Lone Star Valentine (McCabe Multiples)

by Cathy Gillen Thacker

  And that was a shame, she thought wistfully. Because Thursday evening had been so incredibly nice...all the way until dawn, when Gannon had had to head back to his own place to shower and change clothes.

  But now it was out of romantic fantasyland and back to reality, she told herself sternly as the PTA president joined in the fray.

  “I just talked to Bode’s entourage. They want his float to go first,” a harried-looking Marybeth Simmons told Lily. “And you know that can’t be the case. The fire department and the Veterans’ color guard always lead the way. But they are insisting that because their float is so large, it should go right after the banner!”

  Lily really did not want to have to be the one who made this decision. Where was Gannon when she needed him?

  Talking to a group of single ladies, of course, helping move a few big food containers around.

  Not that it was his fault he was so handsome.

  And helpful.

  With a sigh, Lily turned back to Marybeth and Lulu. “Where’s Miss Mim?”

  “Supervising the setups for the wings and ribs cooking competitions being held today.”

  Bode walked toward her, decked out in the usual Gladiator jersey and hat and jeans, and some very fancy, very expensive boots—also embroidered with his team jersey number and colors. “Hey, Lily.”

  She braced herself to be the one saying what he probably did not want to hear. “Hey, Bode. I wanted to—”

  He lifted a hand to interrupt. “I know I have to judge the food and stuff all day, but I want to spend time with Lucas this evening. So—” he paused to look her in the eye “—can you get him to me about six?”

  Lily noted her ex looked sincere in his desire to be with his son. The ever-present anxiety she felt these days faded just a little bit. “Sure,” she returned amicably. “Where do you want to meet?”

  Bode shoved a hand through his cropped hair and looked around at the people already angling to get a moment of his time the minute he and Lily finished. “Wherever you think would be best.”

  Glad she did not have his level of fame to contend with, Lily said, “How about the fairgrounds office? It’s on the second floor in the exhibition building.”

  “I’ll be there,” Bode promised, just as quietly. “In the meantime—” he handed her a tyke-size Gladiators jersey with his number emblazoned on the back “—do you think you could get Lucas to wear this today?”

  Of course they had to be color coordinated.

  Hard to believe she had ever dated this guy, never mind borne a child with him. “Sure,” Lily said politely, resolved to be conciliatory for all their sakes.

  Viviana, the three nannies she’d met before and Lucas’s two baby sisters joined them. Gorgeous as ever, Viviana looked at Lily, then her husband. Which prompted Bode to shove his hand through his hair again and say, “Listen, we want Lucas to ride on our float with us, too.”

  And what a photo op that would make, Lily thought drolly. Five of the most gorgeous people on earth...

  Just one big happy family.

  She eyed the huge float, her mind now solely on safety. “Where is Lucas going to be?”

  Bode replied, “We figured he’d sit on the bench, between the two thrones.”

  So Lucas would be front and center.

  “Who’s going to hold him?” Her question was met with a hapless shrug. Forced to be the bad guy, she said, “I’m serious, Bode. I don’t want Lucas getting excited and jumping up and running around and tumbling off.” As four-year-old boys were inclined to do.

  “There’s a wall along the side that will keep him contained,” he pointed out, ever the invincible jock.

  “It’s still a moving vehicle.” Without a safety harness in sight.

  Bode floundered, for the first time looking completely out of his depth. “Ah, well, Viviana wanted us each to hold one of the girls on our laps...”

  Okay, then... “Can you hold one of your daughters and Lucas comfortably on your lap for the entire parade route—which will likely take a little under an hour?”

  Bode hesitated.

  Lily lost patience. “Maybe you should ask your wife.”

  “Fine. I’ll do that.” Bode strode off. A heated discussion followed. Well, Lily amended, watching covertly, heated on Viviana’s part. Bode mostly listened with a stoic expression on his face. Eventually, he came back. “Maybe you have a point. It might be a little dangerous having all three kids up there at once.” He paused and shot a look at his ever-present public relations team, who were busy chatting up the local dignitaries. “I guess we can get photos of all five of us together when the fair atmosphere is in full swing.”

  Lily nodded and tried not to think ill of him. “I think that would be best.”

  Bode left again.

  A few sports reporters from the region went over to talk to him. While he was still holding court with them, Gannon joined Lily. He caught her by the hand and tugged her into a narrow corridor that led to the alley between Main and Second streets. “Looking a little stressed out.”

  Lily shoved her bangs off her face. “I’m feeling a lot stressed out.”

  He studied her intently. “Because...?”

  “Bode and that whole mess.”

  Looking ready to take action against her opponents, he turned her hand palm up and rubbed his thumb along her lifeline. “What else?” he asked, his voice husky soft.

  The fact I’ve thrown out a lifetime of common sense and made love with you on three separate occasions in the past week. And, given my choice, I’d be making love to you again. Whenever we could.

  But this was not the time to be talking about her romantic ambivalence or worry that this would all turn out to be just a temporary fling, so Lily forced herself to get back to the business at hand.

  “Festival stuff,” she said finally.

  “Such as?”

  Lily shrugged. “It looks as though you’ll be riding in the grand marshal car alone.”

  He chuckled over the marching bands tuning up in the distance. “Gee, I’m really disappointed about that.”

  On the streets behind them, there were a lot of people—more than expected—parking and getting out of cars. “Although,” she teased back, “I could probably get Rex Carter to ride in the convertible with you.”

  Gannon vetoed that with a single shake of his head. Using his grip on her hand as leverage, he tugged her closer still. Looking as if he wanted nothing more than to have his way with her then and there, he cupped her chin in his hand and impishly searched her eyes. “Sure you don’t want to ride with me?”

  Wouldn’t that make people talk—even more than they already were! Lily stepped back, putting a more proper distance between them. Turning, she headed for Main, leaving him no choice but to follow along behind her. “Thanks, but I’m going to be hosting all the local dignitaries in the viewing stand.” She tossed a glance over her shoulder and found him behind her, avidly admiring the view.

  Telling herself she was woman enough to handle that, too, Lily sassed back, “You can wave at me when you pass, if you like.”

  He winked. “Only if you wave back.”

  Lily stepped out onto the sidewalk. They were standing in front of Jenna Lockhart’s Bridal Salon, which was closed for the day. She turned her glance away from the beautiful gowns on display in the plate glass window that she would likely never have a chance to wear.

  She swallowed. “We have to stop this. Or...”

  Gannon’s glance narrowed. “What?” he asked, serious now.

  Lily used her clipboard like a shield. She regarded Gannon as matter-of-factly as if they were talking about the weekend weather forecast. “People will think...” she said with an officious smile.

  He lifted a brow, caressing her not with his hand this t
ime, but with his eyes. “We’re falling in love?”

  There he went, finishing her sentences for her again.

  Correctly as it happened.

  Knowing, however, this was not the time or the place to be having such a conversation, if there ever would be before he left town again, Lily drew a bolstering breath. Straightened her spine, and gave him an encouraging pat on the arm, even as she directed him to the waiting grand marshal convertible coupe. “Have fun out there.”

  She was going to do her best to achieve the same.

  * * *

  HOURS LATER, LILY glanced at her watch for the hundredth time since six o’clock had come—and gone.

  In the corner of the fairgrounds office, Gannon sat with her son, patiently using unopened boxes of pencils, paper clips, pens and staples to build one structure after another. Office supplies that were only available to them because they had been left out on a shelf next to one of the desks.

  Gannon—who’d had his own very full day, judging the food categories of ribs, barbecue and desserts—gave her a chiding look as she continued to pace back and forth. “Sure you don’t want to sit down with us?”

  Lily shook her head, continued pacing around the room. “Where is he?” she asked in frustration.

  Gannon shrugged, as if Bode’s no-show were no big deal. “Maybe he got caught up by fans or more reporters. They’ve been after him all day.”

  That was true—to the point that Viviana and their other two children and their nannies had sought sanctuary out of the public eye.

  Gannon grinned as Lucas achieved a particularly difficult balancing act with paper clips and rulers. “Everyone wants to know what’s going to happen with him and the Gladiators.”

  Also true.

  As was the notion of how much better her son’s life would be if only Gannon were her little boy’s daddy instead of the famed QB.

  Admiring Gannon’s patience, Lily finally drew up a chair and sat down next to them, noting that Lucas was as relaxed as Gannon. “You’re...sympathetic.”

  Gannon shrugged. “Situations like this are complicated, so I try not to judge. But you’re right—” he checked out the time, too “—it is getting awfully late. Have you tried texting or calling him on his cell?”

  Unease trickled through her. “Twice. No answer.”

  He kept his eyes on her face. “Want to page him on the PA system?”

  Lily barely suppressed a moan. “Not unless you want a stampede.”

  “What about his wife?” he suggested helpfully. “Maybe she knows where he is.”

  Good point, but... “I don’t have her number.”

  “His personal relations team?”

  Lily tensed. “I’d rather not involve them.”

  He reached out and squeezed her hand, there for her, whether she wanted him to be or not. “Then we wait.”

  Lucas finally looked up, the fruit cup and milk she’d gotten him earlier all gone. “Mommy, I’m hungry.”

  “I know, sweetie.”

  His lower lip slid out as the confusion of the past week finally took its toll. “You said I’m supposed to have dinner with my daddy.”

  Lily did her best to reassure him. “That was the plan.”

  Her son’s gaze grew watery. “Then where is he, Mommy?” Lucas asked, even more plaintively.

  Good question.

  Really good question.

  After another twenty minutes had passed, Lily had to admit Bode had either forgotten or gotten hung up somewhere. With someone else.

  “Now can we eat?” Lucas asked again, his little body drooping with fatigue after his long and tiring day.

  Lily nodded, suddenly feeling near tears herself. It had been one thing when Bode had disappointed her. But it broke her heart to see him letting their son down this way. Especially when Lucas had just now started to trust him.

  While Lucas and Gannon deconstructed their creations and put the office supplies back where they belonged, Lily texted, Can’t wait any longer. Taking Lucas to get some dinner.

  “So what are you in the mood for?” she asked her son as they walked out into the hallway. “They’ve got hot dogs and cheeseburgers and chicken tenders—”

  “Actually,” Rose said as she intercepted Lily at the top of the stairs, “they may not. There are so many people here, all the concession stands are running out of food!”

  * * *

  “IT’S NO PROBLEM,” Jackson and Lacey said when Lily got hold of her parents via their cells and they arrived to pick up Lucas, who was happily sitting on Gannon’s lap and eating one of the few items left in the concession stands—a funnel cake sprinkled with powdered sugar.

  Lacey held out her arms for her grandson. “You’re probably ready to go home and have a grilled cheese or peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich anyway, aren’t you?”

  “And milk,” Lucas said, his face covered with powdered sugar. “I like milk.”

  “Coming right up,” Jackson promised.

  “Thanks, Mom and Dad.” Lily hugged both her parents.

  “You just do your job,” Lacey said. “We’ll take care of Lucas. What time do you want him here tomorrow?”

  Lily was so frazzled over the dinner debacle she couldn’t think. “When do the pony rides start?”

  Gannon accepted another hug from her son, then glanced at the schedule he’d downloaded to his phone. “9:00 a.m.”

  “Is that okay?” Lily asked her mom and dad.

  “No problem,” Lacey said. “We’ll call you when we’re on our way.”

  Lily said good-night to her son, then turned back to Gannon, who was standing there. The epitome of masculinity, he was as compassionate, kind and sexy as ever. “How do you feel about making a few calls to round up some extra food?”

  He grinned and gave her a big hug. And kiss. “I’m all in.”

  * * *

  AN HOUR LATER, thanks to frantic SOS’s from all members of the chili cook-off committee and resultant cooperation from every restaurant in the area, the concession stands were once again serving Texas favorites of all kinds.

  The fairgrounds were teeming with tourists, many of them football fans, on the lookout for Bode and his supermodel wife and kids. None of whom could be found.

  But the country band hired to play that night had started. The twinkling red heart-shaped lights strung around the fairgrounds lent a festive Valentine’s Day weekend air to the cooling night.

  Gannon would have liked to haul Lily out onto the dance floor. But every time he got even close to doing so, something else happened that required her attention.

  When it came to a work-related crisis, he considered himself a patient person. He understood she had a job to do. He admired her tenacity.

  When it came to his personal life, he didn’t want to put anything off unnecessarily. Or feel anywhere near as frustrated as he did at this moment.

  Maybe it was selfish. He didn’t care. He wanted to have Lily all to himself, so they could make the most of the previous little time they had left before he headed back to his own professional responsibilities.

  And if it wasn’t going to be during the dance...as it apparently wasn’t, he noted as another opportunity to hold her in his arms came...and went...then it would be later...

  Finally, around eleven, the band called it a night. The party began breaking up. He offered to drive her home. She was so tired, she agreed to leave her SUV at the fairgrounds and climbed into his pickup truck.

  All too soon, Gannon parked in her driveway and watched the motion-detector lights on the outside of her bungalow come on. Suddenly, they were both bathed in a soft yellow glow. He drank her in, admiring her from head to toe. Despite the tumultuous events of the day, Lily looked as lovely as ever. She pushed out of the cab. He walked
around to join her. Together, they walked into her house. “Looks as though the festival is a success.”

  “The first half of the festival is a success.” She took off her jacket and reached for his. Both landed on the coatrack next to the door. “We have another day to go.” She drew a deep breath, oblivious of the way the action raised and then lowered the soft swell of her breasts beneath the long-sleeved festival T-shirt.

  Wishing he could just take her to bed and make love to her until all the weariness and uncertainty in her eyes went away, Gannon let his gaze rove the mussed strands of her honey-blond hair and said, “I predict tomorrow will be even better.”

  Holding on to the newel post, she toed off her fancy red cowgirl boots, then watched as he did the same with his boots.

  She tilted her head. “Thank you for being here with me tonight.”

  Gannon knew they were both tired. He also knew their time together was dwindling. He gathered her close. “Don’t you know there isn’t anywhere else I’d rather be?” he said tenderly.

  Her lips curved ruefully, even as her turquoise eyes shone with hope. “You’re letting the romantic atmosphere go to your head,” she teased.

  He tunneled his hands in her hair and brought her face up to his. “Or my heart.”

  She rose on tiptoe, the softness of her body giving new heat and hardness to his. “Gannon...” she moaned wistfully, the urgent yearning on her face matching his.

  He kissed her passionately, shifting her closer still. And still they kissed, until their tongues twined intimately and feelings poured from his heart, followed swiftly by a need that was soul deep.

  Lily might not want to admit it yet, but no woman had ever touched him this way, and he was pretty sure, given the way she was kissing him back and pressing her soft, lithe body against his, that he did the same for her. If being in each other’s arms like this wasn’t heaven on earth, he didn’t know what was.

  He stroked his hands through her hair, moved them lower to ease beneath the hem of her shirt. She sighed as he caressed her silky breasts through the lace of her bra and breathed in the sweet feminine scent of her.

  He grinned, bending to slip a hand beneath her knees. “This is what Valentine’s Day is all about, Lily.” Shifting her up into his arms and against his chest, he carried her up the stairs, down the hall to her bed. He set her down and began kissing her again.