The Matchup

by Laura L. Walker

  “So you never did tell me where we’re going today, but from the looks of it, I’d say we’re headed up to Canyon Lake.” Valerie and Gage had just exited the Superstition Freeway and had turned north onto Highway 88.

  Valerie grinned at Gage’s double take. “How’d you guess?”

  “My parents camped out there every summer.”

  “Your dad used to take the Scouts there too.”

  “I can imagine.” With the exception of Whitney’s stormy look, from the moment Gage picked her up for this date, conversation had flowed easily between the two of them. Poor Justin had asked if he could come too. Valerie’s heart had melted as Gage had knelt at his level and ruffled his hair.

  “Not this time, buddy. Tonight it’s just me and your mom. But next week is All-Star Break. We’ll do something together then, okay?”

  Justin broke out into a grin. “Promise?”

  “Promise.”

  “Okay.”

  Now, with the sky clear—just as Gage had predicted—and Gage’s car smoothly eating up the miles, it seemed they’d never run out of things to talk about. Before she knew it, Gage was pulling into the Canyon Lake campground. After parking a distance away from the Ramada and the rest of the campers, Gage pulled an ice chest out from the back of his car. “How can I help?” Valerie asked.

  “Want to grab that blanket and find a nice spot for it?”

  “Sure.”

  It appeared that Gage had thought of everything. After spreading the blanket out, Gage set the cooler down. Valerie pulled containers of fried chicken, baked beans, coleslaw, and rolls out, along with disposable plates and cutlery. Plastic stemware and chilled sparkling cider rounded out the meal quite nicely. One thing was sure. This meal hadn’t come out of a bucket or a box. The only item missing was dessert.

  “Looking for this?” She turned to see Gage holding up a grocery sack with ingredients to make s’mores in one hand and roasting sticks in the other.

  Valerie smiled self-consciously. “You read my mind.”

  When they were settled, Gage began awkwardly, “Um, I’ll bless the food.”

  Though Valerie didn’t say anything, she knew this was a big deal for him. And she was thankful to see this change.

  They ate in silence until one by one, the stars lit up. “We’re lucky to have such a clear night,” Valerie said softly. “How many of the constellations do you know?”

  Gage shook his head. “Not many. I can at least point out the Big Dipper.”

  “Which is actually part of a larger constellation, Ursa Major.” Valerie traced what she could of the pattern overhead in the northeastern sky with her finger.

  “Okay, now I see it. And there’s the Little Dipper too.”

  “Part of Ursa Minor,” Valerie added. “Of course, every good Scout should be able to locate the North Star.”

  “Who said anything about being a good Scout?” Gage joked.

  Valerie chuckled. Trailing her hand down a bit, she pointed out Hercules, mostly from memory since not all of the stars that formed him were visible tonight. “Just below his leg, you can see the star, Vega. Aside from the North Star, it’s one of the brightest and easiest stars to recognize.”

  She pointed out a few more constellations then quieted as they became lost in their musings. Valerie loved the cool crispness of the air and being out with Gage.

  After some time, they got up to start a small fire in the grill. “Okay, so this isn’t nearly as romantic as roasting them over an open flame, but we’ve got to observe fire restrictions and all that jazz.”

  “That’s okay,” Valerie said. “They’ll taste just as good.”

  After a lengthy silence, Gage turned to her. “Whitney’s still having a hard time with me, isn’t she?”

  Uh-oh. This was one subject she’d been trying to avoid. “I think it’s because her dad has a new girlfriend and now that Justin has become so close to Zach, she doesn’t quite know where she fits in anymore.”

  “What can we do about it?”

  Valerie sighed. “The only thing I can think of that will help is time. Show her love. And patience. Lots of it.”

  With a smile of encouragement, Gage took her hand and pulled Valerie closer. The air had finally cooled to where it felt good to be wrapped in his arms. It would have felt nice anyway, but here in this moment, Valerie felt safe. Sheltered. And cared for.

  “I hope Whitney knows that I’m not trying to replace her dad. I want to build a relationship with her, but she’s not ready.”

  “No, she isn’t,” Valerie whispered.

  “And I think that Justin could really benefit from having a guy in his life who can be a good role model for him. I haven’t always been that guy, but I would like to be now, Valerie.”

  “Gage, what are you saying?”

  “We balance each other out in a really good way. You’re more serious while I can be impulsive at times.”

  “Just a little,” she agreed with a chuckle.

  “I think you like me just as much as I like you.”

  Feeling a little panicked, Valerie said, “Liking a person is different from loving a person.”

  Gage grunted. “Liking my friends was never like this. And what I’m feeling for you is way more intense than what I ever felt for April.”

  His lips came down on hers, softly at first and then with more pressure. Valerie responded by weaving her arms around his neck and pulling him closer. She couldn’t deny the passion she felt or the disappointment that muddled her brain when it ended. But if Gage was hinting at a more permanent relationship—and she thought he was—she, like Whitney, wasn’t quite ready. A lasting temple marriage was first and foremost her goal this time. Truth be told, she doubted Gage was ready for such a commitment as well.

  “Gage, we can discuss this another time. Right now, I think it’s best if we get back to our kids. Are you going to church tomorrow?”

  “Yep. Zach and I will be there.”

  On the way back to Mesa, Gage’s voice broke through the silence that had pervaded since departing the lake. “Valerie, I’ve got a fairly flexible schedule next weekend during the All-Star Break. I thought about doing something with the kids on Friday. Then maybe you and I could do something Saturday night?”

  “What do have in mind?”

  He shrugged. “For the kids, I’m not sure yet. Maybe a movie or bowling. I was thinking about taking you out for dinner and then a show afterward. Wear your most beautiful dress, although it could never compete with your beauty.” He flashed her a brilliant smile. “Think you can convince Chloe to babysit for you one more time? Or is she getting a little tired of it?”

  Hopeful that the darkness was covering her blush, Valerie said, “Not especially. But she’s asking questions about us.”

  Gage gave a short laugh. “I’m fielding questions too. That’s good. It means we’re making progress.”

  Gage straightened his tie in the mirror, then ran his fingers through his hair. Once again, it was short, just the way he liked it. Gone were the days when Gage had hidden his face from others beneath the sleek curtain of his long mane. It felt good to face the world again with confidence.

  On Thursday, Gage had bought a ring for Valerie according to her sister Chloe’s specifications. Now, finally, it was almost time for their date. His palms were sweaty. He’d been on many dates with beautiful women through the years. But Valerie’s beauty was very different. Refreshing. And although she didn’t know it, this wasn’t just any date.

  Earlier this week, Gage had secured two tickets to a popular magic act in Scottsdale, for the renowned illusionist, Gordon Reno. In his excitement, an idea germinated, which prompted him to make another phone call.

  “Hello?” His brother’s voice came through on the second ring.

  “Hey, Pierce. I need to ask you a favor.”

  “The last time I did a favor for you, bro, you dropped a bombshell in our laps.”

  Gage sighed. “Yeah. Sorry about that. This
time, it’s something better.”

  “Like what?”

  “I want to ask Valerie to marry me. And I need your help.” To his surprise and delight, after explaining his idea, Pierce agreed. Gage could hardly contain his excitement until today.

  Now, Gage’s phone buzzed just as he was heading out the door. Impatiently, he answered it. “Hello?”

  “Gage?”

  It was Travis from work. He and Gage had hung out in some questionable places a lot when Gage first became a member of the Diamondbacks organization. But Gage had been distancing himself from his friends more lately. “Hey, Travis. What’s up?”

  “The ladies and I were talking about checking out a new place that just opened up in Scottsdale this weekend.” What a coincidence, Gage thought wryly. So was I. Although he suspected that the two of them were thinking of completely opposite venues. “You wanna come?”

  Clubbing. That was about all his life had amounted to in recent years. While Gage missed the friends he no longer had time for due to tending Zach, he now realized how empty his life had been. The conversations they’d shared in those dim, hazy lights were nothing more than meaningless chatter. The more alcohol they consumed, the looser their tongues became, emitting vile and crude language that made Gage want to gag on his cola.

  “I can’t make it tonight. I’ve got plans.”

  “You sure you can’t cancel them? Bridget will be there.” The leggy brunette who didn’t work with the rest of them but was a friend of Elise, their co-worker. Elise had introduced them in the hopes that she and Gage would hit it off. Gage had briefly thought about asking Bridget out, but the more she talked, the less he wanted to get to know her. She was just another knock-off of April.

  “I’m going to pass this time. Good luck finding someone else to drive you.”

  Travis let an expletive fly. Gage cringed. Had he really fit in with that crowd not so long ago? Although he’d made relatively slow progress over the past five years, that kind of lifestyle seemed to be a thing of his distant past.

  Ending the call, he breathed a sigh of relief.

  It was time to face his future.

  Gage rang Valerie’s doorbell twenty minutes later. Brande Levington opened the door and waved him inside. “You’re babysitting tonight?”

  “Yes. Chloe had an obligation. I’ll be staying with the kids here rather than taking them to our house.”

  Knowing the date would last well into the evening, Gage agreed it was a good plan. For that same reason—and because Zach had been missing Keith and Madeline—he’d set Zach up with a sleepover at his grandparents’ house in Tucson. “I’ll go see if Valerie’s ready,” Brande said and then left the room.

  Whitney and Justin greeted him—Whitney, cautiously, and Justin, enthusiastically.

  Whitney’s brow puckered at the same time her little fist landed on one hip. “You’re going on another date with my mom? Are you gonna marry her or what?”

  He sure hoped so. But Gage wasn’t about to reveal his plan to this sassy six-year-old who reminded him so much of her mom before he had a chance to ask the woman in question. Gage’s fire and ice theory had just taken a turn for the worst. If he’d ever needed inspiration, now was the time.

  Fortunately, it came. Whitney needed to know that her feelings mattered. “Would it be all right with you if I did?”

  With her petulant expression, she made a good imitation of a worried mama. “But Mommy said that you don’t have a testimony.”

  “I’m getting it back, Whitney. I’ve started going to church again. I want to be a part of your life too, not just your mom’s.”

  Whitney looked at him dubiously, her mouth flattening into a straight line. Gage knelt down and peered into her eyes. The uncertainty he saw there twisted his gut. “Hey,” he said softly. “It’s hard when things change. You were probably hoping that your mom and dad would get back together, right?”

  He waited for her reluctant nod before continuing.

  “Sweetheart, I wish this could be easier for you. My own mom and dad split up and now they are both married to other people. It really hurt when that happened, but do you know what I learned from the experience?”

  Entranced, Whitney slowly shook her head.

  “Everything happens for a reason. A mom and dad have to work together to make their marriage succeed. When one or both of them are unwilling to do that, you have to accept it and move on.”

  Gage wasn’t sure if he was making sense to Whitney. But she was no longer openly hostile toward him.

  “My mom and dad are happier now because they both found someone else not only to love, but to work with and help each other. Moms and dads should stay together when they can, but that isn’t always possible. I want you to know, Whitney, that I want your mom to be happy. And I want you and Justin to be happy because I care about you. No matter what happens, your mom and your dad will always love you. Remember that.”

  Oh, great. Now he’d made her cry. Gently, Gage pulled this precious but grown-up little girl into his arms. His heart ached for her.

  “It will be all right, Whitney,” he said softly. “Life will be different from the way you wanted it to be, but everything will work out as it should.” He pulled back to look at her. “Heavenly Father knows how you feel. Pray to Him, okay? Don’t get mad at Him like I did. It doesn’t do any good. It only makes you feel worse.”

  She was nodding solemnly when Gage’s senses suddenly went on alert. Looking up, he saw Valerie and her mom wiping their eyelids with the backs of their hands. He had been so engrossed in convincing Whitney to give him a chance that he hadn’t heard them quietly enter the room. Terrific. He’d managed to make three generations of females weep with one blow.

  Sniffling, Valerie stuttered, “Gage Logan, now look what you’ve done. My makeup was perfect. Now I need to go back and redo it.”

  “No, you don’t.” He hastily stepped forward to capture her hand. “You look gorgeous.”

  “You’re being ridiculous.” Valerie dabbed her face with a tissue.

  “Not this time. You’re stunning.” Gage couldn’t help staring at the vision that stood before him. Valerie wore a chiffon dress in dark amethyst with a sparkly beaded fitted bodice, which modestly showed off the feminine line of her hips. She had pulled her hair back in some kind of a stylish knot to reveal diamond teardrop earrings, which drew Gage’s attention to her oval face. Gage’s mouth went dry. While the dress and her makeup added glamour to her features, somehow, Gage knew they didn’t attribute to her glow. His heart pounded at the thought that she might possibly return his feelings for her. He was tempted to kiss her right there and then to find out.

  “Thank you,” she said, her cheeks coloring delicately. “Not only for the compliment but for what you said to Whitney.” Then she added lightly, “You look great, too, by the way.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Mommy, you look like a princess.”

  Valerie’s mother agreed. “You sure do, honey. Have a wonderful time.”

  Dinner at the Mystical Cavern in Scottsdale was fabulous. Valerie had never eaten in such an elegant atmosphere. The restaurant had been built into the side of a hill with the dining room literally being underground. The same variety of vegetables Valerie grew in her own backyard were used in ways she had never dreamed of. Gage ordered the chipotle steak while she opted for the not-so-spicy-but-just-as-flavorful chicken Acapulco. Their entrées were cooked to perfection.

  At first, Valerie’s quivering nerves set her on edge. Get a hold of yourself. This is Gage. Pretend you’re back at Canyon Lake with him and you’ll be fine. Thankfully, Gage carried much of the conversation until she relaxed somewhat. She realized with a start that she was enjoying herself very much. Then Gage’s phone lit up. Glancing at the text message, a hint of a smile teased his lips. Though she wondered about it, Valerie didn’t want to pry.

  Gage informed Valerie, “Noelle gave birth to a healthy baby girl on Tuesday. They named her Bethany Grace.
”

  “Please congratulate her and Pierce for me.”

  After dinner, the conversation in Gage’s car naturally turned to their children while he drove them to their next destination. For reasons unknown, Valerie had been so nervous about this date that she hadn’t even thought to ask where they were going. Gage pulled up to the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and led her into the glitzy building.

  “The great and fantastical magic act of famous illusionist Gordon Reno?” She echoed the words in bold letters on her program.

  Gage grinned, flashing incredibly white teeth. “Front row seats.”

  Her jaw dropped. “Are you serious?”

  “Trust me. This is something you don’t want to miss.”

  Valerie felt a thrill as the lights dimmed and the crowd grew quiet. Thunderous applause broke out when Gordon Reno appeared on the stage, wearing a white shirt and black pants with his long black cape flowing behind him. “Good eef-ning, ladies and gentlemen,” he greeted in a thick eastern European accent. “Ve hope you vill enjoy ze show.”

  He introduced his scantily clad female assistant, Azalea, and warmed up the audience by turning a purple scarf into various shades of blue and green along with a few smaller tricks. His repertoire wasn’t anything Valerie had never seen before on television, but seeing these tricks for the first time in person lent a whole new dimension to them. Her senses went on alert when Gordon Reno locked his assistant in a vertical box and he shoved first one, then another sharp-edged metal plate through staggered slits on each side. Almost without consciousness, Valerie gripped Gage’s hand when the magician pushed the middle compartment off to the side, making a zig-zagging pattern with the three boxes. He raised his arms with a flourish and the audience erupted.

  Valerie soon realized that Azalea was the real star of the show as Gordon Reno put her through one daring trick after another. Valerie’s breath caught when he brought out a sword standing on end. As if casting a spell on her, he gently laid Azalea on the sword, chanting in a hypnotizing rhythm as her body fell lower and lower until the blade of the sword pierced completely through her flesh. An audible gasp escaped the crowd. Then, with precision, Gordon Reno repeated the same chants before raising Azalea up and helping her stand.