“Shane, you grew up without a father?”
He nodded. “He walked out when I was three, and eight years later Mom remarried. So I know how Josh feels.”
She touched his arm. “This means so much to him. I can’t thank you enough.”
“No big deal.” He stood close enough that he picked up a scent. She smelled like gardenias. He wondered if it was perfume or shampoo. Then he stepped back, effectively shutting off his senses. Didn’t matter that she was pretty. Didn’t matter that he hadn’t been with a woman since .…
“It is to me.”
Her eyes were shining, and she looked all flushed and excited. He gritted his teeth. The last thing he wanted was her damn gratitude. He didn’t know what he wanted, but it wasn’t that. “Well, I’ve got to get going. More lives to save,” he added lightly, poking fun at himself.
She smiled. “Would you like to meet him at the game or pick him up?”
“Depends.” He shifted his feet, wishing she would stop looking at him like he was the answer to her prayers. He had no answers, not for himself or anybody else. “Where do you live?”
“Not far from where we ran into each other. Our home is a few blocks off the beach.”
He gave it a moment’s consideration before committing. “My condo’s pretty close. What time should I be there?”
She pulled out a pad and scribbled down her address and home number. “Six?”
“Sounds good.”
He took off before she got all gushy and embarrassed both of them. It was plain to see how much this favor meant to her and how important the night was to her son.
Shane felt good about helping out, but he had to ask himself—was he doing this to cheer up a fatherless boy or trying to score points with the kid’s mom?
When he got home from his shift, he took Major out for a walk along a nature trail. They were trotting along nicely until Shane stumbled over the lead. He unleashed the pup so he wouldn’t keep tripping over him, and just then a raccoon shot out of the bush. Major gave chase.
“Major, stop! Heel!” When the dog ignored his commands, Shane had no choice but to run too.
He was sucking air in open-mouthed gulps by the time Major gave up on the raccoon and loped back. He wagged his tail and butted his head against Shane’s leg.
“You want me to pet you?” Shane gasped. “You’re a very bad dog.”
Major licked his hand, and Shane sat down on a large boulder next to the path and gave him a hug. He took a deep breath and mopped his brow. “Sit down, boy. Let me get my wind back. I’m not as young as you.” He petted the dog. He took a moment to get his breathing under control, then spoke softly. “You have a nice house to sleep in, good food every day, and me to keep you company. I wasn’t that lucky. No. I spent a whole year living on the streets. Woods too, just like this one.”
He looked into the dog’s eyes. “After I lost my hand, I went into a major funk. Got really screwed up in the head. Couldn’t hold a job, not that I spent much time searching. I was too busy trying to drink my sorrows away.” The dog whined and put his head in Shane’s lap. “Yeah, I was a miserable son of a bitch. A real head case. Didn’t care if I lived or died.”
He kissed the dog’s head. “What I’m trying to say to you, is that you need direction, Major. You got to be more than you are, a better dog, so to speak. You have to focus and set your sights high. You and me—we’re two of a kind. We weren’t born to be a hero, but we have to fight to become one. I’m willing to try. How about you?”
Major got on his haunches and tugged on Shane’s sleeve. “You want to go home?” He stood up. “I hear you, buddy. Let’s get some grub and a warm bed.”
As they headed back, his thoughts returned to Doctor Reynolds, raising her son alone. She was much too young to be a widow, and too darn pretty. Being an ER doctor, she probably didn’t have time to meet men and date. Heck of a thing for the boy. Growing up without a father was not easy, not by a long shot.
Going to a ballgame with the boy was the least he could do.
CHAPTER FIVE
Shane had had a helluva day. A dead battery in his Jeep made him late for an exam. He’d missed fifteen minutes, which made him rush through the questions and doubt his answers. He was an undergrad at UCLA, and it was too expensive to flunk out. If he failed this— no, he couldn’t think of failure. He had to pass with honors and get into a great medical school. Nothing else mattered.
By the time he’d finished the exam, he had a massive headache, and then he got stuck in traffic on the way home. Now he was late picking up Josh, and Lauren would probably be thinking the worst.
God, but she was a looker. Her chin-length, chestnut-colored hair looked silky to the touch; she had classic cheekbones, a cute upturned nose, and blue eyes that could be cold as ice or warm as a sunny day.
He figured he knew which expression he’d be seeing when she opened the door.
Once he located her house, a nice-looking bungalow with a fenced-in backyard and flowering bushes and plants in front, he parked next to a Cadillac SUV and rang her doorbell.
He heard Josh yell, “He’s here, he’s here!” before the kid opened the door.
“Hi, Josh. Sorry I’m late, but I got stuck in traffic.”
“That’s okay.” Josh grabbed his artificial hand and pulled him into the house.
Shane stood in a large open room that must have originally been a formal living area but was now converted to an office and playroom. Bookshelves lined two walls, and standing in front of them was a mahogany desk with a leather chair. The front of the room had a big bay window and had been sectioned off with children’s furniture and Josh’s toys.
“We’re in here,” Lauren called from the back of the house.
“Come on,” Josh said, leading him past French doors and into the family room.
Shane noted one overstuffed sofa and two comfortable chairs that faced the large plasma TV. “Hey, everybody,” Josh shouted. “This is Shane. I don’t know his last name.”
“Dawson. Shane Dawson.”
“Hi, Shane. Glad you could make it.” Lauren took his arm and introduced him to Kevin Henderson and his son Brad.
He shook hands with Kevin, a tall, fit-looking guy, who studied him with curiosity. “I’ve been hearing all about you. War hero, huh?”
“No, I’m certainly not a hero.” He hated that title. What did it mean, anyway? “No more than anyone else who served.”
“No need to be modest. Lauren was telling me how you got captured in Iraq and lost your hand.” Kevin nodded to the i-limb. “She seems to think you’re quite the guy.”
His tone was rather sour, which should have been a welcome change from the fawning some people did, but Shane sensed a faint and puzzling hostility from the other man.
“That’s not what I said,” Lauren protested.
“Close enough,” Kevin answered, and Shane saw a look pass between them.
Feeling awkward, he looked around to see where Josh had disappeared. He and the other boy, about Josh’s size but with darker hair, were lying on the floor, playing a game on an iPad.
“Well, I’m sure Shane doesn’t want to sit around and discuss his war stories. Right?” Lauren smiled at him. “Kevin has the tickets, and he’s offered to drive. Is that okay with you?”
“Sure. Easier than taking two cars.” He stood there, feeling like a second wheel, and wondered why the heck he’d agreed to come. If Kevin and Lauren were such good friends, why didn’t Lauren just go to the game?
She grabbed Josh’s jacket and helped him into it, careful not to jar his arm. After a big hug, she said, “Hope you all have a wonderful time. Go Dodgers!”
The two boys ran through the house and outside, the screen door slamming behind them.
“Too bad you can’t come along,” Shane said, glancing at Lauren’s flushed face. Why was she all pink cheeked around this guy? Wasn’t the man married? Maybe he was, but looking for some action with the grieving widow? Or he m
ight be a single dad, too. Wouldn’t that be convenient?
“No, thanks,” she said. “I’m going to enjoy a night by myself. Watch a movie or read a book.”
Kevin stepped close and whispered something for her ears only. She smiled and dropped her eyes, like a girl on her first date.
The skin prickled on the back of Shane’s neck, and he asked himself what the hell his problem was. It didn’t matter if they were sleeping together or not. He had no personal interest in Lauren. He was doing the kid a favor. Payback, remember?
But why had she asked him to take her son to the ballgame? Why not let hot-to-trot Kevin be surrogate dad for the night?
Kevin talked about himself all the way to the game. A lawyer in some big firm, someone had given him the tickets. Premium seats and complimentary parking too.
The stadium was packed. Once they found their seats behind home plate, they returned to the concession stand for hot dogs, French fries, and water for the boys.
The game started off slow. The pitchers did a better job than the batters, which meant nobody was doing much scoring. Ho-hum for the spectators, and the boys were getting antsy.
During a break in the play, Shane slipped out. He returned a few minutes later with two large bags of popcorn and two new Dodgers caps for Brad and Josh.
The Dodgers were trailing by two for most of the game, but when Andre Ethier hit a home run with the bases loaded in the eighth inning, the crowd jumped to its feet.
Josh reacted like the rest of the hometown fans, jumping around and screaming with excitement. In his wild exuberance, he knocked his bag of popcorn over someone seated one row ahead.
The man, wearing a San Francisco Giants’ hat, jumped up as popcorn rained down on him, knocked over his beer, and swung around to face Josh. Seeing the size of the boy, he unleashed his fury on Shane. “Can’t you control your son?” he snapped. He stood up and turned, gesturing to his wet jeans. “Kid made me spill my beer. Got half of it on my pants.”
“I’m sorry,” Josh whispered, turning beet red. “I didn’t mean to do it.”
“I have popcorn down my neck, my jacket. Now I’m wearing the beer too,” the man grumbled. “Even my shoes.”
“I’ll buy you another beer.” Shane waved to a girl selling beer in the aisle and stuck out his wallet.
“I don’t want a beer from you,” the man said. “These kids have been a royal pain in the ass. They’ve been kicking the back of the seats and yelling in my ear all night, and you’ve done nothing to stop them.”
“Back off, buddy,” Kevin said. “This is a family event, and the kids are having a good time. Let’s leave it at that.”
“I’m sorry,” Josh said again, looking terrified.
The burly man was still on his feet, and he leaned toward Josh. “If you kick the bottom of my chair one more time, I’ll—”
“You’ll do what?” Shane said. He stood as well, shielding the two boys with his body. “Don’t threaten these boys. We’re all here to have fun.”
“What did you say?” The man’s bulbous nose grew redder as his temper soared.
“I said to leave the boys alone.”
“Listen, you.” The guy grabbed Shane by his jacket. “You need to teach your boy some manners.”
“And you, sir, have had too much to drink.”
“Like hell I have!” He glared at Shane. “Damn ass punk.”
“Calm down, both of you,” Kevin snapped. “Take your seats before we’re thrown out.”
Shane locked eyes with the man. “Kid said he was sorry, and I offered you a beer. That’s the best we can do.”
“Go to hell,” the man said and slugged Shane.
Security guards surrounded them in seconds. Kevin tried to explain, but tempers had flared, and the incident got out of hand. Other fans and Giants supporters tossed around insults, and a few more punches were thrown. Within minutes, all of them were escorted out of the stadium.
Kevin didn’t say a word, but his body language spoke volumes of his displeasure. He marched the boys to his SUV, and as they climbed into the back, he turned to Shane.
“Why couldn’t you just let it go? You’ve ruined the night for the kids.”
“I’m the one with the black eye.” He stuck his good hand in his pocket and took a couple of calming breaths. He wasn’t pleased with the way Kevin was shoving the blame on him. He’d done nothing but defend the boys.
Josh jumped out of the SUV and threw himself at Shane. “I still like you, even if nobody else does.”
Shane ruffled the boy’s hair. “Sorry, kid. But that guy was a bully and a loser.”
EPISODE TWO
CHAPTER SIX
Shane wanted to tell Lauren his side of the story before Kevin did, but never got the chance.
“What happened to your eye?” she asked the moment he stepped inside.
“He got into a fight,” Kevin said. “The other guy started it when Josh accidentally knocked over his beer, but Shane didn’t know enough to back away.”
“That’s not exactly the way it happened,” Shane spoke quickly. “The guy got lippy and wanted to bully the kids.”
Lauren looked from one man to the other. “That doesn’t explain a black eye. Who threw the first punch?”
“He did. The guy had had too much to drink,” Shane said, “and he wouldn’t accept our apologies. I didn’t strike back, but things got ugly.”
She frowned. “Josh, why don’t you boys go play in your bedroom while I make coffee for Shane and Kev.” She waited until they left, then turned to Shane. “This night meant a lot to my son. How did this get so out of control?”
“The guy grabbed my jacket and threatened your son.” Shane thought he’d shown remarkable restraint under the circumstance and had behaved admirably. Yet she was giving him grief. “I protected Josh. Sorry, if you don’t see it that way, but I did what I had to do.”
Kevin snorted. “Yeah, like get us thrown out.”
“You got thrown out?” Lauren asked, her brow wrinkling.
“We weren’t the only ones,” Shane said. “Some other people got involved. Security came and cleared us all out.” Shane felt like a kid in front of a schoolteacher, and he resented having to explain his actions. She should be thanking him instead of shaking her head with annoyance.
“Was Josh in jeopardy?” She glanced at Kevin. “Was this bully picking on the two boys?”
“He made a couple of comments, but if Shane hadn’t stepped in, he’d have backed off.” Kevin lifted his chin in Shane’s direction.
Lauren turned her blue-eyed gaze on Shane. “Thank you for protecting him, but I’m just so sorry that the night ended on such a bad note.” Her gentle voice made it worse. “Poor Josh. This meant so much to him.”
Kevin smiled, and Shane wanted to punch him in the eye.
“Me too,” Shane said, chin in the air. Without another word, he turned and left.
All the way home, he cursed himself for being an idiot. He should never have gotten involved. He didn’t need to play big brother to some kid, or score points with his mom. He had enough on his agenda. Between his part-time job, his UCLA courses, and studying for the MCATS, the last thing he damn well needed was to feel sorry or responsible for some kid.
Lauren watched for Shane at work, but with shift changes and the general busyness of the ER, days passed before she saw him again. When she did, she pulled him aside and asked if he could meet her for a cup of coffee.
“Not interested,” he answered flatly.
She grabbed his arm. “I want to apologize to you, and you need to hear what I have to say.”
He shrugged. “I don’t need to hear anything. It’s over and done.”
“Let me be the judge of that.” She tilted her head and looked at his eye. “Ouch. I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t hit me.” His lips turned up in a half-smile.
“You took the punch to protect my son.” She grimaced. “And I didn’t thank you properly. Please hav
e dinner with me after my shift.”
“You’ve already apologized, and I accept. No need to prolong it over dinner.”
“No dinner then, but will you meet me for coffee? There’s something I want to discuss.”
“Okay. Coffee. What time?”
When they reached agreement on the time, he nodded and left. Lauren returned to the busy ER, wondering if what she was about to propose to Shane was a sensible idea. She’d given it serious consideration and had decided the gain outweighed the risk, but because she was a cautious person, it wasn’t surprising that she was having second thoughts.
After her shift, Lauren waited in the cafeteria, sipping a bitter black coffee and wondering if he would show. She half-hoped he might not, as she dreaded the conversation that lay ahead.
Shane strolled in and a warm flush spread inside her. She jumped out of her chair to greet him. “Hi. You made it.”
“Yeah.” His face wasn’t friendly. “I have a few minutes.”
“Perfect. I can’t recommend the coffee, but I’m happy to buy you anything you want. The apple pie looks good.”
“Coffee’s fine.”
When he had his, he followed her back to the table and sat across from her. “So, what’s this about then?”
She licked her lips, keeping her eyes on her cup. “Josh is really upset about the other evening. He thinks you hate him, and he says it was his fault you all got thrown out of the game.”
“It wasn’t.” He looked around the room. “The guy was a bully. His team was losing, and he took his anger out on the kids.”
“You defended him, and I should have taken your side.” She gave him a quick glance. “I’m so sorry, Shane. Thanks for taking care of my son.”
“No big deal. The guy was an idiot.” He took a sip of the hot coffee, and spat it out. “Damn. That’s hot.”
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