She was probably right about that, Mitch thought. He immediately backed off, reminding himself that this wasn’t his fight. Lynn needed to handle it as she saw fit. “It’s entirely up to you. I’m just saying it’s another angle to check out if you need one.”
“I know,” she said. “Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that.”
15
Mitch took his cue from Lynn when she said she wasn’t up for dinner. She even turned down his offer to grab takeout from Sullivan’s so she wouldn’t have to cook.
“Another night, okay? I’m wiped out,” she said.
It went against his nature to leave her alone when she was obviously so distressed, but what choice did he have? If she needed to process what had happened in court on her own, he could hardly fault her for that.
“How about this? I could take Jeremy and Lexie out for pizza, give you some time alone. Would that help?”
Lynn smiled at him. “I know they’d love it, but do you really want to let yourself in for an evening of video games and nonstop chatter about school?”
“I wouldn’t mind a bit,” he said. “They’re next door right now. Maybe Mandy would want to go along, too.”
“If they’re up for it and Raylene agrees, it’s fine with me.” She gave him another of those weary, halfhearted smiles. “Thank you.”
“Not a problem. I’ll call to let you know what’s decided over there. If you change your mind in the meantime, just let me know.”
All three of the kids immediately seized on the offer. Raylene added her approval of Mandy going along, so they piled into Mitch’s truck and headed for Rosalina’s.
As soon as they’d been seated, Jeremy raced off to play the games, but Lexie and Mandy stayed put. The girls exchanged a look and then Mandy looked him in the eye.
“Are you dating Mrs. Morrow?” she inquired directly. “I mean, like, for real?”
Uh-oh, Mitch thought. He hadn’t considered the possibility of having two teenage meddlers on his hands. For the first time in months, he suddenly craved a drink.
“We enjoy each other’s company,” he said carefully. “We’ve known each other a very long time.” He looked at Lexie. “Does that bother you?”
“No way,” she said at once. “Jeremy and I are totally okay with it. Mom’s been so much happier since you’ve been around.”
“Do you think you’ll get married?” Mandy asked, clearly having been designated to drive the conversation forward into ever more sensitive territory.
“We haven’t talked about that,” Mitch said. “It’s way too soon. And this is a totally inappropriate conversation for us to be having.” At least he thought it was. In the world of teenage girls these days, maybe it wasn’t.
“But you have thought about it, right?” Mandy pressed, ignoring his comment completely. “This isn’t, like, some kinda game. I hear men like to play games. Carter’s warned me and Carrie about that.”
Mitch sighed. “Maybe some men. Not me,” he assured both girls, though his attention was on Lexie when he said it. “It’s not a game for me. That’s a promise.”
He deliberately glanced at the menu he’d been clutching in an increasingly white-knuckled grip. “Maybe we should talk about what kind of pizza you all want. Have you decided? Or would you rather have something else?”
Mandy looked disappointed by the change of subject, but Lexie seized on it almost as eagerly as Mitch had. “Pizza, for sure,” she said at once. “Jeremy will want pepperoni. Veggie for me, though.”
“Veggie’s good for me, too,” Mandy agreed.
Just then, Mitch heard Jeremy’s voice climb to an excited squeal that could be heard over the usual background noise of the always packed family restaurant.
“Dad, what are you doing here? Can you have dinner with us?”
Mitch frowned as Ed glanced around the room. Ed spotted Lexie before he realized who she was with. His eyes immediately narrowed as he took in Mitch’s presence at the table.
“Where’s your mother?” he demanded loudly of Jeremy, immediately looking as if he were spoiling for a fight.
Lexie reacted to his tone at once by jumping up and crossing the room.
Mitch couldn’t hear what she said, but whatever it was, it didn’t soothe Ed’s ruffled feathers. Though he wasn’t anxious for a confrontation, Mitch joined them.
“Ed, how are you?” he asked, trying to keep things between them civil for the sake of Lexie and Jeremy. Jeremy looked perplexed by his father’s anger, but Lexie was clearly upset. She looked about two seconds away from bursting into tears.
“I was fine until a few minutes ago,” Ed said, oblivious to his daughter’s state of mind. “Lexie, Jeremy, go on over to that table over there,” he added, gesturing to the opposite side of the room.
“But, Dad,” Jeremy protested. “We’re eating dinner with Mitch.”
“No, you’re not,” Ed said. “You heard me. Now, go.”
Now near tears himself, Jeremy scampered off, but Lexie stood her ground. “We came to dinner with Mitch,” she said staunchly. “I’m eating with him and Mandy.”
Ed looked as if he wanted to escalate the scene another notch or two, so Mitch felt compelled to step in. “Lexie, it’s okay. I’m sure your dad would like to spend some time with you.”
“But what about Mandy?” she protested. “She has permission to be here with you, not with my dad.”
Mitch looked at Ed. “Is it okay with you, if Mandy joins you?” he asked, daring the other man to deny the request.
Even though he looked momentarily flustered, Ed finally nodded. “Of course. I’ll get them all home.”
“Then I’ll tell Mandy to give her mom a call,” Mitch said. “If it’s okay with Raylene, she’ll be right over.”
“I’m coming with you,” Lexie said, giving her father a defiant look before marching off to speak to Mandy.
Thankfully, Ed let her go, apparently satisfied with his victory. Still, he turned to Mitch.
“I don’t want you hanging out with my kids,” he said, keeping his voice low for once.
Mitch wanted to level the guy where he stood, but there were so many things wrong with that idea he convinced himself to ignore the urge.
“I’m not going to stand here and argue with you,” Mitch said, his fists clenching at his sides. “This isn’t the time or the place. It’ll just upset Jeremy and Lexie and you’ve already caused them enough distress for one night. I don’t know what your problem is with me, other than the fact that I’ve been spending some time with Lynn, but I’m gonna try real hard to make allowances because this has been a stressful day for both of you.” He looked into Ed’s eyes. “Don’t push me, though.”
“You’re threatening me?” Ed demanded with a narrowed gaze.
“Just a caution,” Mitch said mildly. “I don’t like the way you’ve treated Lynn. Push me too hard and I’ll turn the tables on you.”
Ed laughed, though it seemed forced. “Just how are you going to do that?” he asked derisively.
“You don’t want to find out what I’m capable of,” Mitch said. “You may have that big old brick building in the middle of town, but I’m the one with friends. I haven’t been systematically burning bridges the way you have recently. Believe me, I’m not the only one who’s been bothered by your shabby treatment of your family.”
For the first time, Ed looked vaguely shaken. “Just stay away from my kids,” he ordered one last time, then
walked away.
Mitch went back to his table where the girls were waiting.
“I am so, so sorry,” Lexie said, her expression miserable. “I don’t know what got into him.”
“You don’t need to apologize for your father, not to me,” Mitch assured her, managing a smile. He turned to Mandy. “Did your mom give the okay for you to have dinner with them?”
Mandy nodded, but said, “I’d rather stay and eat with you.”
Mitch spotted the quick flash of hurt in Lexie’s eyes.
“Me, too,” Lexie said to both of them. “But it’s not like I have any say.”
Mitch could see how torn Mandy was, so he made it easy for her. “Stick with Lexie, okay? I’m just going to pay for our drinks, then grab a couple of things to go.”
“Will you take them to our house?” Lexie asked hopefully. “Mom’s probably starving by now.”
“Not tonight,” he said.
Lexie sighed. “Because of Dad. He’ll be dropping us off.”
“I just think it’s for the best,” he told her. “Now, run along and have a good time with your father.” Lexie looked so unhappy that he felt compelled to add, “You know he loves you, and I know you love him. Cut him some slack, okay?”
“You’re the best,” she said, her eyes shining. For a minute she looked as if she was going to throw her arms around him in an impulsive hug, but then she clearly thought better of it. “See you, Mitch.”
“See you, kiddo.”
He waited until he was in the truck before calling Lynn. “I just thought you ought to know that Ed showed up at Rosalina’s, flexed his muscles a bit and the kids are having dinner with him.”
“What?” she said incredulously. “Please tell me he didn’t cause a scene.”
“Close enough, but it was okay. The kids aren’t that happy, but they’re fine. I didn’t feel it would serve any purpose to put up a fight. He was clearly feeling territorial. I imagine he’ll have them home in an hour or so.”
“Mitch, I am so sorry about this.”
“You’re not responsible for his behavior, but it is yet another warning sign that he’s not overjoyed about you and me seeing each other or me being involved in Lexie and Jeremy’s lives.”
“I don’t give a rat’s behind if he’s overjoyed or not,” she said fiercely.
Mitch smiled at her show of attitude. “Well, I don’t much care, either, but let’s think about this. You’re in the middle of a divorce, Lynnie. Why complicate it?”
“What are you saying—that we should stop seeing each other? I thought we’d decided against that. I know we’re not in some heavy relationship, but I like where we are.”
“So do I, but maybe it’s time to rethink our decision, or at least to be a lot more careful about what we do and where we’re seen. I don’t want to make trouble for you, and Ed’s clearly itching for a fight.”
“You’re probably right,” she conceded with a resigned sigh. “But I don’t like it.”
“Neither do I.”
“Then let’s talk about it some more tomorrow. I’ll have the paychecks ready in the morning. I’ll make sure the coffee’s on, okay?”
He smiled. “And the coffee cake?”
“Already in the oven,” she admitted. “Baking relaxes me.”
“Maybe I should tell you all my favorites,” he teased. “That would keep you relaxed for a good long while.”
“Bring a list in the morning,” she said.
He smiled at her eagerness. “Night, Lynnie.”
“Good night, Mitch.”
“Call me if you need me.”
“Oh?” she said.
She laced that lone word with enough innuendo to heat his blood. “You know what I meant,” he said. “If Ed starts trouble.”
“Oh, that,” she said, sounding disappointed. “I can handle Ed.”
Mitch wished he were as sure of that as she was.
* * *
Lynn was waiting when Ed walked into the house with the expressionless and way-too-serious kids. Both of them dropped quick kisses on her cheek then all but ran upstairs.
By the time Lynn heard their respective doors slam, she was on her feet. “You will never contradict a decision of mine that way again,” she said, standing practically toe to toe with her soon-to-be-ex in a way that would never have occurred to her when they’d been married. “When the children are with me, they’ll spend time with whomever I choose. You embarrassed them and tried to pick a fight with Mitch for no good reason.”
Ed smirked at that. “So he came running straight to you? I should have known that’s what the little whiner would do.”
She stared at him incredulously. “Ed, what on earth has happened to you? I’ve never known you to be this mean and narrow-minded before. What’s really going on?”
He seemed to be nonplussed by her questions, or maybe it was the real concern in her voice that threw him.
He gave her a long look, then sighed and sat down heavily on the edge of the sofa. “I swear to God, Lynn, I have no idea. I walked into Rosalina’s, spotted my kids with Mitch and saw red. It’s bad enough that he’s after you, but I don’t want him taking my kids, too.”
“Mitch isn’t trying to take anything from you,” Lynn said reasonably. “You threw me away, remember? And the kids love you. They happen to like Mitch, too, but he’s not their dad and he’s not pretending to be. What’s with this territorial nonsense?”
She studied him intently, wondering if Helen had been right. “Ed, are you regretting walking out on me?”
He regarded her with unmistakable misery. “In a way, sure. I know what I’ve lost.” He gave her a pleading look. “But it’s not as if I had an alternative.”
“I don’t understand,” Lynn said, completely perplexed by his claim.
“I know you don’t. I wish I could explain, but I can’t. I just can’t.”
“Well, can you at least try to keep in mind how your kids feel about you and try not to do anything more to alienate them?”
“Yeah, I can try. I’m truly sorry if I upset them tonight. Just so you know, I did apologize.”
“To Mitch, too?”
His lips curved slightly. “I’m afraid I’m not that evolved yet.”
Despite her tension, Lynn smiled, as well. “Keep working at it. I’m sure you’ll get there eventually.”
She walked him to the door. “I hope you can work through whatever’s going on with you. I really do.”
“The fact that you really mean that after everything I’ve done…” He shook his head. “It means a lot.”
She believed his words, but she’d also grown cynical enough in recent months to know that all the sincerity in the world wouldn’t stop him from doing whatever crazy thing he had planned to make the divorce as difficult as possible.
* * *
Flo had only been to Donnie’s house a few times. For whatever reasons, they’d both felt more comfortable in her apartment. Maybe the house still held too many memories of his late wife, even after all these years. She wasn’t one to question him about it.
Tonight, though, he’d insisted they have dinner at his place. When she arrived, she found flowers on the table right along with what appeared to be his best china and even real sterling silver. There were candles lit, as well.
“What on earth?” she muttered when she saw the care he’d taken to make the evening special. “Donnie, it’s beautiful.”
“I wanted
to show you how much I appreciate you,” he said. “It’s hard to do that when we’re always at your place.”
“Breakfast in bed sends a real good message,” she reminded him, then smiled. “But this does take it to a whole new level. So, who cooked?”
He chuckled. “I did,” he insisted. “Mostly, anyway. I did ask Erik for one of those chocolate cakes you love so much for dessert. He sent it over with some chocolate-dipped strawberries and champagne for later.”
Flo felt her heart start beating a little harder. She had a dizzy sensation in her head as it dawned on her where this was heading.
“Donnie, no,” she said softly.
“It’s just dinner,” he insisted.
“No, it’s not. I can read the handwriting on the wall as well as anybody. You have something else up your sleeve.”
“So what if I do?” he asked with a touch of defiance. “It’s not as if we haven’t been talking about the future for a while now.”
“But you know how I feel. Flowers, candlelight, even that delicious cake, they’re not going to get me to change my mind,” she said stubbornly.
“How about we have dinner before we get into this and ruin a perfectly good meal?” he said.
She could see how much it meant to him, how much effort he’d put into the evening. “As long as you understand that it’s not going to change the way I feel,” she said.
He nodded. “Fair enough.”
His response surprised her. “That’s it? You’re giving in that easily?”
He smiled at her exasperation. “I’ll never give in. I’ve just decided to take a step back, give you time to settle down. I learned a lot from those horses I used to ride on my daddy’s farm. Persuasion—and a little sugar—usually work a whole lot better than trying to muscle things in the direction I want them to go.”
Where Azaleas Bloom Page 21
