Don't Break My Heart (Return to Redemption, Book 6)

by Laurie Kellogg

  She glared at him and muttered, “Since I have so little to say about my life, maybe I’ll call Dani and try to take over the world.”

  “Good luck.” He chuckled. “Just make sure you’re home by eleven.”

  “Sometimes I really hate you.”

  “I know, and that’s okay.” He kissed her forehead. “I love you enough for both of us.”

  CHAPTER 9

  On the second Saturday in January, Trisha climbed onto one of the three tour buses with Frankie and slid into a window seat toward the back. Every time someone boarded the bus, she ducked until she was sure it wasn’t Justin.

  Maybe she’d gotten lucky, and he passed on the tickets. She hadn’t seen his truck in the library’s parking lot.

  “Who on earth are you trying to avoid?” Annie Fitzpatrick asked the fifth time Trisha hid behind her.

  “Ummm, no one. My uhh, ankle itches,” she lied, as an explanation for why she kept bending over.

  “Right.” Frankie muttered.

  Trisha elbowed her friend and whispered. “Let me know if you see him or Haley.”

  “She told me they were coming. Maybe they’re on one of the other buses.”

  She spotted Nick and Sam walking alongside the bus with Dani and Haley tagging behind. A second later, they boarded. Nick and Sam slid into two of the forward seats while the girls wobbled their way toward the back, presumably to put as much room between their chaperones and them.

  “Ms. M! Ms. Conner.” Haley waved to them and pushed Dani all the way to the back and into the window seat behind Trisha. Haley sat on the aisle directly behind Frankie, so Trisha only had to turn her head to see her.

  There were no other empty seats near them, so at least if Justin showed up, he would have to sit in front by his brother.

  “Where’s your uncle?” Frankie had the good sense to ask.

  “Working. Where else?” Haley muttered in a sulky tone.

  “So he’s been really busy?” Trisha asked as the bus engine started.

  “At least too busy for me. But that’s not why he hasn’t called you.”

  “I asked him not to, sweetie.”

  “I know. Why?” She stuck her head between the seats. “I thought you really liked him.”

  “My life’s complicated right now. I’m not in a position to have a relationship.”

  “Oh.” Haley sat back quietly for several seconds before asking with a hopeful lilt in her voice, “Maybe when your life get less complicated?”

  Frankie turned and smirked at Trisha. “Yes, what about then?”

  “I don’t know,” she muttered, gritting her teeth.

  “I can’t wait to see the play.” Dani bounced in her seat, mercifully changing the subject. “Ms. Foster told my mom that her teenaged granddaughter, Katie, is playing the part of her when she was eighteen. Isn’t that cool?”

  “Someone older is gonna play Ms. Foster after Doc came home from the POW camp,” Haley told them. “I heard Katie played the little girl, on that old sitcom, Just Between Us. I love that show.”

  No surprise, seeing as Katie’s father had created and produced the program.

  Trisha rolled her eyes at Frankie. “Old, she says. Now I’m really feeling my age. The show just went off the air about six years ago.” During its first run, the Emmy awarding-winning sitcom had aired right before the late news due to its mature content.

  “Well, we were only nine when they stopped making new episodes.” Dani laughed as the bus pulled out of the parking lot. “My mother just started letting me watch the reruns this year.”

  “Katie Harmon is one of the few child actresses who actually seems to have her head screwed on straight,” Frankie told the girls. “I think she has a promising career ahead of her—assuming she stays out of trouble.”

  Trisha sat back in her seat and sighed. Now that she knew she wouldn’t have to dodge Haley’s uncle all day, she could relax and enjoy herself.

  ~*~

  As soon as the train’s doors opened, Justin dashed out to the platform and raced up Penn Station’s stairs. He shielded his eyes from the glaring sunshine and glanced at his watch. A little after one-thirty. The play began at two. If he arrived late, Haley would undoubtedly quit speaking to him.

  He couldn’t blame her. She’d accepted him working around the clock for the last week because he’d promised they would have the whole day together today.

  He glanced at the bumper-to-bumper traffic. It could easily take more time to flag down a cab and possibly end up stuck in Manhattan’s gridlock, than it would to travel on foot. Supposedly, the Broadway theater was only a fifteen-minute walk from the train. If he ran, he could be there in less than ten.

  He took off at a slow jog . After two blocks, he broke into a full-speed run.

  Haley had refused to even try to understand, no matter how many times he’d explained that he had to stay to handle an emergency. She’d reminded him that Abby and Matt, no doubt, had plenty of other people who would’ve enjoyed seeing the play in his place.

  The fact he was the Fosters’ guest made it even more imperative that he not only show up but arrive on time—especially after Matt had gone so far out of his way to bring him and Mike Danvers together.

  Justin made it to the theater, huffing and puffing, with ten minutes to spare. He collected the ticket his brother had left at the will call window, and by the time he made his way into the packed theater, he’d caught his breath. The usher pointed to his reserved seat on the aisle of the tenth row. Thankfully, Nick had had the foresight to leave him the spot on the end so he wouldn’t have to climb over half a dozen people.

  The lights dimmed, and the audience quieted as the orchestra played the opening notes to the overture.

  When Haley spotted him coming down the aisle, she catapulted from her seat and threw her arms around his neck. “You made it!”

  “I promised I’d try my best,” he whispered as he sank into the seat next to her.

  His brother saluted him from further down the row.

  Justin nodded and settled back to watch one of the two large screens situated on both sides of the stage. A montage of images from the 60s accompanied the opening music. The overture ended with the whapping sound of a helicopter growing louder by the second, punctuated by the sounds of war. A frantic mayday radio call filled the theater and climaxed with a giant crash on stage as the curtain opened.

  As the spotlight focused on the wreckage of a helicopter, the extra illumination highlighted a blond head two rows in front of Justin.

  Yes! His heart did the cha-cha in double time. She was here!

  All through the first half of the show, he struggled to pay attention to what seemed to be a top-notch play. The poignant music and lyrics and the witty dialogue should’ve held his mind captive, but all he could think about was what he would say to Trisha.

  An hour and fifteen minutes later, the curtain came down for intermission. While he kept one eye on Trisha, he stood to let everyone else file out of his row. He pulled a twenty from his wallet, and handed it to Haley. “You can get whatever you want at the concession stand.”

  “Thanks.” She snatched the bill from his hand and dashed up the aisle after Dani.

  If Trisha held true to form, she would need a trip to the ladies’ room by now. He had to wait only thirty seconds before she made her way to the end of her row and looked up the aisle.

  Her oh, crap, what’re you doing here expression deflated his hopes faster than a pin could burst a child’s balloon.

  ~*~

  Trisha stalled and muttered, “Oh, crud. How and when did he get here?”

  Frankie glanced at Justin. “Maybe he finished up at work and came on his own.”

  “I guess there’s no time like the present to talk to him.” Trisha threw her shoulders back and headed up the aisle. “Hey, how are you?”

  “I’d be better if you looked happier to see me.”

  She chuckled. Evidently her feelings must be written all o
ver her face. “I’m not unhappy to see you. Just surprised,” she fibbed, praying a lightning bolt wouldn’t shoot down from the theater’s catwalk. “Haley told me you had to work today.”

  “Not exactly. I had an emergency. One of my guys fell from a ladder this morning. I needed to make sure he received the proper care to minimize the company’s liability. The merger I told you about isn’t quite finalized, so the last thing I need right now is to be sued for negligence.”

  “I’m sorry. Is the worker okay?”

  “Yeah. He broke an arm, but otherwise, he should be fine.”

  She pointed to the crowd heading toward the back of the theater. “I’d love to chat,” she lied, “but I need to go to the ladies’ room. The line is probably already out the door.”

  “I should probably go, too.” He stepped beside her behind the people filing out the exit.

  Great. That’s what she gets for lying. At least maybe she could find out if he’d done anything with contacting the sperm bank. “So how’ve you been?”

  “Busier than I anticipated.”

  “That’s what Haley told me. Have you been doing anything more exciting than working?” she asked, praying he’d tell her what she wanted to know without her having to come right out and ask.

  “Not really.”

  “You know the saying about all work and no play. You need to take a little time off to relax.”

  “I wish could, but I can’t afford to.” He lowered his voice. “Especially after I blew an entire afternoon last week to check on my, uhhh—little swimmers.”

  Thank you, Lord—not only for rewarding me on my fishing expedition but for not punishing me for my fabrications. “How’d you make out?”

  “Mission accomplished.”

  “Oh, good.” She exhaled her relief. As much as she would’ve loved to have his baby, she didn’t need the problems that could result.

  “All except for one vial they dispensed in October.”

  Her stomach clenched. She’d been inseminated on the nineteenth of that month. “I guess your baby will be born this summer—if there is one.”

  Exactly when hers was due. She could share her suspicion with him, but if he still had no desire for a committed relationship, she didn’t dare say a word.

  “I don’t want to think about that. I’m choosing to assume any insemination bombed. Sometimes couples try for months without conceiving. So I would think the odds are better that a single attempt would fail, right? Especially with a couple who has fertility issues.”

  That certainly had been true in her case. She’d tried to get pregnant five times with a different donor before she decided to switch profiles to change her luck. Justin’s so-called little swimmers might be microscopic, but evidently, they were speedy, potent little athletes.

  Perhaps she and Justin really were meant to be, as Frankie had put it. Inasmuch as Trisha hated to admit her friend might be right, she couldn’t ignore the fact that she could’ve conceived the five other times she’d ovulated but hadn’t. And, now, she most likely carried the baby of the only man she ever loved.

  She found it hard to believe in that much coincidence. Some might call it fate or destiny and others, like her, the will of God. Whatever the case, there had to be another force in play other than a mere fluke or accident.

  When she stepped into the line at the ladies’ room, Justin stopped beside her and said in barely more than a whisper, “I once read somewhere that it’s actually harder to conceive through artificial insemination than it is naturally. So it’s probably safe to assume it’s unlikely my genes will be passed on.”

  He could assume all he liked. It didn’t make it true.

  “I thought the idea of not leaving something of yourself behind in the world bothered you?”

  “It does. But who knows.” He shrugged. “Maybe I’ll eventually have kids. After listening to Haley talk about how much she enjoyed her time with you and how much it was like having her mom back, I’ve started questioning if she would really resent sharing me with you. Considering how busy I am at work, she might be better off if she had a woman in her life.”

  Right. In other words, he wasn’t looking for a wife and companion for himself as much as a role model and confidant for Haley.

  “Samantha’s been great with her, but she needs a woman’s influence and affection on a day-to-day basis.”

  She swallowed hard and rasped, “That would probably be really good for her.”

  “And so do I,” he added softly, giving her a meaningful look that said he had more interest in the affection part of the equation.” He lowered his voiced further to a whisper. “I think you know how much I enjoyed your company during the holiday.”

  It made her sick, remembering how quickly she’d fallen back into bed with him after so long. Of course he enjoyed it. What man wouldn’t want to jump back into bed with someone who’d only required a few smiles to make her spread her legs? The wedding reception had begun at seven and by midnight he’d had her naked between the sheets. Not just for a one-night stand, but again and again for three days and nights.

  In all relationships, one party inevitably loved more deeply than the other. Back in college, she’d been the one giving her whole heart. And, damn it, she was still doing it.

  As the line of women moved forward, she turned away and blinked back the tears stinging her eyes. She refused to settle for a lifetime of aching for a fraction of the love she gave Justin—no matter how phenomenal a lover he might be. If all he wanted was a stand-in mom for Haley and a warm body in his bed, she wasn’t interested.

  “So I guess what I’m trying to say is, we’d love to have you in our life.” He grabbed her hand as she approached the ladies’ room door. “I know you said you have personal commitments, Trisha, but we can work around them. Hell, I’ll help you in any way I can.” He smiled and winked at her, adding in a seductive tone, “Any time, anywhere.”

  Oh, what a sweet-talking devil he was. She snorted softly to herself. How could any woman resist such a selfless offer?

  She yanked her hand away and swallowed hard as she said in a hushed tone, “If you’re just shopping for a mother for Haley and someone to warm your sheets, pal, you’re lookin’ at the wrong model. I get my fill of teenagers on a day-to-day basis, as you put it,” she lied again, denying her deepest desire to alleviate Haley’s grief and mentor her late friend’s child. “And any time I want a man’s company, I can put on a short skirt and a push-up bra and head down to the Colonial Tavern to buy some stud a drink.”

  ~*~

  Justin’s jaw hung as Trisha escaped into the bathroom. Damn. What the hell had he said wrong?

  “Next time, trying telling her you love her,” said the woman who’d been standing behind Trisha in line.

  Apparently they hadn’t spoken as quietly as he’d believed. “I thought that was exactly what I was saying.”

  “We women like to hear the actual words.”

  He shook his head as he found the men’s room. Why else did she think he’d admitted he’d changed his mind about having a real relationship or asked her to be part of his and Haley’s life?

  As he left the restroom a few minutes later, the lights in the lobby flashed, indicating the end of the intermission. He hurried back to his seat and found Haley leafing through a souvenir book she must have purchased that featured photos of the play. Trisha had already returned to her seat.

  He took a few steps down the aisle toward her row, and the lights dimmed slightly. Two men stepped from behind the curtain, so Justin did an immediate U-turn to his seat.

  The fellow with light brown hair took the microphone and introduced himself as Royce Harmon and the darker man as his co-producer Matt Thomas, also known as Tom Foster.

  “As most of you know, we’re Matt and Abby Foster’s sons and are fortunate to have such great parents,” Royce continued. “This show is not only our way of saying thanks to them, but also to all the veterans who sacrifice so much for our country. N
ormally, we would start the second half of the show right away. However, since so many Vietnam vets and Redemption residents honored our dad by accepting our parents’ invitation tonight, we’d like to introduce several of his friends who are featured in this play.”

  They called two ex POWs out on stage, one of whom was Ben Danvers, and the other Cal Washington’s Uncle Leonard. He then introduced Peter Larson and John Gilbert, Redemption’s mayor and police chief, as well as Justin’s dentist, Dr. Robert Webber. When Matt Foster joined them, the deafening applause attested to how much everyone in the audience cared for him.

  Matt said a few words of thanks and announced that following the show Royce and Tom were hosting a reunion dinner at Le Bernardin for all of the Vietnam POWs and their families.

  Haley leaned toward him and whispered, “They included a booklet about all the POWs who’re here today with this souvenir album I bought. There’s like fifty of ‘em. It’s cool reading about what they all did after they came home.”

  The men all left the stage to another round of thunderous clapping. A minute later, the play resumed.

  Songs and laughter filled the theater for another hour, and when the curtain finally came down after a poignant, romantic ending, every woman in the audience was either on the verge of tears or actually crying.

  “Wow, that was awesome, wasn’t it?” Haley squeezed his arm.

  “You said it. I’m glad you insisted we come.” He suspected the show would be nominated for several Grammy and Tony awards. The little girl who’d played Abby as a teenager had captivated the audience with her performance.

  Nick stood and stretched. “We have over three hours before the buses pick everyone up. The plan was to give everyone time to have dinner before heading home at eight.”

  “I vote we go to Junior’s for their carrot cheesecake,” Sam said. “The matinees at all of the other theaters are also letting out around now, so if we want to beat the crowd, we’d better get moving.”