A Safe Place

by Margaret Watson

  He took another step. “I want to play with my kids, Frankie. Our kids. I liked working at FreeZone. I liked knowing I was making a difference in a kid’s life. That’s the person I want to be. I want a life with you. I want to spend every day and every night proving how much I love you.”

  The vise that had squeezed her heart for the past several days eased a little. Not completely, though. She wasn’t ready to jump into his arms. She was too afraid to take that chance.

  “So you just gave it all up? Really?”

  “Nothing about football is important. Not like you are. You give everything you have, and I want that. I want you to teach me how to be that kind of person.”

  “How do I know you’re not going to wake up tomorrow and say, ‘Oops, I made a mistake’?”

  He smiled. “I’m officially retired. Signed the papers this afternoon. I’m going back to school to get my teaching certificate, then I’ll teach high-school math and maybe coach the football team.” His smile faded. “You made me figure out what I really wanted. I want you, Frankie.”

  The old Frankie would have walked away. She would have protected herself, made sure she wasn’t hurt again. But she loved Cal. Knew she always would. Slowly, she held out her hand. He lifted it to his mouth, kissed her palm. Then he twined his fingers with hers.

  “I’m scared, Cal,” she whispered. “I think I used up all my courage. I can’t make myself take the next step.”

  “Take as long as you need. I’m not going anywhere.”

  He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. She held herself rigid, knowing that if she yielded to him, she’d always wonder if she was letting sex muddle her brain.

  To her surprise, he broke the kiss. “I’ll see you tomorrow at FreeZone.” He smiled once and left. She moved to the window to watch him climb into his truck and drive away.

  She stood there for a long time, but he didn’t come back. Finally, she dropped into bed. This time, when she smelled Cal on the pillowcase, she didn’t cry herself to sleep. She wrapped her arms around the pillow instead.

  HE SHOWED UP THE NEXT DAY at the church that was their temporary FreeZone. When the boys asked him why he wasn’t at training camp, he told them he’d quit the team, that it was time to move on. Time to live a real life.

  He laughed and joked with the kids, traded fist bumps, teased them. He wasn’t doing all that to impress her. He genuinely liked them. Enjoyed spending time with them.

  Cal was going to be a great teacher.

  When the kids left, he said goodbye to her and followed them out the door.

  He showed up every day after that, and it was as if he’d never been gone. When Julio told him he’d decided on a college, one that encouraged its student athletes to graduate, Cal retorted that it was about time. Then he hugged him, pounding his back the way men did.

  Another kid saved. Not with preaching or earnestness, just a simple nudge. And advice from someone the kid respected.

  The day they moved into the renovated FreeZone, Cal came early to move boxes and stayed late to finish setting up. He never asked if she’d made a decision. He was careful not to touch her. He was giving her what she’d said she needed—space and time.

  After more than a week, she’d had enough of both. She loved Cal. He’d said he loved her and wanted to make a life with her. It was time to take a chance, to trust that he meant what he said.

  What if she was wrong?

  If she was, he’d break her heart. But she had to be willing to risk that to have a future with Cal.

  On the last day of summer school, she waited until everyone had arrived. The kids were celebrating summer break, and Cal was in the middle of a noisy game of basketball. She put her fingers to her lips to whistle, then dropped her trembling hand.

  She could wait. She could do this when they were alone and not expose herself publicly again. But that would be the coward’s way.

  She wanted Cal to understand she was all in. No reservations. So she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and let out a piercing whistle, the one that meant Quiet. Now.

  Everyone in the room froze, staring at her.

  She cleared her throat. “I have something I need to say.”

  She wove her way around clumps of kids, skirted the new foosball table and reached Cal. She wiped her sweaty palms on her thighs and took his hand. His fingers curled around hers, and she knew she’d come home. Found the place she wanted to be.

  With a tug, she drew him to the center of the room. The kids gathered around in a circle, just as they had the day he’d arrived, when he’d confronted Speedball and T-Man.

  With her hands shaking, her heart battering against her ribs, she dropped his hand and got down on one knee. The kids’ voices rose in a questioning murmur, and Cal reached for her.

  “No, Frankie. This isn’t necessary,” he whispered.

  “Yes, it is.” She cleared her throat once more. “I love you, Caleb Stewart. Will you marry me?”

  The kids gasped, then shouted and clapped. Cal drew her to her feet, holding her hands tightly, and glanced around the room. “Can we have a little dignity here? A guy doesn’t get a marriage proposal every day.”

  “What are you going to say?” Julio yelled.

  “Say yes, man,” Sean urged.

  “This is the most romantic thing ever.” Harley sighed.

  Frankie’s face burned as the kids hooted and cheered and shouted encouragement. Then Cal smiled, and the noise faded away. The two of them were the only people in the universe.

  “I love you, too, Francesca Devereux. Yes, I’ll marry you.” He held her face and bent to kiss her, and she wrapped her arms around him.

  Desire, love, need washed over her in a wave. Cal slid his arms around her, and she pressed closer. When she forgot where they were, who they were with, he eased away from her. “If we’re not careful, we’ll go R in front of a PG audience,” he murmured, nuzzling her neck. “But I can guarantee the sequel will be worth the wait.”

  EPILOGUE

  One month later

  “HEY.” CAL TUGGED HER to a stop. “Look at what your brothers did.” He nodded at a new photo in the entryway at Mama’s Place.

  It was one of Cal’s old publicity photos, signed, “To Nathan and Marco.”

  “What did you think they were going to do with it?” Frankie asked, grinning. “Use it for target practice?”

  “Maybe,” he muttered. He touched the frame with one finger. “I’m still not sure they’ve forgiven me.”

  “They’re throwing us an engagement party. Trust me, they’ve forgiven you.”

  She pulled him into the restaurant itself, then stopped in surprise. A huge banner ran from one side of the restaurant to the other: Congratulations, Frankie and Cal!

  Her heart swelled as she saw all the people smiling and clapping. Then she spotted someone she hadn’t expected. “Patrick!” She tightened her grip on Cal’s hand and towed him in her wake. “I don’t believe it.”

  “Paddy!” She threw herself at her brother, holding him tight. “I didn’t know you were going to be here.”

  “My baby sister gets engaged, and you don’t think I’ll show up for the party?” He squeezed her so tightly she could barely breathe. “Besides, I have to make sure this guy has FBI clearance before I let him marry you.”

  Cal stuck out his hand. “Why am I not surprised by that? Good to meet you, Patrick.”

  “Same here.” He smiled. “Saw the Cougars’ first game. Looks like they miss you already.”

  “That’s it? No interrogation?”

  “I’m guessing Nathan has that covered. I don’t want to scare you away.”

  “Not possible,” Cal said, taking Frankie’s hand.

  “Right ans
wer.” He glanced toward the kitchen. “Let me drag Nate and Marco out here.”

  He headed toward the kitchen, stepping to one side when a waitress pushed through the door with a tray of appetizers. Darcy’s short auburn hair gleamed in the lights as she hurried past Patrick. She didn’t glance at him, but Patrick watched her cross the room and deposit her tray on the buffet table. He waited while she arranged the appetizers, then followed her back into the kitchen.

  The FreeZone kids gathered around, all talking at the same time. Ramon stood behind them, his arm around his mother. Yolanda had completed her rehab and was working at a fast-food restaurant in the western suburbs. Ramon was thriving at the local high school. Both of them looked relaxed and happy.

  Martha and Annie stood off to one side, smiling. Annie reported Martha had been talking to her parents. Going to Lamaze classes. Finalizing her adoption decision.

  “Thank God you always see the potential, Francesca.” Cal pressed a kiss to her head. “In everyone. Including me.”

  “I didn’t have to look very hard,” she said, turning to kiss him.

  “Hey, Frankie. Cal,” Nathan said. “You’re here.” He hugged her, then Cal, who looked shocked. Her brother laughed. “You’re family now, dude. Better get used to it.”

  “Does that mean you’ll tell me how Frankie got the nickname Bunny?”

  “Don’t you dare, Nathan Devereux,” she muttered.

  “No more secrets in this family, right?” Her brother smiled, although it looked forced. “Either he’s family or he’s not.”

  “Fine,” she said. She narrowed her gaze at Cal. “One smile, one smirk, and you will regret it.”

  “She had this rabbit Halloween costume when she was three or four,” Nathan began, smiling again. “She loved that costume. Wore it every day for months. Finally, it fell apart. But by then, everyone was calling her Bunny.”

  “That’s a great story,” Cal said, tightening his hold on her. She knew he was picturing a time when they might have their own little girl in a bunny costume.

  As they ate and mingled, Frankie watched Cal joking with her brothers, talking to the kids, greeting a few of his ex-teammates who showed up. He looked comfortable. Relaxed. Happy with his decision about football.

  Finally, as the party was winding down, he drew her to the side and pulled a crumpled envelope out of his pocket. “I have an engagement present for you.”

  “I didn’t know we were doing presents.”

  “You do now.” He handed her the envelope. “I wanted to do this in public so you couldn’t throw it at me.”

  “That sounds ominous.”

  Cal shoved his hands in his back pockets. “Open it, Frankie.”

  The envelope was thin. Insubstantial. She tore the flap and slid out a single piece of paper. Notarized.

  Finally, she looked up at him, her eyes swimming in tears. “It’s the deed to FreeZone.”

  “I bought it from Derek. Now you don’t have to worry about where FreeZone will be.”

  She stared down at the paper, the words blurring. “Cal, this is… You are…” She flung herself at him and wrapped her arms around him. “I love you,” she said into his chest. “I love that you did this for me.”

  “I wanted to make all your dreams come true.”

  “Oh, Cal.” She kissed him with all the love and emotion she felt. “You did that a long time ago.”

  * * * * *

  ISBN: 9781459223677

  Copyright © 2012 by Margaret Watson

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