Playing For Keeps (27 page)

“Do we?”

“Of course. Neil made things sound terrible.
I can explain.”

“Sure you can. I’ll get your stuff.”

She dressed quickly in the downstairs
bathroom, and came out to find Mike gone. Glancing through the
kitchen window, she saw him down by the canal. She hurried out to
him, afraid that Mike was so upset he’d end their relationship. No,
she wouldn’t let that happen. She wanted Mike in her life, in
Kyle’s.

He was seated on the bench, staring at a
flock of ducks circling near the edge of the water. She knew Tyler
loved to feed them, so they were probably waiting for bread. She
placed her hand on his shoulder from behind. “Mike.”

Instead of turning or answering, he kept his
gaze focused on the canal.

“Listen, about what Neil said...”

“Let’s forget about Neil. I have one question
that will clarify everything. I want a truthful answer to it.”

“All right.”

“Do you think I’m a bad influence on Kyle?
Especially if I was part of the reason he changed his major, or
even made changing majors look more desirable.” He turned toward
her now. “Because after what Kyle said, I agree that I had a part
in him deciding to do this, or at least gettin’ the courage to
broach it.” He pierced her with a hurt accusing stare. “So, if I
was
responsible, do you consider that my example was bad
for Kyle?”

“Mike, that’s a loaded question.”

“No, it’s not. It’s pretty damn simple. Do
you object so much to who I am—a jock—that you don’t want your kid
to become one?”

“I want what’s best for my son.”

“You didn’t answer the question.”

“I can’t. Without hurting you.”

“Then there’s my answer.”

“Mike, please, I care so much about you.”

He bolted off the bench and grabbed her arm.
“Don’t you dare say that to me. You don’t care about somebody and
then disapprove of the person he is. I’m an athlete. I always have
been, and I’m not ashamed of it. If it’s such a horrible thought
that your son could be involved in athletics, too, then that says
you object to me, you hold me and what I am in contempt. So don’t
say you care about me.”

“But I do.”

“Well, darlin’, what you just admitted, if
only by the absence of a denial, cuts to the bone. I don’t cotton
to a woman in my life who wants me in bed, but is ashamed of me out
of it.”

“I’m
not
ashamed of you.”

“No, then why didn’t you sit with me last
night?”

She bit her lip.

“Oh, yeah, I forgot. You were confused. So
did a night in the sack clear it all up for you? Because if it did,
I must be a really good lay.”

“Don’t demean what happened between us. It’s
special.”

“Why not, Professor? You demean it every time
you deny our relationship.”

“I’ll do it now.”

“What?”

“Be seen in public with you.”

“Sweetheart, that’s too little too late. I
reckon what happened here today is pretty much irrevocable.” His
mouth twisted in a wry expression. “And, yeah, I know the meaning
of the word. Victor explained it to Nikki on the soap opera. It
means you did something that can’t be changed, can’t be taken
back.”

A car door slammed.

Both of them glanced toward the driveway.
From where they stood, they could see Kyle’s car. Jacelyn turned to
Mike, panic welling inside her. “Mike, we need to talk more.”

“No.” He stared at the house. Soon Tyler
appeared at the back door. “What we need to do is say goodbye. All
of us.”

o0o

Kyle watched Tyler race down the grassy
slope. His heart hurt at the thought of the kid and Coach going
back to Buckland, but he had a good feeling about all this. As he
followed Ty, he knew deep down he’d see them both. A lot.

Kay had told him last night she didn’t
believe that his mom and Coach
weren’t
involved. God, he
hoped that was true. But why would she lie to him?

Watching Ty throw himself at Kyle’s mother,
and seeing her hug the boy made Kyle even happier. Then Ty went to
Coach who swung him up into his chest.

Kyle whistled until he reached them. “Hi,
guys,” he said easily.

“Hey.” Coach’s voice was raw. “How was the
overnight?”

“Awesome, Daddy. We stayed up until four
playing Xbox.”

“You’re gonna be one tired camper, then.”

Kyle shrugged. “I figured he could sleep on
the way home.”

“Sure he can.”

“Mom?” He got a good look at his mother’s
face. “You okay?”

“Yes, of course.” She wrapped her arms around
her waist.

Reaching out, he ruffled TV’s hair. “You’re
gonna miss this little guy, aren’t you?”

“I’m going to miss both Kingston men.”

Yes!
That was good news. Kyle smiled
at Coach, who looked sad or something. “Me, too, Coach.”

Ty laid his head on his father’s chest.
“We’re gonna see you. Soon. Kyle said so.”

His mother swallowed hard. “Okay, if Kyle
said so.”

Kyle watched her. Something more than the
Kingstons leaving was wrong. “Mom? What are you doing here? Coach
and Ty were going to stop by our house on the way out of town.”

Coach let Ty slide down to the ground. The
boy immediately crossed to Kyle and stood by him.

His mother said, “I was up and out. I decided
to meet you guys here.”

Coach glanced at his watch. “Your mother has
an appointment at nine, so she needs to say goodbye now.” He stared
at her hard.

She stared back. The vibes between them were
wacky. Without answering, she turned to Ty and knelt down in front
of him. “Come here, buddy. Give me one last hug.”

Ty threw himself into her arms, burying his
face in her shoulder. She clasped him to her. Over them, Kyle
looked to Coach. His face was stony.

“I’m gonna miss you,” Ty got out.

“Aw, sweetie, I’m going to miss you,
too.”

“Love you, Jacey.”

From where he stood, Kyle could see tears in
his mom’s eyes. “I love you, too, buddy.”

Coach turned his back on them. Kyle watched
his Mom give Ty one more hug then straighten. “Well, I’d better
go.”

Ty just stood there, his eyes bright. Tears
tracked down his mom’s cheeks. She asked Kyle, “Will I see you at
home?”

“Yeah, I’m gonna help get them packed, and
say goodbye then.”

“All right. I’ll be leaving.”

“Aren’t you going to say goodbye to
Coach?”

She stilled, looking at Coach’s back.
“Mike?”

He turned around. “Goodbye, Jacelyn.”

His mother swiped at the tears. She didn’t
say anything for a minute, then she crossed the few feet between
them, and put her arms around Coach’s neck.

At first, Coach didn’t do anything. Then he
gave her a bear hug that could crack ribs.

“Goodbye, Coach,” his mother said weepily.
Tearing herself out of his arms, she pivoted, stopped to kiss
Tyler’s head and practically ran up the hill.

o0o

“That’s about it.” Mike slammed the trunk to
his rented SUV with more force than he’d intended. I shipped the
rest last week with the Ferrari.”

From a few feet away, Kyle stood holding on
to Ty’s hand. Mike had blocked the emotion he felt while saying
goodbye to Jacelyn. He was, however, unable to put a lid on what he
was feeling for the kid before him. How in hell had he gotten so
attached in four short weeks?

“Guess this is it.” Kyle’s eyes were
clear.

Of course, he didn’t know they were saying
goodbye to the family that, somewhere along the line, Mike had been
hoping for.

Bending down, Kyle hugged Ty to his chest.
The boy asked, “When we gonna see you?”

“Soon. I promise, buddy.”

“Ty, Kyle starts classes next week, and your
second grade begins not long after that.”

“Yeah, but he’s coming to the games, aren’t
you, Kyle?”

“Oh, I almost forgot.” Digging into the
pocket of his jeans, Mike dragged out an envelope. “These are for
you.”

Kyle straightened—Ty holding on to his
waist—and took the envelope. “What are they?”

“Passes for the season, to sit in the space
reserved for friends and family.”

Opening the flap, Kyle examined the tickets
reverently. “There are four passes in here.”

“For you, Kay, your uncle and your mother.”
Mike glanced away; he’d gotten them a while ago. “Don’t know if
she’ll be wantin’ to come, though.”

“I bet she will.”

Mike shook his head. “Anyway, it’ll be nice
to have you there. We’re gonna have a great season.” He ruffled
Ty’s hair. “Okay, Champ, one more hug and we gotta go.”

Kyle knelt back down.

Tyler clung to Kyle’s neck. “Gonna miss
you.”

“I’ll miss you, too, buddy.” Then Kyle
whispered, “I love you, Ty.”

“Love you, too.”

That
made Mike’s eyes sting. In a
blur, he got Ty situated in the car. He slammed the door and then
had to face Kyle. The look of pure, unadulterated love on the boy’s
face made Mike weak in the knees.

“I don’t want to say goodbye, Coach.”

Mike didn’t have to fake the emotion in his
throat. “Me, either, kid.” He nodded to the tickets. “But you’ll be
coming to Buckland, right?”

“All but the first game.”

“Why?”

“That’s Dad’s music festival.” Kyle’s smile
was sun-bright. “He wants me there, now.”

If Mike needed a reminder of his place, or
lack of it, in this family, Kyle had just given it to him. “Oh,
sure.” Still, he loved the kid so he went through with what he’d
planned. Taking a paper from his pocket, he handed it to Kyle.
“This is my address and cell phone number. If you ever need
anything, or want to talk about anything, call me.” Then Mike
gripped his shoulder. “Stay in touch, buddy.”

Kyle threw himself into Mike’s arms, and
hugged him like Ty had hugged Jacey. “I will, I promise.”

Mike held on tight. Hell, at least he could
say what he felt to her kid. “I love you, Kyle.”

“Love you, too, Coach.”

And that, Mike thought, drawing away, was
that!

“I’m getting married.”

Distracted by what she’d been forced to buy
this morning at the drugstore, Jacelyn stared at her best friend.
Millie was beaming like a blushing bride. “
What
?”

“Gage and I are getting married. Over
Columbus Day weekend when school’s off for four days. We’d like you
and Mike to be attendants.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

Millie held out her hand where a sparkling
ruby nestled in a bed of diamonds. “Nope.”

Battling back her own misery, Jacelyn stood,
hugged Millie and oohed and aahed with appropriate awe over the
gem. “Congratulations.” Tears stung her eyes. “Oh, Mil, I’m so
happy for you.”

“I never thought I’d find somebody to spend
the rest of my life with. After Tom died, I figured I’d had my
chance at happiness. Hell, some people don’t even get
one
opportunity. But here it is again.” She said meaningfully, “And I’m
grabbing the ball and running for the goal.”

Her analogy made Jacelyn think of Mike, whom
she missed with an intensity she hadn’t thought possible.

“Are you all right?” Millie asked. “You look
like I told you I had a terminal illness.”

Jacelyn sniffled. “Of course I’m all right.
I’m happy for you.” She looked around the office. “What does that
mean for your job, Mil?” If she was losing her best friend, too,
Jacelyn figured she just might die.

“I’m not sure. Right now, I’m keeping the
house. The boys love their school here. I work in Rockford. During
the season, Gage is going to come up on his days off, and we can go
to Buckland on weekends. Then when football’s over, he’s free most
of the time. At least for now, I’m staying put. Who knows for the
future?”

Jacelyn’s smile was genuine. “He’s a
wonderful man.”

“Hmm. Second chances don’t come along very
often, do they?”

Turning, Jacelyn busied herself with the
letters they were writing to applicants for the next school year’s
Outreach Scholarship money. Letters of rejection. “No, I guess
not.”

“And you blew yours.”

Jacelyn looked up sharply. “Yes, I did. I
blew my relationship with Mike. I know that now.”

“Without trying to fix it.”

“I tried to fix it. I called him that first
week after he left. But he wasn’t interested in even talking to me.
So other than the two times I saw Tyler, I haven’t spoken to
him.”

The phone rang and Millie went to answer it.
Jacelyn sat on the couch and thought about her time with
Tyler....

Mike had phoned her late at night at the end
of the first week they’d spent back in Buckland. She’d tried to
reach him twice that week and at first thought he was returning her
calls.

Look, I hate to ask for favors, but I
need one. Ty misses you. He’s cryin’ at night again. Can he see you
?

Of course. Anytime. Mike, did you get my
messages?

Yep. I don’t want to go down that road
again, Jacelyn. Let’s stick to your relationship with Ty.

They’d made arrangements for the boy to come
up just before school started for him in September, and Jacelyn had
eagerly awaited their arrival. She’d been devastated when Mike’s
father pulled his car into the driveway. He’d brought Ty, and he
picked him up. Still, she and the boy had a wonderful two days
together, bike riding, cooking and playing games. She’d missed him
terribly when he left.

“Sorry,” Millie said. “That was the groom. He
calls me twice a day at least.”

Jacelyn felt a streak of jealousy so strong
it embarrassed her. She forced a smile.

“So you saw Ty twice, but not Mike.”

“Right. The second time Kyle brought him back
after the game and Mike arranged for Eric to drive him home.”

And mild-mannered Eric had been upset when he
got the real story out of her....