When Sparks Fly (10 page)

Grinning at his sister, Joe dropped his arm and took a few steps back, getting out of the line of fire. Both of them knew better than to challenge their mother.

“No offense intended. You can’t be too careful these days, you know? And Mom and Dad tend to be very hospitable.”

Monica smiled. “None taken. I hope you believe me when I say that I’d never do anything to hurt your family. If it hadn’t been for them, there’s no telling where my daughter and I might’ve ended up.”

Kathy looked over at Kimber, noticing her for the first time. “She’s beautiful. Reminds me of my two munchkins.”

“Speaking of the munchkins,” Joe observed, feeling that it was safe to speak, “Where are they?”

“Yes, Kathy,” Fran inquired, setting a place at the table for her daughter. “I thought you weren’t coming in until tomorrow.”

Exchanging a look with her brother, she answered, “They’re home with Rick. Since tomorrow is their last day of camp, he’s going to bring them up when he gets off of work. I thought I’d drop in early and, uh, help you get ready for the weekend barbeque.”

“You’re a bad liar, Kathleen Suzanne. Your brother called you, didn’t he?” Fran leveled a stern look at her son, who looked away guiltily. “He needn’t have done that.”

“Joe had every right to call me. Just because I no longer live in the same town, doesn’t mean that I don’t worry about you and Dad.” Plopping down into a chair, she picked up a biscuit her mother had placed before her and took a bite. “Om’god, these are great!” she exclaimed, crumbs spraying over her plate.

“Monica made them,” Fran said. “And don’t talk with your mouth full.”

“You know, honey, you don’t need to worry about me,” Bill remarked, sitting down next to his daughter, patting her hand. “I’m fit as a fiddle.”

“That’s not what Joe said,” she responded, eating a spoonful of chowder. “This is delish, too.”

“Thank you,” Monica smiled, feeling as though she could get whiplash trying to follow the conversations in this family. Taking Kimber’s hand, she helped her daughter from her seat. “Time to wash up, sweetheart.”

“But Mommy,” she protested. “I want dessert!”

“We’ll have dessert later. Let’s give the Callaghans some privacy, okay?”

Sticking her lower lip out, she whined, “Grandma Fran, do I hafta go?”

“Kimber Elyse! You will do as I say. You know better than to act this way,” Monica scolded, embarrassed by her daughter’s behavior.

The child hung her head, huge tears filling her eyes. “I’m sorry, Mommy.”

Picking her up, she kissed her cheek. “I know. Come on. The sooner we wash up, the sooner we can eat cake.” Excusing herself, she walked out of the room, a smile reestablished on Kimber’s face.

Once they were out of earshot, Kathy looked at her mother, a lopsided grin on her face. “Grandma Fran?”

“Well the child had to call me something.”

Turning to Joe, she asked, “So what’s her story? Just passing through or is she moving to Celebration? And how did she end up here?”

“Her car broke down yesterday on the outskirts of town. I was driving by and offered to help. It’s going to be out of commission for a couple of days, maybe a week, and you know what it’s like here around Fourth of July. There was no place for her to stay.”

“So you volunteered Mom and Dad’s house? Wow, you must really like her,” she remarked, shaking her head. “You didn’t answer my question. Is she staying or passing through?”

Ignoring the pointed look she gave him, he gathered the dirty dishes off the table and took them to the sink, placing the stopper in the drain and turning on the faucet. “Passing through, as far as I know. She starts a new job in California in less than two weeks.” Though he answered his sister’s question casually, his gut churned at the thought of Monica leaving.

“Oh? What’s she do?”

“Environmental lawyer, I think.” He plunged his hands into the soapy water, his mind traveling back to the previous evening when they’d stood in this very spot, exploring their growing attraction.

“Not much call for one of those in Celebration,” Kathy observed, noting her brother’s shoulders stiffen. Wondering how far he’d fallen for their parent’s houseguest, she turned to her mother. “Mom, why don’t you and Dad sit out on the porch? It’s a nice afternoon. I’ll help Joe finish the dishes.”

“That’s a lovely idea. Thank you, dear. It’ll give me a chance to hang this,” Fran replied, kissing her daughter on the cheek, and holding up the glass feeder she’d unwrapped before they’d started eating. She waited by the French doors for her husband to join her.

“They just want to talk about us, you know,” Bill laughed. “Of course, now’s our chance to do a little necking.” He waggled his eyebrows and dipped in for a kiss.

“Oh you!” Fran protested laughingly, slapping him lightly. “Behave yourself.”

“They act more like teenagers every day,” Kathy remarked after their parents had gone outside.

“I never acted like that as a teenager,” Joe claimed innocently.

“Oh sure you didn’t. I remember Becky Stringer.”

He laughed, and reached for another bowl. Washing it out, he rinsed it and passed it to Kathy for her to dry. When she didn’t take it, he looked to find her staring at him. “What?” he asked, his arm outstretched, water dripping to the floor.

“Tell me about her.”

“Are you going to take this?” he asked, evading her question. She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him her best big-sister look. Sighing, he set the bowl on the counter and dried his hands. “What do you want to know?”

“How far in are you?”

“Oh, come on, Kath. I just met her yesterday. She’s a nice lady with a cute kid. Her car broke down and I offered her a place to stay. With Mom and Dad, I might add; not with me. As soon as Frankie gets her car running again, she’ll be gone. End of story.” He turned the faucet on and reached for another bowl but she turned it off.

“You’re not telling me everything.”

“Leave it alone, Sis,” he warned, clenching his jaw.

“Do you love her?”

He barked out a laugh. “Hell, I don’t even know her. Don’t you think you’re jumping the gun just a wee bit?”

“I’ve seen that look before. With Hayley. I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

“This is
nothing
like what happened with Hayley. And you should mind your own business!” Glaring, he threw the wet dish cloth at her. “Here! You can finish the damn dishes yourself!” Stomping out of the room, he left the house by the front door, mainly so he wouldn’t have to see his parents. He hadn’t missed the looks they’d exchanged with each other when Kathy had been questioning him about Monica.

Creeping along the side of the porch to the back yard, taking care to keep out of his sister’s line of sight if she happened to look out the kitchen window, he walked across the lawn away from the house, past the hummingbird feeder that Monica had given his parents as a gift. He loved his parents’ property; there was a large field behind the garage and beyond that, acres of national forest. A variety of trees grew thick, creating a canopy overhead that cooled the shadowed forest floor. The woods had been his favorite place to play as a boy and a place of refuge during his teen years. He found solace amid the pines and oaks and sycamores.

Following a well-trodden path through the woods, he inhaled deeply, breathing in the fragrant scent of vegetation and loam. Twigs snapped under his feet, and he chuckled as the thought crossed his mind that he would’ve made a poor scout. A flash of movement caught his eye as a squirrel ran up the side of a pine a few feet ahead of him, chattering loudly. A jay flew overhead, calling out a warning and a second jay responded back, their calls intermingling.

Reaching his favorite thinking spot, he ran his hand up and down the trunk of an old tree, caressing the bark like he would a woman. He’d sorted out many a problem under these branches. It was the place where he’d first kissed a girl and the place where, at the age of fifteen, he’d come and cried his eyes out when his dog, Thunder, had died. Twenty-three years later, he’d shed more tears when he’d finally returned home after the end of his disastrous marriage and saw the condition of his father. He was here now for another reason. Closing his eyes, he leaned with his back against the tree, his expression growing serious as he attempted to reconcile his thoughts about Monica with his past feelings for Hayley. Though he knew his family doubted his word, there was no comparison between the two women.

The first time he’d seen Hayley Drake was at a trade show in Springfield. He, along with every other male at the event, had been dazzled by her looks and effervescent personality. A week later she’d shown up at his shop wanting to place an order for a custom made rocking chair. Recognizing her flimsy excuse as a means for wanting to see him, Joe asked her out for dinner. Before the end of the evening, he’d fallen hard and fast for the redheaded beauty and she for him, or so he’d thought at the time. Though his family and friends had their doubts, she was determined he was the man who could give her the life she wanted; as long as it wasn’t in Celebration. Enticed by the bright lights and party atmosphere of Las Vegas, she’d convinced him to move and he’d reluctantly agreed, leaving behind his loved ones and home, hoping to build one with her.

Their relationship had been exhilarating, frenzied, and ultimately, toxic. Looking back, he could see the mistakes he’d made in trusting her. The warning signs had been there from the beginning but he’d been blinded by passion and what he’d thought, at the time, was love. Marrying her had been his biggest error in judgment, thinking they’d shared the same vision for the future. She’d had a different vision; one which necessitated screwing every guy in town. He’d pleaded with her to go to marriage counseling but she’d refused, so he’d filed for divorce and returned home, tail between his legs, punishing himself more severely than anyone else had. He’d suffered many regrets over their relationship; not being there when his father had his stroke was the worst.

He had learned though. Learned there was more to a marriage than great sex. Marriage was nothing without friendship and communication. He’d never really liked the person Hayley was, and he still beat himself up over wasting three and a half years with her. It would have been understandable if he’d been a teenager but a man in his thirties should’ve known better.

He felt something wet on his hand and opened his eyes to see Leroy nudging it with his nose. Smiling, he rubbed the dog’s ears, sending the canine into fits of delight. Pushing away from the tree he looked around, his eyes adjusting to the diminishing light. While he’d been ruminating, the sun had slipped below the tree line, casting elongated shadows upon the forest floor. Not sure he’d reached any conclusion he decided to head back to the house.

Leroy led the way, leaving the path occasionally to investigate an interesting scent then dashing back to his master, stubby tail wagging. They reached the edge of the woods and stepped into the field where it was considerably brighter. Nearing the house, he shaded his eyes against the setting sun, recognizing the silhouettes of the two people who were playing on the tire swing. He drew closer, listening as Monica sang a song that he remembered from his own childhood. Kimber laughed and joined in, their voices floating on the air.

Not wanting to intrude on their moment but at the same time not able to walk away, he shoved his hands in the front pockets of his jeans and listened. He was inexplicably drawn to them, not merely by his growing attraction to Monica but also to the relationship they shared. They were a family, the two of them, and he wanted in.

Kimber caught a glimpse of him and her face lit up. “Push me, Joe,” she asked, bouncing up and down on the swing impatiently. Obliging, he gave her a push, the sound of her laughter going straight to his heart. She was a sweet little girl, as adorable as his nieces, and he couldn’t help but think what a fool her father was to let her slip away.

“Hi. Is everything okay?” Monica smiled at him, studying him closely as he nodded. She could see that he was wrestling with something and wondered if it had anything to do with her. Taking a step back, she watched him playing with her daughter, admiring how good he was with her. His enjoyment seemed genuine and made her wonder why he didn’t have a family of his own. He was certainly good-looking enough to catch any woman’s eye, and as far as she could tell, he didn’t seem like a cheating bastard.

Mentally comparing him against Phillip, the contest was over before it began. There was no comparison. Joe was ten times the man her ex was; hell, a hundred times. He was the kind of man she needed; stable, affectionate, good with her daughter. Not to mention as sexy as the day was long. He was perfect, even if she knew nothing about him. The question was, should she risk her carefully planned future, and her heart, to learn?

Joe was aware of Monica watching him and wondered what she was thinking. He wanted to know her thoughts, her hopes, her dreams. More importantly, he wanted to know if he was a part of them. Giving the swing one more push, he walked over to her, keeping his eyes on Kimber. “I’m really glad the two of you are here.”

She smiled, her heart giving a leap. After Kathy had voiced her concerns, she’d been afraid that he’d reconsider his offer to let them stay. Not that she thought he’d kick them out on the street but it worried her that having them stay would make the family uncomfortable.

Reading her mind, he said, “I’m sorry about what happened with my sister earlier. She’d always been blunt; tact is definitely not her middle name!”

“I can understand her concerns. I’m not sure I’d trust a complete stranger sharing my home. Although I must admit, aside from having a few qualms in the beginning, I haven’t felt like a stranger at all. You and your parents have made us feel most welcome.”

He turned to face her, speaking with sincerity. “You are welcome here, Monica. And you’re welcome to stay as long as you like. I know you have plans…a new job…a new city, but you don’t have to go. I mean that. Celebration is a great town. We have an excellent school system, and there’s plenty of shopping, and good food, and…”