violence. She needed to get away from him and quick.

She nodded slowly. “You’re right. I’m not your
wife,
and right now, I don’t want to be your
girlfriend
either.”

Wade came back into the room oblivious to their argument, and she was glad because she didn’t want to expose him to it. She turned and opened up the patio door, and Wade ran out. He ran straight for his bike his father had managed to fix. Tears came to her eyes, but she held them back.

“I will be going now. Tell Wade good-bye for me.”

Her hands were shaking when she gathered up her purse. She walked out the front door and headed to her car. Her chest ached from the anger she felt. Hurt. Disappointment. Just when she decided to open herself up to him again. Made the choice to put it all on the line. Now he had hurt her again and with the ultimate words. No she hadn’t expected Randy to propose marriage tomorrow but she was hoping it would become a reality someday. After the words he just said to her he wondered if the thought had even crossed his mind. The words he said to her in the car a week ago at the dance seemed so heartfelt. Now she couldn’t help but to doubt them. How could a man run so hot one second and cold the next? How could he imply that she didn’t have Wade’s best interest at heart? She cared about Wade just as much as she cared about Randy. She would never do anything to harm either of them. To hear Randy doubt her feelings hurt, a lot. It wasn’t until she made it to the house that tears began to fall.

Kayla and Keirra rushed forward in concern and embraced her. “What happened?”

Kristen shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

It was all she could do to force the words past her tight throat. Her sisters remained silent when they led her to the couch. Keirra’s arm automatically went around Kristen. Kayla went in searched of a box of Kleenex. They all sat there while Kristen cried on and off. She managed to pull herself together and was ready to talk. Keirra and Kayla were appalled by the time she finished. Kayla stood up. “This calls for a half gallon of Banana Walnut.”

She left and went into the kitchen and returned a short while later with the ice cream and three spoons. Kristen blew her nose and set the tissue aside.

“What could make him say something like that to me? I haven’t done anything to deserve this.”

Keirra shook her head. “He’s angry.”

Kayla opened the ice cream, and from the dent left in the rim, it was obvious she was angry. “But it doesn’t give him the right to treat Kristen like crap. He has already put her through enough as it is. She gave him another chance in spite of it, and this is how he repays her.”

Keirra scoffed. “We have all said things in the heat of moment we didn’t mean. I know I have.”

Kristen sniffled, looking back and forth between her sisters. If she didn’t know any better she would have sworn they switched places judging by their reactions. She sniffled again, while she scooped up a spoonful of the ice cream and ate it. “You could be right. We just need some time apart. He needs to clear his head, and I need to clear mine. We rushed into this too fast.”

Kayla gave her a look of utter shock. “Kristen, this has nothing to do with rushing anything. This is pure stupidity.”

Keirra nodded. “Kayla would know.”

The comment earned her a dirty look from Kayla, and Kristen laughed even though she didn’t want to. She knew her sister’s were just doing their best to make her feel better. What she would like to do is punch something, hard. Instead, she ate another spoonful of the ice cream. “After this I’m going to take a hot bath and go to bed.”

When neither of her sisters protested, she stood and made her way upstairs. In the blink of an eye, the day had gone from good to bad. Now all she wanted to do was hide out in her room until she could figure this all out. She would find a way to get through this.

* * * *

Randy knew the moment Kristen left he made a mistake. He picked up the wrench and threw it to the ground. It stuck in the soft dirt, but it did nothing to expel the anger he felt. Lila had no right to call and ask to see Wade. She had given up her rights a long time ago. He knew he was right in his decision to not let Lila see Wade, but he felt he was dead wrong in how he had explained it to Kristen. To be honest, there hadn’t been much discussion of the whole story with Kristen so how could he blame her for her line of questions? He felt sick at the recollection of the expression on Kristen’s face. The last time he had seen it was when he told her the reason why he called off their relationship. The look of hurt had been one he had never wanted to see again but yet he managed to put the same exact expression there again. Wade rushed by him toward the house. A second later, he came back out onto the patio with a confused expression on his face.

“Where’s Kristen?”

Randy stumbled to find something to say to Wade to explain the difficult situation. He had always been honest with his son, and he wasn’t going to change that now. He knelt down to Wade’s level.

“Kristen and I had an argument, but I need to go talk to her.”

Wade still looked confused. “Are you going to bring her back?”

Randy felt a pain shoot through his heart. There was no way that he could leave things the way they were. He and his son needed Kristen in their lives.