The Red Gloves Collection (21 page)

By the end of the weekend, Megan felt even more strongly that she’d known Casey Cummins all her life. She kept waiting for his attention to die off, fade into nothing as she expected it to. They’d met the program requirement, after all. Casey’s interest was in Jordan, not her. But a few nights later Casey called, and Megan answered the phone. “Hello?”

“Guess what?”

“What?” Megan had kept their friendship very simple and businesslike, despite her probing questions at the basketball game. But at times like this, she couldn’t help but feel a little thrill at the sound of his voice.

“It’s snowing!” Casey sounded not much older than Jordan.

“Yes.” She giggled. “And it’s seven o’clock.”

“That’s the perfect time for skating at the park.” He hesitated. “Wollman Rink, Megan. What do you say? You and Jordan get ready, and we’ll surprise him, okay?”

“Well … ” The whole thing made her wonder what was happening to her resolve, her steely determination. But she didn’t dare voice her feelings. She’d kept them from her mother so far, and if she had any sense, she’d keep them from herself. After all, the man wasn’t looking for a relationship. He was still in love with his dead wife. Besides, nothing smart could come from letting herself fall for Jordan’s special friend. She was too busy, her heart too closed, for a man like Casey.

She glanced at the clock on the microwave. “Right now?”

“Ah, come on, Megan. You only live once.”

“I don’t know … ” Megan hesitated just long enough for him to pounce.

“Good! I’ll pick you both up in twenty minutes.”

Jordan was thrilled with the surprise, and he didn’t stop talking until, halfway around the rink the first time, Megan fell smack on her backside.

Jordan’s face twisted in concern, but Casey stifled a laugh as he held out his hand and helped her up. “If the judges could see you now.”

“Stop.” Megan made a sound that was more laugh than moan. When she did, Jordan relaxed and joined in. She winced as she made her way to her feet and brushed the ice off her woolen slacks. But she didn’t fall again the rest of the night, and at the end of the evening Jordan gave Casey a quick hug and ran into the apartment, leaving Casey and Megan at the door still breathless from the adventure.

Their eyes met and held for a moment, and Megan thought of a dozen things she wanted to ask him. What were they doing and where was it leading? And most of all, didn’t it feel wonderful to laugh again? But she was certain questions like that would send Casey running. Besides, she was feeling this way only because skating at Central Park in December was somehow magical. And magic didn’t always make sense.

The moment passed, and the days began to blend together. Every time she joined Casey and Jordan for an evening out or a few hours at the park, she figured it was the last time, that she was still out of place in their midst because now that she’d fulfilled the program requirement and met Casey, the arrangement was intended for the two of them.

Not the three of them.

But Casey kept inviting her, and she kept hearing herself say yes.

They saw a Christmas play at an off-Broadway theater, and a few nights later he took them to his café. It was warm and brightly decorated with Broadway posters and street signs. A big man behind the counter welcomed Megan and Jordan with a hearty handshake. “So, you’re the reason old Casey hasn’t been around much, huh?” His smile lit the room.

When Casey sat Megan and Jordan at one of the tables by the window, she watched him head through the café and make brief conversation with a few of the customers. He was obviously a successful businessman, liked by all types of people. She watched as he made his way back to the counter, and she saw the man behind the counter lean close and whisper something.

Casey only smiled in response and lifted his hands in the air. When he returned to the table, Megan asked him about it. “Okay, what’s the story? You’re in trouble with your staff because of us, right?”

“Hardly.” Casey grinned. “Now, what’re we having for dinner?”

A
s busy as November had been for Megan, December saw the court calendar grind to a halt. Most of the hearings were used only to gain continuations until after the holidays, and Megan found herself looking forward to the time she spent away from the office.

Still, she worried about what would happen come January, when the calendar got busy again and the newness of her friendship with Casey wore off. She had to keep reminding herself that he wasn’t in their lives for her, but for Jordan. And she promised herself that after December, she’d let the two of them get back to meeting without her.

“He’s falling for you, Megan.” Her mother confronted her one day as she was heading off to work. “And you?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Mother. We’re grown adults, and neither of us is falling anywhere. I’m only helping Jordan get to know him better.”

“Yes, and I’m the Easter Bunny.” Her mother clucked her tongue and narrowed her eyes in silence for a long while. “Don’t you hurt that boy, Megan. I know you.”

“Mother, my goodness. I’m the one who took Jordan down and signed him up for the program. The last thing I’d do is find a way to hurt him where Casey’s concerned.”

Her mother only lowered her chin and gave Megan a look that shot arrows at her soul. “I’m not talking about Jordan.” She paused and dropped her voice. “If you’re not falling for him, then don’t lead him on.”

Anger and frustration mingled and boiled near the surface of her heart. How could she tell her mother that yes, she was falling. Especially when she was almost convinced Casey didn’t share her feelings? Besides, she didn’t believe in love. Wasn’t that her? Maybe her mother was right. Maybe it was time she reminded herself of that fact so neither of them got hurt.

She sniffed hard. “I’m not leading him on. He’s a friend, Mother. Nothing more.”

The days melted away, and still the three of them continued to find ways to be together. They walked through Central Park and had a snowball fight on the meadow between the tennis courts and the reservoir, and Casey’s fingers nearly got frostbitten.

“Where’s your gloves?” Megan dropped beside Casey on the closest park bench and watched Jordan as he pelted bushes with one snowball after another.

“Lost ‘em at the café last week.” Casey shrugged. “I’ll live. I can always use my coat pockets.”

They shopped at Macy’s and saw the lights of the city from a horse-drawn carriage. After her mother’s warning, Megan was careful never to so much as let her arm brush against Casey’s so that he wouldn’t get the wrong impression. And as wonderful as their evenings together were, he never gave her any hint that he was interested in her.

Two days before Christmas, Casey called and talked to Jordan for a few minutes. Then he asked to speak to her.

“Hello?”

“Hey … listen, I want to bring by a gift for Jordan. Would tomorrow be okay?”

Megan’s heart ached at the sound of his voice. The month was almost over, and she had the strangest feeling that these were their last days together, that after the New Year everything would change. But for now she couldn’t bear to miss an opportunity for the three of them to be together again. “That’d be perfect. Why don’t you come for dinner? Mom and I make turkey on Christmas Eve.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Of course not.” Megan kept her voice casual. “We’d love to see you.”

Jordan was ecstatic about the idea, and Megan’s mother promised to be on her best behavior. Casey arrived with a box of roasted almonds and a bouquet of white roses for Megan.

He handed them to her and rubbed his bare hands together. “I hope they’re not frozen.”

Megan took the flowers and for just the flash of a moment wondered if he’d chosen white over red on purpose. “They’re beautiful, Casey. Thank you.”

“I figured a New York City prosecutor probably didn’t get flowers too often.” He looked down at Jordan and handed him a wrapped box. “Besides, your son here wasn’t much help with Christmas suggestions for his mom.”

“Can I open it?” Jordan held his fingers poised near the crease in the wrapping paper, waiting for the go-ahead signal.

Megan and Casey laughed, and Casey nodded. “Sure, buddy.”

Jordan tore off the paper, and inside was the kind of baseball glove he’d wanted for three months. “Wow … I can’t believe it. Can we try it out; huh, can we?”

“Tell you what … ” Casey dropped down to Jordan’s level. He took the glove and folded it in half near the base of the thumb. “Keep it like this and tuck it beneath your mattress. By the time the snow melts, you’ll be able to catch ‘em better than McGwire.”

The night passed in a pleasant blur of getting the meal ready and eating together. Afterward, Jordan gave Casey a framed photo of the two of them for his café wall, and Megan gave him a pair of gloves.

Red gloves.

“Jordan told me you said red was the color of giving.” She tilted her head. “I figured there’s no one more giving than you these past few months.” Her tone changed and became more teasing. “Besides, without gloves you aren’t worth much in a snowball fight.”

A sad, distant sort of look worked its way across his expression but only for a moment. “Yep.” Then he smiled and slipped the gloves on his hands. “Red’s the color of giving, and with these”—he shot a look at Jordan—“I’ll be giving some pretty mean snowballs.”

When they finished with the gifts, they played Monopoly and watched
It’s a Wonderful Life.
Long before the angel got his wings, Megan’s mother excused herself for bed and Jordan fell asleep. When the movie ended the TV went dark, and the room was lit only by the glow from the nearby Christmas tree.

Megan was about to carry Jordan to his room, when Casey stood and held out his hands. “Let me.”

She sat back down and watched him sweep her sleeping son into his arms and carry him toward the bedroom.
Don’t do this to yourself, Megan. Nothing good can come from what you’re feeling. It’s a shadow, a trick, a hoax. Keep the walls in place, and no one’ll get hurt.

But when Casey walked back into the room, the sight of him made her heart skip a beat. She could hardly order herself to keep the walls standing when Casey’s kindness had long since knocked them to the ground.

He poured two mugs of coffee and returned to the spot next to her on the sofa. “Here.”

“Thanks.” Her voice was softer than before, and she was glad for the shadowy light, glad he couldn’t see the heat in her cheeks. “Jordan was tuckered out.”

Casey chuckled and shook his head. “I’ve never known a kid so full of life.”

Megan wanted to say that Jordan hadn’t always been that way, but she felt suddenly shy, unable to think of the right words. With Casey so close she could smell his cologne, she couldn’t decide whether to bid him good night or find a way to stretch the night for another hour.

“Okay.” Casey took a swallow of coffee and lowered the mug to his knee. “You can’t run from the question this time.”

“What question?”

Casey hesitated, and his eyes found hers. She could feel his gentle heart, his concern, and the fact that he wasn’t joking. “Why don’t you believe in love?”

Megan took a moment to catch her breath. Then she did her best to give him a teasing look. “Why do you want to know?”

“Because … ” Casey reached out and brushed a section of hair back from Megan’s face. The touch of his fingers against her forehead made her ache for his kiss in a way that shocked her. He let his hand fall back to his lap, and his voice was barely more than a whisper. “Because sometimes I think you wouldn’t recognize love if it sat next to you at a Giants game.”

Megan tried not to read anything into his sentence. Instead she drew a long, slow breath and set her cup down on an end table. “You really want to know?”

Casey nodded. “Really.”

“Okay, I’ll tell you.” Then with careful words sometimes soaked in sorrow, she did just that. She told him about her father and how he’d left their family without warning, and about meeting George and believing their lives together would be everything her parents’ lives were not.

“But he didn’t love me, either. Not really.” She felt her lip quiver, and she bit it to keep from crying. “He wanted me to work, but a few days after I passed the bar exam, I found out I was pregnant.”

“He loved Jordan.” It was a statement, as though Casey knew more than Megan realized.

“Yes, he did. But it was different with me. I was never more than a business partner to George.”

“And that’s why? Why you don’t believe in love?” Casey’s voice was gentle, tender, and something about it made Megan want to tell this man everything, even the things she’d never told anyone before.

“I did believe once, a long time ago.” She drew her legs up and angled herself so she could see Casey better. “I was thirteen, and my mother took us to Lake Tahoe, to a private part of the lake where my aunt owned a house.” Megan rested her cheek against the sofa cushion. “The first day there I met this boy.” She felt herself drift back again, the way she had a few months ago when she’d given herself permission to remember that time in her life.

“Lake Tahoe?” Casey leaned a little closer and sat up. He seemed more alert now, taking in every word Megan said.

“Yes.” Megan smiled and felt a layer of tears fill her eyes. “The boy’s name was Kade, and that’s all I remember, really. Kade from Lake Tahoe. He was fifteen, and he told me something I’ll never forget.” Megan wiped at a single tear. “He told me real love was kind and good and came from the Bible. A sort of love that never ends.” Megan gave a quiet sniff. “He told me he’d pray for me every day, that I’d get a miracle and wind up knowing that kind of love.” She reached for her glass again and took a sip. “I never saw him after that. I guess I figured maybe he was an angel.”

“Hmm.” Casey stirred across from her, and Megan noticed that he didn’t look as comfortable as before. What had she said to change his mood? Had the talk about love scared him? Or was he merely missing his wife on another Christmas Eve without her?

“Sorry … ” Megan looked at her watch and gave a stiff little laugh. “I’ve bored you and now it’s late.”