The Last Man She Expected

by Michelle Major

  “Saved by the cat,” Parker said behind her, humor lacing his tone.

  “This cat hates me.” Mara went to pet Mr. Paws, only to have him bat at her hand, claws out. “Ouch. See what I mean?”

  “Cats don’t hate. Some of them are just particular about how they want to be loved.” She watched in fascination as Parker made the same move she had moments earlier. Instead of striking, the cat tipped his head and pressed it against Parker’s palm, clearly enjoying the attention.

  “Jerk,” she muttered then held up a hand when Parker made a sound of protest. “The cat, not you.”

  “I appreciate that.”

  She knelt on the floor and began to gather Evie’s things. “Is he purring?”

  “Sounds like it.”

  “Figures.” Mr. Paws might be a jerk, but she couldn’t exactly blame him for succumbing to Parker’s charms. Hadn’t she just done the same thing?

  Butterflies skittered across her stomach as he joined her in picking up the art supplies. “You don’t have to help,” she told him.

  He placed his hand over hers. “You kissed me.”

  She stared at where their fingers overlapped. His were long and tanned, covering hers completely. It made her feel small, but not in a bad way. He made her feel protected and cared for, which showed how low her standards had actually dropped.

  This man wasn’t her knight in shining armor. He wasn’t anything except her friend’s brother and a darn good kisser. She imagined he was darn good at other things, as well.

  “I won’t do it again,” she promised.

  “Even if I ask nicely?”

  She forced her gaze to his. “You and I aren’t a match, even if I was interested in a relationship.” She pulled her hand from under his, curling it into her belly. “Which I’m not.”

  “Do you mean kissing and stuff can only be part of something more serious for you?”

  “And stuff?” She gathered the last of the markers. “Is that a technical term?”

  “I can use technical terms if you’d prefer.” He handed her a notebook with a unicorn on the cover. “I can go into great detail with what I mean by stuff where you’re concerned.”

  She shook her head, trying to hide her smile. “I understand the gist, and I’m not looking for anything serious. Or anything at all.” She arched a brow. “Not even stuff.”

  “You’d like the stuff I had in mind.”

  She stood, placing the supplies on the table. “If I didn’t already know you were a lawyer, I’d guess it. You enjoy arguing too much to be anything else.”

  “I prefer the term banter.”

  “You also like to have the last word.”

  “Not always.”

  She gave his arm a playful nudge. “See what I mean?”

  “There you go pushing me around again.”

  Mara giggled then clasped a hand over her mouth. She wasn’t a giggler. She didn’t do banter. Or flirt. Hell, she’d barely done any of that at the start of her relationship with Paul. He’d simply chosen her and she’d acquiesced without argument. He cut to the chase, and she’d convinced herself she preferred that. He’d been her first serious boyfriend and then her husband, and she was just coming to realize she’d never stopped to consider why they always did things his way, even in the bedroom.

  Parker tapped a finger on the tip of her nose, breaking into her thoughts. “You’re thinking about stuff.”

  “Not your stuff,” she shot back.

  “Oh, I know.” His grin was wicked and full of promise. “You’d look more blissed out if you were thinking about my stuff.”

  “Do you ever give up?”

  He shrugged. “Do you want me to?”

  “No,” she answered after a long pause.

  His grin widened and he leaned in and brushed his lips across hers. “I’ll see you at the game,” he said against her mouth.

  Mara blinked. “I tell you not to give up, and now you’re walking away.”

  “Not walking away,” he said, backing up a step. “Saying good night for now.” He winked. “I want you to have a chance to miss me, and that can’t happen if I don’t leave.”

  “It’s going to be less than twenty-four hours until I see you again. I won’t miss you.”

  “Sweet dreams, Mara,” he told her then headed down the hall with a wave.

  “They won’t be about you,” she called, and he laughed because they both recognized her words as a big fat lie.

  Chapter Eight

  Parker arrived at the soccer field the next afternoon, nerves flitting through his stomach the same way they did when he went into court for a big case. Excitement and anticipation shot through him. Bizarre when a soccer game between two teams of kindergarten girls shouldn’t mean anything to him.

  The stakes couldn’t get much lower, and still he didn’t know how to turn off his emotions. The idea made his skin itch. He’d never had an issue with feeling too much—with feeling anything really—before returning to Starlight. This place was doing a number on him, and he had to find a way to get it under control.

  But right now he had a team to support.

  He jogged over to where Josh stood with his team in a huddle. One of the moms had made matching pink bows for the girls, since they’d voted on Pink Ponies as their team name. Instead of athletic jerseys, they had T-shirts with a drawing of a pony wearing shin guards on the front. Josh wore an XL version, and Parker tried to ignore how ridiculous his brother looked since Parker was sporting an identical shirt.

  “Do you have it?” Josh asked, shading his eyes from the noonday sun. They’d lucked out with another day of gorgeous fall weather, although the forecast called for rain to start later.

  Parker nodded and pulled a stuffed animal out of the plastic bag he carried. “Girls,” he said, keeping his voice serious. “This is our mascot, Penelope the Pony.”

  “Hi, Penelope,” the girls said in unison, as if they were greeting a living creature instead of a toy.

  “What’s a math cot?” one of the girls asked.

  “Penelope will bring us good luck.” Parker gave the stuffed horse a small shake. “I’m going to put her on the goal so you all know where to shoot.”

  He and Josh had realized at practice yesterday that the girls had a tendency to head for whatever goal they noticed first after a ball came to them. No one played the position of goalie at this age, but if they scored for the other team, it would count against them.

  “Yay, Penelope,” Anna shouted, and her teammates cheered.

  Josh clapped a hand against the clipboard he held. “The most important thing we’re going to do today is have fun,” he told them. “You go out there and try your hardest, remember you’re all on the same team, and have fun.” He glanced toward the referee, who motioned the team forward. “Let’s go play.”

  The girls filed after him onto the field as their fans clapped from the sidelines. Parker fell in step next to Evie. “You doing okay?”

  She gave a tight nod.

  “How’s the stomach?”

  “It’s not pukey.”

  Her voice trembled slightly, but a nonpukey stomach was a decent start.

  “Remember what we talked about yesterday as far as dribbling and defending. You’ve got this, kiddo.”

  They lined up across from the opposing team, girls from a neighboring town who wore uniforms of pale blue with their numbers outlined in gold glitter. The referee, an older man with a shock of white hair and an easy smile, went over the rules for conduct and asked the girls to repeat the code of sportsmanship.

  A month ago, Parker would have laughed at the absurdity of his current situation. Usually he slept late on Saturdays if he didn’t have plans. Maybe he’d go for a run or to the gym. One of the guys he knew from another firm had a boat, so sometimes they’d head out fishing or he�
�d meet up with friends for a game of pickup basketball.

  Countless times, he’d driven past community fields around various Seattle neighborhoods and had never given an ounce of thought to the kids playing on recreational teams. Hell, he’d never even realized he liked kids. Now he couldn’t imagine a better way to use his time and it still baffled him how the slower pace of life in Starlight fit him.

  Because of the age of the girls, one coach from each team was allowed on the field to offer encouragement during the game. The starting lineup took their positions with Josh near the midfield, while Parker and the subs watched from their makeshift bench, which consisted of a row of camp chairs they’d pulled out of Josh’s garage.

  Parker’s chest tightened as he watched his brother interact with the girls, cheering them on when they had the ball and keeping things positive at the times when the other team had possession.

  It quickly became apparent that Anna and Caroline were the stars of the team. Parker didn’t think much of the girl who’d tormented Evie, even if she did have some impressive ball-handling skills for a kindergartner. But he loved watching his niece play; her enthusiasm and fearless attitude blew him away. No one who didn’t know her history would ever have guessed what she’d been through.

  How could his former sister-in-law have walked away from this?

  Yes, cancer was huge and scary, especially in a child. But Anna was doing great now and he couldn’t imagine any mother willing to miss out on these moments.

  The game was adorable. A few girls remained focused on the ball while others played patty-cake-type games or rolled around in the grass. He did what he could to keep the team sharp, subbing in girls at regular intervals so everyone got a turn.

  “You’re up next,” he told Evie near the end of the first half.

  She shook her head. “Not yet.”

  He glanced down, alarmed at the girl’s pallor. “Pukey stomach?”

  “A little, but I don’t want to go in yet.”

  “Evie, you did well yesterday. You’ll be great out there.”

  She grabbed his hand, squeezing his fingers like she was adrift in the ocean and he was her only lifeline. “Not yet.”

  “Okay. It’s fine.” He caught Josh’s gaze and subtly shook his head. His brother nodded, and the game continued.

  Evie didn’t let go of his hand, and he gently rubbed his thumb back and forth against her soft skin, hoping to reassure her. At halftime, the girls who’d been playing came off the field. The whole team gathered at the sidelines, one of the moms coming over to distribute bags of orange slices.

  With Evie occupied in the team huddle, Parker separated himself from the group and got Mara’s attention.

  “Evie looks petrified,” she said when she’d walked over to him.

  “A little freaked out,” he agreed. “But she’s managed not to toss her cookies.”

  “Is she going to play?” Mara wrung her hands together, a frown line forming between her eyes.

  “I hope so, but I don’t want to force her.”

  “This is horrible.”

  “She’s fine.”

  “She’s going to be traumatized.”

  “I won’t let that happen.”

  He heard her sharp intake of breath and quickly amended, “We won’t let that happen.”

  Mara nodded. “Thanks for helping her. I trust she’s safe with you.”

  If she’d handed him the Nobel Prize, he couldn’t have been prouder.

  “I need to get back to the team.”

  “Sure.” She reached out and placed a hand on his arm. “Thanks again, Parker.”

  The second half went much as the first had, with girls alternating between concentrating on the game and picking the proverbial daisies. With two minutes left on the clock, he crouched next to Evie. “Are you ready?”

  She bit her lower lip and swallowed hard then nodded.

  He patted her shoulder. “I’m going to put you in for Caroline on offense.”

  The color left her face in an instant. “No.”

  “It’s going to be great. You’re ready, girl.”

  “Not Caroline,” Evie pleaded. “If I mess up her position, she’ll be so mad.”

  That was part of the reason Parker wanted to make the substitution. He believed in this sweet, insecure girl and knew succeeding as a sub for one of the team’s power players would turn the tables in her self-confidence.

  But he also understood the damage it could cause if things didn’t go well.

  “How about defense?”

  Evie nodded eagerly.

  Parker made the substitution and watched with the barest hint of trepidation as Evie ran onto the field. This was safe, he figured. So far Caroline and Anna had kept the ball on the opposite side of the field, giving the goal watched over by Penelope quite the workout. At this age, there was no official score but Parker was keeping count in his head, and they were up four to three.

  The game continued until the final minute, when a player from the Thunder Bolts dribbled the ball around Caroline then passed it to one of her teammates. The girl who should have intercepted the pass was twirling in circles so the ball sailed right past her.

  The Thunder Bolts’ player seemed shocked when the ball rolled to a stop at her feet but immediately turned and headed toward the goal.

  “Oh, no.” Parker glanced toward the sidelines where Mara looked about as pukey as Evie had felt earlier.

  When he turned back, Evie’s eyes had gone wide as the other player barreled toward her. Despite her obvious fear, the girl remembered their lesson from the night before.

  She bent her knees and assumed a defensive stance. The offensive player gave the ball a huge kick, and it sailed into the air right toward Evie.

  Parker half expected the girl to duck or dive out of the way, but she shifted slightly to her left to guard the goal more fully. The ball knocked into her stomach with enough force to send her back a step but then bounced off and rolled out of bounds just as the referee blew the whistle to end the game.

  The fans erupted into cheers and applause as he and Josh shared a relieved smile. Only then did he realize Evie hadn’t moved. She stood stock-still for another few seconds then fell straight back onto the grass.

  Mara’s terrified shout registered in his ears, but he was already running onto the field. He and Josh reached Evie at the same time.

  The girl was gasping for air, tears running down her cheeks. “Get everyone back,” Parker said to Josh, dropping to his knees. “She got the wind knocked out of her. That’s all. She needs space.”

  He murmured reassurances to Evie as Josh ushered the rest of the team away. Mara was on the girl’s other side a moment later.

  “Can’t breathe,” Evie managed to say.

  “It’s okay, sweetheart,” he told her. “Close your eyes and breathe in and out. Steady now.”

  “Mommy’s here.” Mara leaned in close, running a gentle hand over Evie’s face. “You’re going to be fine.”

  Even though he knew Evie wasn’t truly hurt, Parker hated the worry lacing Mara’s tone. She’d trusted him to keep her daughter safe and the girl had been injured.

  Talk about traumatic.

  He might enjoy helping to coach the girls, but clearly he was ill equipped to make the right decisions. Why hadn’t he just let Evie sit out this first game?

  “Let’s sit up,” Mara said gently. “Keep breathing.” She wiped the tears from Evie’s cheeks as they helped the girl to her feet.

  Parker waved to Josh and gave him a thumbs-up.

  “You all right there, munchkin?” the referee asked, rubbing a hand across his belly.

  She nodded and the ref chuckled. “You made one heck of a block,” he said before heading back across the field.

  Evie stilled then looked from Parker to Mara. �
�I blocked the ball?”

  Parker felt his mouth drop open then shut it again. “You sure did,” he told her. “It was a really hard kick, too.”

  “I know,” Evie agreed. “I lost my breath.”

  “It’s okay, baby girl.” Mara hugged Evie to her side. “You don’t ever have to play soccer again. I know I said it would be good for you but—”

  Evie pulled away. “I can’t quit.” She pressed a hand to her stomach. “I blocked the ball. Right, Coach?”

  “Yes,” Parker agreed slowly. “We have some work to do on technique, but I’m proud of you, kiddo.”

  She grinned. “I need to be with the team. Coach Josh is talking to them.”

  Mara made a soft snort of disbelief as the girl skipped over toward the rest of the Pink Ponies.

  “What just happened there?” she asked after a moment.

  “Your kid discovered her inner athlete,” he suggested.

  “I didn’t think she had one of those.”

  “I knew it all along.”

  “Thank you,” Mara said softly. “For everything you did for her.”

  He shrugged, suddenly uncomfortable with the emotion lacing her words. He liked Mara more than was smart for either of them. He wasn’t a long-term bet for a single mom who’d been burned by a nasty divorce. A divorce he’d had a large part in facilitating. This role of coach and family man was playacting, even if it felt right.

  “No biggie,” he lied. “Tell Josh I’ll see him tomorrow, okay?”

  “Tomorrow?” She frowned. “You aren’t going to the ice-cream celebration with the team?”

  It scared the hell out of Parker how much he wanted to join them, which made his decision easier than he would have thought.

  “I’ve had my fill of white-picket-fence life for a while. I’m heading back to Seattle for the night.” He forced a laugh, dropping just the right amount of derision into his tone. “I need to have some real fun...trade in the ice-cream parlor for a bar. Starlight’s small-town sweetness is making my teeth ache.”