Stars Over Texas (Dreamcatcher Series Book 2)

by Tessa Gray

  It occurred to him that he was in a pretty hopeless situation. It would be one thing to enter into a relationship with a ready-made family if the kids were small, but at thirteen and nine, it was doubtful either Carly or Travis would welcome another father figure in their lives-particularly one whose child-rearing philosophy differed greatly from their mother’s.

  “I’m sorry about not cleaning up, I know it was wrong.” Carly’s lower lip trembled, and for a second, Adam considered letting her off the hook.

  But he couldn’t let this slide. This could be a learning opportunity for Carly, and he intended to make it just that.

  “You know, Carly, I’m not angry that you’re trying to get rid of me. I get that you don’t want your mother interested in anyone other than your father. It’s perfectly normal to want your parents to get back together. Most kids your age would feel that way.”

  “Yeah . . . that was it, I-”

  “I’m not finished, Carly. While that part doesn’t bother me, what does bother me is the lengths you’d go to in trying to get your point across. You’ve hurt your mother’s feelings. She’s just getting her life back together, trying hard to get an education so that she can support you, and here you are not lifting a finger to help her. I thought that’s what families did, Carly, help one another.”

  The girl stood silently, her head still bowed.

  Adam continued cleaning up the kitchen, and to his relief, Carly pitched in and helped.

  Before long, everything looked spotless.

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Lightfoot. Really, really sorry.”

  “Save that for your mom, Carly. She’s the one you owe an apology.”

  The girl walked over to a counter closest to the window, reached into a canister, and retrieved several tea bags. “Mom always likes tea after her shower. I’ll put some hot water on. Would you like a cup?”

  Adam watched Carly busy herself filling the tea kettle with water and decided she might not be as heartless as he’d initially thought.

  “I’m sure your mom will appreciate that. I’d like a cup, as well. After you finish with that, would you mind setting the table since you know where everything is?”

  “Okay.” He got as far as the doorway of the adjoining room when she spoke again. “I wish I liked it here. If I did, maybe I wouldn’t do such stupid things.”

  He ignored the remark because he didn’t know Carly well enough to know if the comment was sincere or she was just trying to manipulate him. Being manipulated by a kid barely in her teens was something he wouldn’t tolerate. He suspected Meredith did, but he sure the hell wasn’t going to.

  ~ ~ ~

  Half an hour later Meredith sauntered into the kitchen, refreshed from the long, hot shower. As furious as she was with Carly, she made the decision to just get through dinner.

  When she walked into the kitchen and saw how immaculate it now looked, she breathed a sigh of relief.

  But when she glanced into the window over to the sink and noticed her reflection, she grimaced. She leaned closer, studying her reflection in the glass. Her hair hung limply about her shoulders and she had worry lines beneath her eyes. Had she always looked this exhausted? She watched in the reflection as Adam walked up behind her.

  “Hey, there.” Adam leaned over, grazing her ear with his mouth. As his breathe warmed her, she smiled. The man smelled amazing . . . the woody scent of his aftershave lingering.

  “Hey, Adam.”

  “Carly made you some tea, says you like it after you shower.”

  “I do.”

  Handing her the steamy mug, he murmured, “I’ll have to remember that.” His voice was low pitched now, and he’d barely whispered the words. His long, lingering gaze nearly paralyzed her, and she felt a tugging sensation, a longing she hadn’t felt in a very long time.

  “I’ll just heat my dinner up. I suspect you and the children already ate.”

  “The kids did. I wanted to wait for you. They’re in their rooms. Carly mentioned something about doing homework.”

  “I’ll set the table.” When she wandered over to a cupboard to retrieve dishes, he stopped her.

  “Carly already took care of that. We’re eating in the dining room tonight.”

  As he placed an arm about her, guiding her toward the room, she breathed a sigh of relief that her daughter was finally helping out.

  Both of them stopped the second they entered the dining room. Carly had placed Meredith’s favorite lace tablecloth on the large, rectangular oak table. Meredith had acquired it several years ago when she and Blake were in Ireland. Fingering the lace, Meredith wondered if Carly had laid it out as a reminder about the trip she and Blake had taken, or if she just wanted the table to look elegant. With Carly, it was difficult to figure out her motives. At least, for Meredith it was.

  “Your daughter sets quite a table, doesn’t she?” Adam surveyed the ambience, and from the way his dark eyes glistened, it appeared by all accounts that he approved.

  The tall, white candles flickered from the circular motion of the ceiling fan and the plates sparkled as the light hit them. As the steam rose from the reheated dinners, Adam quickly seated Meredith before taking his place beside her. They’d barely unfolded the napkins when he removed his glasses and placed them on the table.

  Leaning over, he cupped her chin with both his hands and began kissing her. When he tugged on her lower lip, she moaned. She opened her mouth, allowing him to probe her with his tongue. The kisses intensified, leaving her weak with want.

  She stopped suddenly, trying to get her bearings. Adam gazed at her, a lopsided grin creeping up his face.

  “Guess we’d better get some food in you. You must be starving.” He picked up his glass and took a huge swig of water.

  She studied him, considering that after kissing the daylights out of her, he now seemed totally focused on eating. As he stabbed the green beans with his fork, she couldn’t help but notice how relaxed he appeared, rather than being all worked up like she was.

  Nodding numbly, she reached for her tea, lifted the mug to her mouth and took several gulps. Setting the tea back down, she began picking at her food. Her appetite had disappeared once Adam had all but ravished her, but she decided to play down how deeply he’d aroused her. He’d already begun shoveling down the corned beef sandwich, obviously less unnerved than she by what had just happened.

  They ate in silence. Something had shifted between the two of them, and although this man was the silent, brooding type when it came to discussing his personal life, she wasn’t wired that way. She was just going to come out with it, worst case scenario, he’d run for those beautiful, Alpine hills.

  “I really enjoy being with you, Adam. I mean it.”

  His mouth tugged into a smile, but he didn’t return the compliment.

  Climbing to her feet, she began clearing the table. As several glasses clunked together, she realized how forceful she’d become.

  She could feel him watching her now and continued placing the dishes in the kitchen sink. When she whirled around, Adam was standing in the kitchen, directly behind her.

  “The dishes can wait.” His voice was raspy as he removed a glass from her hand.

  “We should probably get this cleaned up.”

  “Mere—stop.”

  He stared into her eyes so intently she felt as though her knees were about to give way. The look on his face was one of complete intensity, and she prayed he would say exactly what she needed to hear.

  “I enjoy being with you, as well, Meredith.”

  “It took you long enough to—”

  “You just surprised me, that’s all. I’m not one who thinks well on my feet, Meredith. Surely you’ve figured that out by now.”

  He brought a hand to her face, caressing her chin with the
pad of his thumb. She closed her eyes, wondering what all this would lead to, and wrapped her arms about his neck.

  With both hands, he tilted her head back and kissed her with a kiss so gentle she wondered if she’d imagined it.

  The kissing intensified, and she wondered if the two of them would have the willpower to stop. As he pressed his body against hers, and when she felt how aroused he’d become, her mind raced. With the children just down the hall from them, it wasn’t as though they could continue what they’d started.

  Luckily, he appeared to sense her frustration.

  He stopped suddenly and stepped back, examining her thoroughly. “I know we can’t finish what we started here, with your kids just down the hall, but eventually, I hope we will.”

  She nodded, numbly, shocked at the willpower he possessed, stunned that the man could take her from zero to ten so quickly. Had they been alone, she’d have made love with the man right here on the dining room table. Her belly heated, and the only thing she could think of was having him inside her.

  God help me.

  Her head pounded as she considered the obstacles they both faced. For starters, her mother detested this man, had gone so far as to tell her all Native American men were alcoholics. As ridiculous as the comment was, Katrina would never be on board with Meredith and Adam becoming involved. And there were the children, of course. Children always complicated a relationship, and she doubted her two would be any different.

  Meredith felt her mood darken once again as she thought of all the talk shows she watched, cautioning parents not to put their needs ahead of their children’s. Was that what she was doing? Was she choosing Adam Lightfoot over her children? At what point do a child’s needs end and your own begin? She was at a crossroads, and she didn’t know which way to turn.

  Chapter 12

  Two weeks later Katrina Gustafson stood in the kitchen of her daughter’s tiny apartment. Meredith was finishing up her shift at Penny’s Diner and promised to return home with dinner. As she ran a hand across the tiled countertops of the kitchen island, she shook her head. Several tiles were raised up, a clear indication it was time for the apartment managers to redo the countertop completely. Of course, that would probably never happen during Meredith’s stay. And truthfully, there was little point in getting attached to this place because once Meredith finished college, she’d no doubt come to her senses and leave Alpine.

  She looked outside again and spotted Meredith’s car pulling into the driveway. Another car pulled up beside her, and Katrina figured it belonged to Adam Lightfoot. During the past couple of weeks, he was all Meredith talked about. The girl prattled on and on about this guy, and Katrina suspected her daughter and this college professor might be more than just friends. Meredith had insisted that he join them for dinner, so Katrina suspected things were getting pretty serious.

  Unsuccessfully, she tried to get her granddaughter to confide in her about this man, but it was like, as the old adage went, “draining blood from a turnip.” Carly didn’t seem to have much of an opinion about Adam Lightfoot one way or the other. Travis, of course, appeared to like him. But, then, Travis liked everyone—so his opinion didn’t count.

  Meredith walked into the apartment, with Adam following closely behind her. Setting the takeout order on the counter, she offered a quick introduction.

  “Mom, I’d like you to meet Adam Lightfoot, the man I told you about. Adam, this is my mother, Katrina Gustafson.”

  “A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Gustafson.” Adam dipped his head, a faint smile on his lips.

  “Hello.” She left it at that. She wasn’t about to suck up to a man she considered far beneath her daughter.

  As she studied his tan complexion, his high cheekbones and rugged features, she decided that indeed Native American blood coursed through his veins. She wondered what her friends at the country club would have thought of this man, his thick, black hair nearly reaching his shoulders.

  But as her daughter looked up at this tall, broad-shouldered man, it was obvious Meredith saw something in him that she didn’t. Maybe it was the fact he towered over everyone. Although Meredith had married a man of average height, she’d always had a fondness for tall men.

  Katrina watched the way Adam was studying Meredith now, and when his mouth twisted into a lazy smile, it was clear there was some type of chemistry between the two of them.

  Better break this up before things get out of hand.

  “I suppose I should call you Professor Lightfoot.” Katrina could hear the sarcasm in her own voice as she made the comment.

  “That’s not necessary. Please, call me Adam. May I get you something to drink?” He barely got the question out before walking over to the fridge.

  It was obvious as he began rummaging around for their drinks that he was familiar with the apartment. Instinct told her that Meredith was sleeping with the guy.

  Katrina bristled at the notion, aware her daughter’s divorce to Blake had only been finalized a month ago and already she’d moved on. Of course, this guy was no doubt an opportunist who wasted no time preying on vulnerable women. Katrina disliked him even more now, if that were possible.

  “Iced tea all right?” Adam retrieved a pitcher from the fridge and walked over to get a glass. As Meredith handed him several glasses, their eyes locked.

  When Katrina saw her daughter smile, she realized how much the two of them liked one another. This was a hopeless situation. Maybe taking the kids back to Dallas for a week was a mistake. No telling what this man had in mind for Meredith once the children were gone.

  Adam Lightfoot’s eyes clouded, and she suspected he was at least smart enough to realize she didn’t particularly care for him.

  When Meredith glared at her, Katrina decided she needed to at least play nice. She took a deep breath and tried her best to sound upbeat. “Thank you for the tea, Adam.”

  She took several swigs of the drink, trying to think of something else to say to this stranger when her granddaughter raced into the room. “Adam, can you help me with my algebra again?”

  Katrina watched her daughter’s reaction, and when Meredith gave Adam Lightfoot the nod, she realized the man was doing all the right things. Meredith detested math, and having this Lightfoot character help Carly with her homework was no doubt his way of ingratiating himself with Mere.

  “We should probably eat dinner first, Carly. After that, I’ll help you, okay?” After Adam said it, Carly nodded.

  Katrina looked over at her daughter, waiting for Meredith to say something, but she didn’t. The prospect of spending the entire evening making polite conversation with a man she didn’t particularly care for wasn’t sitting well with her. Unable to hide her frustration, she began criticizing Meredith. “I could have cooked a decent meal for you and the children, Meredith. I had no idea you approved of the kids scarfing down fast food.”

  Meredith stopped rummaging through the cupboards where she’d been gathering plates. Turning to face Katrina, hands on hips, she shook her head. When she swallowed several times, Katrina suspected there’d be some backtalk. Something Meredith was a master at. And sure enough, there was.

  “I’ve been on my feet for hours, waiting on customers. I don’t consider meals at the diner your run-of-the-mill takeout. I cooked the patty melt especially for you, just the way you like it. If you’re intent on putting me down, I’d appreciate it if you’d wait until Adam and the kids leave the room to do it.”

  Her daughter’s eyes had begun welling up, and Katrina regretted making the sarcastic remark. She was taking out her frustration on the wrong person.

  Adam stared over at her, and if looks could kill, she’d be a dead woman. The man’s dark eyes pierced her, and judging by the way his jaw was clenched, he was about to blow a gasket.

  When he spoke, his tone was crisp and even, as tho
ugh he was trying very hard not to lose his temper. “Carly, how about the two of us giving your mom a break and get the dining room table all set up. Maybe you could put those linens on your mom likes so much, you know, the ones from Ireland.”

  By now he’d already begun gathering the plates, and Carly followed suit, picking up several glasses. It was obvious the guy was totally at home here.

  Things must be pretty serious if he knew about the table linens and where everything was kept. When Adam Lightfoot brushed past her, she glared at him. To her surprise, he glared back and strode past her.

  ~ ~ ~

  Adam sat at the dining room table next to Meredith, wishing he’d never agreed to have dinner with her mother. The woman was, as some would put it, ‘a work in progress’ although he suspected someone this cantankerous was beyond hope. He suspected she’d never come around, never give him a chance. Her type never did.

  Katrina’s views about people appeared to be outdated, almost a throwback from the 1950s. She’d asked him twice about his heritage and still referred to Native Americans as Indians.

  The woman was fascinating to watch because she tiptoed around her prejudices, careful not to be openly offensive. But judging by the way she frowned whenever he took a swig of beer, she apparently thought he was genetically predisposed to be an alcoholic. He wanted nothing more than to down a six pack in front of her, but that would be pointless. Besides, he rarely had more than one beer.

  It took every ounce of self-control he could muster up not to give this woman a piece of his mind. But people like her never changed; it would be pointless to try and put Katrina in her rightful place. He hoped at some point, Meredith would, because if she allowed her mother to manipulate her like this, their relationship would fizzle quickly. As they ate their meal in silence, Adam was at a loss for words. Clearly, no matter what he said, which direction he steered the conversation in, Katrina would find fault.