by Susan Crosby
Chapter Six
T he McCoys were spread out for Ethan’s welcome party from Aggie’s front yard, to inside the house and on into the back. Donovan watched over Ethan as he played out front with a few of his cousins, a little shy but warming. He was the youngest by several years. Most of the women were in the kitchen putting the final touches on their potluck items, laughing and teasing each other, their voices drifting through the screen door.
The sound was familiar and relaxing.
Even though they’d just given him a send-off barbecue two days ago, everyone seemed happy enough to be back for more. And if Ethan was a little overwhelmed by the number of relatives, he didn’t show it beyond a little extra clinging to Donovan’s hand. Ethan probably would’ve been clinging to Millie, instead, but she’d busied herself with the food preparation, purposely making herself unavailable to him.
Only two non-McCoys were there—Millie and Dixie Callahan, Joe’s ex-fiancée, who’d recently moved in with Nana Mae to help care for her, without Nana Mae knowing she was being taken care of.
Donovan was on the lookout for the other non-McCoy invited guest, Laura, and to watch Ethan ride a bicycle with training wheels that one of the cousins was passing down.
Everyone came with gifts, all of them in grocery bags, for which Donovan was grateful. He didn’t want to sit and unwrap gifts for an hour. But he admitted to being curious about what kinds of things they’d brought.
He spotted Laura from a block away. It was an especially warm evening. Maybe her skin would be pink and dewy from the long walk….
She was wearing another formfitting summer dress, the neckline not too low, the hem midthigh. She’d left her hair up. He’d bet if he commented on it, she would say she was cooler with it off her skin. He didn’t really mind, because it exposed her long, tempting neck, but he did like the messy look he’d seen yesterday after she’d been sunbathing at home.
He moved to the sidewalk to greet her, noting that she also came with a Nordstrom shopping bag, but he could see colorful wrapping paper inside, with kid-appealing robots printed all over it. Ethan pedaled up, coming to a stop between them.
“Hi, Laura!”
“Hello, Ethan. Looks like you’re having fun.” She smiled at Donovan but quickly returned her attention to the boy.
“Guess what? I’m related to all these people. I have aunts and uncles and cousins.” He leaned close to her and whispered, “I can’t remember everyone’s name yet.”
“Maybe they should wear name tags until you do.”
He scrunched up his face. “That’s silly.”
“Why?”
“Because I can’t read.”
After a moment, Laura started to laugh. Ethan chimed in, giggling in delight, not really getting what made it funny, but going along with it.
She reached into her bag and pulled out a package. “This is for you.”
“It’s not my birthday for a whole month.”
“We talked about this, son,” Donovan said. “It’s a welcome party. I’m getting presents, too. But you have to wait until later to open the packages.”
The boy sighed. “Thank you, Laura, but I have to wait until later.”
“No problem.” She slipped it back into the bag.
“We’re about to eat,” Donovan explained. “Presents after dinner. Mom’s rules. It drags out the anticipation.” Which worked in his favor, because it would force her to stay through dinner and beyond. It would seem rude if she left before Ethan opened his gift from her. Sometimes life just worked out perfectly.
“Dinner’s on!” someone yelled through the screen door.
“Hey, bud, ride your bike through the gate into the backyard,” Donovan said, “so it’s not sitting on the sidewalk.”
“Okay.” He took off, leaving Donovan and Laura to follow.
“Thanks for coming,” he said.
“My pleasure. He looks happy.”
“It’s an ongoing process.”
“And you? Are you happy?”
He hesitated long enough that she stopped, putting her hand on his arm to halt him, too.
“What?” she asked. “You aren’t happy?”
“It’s not that. I can’t say this to anyone else.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’m in over my head, you know? I have all these nieces and nephews, but I’ve never spent much time with them, and certainly never been responsible for them. Joe’s got all the kid experience, since he’s never left Chance City. I know he babysat when he was a teenager. Even now he takes the kids places. Fishing, ball games, lots of different activities. I don’t know how to relate.”
“From what I’ve seen, you’re relating just fine. In fact, I’d say you’re a natural.”
“I haven’t been tested yet. It’s all fun and games so far.” He put his hand at the small of her back, urging her forward so they could join the family in the backyard, then didn’t let his hand drop until they were almost in sight of everyone. Her dress was damp where he touched her. Something about that aroused him. Maybe just the vision of them working up a sweat while they made love—hot summer nights made even steamier in bed sharing body heat.
He wondered if part of her allure was that he couldn’t have her—
No. He’d avoided her during the two months he’d been home because he knew it couldn’t go anywhere, and he wanted his visits home to be uncomplicated. It’d been a conscious choice. He’d rather ignore her so that he wouldn’t sleep with her than have to ignore her because he had slept with her.
Donovan watched his mother sweep Laura into a hug, saw Laura stiffen and pull back as soon as she could. She fished a bottle of wine from the paper sack she carried and gave it to Aggie, which made Donovan smile. His mother would put it aside for a special occasion, and probably never serve it because it was way too special.
Donovan let Laura fill her plate, waiting for her to come back to where he’d saved a seat for her. She surprised him by not even looking his way, but heading to where Dixie and his new sister-in-law, Keri, sat, the two women a study in opposites. The curly-haired blonde, Dixie, was about five-five and blessed with the perfect hourglass figure. Dark-haired Keri stood a couple of inches taller and was reed slender, having lost the pregnancy weight in a hurry.
Putting Laura between them defined the contrasts even more. She was taller than Keri, blonder than Dixie and a perfect balance between Keri’s slenderness and Dixie’s voluptuousness.
Donovan filled his plate, then sat at a picnic table, glancing at the women occasionally as he ate, wondering how they’d all become friends, then deciding that while they were different from each other in visible ways, there were similarities. All three women were comfortable in their own skin, and were confident and strong—matter-of-fact, no-punches-pulled women. He’d always recognized what Joe had seen in Dixie all these years, and couldn’t believe he’d let her get away. As for Keri, Donovan had come to recognize what Jake saw in her, how she made his life better, richer. It had taken Donovan a long time to trust her, but it was part of his nature to be skeptical.
Yet he already trusted Laura.
“You look like you’ve got dessert all scoped out.”
Donovan jolted at the sound of Joe’s voice as he sat beside him, his own plate heaped with fried chicken and potato salad. Donovan gave his brother a quelling look. “You know I never turn down cherry pie.”
Joe laughed. “Is that what you call Laura? Cherry pie?” He picked up a drumstick and eyed it casually, too casually.
“You can’t say I don’t have good taste,” Donovan replied, knowing it was useless to argue the point.
“Nope. Sure can’t. I can still picture her in that bikini she wore to David Falcon’s party.”
“Me, too,” Jake said, joining his brothers. “I almost asked her out a few times over the years, but I had a feeling she’d chew me up and spit me out. You’re a braver man than I, Donny.”
“Don’t you have a baby to take care of?”
&n
bsp; “Isabella is sleeping. Where’s your child?”
Donovan stood in a hurry. He’d been so wrapped up in sneaking glances at Laura, he’d forgotten Ethan.
“He’s fine,” Jake said, exchanging a grin with Joe. “He’s sitting on the grass over there with part of our village.” He pointed to where Ethan sat with five of his cousins, smiling tentatively.
Donovan lowered himself to the bench again, feeling like an idiot, but knowing his brothers wouldn’t embarrass him in front of the others. Parenting was a brand-new role.
“What time are we getting started tomorrow on your house?” Donovan asked Jake.
“Smooth change of subject.” Jake grinned. “Early. So far, I’ve lined up about fifteen people. We’ll paint tomorrow, and pull up carpet. There are hardwood floors under the carpets. We’re hoping they won’t need too much work. We figure we can be set up and moved in within ten days. But we’ve got a ton of stuff to buy. We plan to leave most of the furniture that’s at the cabin. Is that okay with you?”
“Are you kidding? That’d be great.”
“You’ll need a bed for Ethan.” Jake turned his head at the sound of a baby crying. He stood, then went to meet their sister Darcy, who held and bounced Isabella as she came out of the house. Darcy turned sideways, not letting Jake take her. She kept moving toward Keri. Jake followed.
Donovan watched in amazement as Laura reached for the baby instead of Keri. Almost instantly, Isabella quieted.
“The baby whisperer,” Joe said.
“What?”
“That’s what they all call Laura.”
It was news to Donovan. He hadn’t figured her for a kid person at all, but especially babies. She generally left kids alone, although she certainly seemed at ease with Ethan. “I didn’t know she was that close to Keri. I’ve seen them talking at some of the parties, but that’s all. She was at Jake and Keri’s wedding.”
Joe picked up his empty plate and Donovan’s to toss. “Laura turned thirty this year, like Dix and me. Maybe she’s looking for a change. Trying to get involved more.”
Donovan zeroed in on Joe. “Does that mean you’re looking for a change?”
Joe shrugged. “I’ve been doing the same thing for a whole lotta years, you know?”
“To great success.”
“Yeah. That’s the problem.” He started to walk away, then turned back, a hint of a smile on his lips. “Can I get you some cherry pie?” He gave Laura a quick glance.
Donovan wished it was that easy—just order her up and she would appear. She would be sweet and tart, too, just like his mom’s pie.
Joe didn’t wait for an answer. He didn’t have to.
Ethan came running up. “Is it time to open Laura’s present now?”
“Five more minutes, bud. Let everyone finish eating.”
“But—”
“Patience, Ethan. There are a lot of gifts to open, not just Laura’s.”
Ethan walked back to where his cousins sat, kicking the ground as he went. Donovan smiled at the universal body language of being denied something. He shifted his gaze to Laura, who still held the baby but was watching Ethan. She made eye contact with Donovan and smiled, too; then Keri said something and Laura passed her the baby.
Donovan waited to see if Laura would join him, since he was alone now and she no longer held the baby, but she continued to sit where she was, looking back at him, the smile on her face leaving by degrees.
He wanted her. He wanted to see her naked, to kiss her for hours, to seek the warmth inside her and find satisfaction. Then he wanted to do it again.
A plate of cherry pie dropped with a thud on the table, then Joe landed beside him. “You’ve got it bad,” he said. “You know she’s untouchable.”
“That should stop me?”
Joe raised his brows. He scooped up a forkful of lemon meringue pie, his favorite. “I forget how much of a pit bull you can be.”
“Did Dixie make the lemon pie?” Donovan asked innocently.
Joe ducked his head. “Tastes like hers.”
“Are you ever going to fix things with her?”
His younger brother continued to eat without comment.
“Okay, if you’re not going to fix it, are you going to start dating?”
“Maybe.”
“You’re in a tough spot.”
“Yeah,” Joe said. “The hazards of living in a small town.”
“Dixie’s in the same position, I imagine. Are you sure there’s no hope? You’ve got sixteen years invested in this relationship.”
“Like I don’t know that?”
Donovan saw Ethan make his way to Laura and lean against her armrest. They talked easily. Ethan kept trying to see around her to the baby, but Isabella was nursing, and covered by a blanket. Keri looked peaceful in the midst of all the noise and chaos of the McCoy clan.
A loud whistle pierced the air—Nana Mae. It always made Donovan laugh to hear her, now eighty-nine, whistling like a stevedore, a skill she’d passed down to most of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
“Thank you, Nana Mae,” Aggie said from where she stood under the patio roof. “I think it’s time to open presents, so if Donny and Ethan would join us, please?”
With a small, embarrassed-looking smile, Ethan came across the lawn to hop into one of the chairs on the patio, next to a table stacked with bags.
Donovan joined him, but the whole time they unwrapped gifts, he kept an eye on Laura. He couldn’t let her slip out. Not when he intended to walk her home.
Ethics be damned.
Chapter Seven
F ather and son approached the whole present-unwrapping event with similar reluctance, Laura noticed. Ethan peeked into bags first then drew out the contents, whether it was a new toy, a used toy, pajamas or a bathing suit, with the same shy look.
“It really isn’t my birthday yet,” he said once, drawing laughter.
Donovan seemed almost embarrassed for a while, too, then got into the spirit of the moment. He’d been gifted with a box of “It’s a Boy” cigars, a first-aid kit, coupons from several people for babysitting, a booster seat for the car and lots of products to start his own household—kid shampoo and pump soap, but also the other basics like dish soap and laundry detergent, and other kinds of cleaning products and utensils.
Laura had given them a pass to a family fun center in Sacramento, where they could play miniature golf, ride bumper boats and drive race cars.
Her gift to Ethan was the last one unwrapped. He ripped open the colorful paper to find two plastic swords upon which she’d glued a whole lot of fake gems. She’d had so much fun tracking down the toy swords in just a few hours and then decorating them like her scepter.
“Wow! Donovan, look! Brilliant, isn’t it? Thanks, Laura.”
Everyone went silent. Ethan noticed. He looked around. Donovan slipped an arm around his shoulders. “Maybe you could call me Dad.”
Ethan looked unsure. “Oh. Okay. Dad.”
Donovan ruffled Ethan’s hair as people began talking and moving around, clearing off serving dishes. Laura decided to slip out, but she couldn’t leave without telling Aggie goodbye and thank you.
“You’re not leaving yet, are you?” Donovan asked, coming up beside her.
“Isn’t it over?”
“Nope. We’re just going to make room to dance.”
“I don’t dance.” She just wanted to get away from the noise, to have her quiet house envelop her. Calm her. Having spent the evening watching Donovan—
“You don’t dance?” He said it as if she were un-American or something.
“I have two left feet.”
He looked down, then shook his head. Music filtered from outdoor speakers. People partnered up—husbands and wives, adults with kids, kids with kids. The song was neither fast nor slow, but that awkward tempo in between. He took her into his arms.
“Donovan, please. I really don’t want to do this.” But he’d already pulled her close, drawing
her body-to-body with him, and suddenly she wanted to be there, even if she stepped on his toes.
“Not so bad, hmm?” he asked.
She didn’t answer. Couldn’t answer. Her heart was lodged in her throat. Every nerve ending did pirouettes throughout her body. But she was also aware that a lot of people were watching them. So while she wanted to lean against him and use the excuse of dancing to snuggle close, she pulled back a little, putting some space between them, and stumbling over his feet at the same time.
He laughed, low and sexy. “You’re so obvious.”
She met his teasing gaze. “About what?”
“About wanting me. You’ll even trip just to get closer.”
“In your dreams.”
“Oh, yeah. Dreams, for sure.” He whispered into her ear, “Hot ones. Detailed ones.”
Laura had dated a lot, but no one like Donovan. However, she had always been direct at the beginning of the relationship, never really allowing any man to court her, or tease her, or tantalize, as Donovan was doing, but keeping things simple instead. She didn’t know how to respond to his…wooing.
“Are you going to fire me?” she asked.
“I can’t. Yet.”
Ah. There it was. The anticipation. He was an expert at creating it. He was putting her on notice that once his legal needs were met, the professional relationship would be terminated and a more personal one would begin. She was safe as long as she continued to do work for him.
“I wonder how often you’re speechless,” he commented idly.
“I wonder how often you’re humble.”
He laughed then, full-throated and appreciative—and everyone looked, and smiled.
“I need to go home,” she said, moving out of his arms, keeping a composed smile on her face for appearance’s sake. He didn’t try to talk her out of it, so she was able to say goodbye to people, including interrupting Ethan’s swordplay with a cousin to give him a hug.
Laura walked through the side gate and out to the street. It wasn’t dark yet, but the air had cooled to a more comfortable temperature than on her walk over. She hadn’t gone twenty feet before Donovan jogged up beside her. She stared straight ahead, not acknowledging him. He kept silent, too, just matched her step for step.
