Time to Pretend (27 page)

“Daniel is the one who teaches karate, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then, no. I’m gonna go to Mario’s.” Alaina stood. “Wait, are you sure you’re okay with me dating two men?”

Zach rolled his eyes. “I had two girlfriends last year, but they got mad when they found out about each other. This is a much better way to do it.”

* * * *

Daniel made Evan stop at the florist on Second Avenue before they headed to Alaina’s. She wasn’t expecting them, but she had to be dying to see them. Because Zach was there, she had sent both of them home early and with minimal kissing.

As it had been the previous day, her front door was open, welcoming the fresh air coming on the gentle breeze. Evan grabbed a brand-new football from the back of his truck. At Daniel’s questioning glance, he shrugged.

“It’s football season. I thought Zach might like to play.”
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Evan had stayed the night with Daniel. “When did you pick that up?”

“Friday on my way home from work.”

That explained why Evan had been so late. Given Evan’s lukewarm reception of Zach the night before, Daniel had begun to wonder whether Evan was okay with the kid’s role in Alaina’s life.

By extension, Zach was going to have a major role in both of their lives as well.

Daniel chalked it up to nerves. Evan had a few nieces and nephews, but he didn’t spend as much time with kids as Daniel did.

Not to mention that neither of them expected Zach to show up so suddenly.

No noises came from within the house. Cradling the flowers in one arm, Daniel knocked.

She rounded the corner from the hall to the front room. Surprise widened her eyes a second, before a smile softened the planes of her face. She wore jean shorts and a pink shirt that hugged her curves nicely. His eyes moved up and down her body, memorizing the picture of domesticity he now craved.

She pushed open the screen door. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear the door.”

“We just got here.” He leaned down to kiss her cheek as he crossed the threshold, but she turned so that his lips landed on hers.

Instantly, his nerves calmed. “Were you busy?”

“I was setting up my temporary office.” She lifted to her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek, and then she motioned Evan inside and gave him the same treatment. “You should have told me you were coming. I would have shaved my legs.” He never had a chance to respond. The front door flew open.

Reflexively, he reached out to grab the streak of lightning barreling into his leg and thigh before it could bounce off and hit the floor.

“Zach!”

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“Whoa, there,” he said, circumventing the disapproval in Alaina’s voice. He steadied Zach, setting him back on his feet.

“Sorry,” he said. With a quick jerk of his head, Zach indicated the bouquet still cradled in Daniel’s arms. “Did you make her mad already?”

“Not that I know of.” He handed the flowers to Alaina. “These are for you.”

“Thank you,” she said. She buried her face in them, but even that gesture didn’t hide how touched she was by the unexpected gift.

Evan held the football out to Zach. “This is for you.” Zach looked at the ball, a puzzled expression on his face, then back up at Evan. Hesitantly, he reached out and took it. “Thanks.” Evan ruffled the kid’s hair. “You’re welcome.”

“I’m going to put these in water,” Alaina said, still smiling at the bouquet. “Don’t throw that in the house.” The streak of lightning disappeared before Alaina finished her warning.

She sighed and turned to Daniel. “I’m sorry about his manners. He hasn’t seen Mario in over a week. Those two are inseparable.” Evan nodded solemnly. “He’s fine.”

They followed Alaina into the kitchen.

She headed to the sink. “There is a vase in the cupboard over the refrigerator. Do you mind getting it?” Daniel retrieved it. As he set it down on the counter next to the sink, he planted a kiss on Alaina’s neck. “You’re not going to send us away tonight, are you?”

She cut stems under the running water. “I don’t know.” A frown marred her brow.

He wanted to smooth it away.

“My dad didn’t say how long Zach was staying. I always assume he’s staying multiple nights unless I hear otherwise. My dad is seventy and my mom is fifty-nine, though she acts way older. I have
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no idea why they thought it was a good idea to have another kid at their age. Another shot at a boy, I guess.” Daniel watched her arrange the blooms to her liking. He hadn’t cared much for the way her father’s presence seemed to grate against Alaina’s nerves. He’d seen Lainie tolerate a whole host of different personalities, some of whom had irritated the hell out of Daniel. She seemed to have patience with pretty much everyone. He knew he rubbed her the wrong way more than once, and he desperately hoped it wasn’t because he reminded her of her father.

Evan slid closer. His hands spanned across her hips. Daniel kept waiting to feel jealous about the two of them, but the emotion didn’t happen. A vague sadness threatened. He wanted to do to Evan what Evan was doing to Alaina. A vision of the three of them loving one another swam in front of his eyes. He shook away the thought as Evan kissed Alaina’s shoulder. There was no way Lainie would go for that.

“Don’t mind Danny. He’s just horny.” Her frown didn’t fade. As she cut and arranged, Daniel glanced out the window. He spied Zach in the back yard, throwing the football into the air and trying to catch it as it fell back down.

“He doesn’t know how to throw it.” He murmured the words softly and to himself, but she heard him over the flow of water.

“I haven’t taught him how yet.” She carried the flowers to the table. Daniel watched her peer out the screened door at Zach.

“Signing him up for football is next on my list if I can get my dad to commit to the practice schedule. I work late some nights, so I can’t always get him there.”

Outside, Zach threw the football straight into the air. It spiraled out of control, duck-tailing its way back to hit him in the face. Daniel kissed the top of Alaina’s head. “He’s going to hurt himself. He needs help.”

* * * *

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The men abandoned her. Five minutes on a pre-season Sunday and their attention was already elsewhere. The aluminum handle clicked as the door closed and voices floated through the mesh.

“You’re holding it too tight.”

Alaina drifted to the door, wanting to hover as much as she wanted to remain inconspicuous. Though she missed the feel of solid arms around her, the sight in her back yard made her heart thump madly in her chest. These were the kinds of men Zach needed in his life. Both Evan and Daniel were good, solid role models.

Daniel said something to Zach, who handed over the football.

With wary eyes, he watched Daniel grip the ball, pointing to his ring finger and to the laces. Evan added his two cents. Zach nodded, the wariness fading with each word Daniel and Evan uttered.

Then Zach held out his hand for the ball. He positioned his fingers carefully. Daniel flexed his hand around an imaginary football and mimed throwing it.

Alaina could stand it no longer. She opened the door and crept down the three cement steps that would take her closer. None of them noticed her approach. She remained surreptitious, wanting their interaction undisturbed by her presence.

“You want to grip it enough to put a force behind the throw, but not too tight or else the tail end will wobble and the throw will be wild.”

“Isn’t that a Hail Mary?” Zach peered up at Daniel, regarding him in a purely businesslike manner.

“No.” Evan shook his head, fielding that query. “A Hail Mary is when you chuck it high and long and pray that one of your receivers gets free and under the ball before one of the defenders does. It’s still a good throw.”

Daniel crooked a thumb at Evan. “Evan was my go-to guy in high school. He was the best running back I ever threw to.” Alaina could see the wheels turning in Zach’s head. Finally he nodded at Evan. “Can I throw it to you?”
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“Sure.” Evan jogged down the length of the yard, putting about fifteen yards between them. Zach’s throw fell short.

Evan scooped the ball up from the ground and threw it to Daniel.

Daniel caught it easily. He tucked it under his arm and checked Zach’s stance. “Plant your feet shoulder-width apart. Step with your opposite foot toward your target. You’re right-handed, so step with your left foot.”

He demonstrated the way he wanted Zach to move his body.

“Point your toe where you want the ball to go. It’ll keep your aim true.”

They both tried that movement a few times.

“As the ball rolls off your hand, you want your pinky pointing to the sky and your thumb pointing to the ground. That will give it the spin you need to make it go straight and far.” Daniel handed the ball over. Zach threw the ball, not seeming to notice that Evan had moved closer. Like good coaches, Daniel and Evan didn’t correct every pass. They praised Zach’s good passes and pointed out what he did right. Zach responded by replicating what he did correctly. Soon, his aim was true, though his throws lacked much force.

Alaina was impressed by how well Daniel and Evan worked together. They were such close friends. Perhaps this was why they wanted to share a woman. Falling in love with separate women would necessarily draw them further apart as their obligations to their partners grew.

“Alaina!”

The warning jerked Alaina from her thoughts. Reflex had her hands in the air to snag the ball and bring it to her chest before it hit her face.

“Aim for the chest,” she said, throwing the ball back to Zach. It had been years since she had thrown a football. Without thinking about it, she put the principles Daniel had been teaching Zach into
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practice. Her aim was a little off, but her form was good. Zach caught it.

“Nice,” Daniel said, his smile directed at Alaina. “You’ll have to play with us next weekend.”

Alaina looked from Zach to Daniel. “Me?”

“Can I play?” Zach asked.

“Sure,” Daniel said. “Everybody plays.” Alaina cocked her head at Daniel. “What’s next weekend?” Evan came in from the back of the yard. “Huge Labor Day barbeque at the DiMarco house. It’s a tradition.”

“Yeah,” Daniel said. “You wanna come? My entire family and most of Evan’s will be there.”

“I don’t know.” She pretended to think it over. Meeting Daniel’s family wasn’t a big deal. The only person she hadn’t met was his mother. And Evan had told her so much about his three brothers and two sisters that she felt she knew them already. “Can I be on your team?”

Daniel laughed and threw a gentle pass to Zach. “Nope.” Zach threw to Alaina. He parked his hands his hips. “Can I be on your team?”

“Absolutely,” Daniel said. “Be warned—I play to win. You’re going to need to keep practicing.”

Alaina nailed Daniel with a line drive. Her position between him and Zach put her close to them both. The throw had a lot of force behind it. Daniel caught it effortlessly and passed to Evan.

“You think I’m that bad?”

“No,” he said. The grin he tried to hide split his face. “But I can’t tackle you if you’re on my team.”

Alaina rolled her eyes and threw her last pass to Zach. “I’m going to make lunch. If you have a special request, now is the time to make it.”

“Grilled cheese,” Zach said, jumping excitedly. “With ham. And no veggies, Mom.”

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She ruffled his hair as she passed him on her way to the house, purposely not commenting on his slip-up. “I can make the first part of that wish come true, but not the second. Daniel, Evan, would you like grilled ham and cheese?”

Evan threw to Zach. “Sounds good. Thanks.” Daniel studied Zach. His absentminded nod was answer enough.

As Alaina pulled a pan and ingredients from the cupboards and refrigerator, she had a smile on her face. Today seemed to be going well. Daniel and Evan seemed serious about wanting to have a place in her life, and she really liked having them there.

Chatter drifted through the open window. Sports and coaching talk turned to actual conversation. Before long, Zach’s little voice was talking about who he hoped was in his class this year in third grade, the perks of no longer being a second grader, and his upset over the fact his cowboy-themed room was going to be ruined in the next week.

She called the boys in for lunch, so the last part of the conversation lingered in the air as they tramped up the steps and through the door wall into the dining area of the kitchen.

“Wash your hands,” she reminded them. In a million years, this kind of domestic scene never entered her imagination unless it was accompanied by frustrated resentment. It was the exact future that her father had tried to force her to pursue.

Yet, she was content. The three men in her life were bonding.

Zach disappeared into the bathroom to follow instructions. Evan ran up the stairs to use the second restroom. Daniel turned on the faucet in the sink next to where Alaina was finishing julienning baby carrots.

“He’s pretty good, Lainie.” He pumped the soap dispenser and dropped a kiss on Alaina’s shoulder. “You’re not bad, either. For a girl.”

Her head whipped around, but the ready glare faded when she saw him laughing at her reaction. “That’s some sense of humor you have.”
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He chuckled. “So I’m told.”

She handed him a dish towel to dry his hands. “My father didn’t approve of women playing sports. He thought Title IX was a travesty.”

Throwing the towel on the counter, Daniel snagged her by the hips and pulled her closer. “I have no idea what this Title IX thing is, but I do heartily approve of women playing sports. You’ll notice I don’t go easy on Sophia. That’s not because she’s my sister. It’s because I’m a feminist.”

Alaina laughed. Though the definition of the word was innocuous, most macho men declined an association to it based on how it was perceived. She prided herself on having an open mind, but the word still sounded funny coming from Daniel.