Goalie (Texas Mutiny Book 3)

by M. E. Carter

  “Well she can passive-aggressively gift things to me anytime.” He tosses the clothes back down on the bed and swings his legs back and forth.

  “Why are the kids so quiet?” I ask, as my mom radar starts alerting inside my head.

  “I brought them snacks.”

  “Marcus! What kind of sugar did you feed them now?”

  He has the decency to look affronted, but I’m not fooled. This is fun for him. “How do you know it’s sugar? Maybe it’s a healthy vegetable.”

  “They don’t eat vegetables quietly. They eat them by throwing them on the floor and yelling about how green is a yucky color.”

  “See what a great friend I am? I got them to eat quietly.”

  “Marcus,” I say in a threatening tone.

  “Fine. I brought over leftover cookie-cake from the office party.”

  “Marcus! You know how big of a sugar high they’re going to be on? Theo is going to run in circles!”

  “That’s the whole point. Eventually he’ll come off that high and when he does, he’ll lay on the floor and be a perfect little angel all night.”

  I laugh. “And while he lays down, you’ll be cleaning up all the messes he made.”

  He waves a dismissive hand at me. “You forget I’ve babysat before. The worst I’ll have to do is put away all the Tupperware after he pulls it out of the cabinets.”

  “You better wash it all, too.” I pat my fingers gently against the flat iron, making sure it’s hot enough.

  “Oh yeah. I’ll totally wash it all.”

  I grunt my response, knowing full well he’s lying through his teeth and that I actually don’t care about dirty Tupperware as much as I want him to think.

  “So. You’re going out with Tom again, huh?” he remarks, changing the subject.

  “Yep.”

  “It’s been a while since you talked to him.”

  “Not that long.” I clip up part of my hair and begin the tedious process of flattening out all the curl.

  “Honey, the last time you went out with him was before you went to that conference thingy. That was months ago.”

  “Oh yeah. Well I got really busy so I stopped getting on my account for a while. And somewhere in that time frame, his job sent him to China for like eight weeks or something crazy like that to help set up a new office. When he got back and got on his own account, he saw mine was active again, or so he says, and he texted me.”

  “Why didn’t he text you as soon as he got back?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe because he knew I was going to marriage conferences to try to work on my relationship.”

  “Hmmm.”

  “What does hmmm mean?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe nothing. But his story is suspicious.”

  “You think every story is suspicious.”

  “Only until I’m proven incorrect.”

  “You watch too much CSI.”

  “Maybe,” he retorts. “But it keeps me on my toes and out of bad relationships.”

  “I’m going to dinner. Not Vegas for a quickie wedding.”

  He sighs. “You say that now, but you just never know.”

  “You’re such a drama queen.”

  The words are no more than out of my mouth when Marcus begins squealing like a little girl.

  “Ohmygod, Mari! Look at your son!”

  I turn around just in time to dodge his blue face as he comes running toward me with his sticky blue fingers reaching out.

  I can’t help but laugh at the blue frosting that is all over his face, making it look like he has a blue beard.

  “You look so funny!” I quickly grab my camera off the top of my dresser and start snapping some pics. Theo hams it up for the camera and soon Marcus is laughing, too.

  “You realize I have to finish getting ready so you get to clean him up, right?”

  Marcus’s jaw drops open. “But he’s your son!”

  “And you gave him the icing.”

  He puts his hands on his hips. “I’m guessing now is not a good time to make a joke about a blue waffle.”

  “I have no idea what a blue waffle is, but judging by the expression on your face, I don’t want to, do I?”

  He picks Theo up, a look of disgust crossing his face and carries him into the bathroom. “Whatever you do, do not Google it.”

  Considering he is always Googling something, I decide to take his warning seriously.

  Ten minutes and one bath later, Theo is back to his normal coloring, Marcus is soaking wet and bitching about cleaning poop out of the tub, and I’m dressed in my lone “non-mom” outfit.

  “What do you think?” I spin in a circle and wait for Marcus’s approval. My jeans hug my rear just the right way. The sweater is fitted, but not too tight. And my black, knee high boots are still just snug enough to look exactly like I want. I feel pretty. And, dare I say it, sexier than I have in a long time.

  “Now that is the sex kitten I was talking about.”

  I bite my lip, squelching the giant smile trying to break through.

  “Thanks, Marcus. I feel really good.”

  “Well don’t just stand there. I’m not going to hit on you. Go on your date.” He snatches Theo up off the floor and encourages him to wave bye-bye.

  I kiss the top of both of their heads making Marcus give Theo an over-exaggerated expression and head out the door.

  To my date.

  With Tom.

  “So how was China? Did you do a lot of sight-seeing?”

  Tom and I sit opposite each other at Akashi, a local sushi restaurant. It’s been a long time since I’ve had sushi and I don’t really remember if I like it. But with my new life comes trying new things. So here I am, drinking sake and ordering a couple of different rolls just to see what I think.

  “I didn’t have as much time as I wanted. I was in charge of hiring and training all the new employees and getting it done as quickly as possible. Most days I worked twelve hours or more.”

  “Seven days a week?”

  “Yep.” He takes a sip of his sake and wipes his mouth with his napkin. “I wanted to get back home as soon as possible. Being away from my kids for nine weeks was rough. I didn’t want to extend my stay.”

  “I’m sure. Did you get to talk to them at all while you were gone? What with the time difference?”

  “We Skyped a few times, but the reception isn’t that great. The screen would freeze up often. That part was irritating, but it turns out the kids got lots of great screenshots of me making weird expressions, so for them it was great.”

  I laugh. “That’s exactly the same kind of thing Santos would do when he was out of town. Some of the faces the kids made were priceless.”

  Tom gets a weird look on his face. “Santos? Your ex-husband?”

  “Yeah. It used to drive me crazy. But that’s just the kind of dad he is. Always trying to make the kids laugh and have fun with them.”

  Our waiter appears with several plates full of specialty sushi rolls. All the sushi is wrapped in rice and covered with various sauces and creams. It looks fantastic and my mouth waters at the thought of eating it.

  Once I get my soy sauce and green stuff situated, dip my roll in it, and take my first bite, I remember that I do, in fact, like sushi. I like it a lot.

  “You didn’t get to do a whole lot of sightseeing,” I say as I finish swallowing, going back for more. “What did you do?”

  He finishes his own bite and I wonder briefly what kind he got. It looks really good. I may have to try it next time.

  “Well, the company had already started the preliminary hiring and some of the lower-level positions. I had to go in and finalize a few of the key upper-management positions. And then I spent days upon days training people on our software and a lot of policies and procedures.”

  “I would think that part would go quickly.”

  “You would think. But China isn’t like the States. The work ethic is different. The cultural traditions are different. I’m n
ot sure if it was harder getting them to understand our policies or me to understand what they’re used to.”

  “But you’re pretty confident now, right?”

  “I wouldn’t have left if I wasn’t.” He smiles at me. “Wanna trade a bite for a bite?”

  I smile back, eyeing his food. “Ohmygod, yes. That looks really good. What is it?”

  “A lobster roll. It’s yellow fish, lobster meat, and other stuff that I don’t remember.”

  Popping it in my mouth, I groan in delight. “That is so good,” I say, trying to cover my mouth with my hand since I’m talking with food in my mouth. “Seriously. I may need to get that next time. Mmm.”

  He smiles as he watches me finish my bite. “That good, huh?”

  I giggle. “I think I forgot how much I like sushi. I haven’t had it in years. Here.” I push my plate toward him and point a chopstick to my plate. “Try this one.”

  He takes it, swirls it around in his soy sauce and takes a bite. “Mmmm,” he moans with a look of ecstasy. “What is that one? God, that is good.”

  “It’s a Northpark roll. I have no idea what’s in it.”

  “I can’t believe I waited so long to come try this place. I’m gonna have to become a regular patron.”

  We continue inhaling our food, making small talk as we go.

  “I like the blond. What made you decide to do that?”

  “My friend Marcus convinced me I needed a change,” I say, delighted that Tom brought it up. It’s been a long time since I’ve put this much effort into my appearance and it feels good to have it recognized. “He has a hairdresser friend, Nathan, that he recommended, and I pretty much gave him free reign to do whatever he wanted. And this is the result.”

  “Wow. I don’t know a lot of women who have enough nerve to just let the hairdresser go crazy.”

  “I honestly have no idea what the current styles are. I never paid much attention to it before I got married, just sort of went shopping with friends and ended up dressing like them. I just gave him two guidelines— leave it a little long and make me not look frumpy. I like it. I almost feel like a new woman.”

  “I remember doing that right after I got divorced.”

  I freeze with another bite halfway to my mouth. “Really? So I’m not the only one to get a mini-makeover post-divorce?”

  “Oh no. I joined a gym, got a new wardrobe. I guess it wasn’t as drastic because I’m a guy and there isn’t as much hair to work with. But I think sometimes we need to try to remember who we liked to be before life kind of got in the way.”

  I nod. “That’s exactly it. It’s not like a mid-life crisis or anything. It’s more like, I sort of lost myself and I’m trying to find her again.”

  “Makes total sense to me.”

  “I, um…” I clear my throat suddenly feeling shy. “I went out and bought a fancy camera, too. I used to love to take pictures so I thought I’d try it again.”

  The corners of Tom’s eyes crinkle from a grin that’s hidden behind a napkin as he wipes his mouth.

  “That’s wonderful. Have you taken a lot of pictures yet?”

  I nod and grab my phone from my purse. “I even worked a little bit with an editing program. I’m not really great at it yet, but it’s fun. You wanna see?”

  “Of course I do!”

  I scroll through a few things as I look for the most recent pictures. “I posted a few on my social media so my mother could see. Here.”

  Handing him my phone, he smiles almost immediately.

  “Mariana, these are great. They look like they should be in a magazine,” he compliments, as he scrolls through the shots.

  “That is exactly what Santos said when I showed him.” I shake my head, but the smile on my face says I’m delighted. “I’m not that good. But I feel like I’m getting better.”

  Tom looks at me quizzically and hands my phone back.

  “Really. You’re very talented.”

  “Thank you. It’s just a hobby, but it goes back to what you were saying before. It’s part of me finding that person I lost again, ya know?”

  He leans back to get comfortable. “I do.”

  We continue to chat as the waiter takes our now empty plates away. We talk about Tom’s kids, a fourteen-year-old and twelve-year-old, and how different middle school has been for them than it ever was for us. We talk about the house being for sale and how we’re waiting to be under contract any day now. We even talk about the weather. I find that I enjoy Tom’s company. I don’t know if he’s a lifelong match, but he’s a nice guy, easy to talk to, kind. All the qualities women look for in a man. So when the conversation takes a strange turn, it’s a little jarring.

  “Why are you here with me, Mariana?”

  “What?” I ask, furrowing my brows. I’m not understanding what exactly he’s asking me or why.

  He thinks for a few seconds before responding. “I’ve been divorced for several years now, and I remember being right where you’re at. My ex-wife and I were still at each other’s throats. We tried very hard to be amicable, but we just weren’t ready for that. You, on the other hand, well, you talk about your ex a lot.”

  “What? I do not.” I quickly try to think through all our conversations.

  “I’m not trying to be insulting. I’m just pointing out that just since we got here tonight, I’ve learned his name, that he’s selling your house, that he’s a great dad, and that you like to take pictures of him.”

  “I… I don’t take pictures of him.” I snatch my phone up and look through the pictures Tom has just seen. “Tom, these aren’t pictures of Santos. They’re pictures of my kids.”

  “He’s in the background of almost every one of them.”

  “I’m just not very good at editing yet. I told you this.”

  “Mariana, you are a beautiful woman. You’re smart. You’re funny. It’s obvious that you give to others constantly without ever asking for anything in return.” He leans forward putting his elbows on the table. “And you are still very much in love with your husband.”

  I look into his eyes, expecting to see anger or resentment, but there isn’t any. Just genuine kindness.

  I slump down in my seat in defeat. “I’m trying really hard not to be.”

  He smiles kindly. “There’s nothing wrong with it.”

  “But I’m supposed to be moving on. Not holding on.”

  “I don’t think you’re holding on for the wrong reasons. Honestly, I’m a little jealous. You talk about him like he’s your best friend.”

  I look up at Tom and his words hit me. “He is.”

  “That’s what I thought.” Tom grabs some cash out of his wallet and leaves it on the table. “Shall we?”

  He guides me out of the restaurant and over to my car. My mind is still swirling and my emotions aren’t quite sure what to do. I like Tom a lot. But he’s right. I’m not in love with him, and I never will be.

  We reach my driver’s side door and I click the button, unlocking it. Turning to face Tom, I kiss him on the cheek.

  “I’m really sorry if I led you on, Tom. It wasn’t my intention.”

  “I know,” he affirms, taking my hand and holding it to his chest. “I don’t think you even realized how you still felt about him until I pointed it out.”

  I nod once. “I think I knew, but it’s harder letting go than I thought it would be.”

  He kisses me on the cheek. “You’ll get there eventually. When you do, give me a call.” I smile up at him, appreciating how kind he is and wishing I could feel more for him than I do. “Goodbye, Mariana.”

  “Goodbye, Tom.”

  He turns and walks away.

  I climb into my car and turn it on, cranking up the heater, and just think about these revelations.

  I know I’m in love with my ex-husband. But what the hell am I supposed to do with that?

  Racing through the parking lot, I dodge as many puddles as I can. I swear it started raining a month ago and hasn’t let up. Even
worse, it’s muggy. Really muggy. But that’s what early June in Houston is like every year. At least the rain is keeping the bugs away for now.

  “Shit,” I yell as I accidentally land right in a puddle. I look up and see Mari’s elderly neighbors staring at me and my filthy mouth. “Sorry. I landed in a puddle.”

  The old man doesn’t seem amused but the woman, I can tell she’s trying not to grin.

  Reaching Mari’s door, I bang as quickly as I can. It’s only eight in the morning, but we’ve spent a lot of time together over the last couple of months. I know their routine pretty well again, and I’m sure the kids are up by now. When the door opens revealing Mari still in her jammies, coffee cup in hand, my suspicions are confirmed.

  “Sorry!” I whiz past her and into the living room where the kids are already playing. “I left my schedule here and couldn’t find the website to print another copy. I think I left it on the counter.”

  Myra notices me as I run by. “Daddy!” she yells, and they all jump up and race toward me.

  “Hi kids!” I yell back, not bothering to stop. Aha! There it is. Exactly where I left it on the counter.

  Turning back around, I find three small children clamoring for my attention. I’m in a huge rush, but I can’t just leave without giving them the affection they want. I hug each one of them tightly while Mari leans against the wall, watching. She’s been doing that more, lately. Just watching. I can’t even decipher her expression when I catch her, but maybe I don’t want to. I’m fine with convincing myself she’s looking at me with fondness.

  “Daddy is running really late. It’s finally my first day of school.” The kids have been counting down the days until I go to school, just like them, for weeks. They’re so excited that of course the girls jump up and down in excitement, which makes me smile. “I’ve got to go. Give me big kisses.” I kiss each one of them on the head as they squeeze my legs tight and head back toward the door.

  “Thanks, Mari,” I say, kissing her on the cheek as well. “Y’all have a good day,” I yell over my shoulder.

  “Have fun in class,” Mari yells back. “No sucking up to the teacher!”