Tea and Destiny

by Sherryl Woods

  “I said I’m fine,” Tracy snapped, then flushed guiltily. “Sorry. Where’s Hank?”

  “I’m not sure. I assume he’s at work.”

  “He’s not. I checked there.”

  “Why?”

  “I just wanted to ask him something.”

  “Can’t you ask me?”

  Tracy shook her head and Ann felt somehow betrayed.

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah. It’s about guys.”

  “I see.” She considered pressing, but decided against it. With her track record in the past twenty-four hours, she was the last person to be giving out advice about men. “You could call his cell phone.”

  Tracy’s expression brightened at once. “You have the number?”

  “It’s on the pad by the phone under Todd’s name.”

  Tracy flung her arms around her. “Thanks, Ann.”

  Ann watched as she copied the number and raced to use the phone in the living room. Again that stirring of resentment nagged at her.

  “This is just terrific, Ann, old girl. Now you’re jealous of the man.”

  It was true. She’d noticed it more than once as Hank began slowly interacting with each of the children. Despite his reservations, he was really trying to reach Jason. As for Tommy and Paul, they clearly idolized him. It had hurt her the first time she’d realized how often they turned to Hank. They trailed him around the house, imitating his mannerisms. Tommy constantly wore the tiny hard hat Hank had gotten him. Now Tracy was defecting as well.

  Ann shook her head and sighed. She ought to be grateful. She analyzed the emotions that were rampaging through her. Gratitude wasn’t among them. Nope. Jealousy was at the top of the list.

  “Well, you’ll just have to get over this in a big hurry,” she muttered, pouring vinegar and water into a bucket and heading for the windows that faced the Atlantic.

  Filled with trepidation, Hank approached Todd’s house in Coconut Grove later that night. He knew that his encounter with Todd in the morning had been little more than polite chitchat compared to the cross-examination Liz was likely to subject him to. He wasn’t sure he was up to it.

  Ever since Tracy’s phone call, he’d been tempted to head straight back down to the Keys. He didn’t like the sound of this boy she was going out with. He guessed the kid’s hormones were in overdrive and he wasn’t one bit sure that all his advice had equipped Tracy to deal with him. His stomach knotted at the thought of the jerk laying a hand on that sweet, innocent kid. After the hell her old man had put her through, she deserved never again to be touched except with love and respect.

  He wasn’t aware that he’d been sitting in the car for some time until he heard Kevin shouting at him.

  “Hey, Hank, come on! Dad said you’d help me with my pitching. It’s only a little while till dinner.”

  Hank mustered a grin, grabbed the baseball mitt he’d thrown in the back and climbed wearily from his truck. At least it would provide a reprieve from Liz’s inquisition.

  “Okay, kid, let’s see what you’ve got.”

  Todd came out moments later and joined them on the wide sweep of lawn. “Sorry I missed you at the office. Feeling any better?”

  “I’m great.”

  “Right.”

  Hank shot him a vicious look, then turned pointedly to Kevin. “Try a curveball. You remember where I told you to put your fingers.”

  The ball zipped toward him with surprising speed and accuracy, landing in his mitt with a solid thud. Kevin’s grin split his freckled face. “How’s that?”

  “Not bad, kid. You’ve been practicing.”

  “Every night. At least when Dad gets home in time. Liz tried to catch for me one night, but she was pretty bad,” he confided. His tone and his face registered his disgust. “Girls!”

  Hank laughed. “Yeah, kid, I know just what you mean.”

  “I heard that,” Liz called, poking her head out the front door. “People who make unkind remarks about the cook get steaks that are the consistency of shoe leather.”

  Hank immediately adopted a suitably contrite expression and jogged over to plant a kiss on Liz’s forehead. “Sorry. Present company excepted, of course.”

  “Thank you.” She glanced toward Kevin. “And you?”

  Kevin grinned at his stepmother. “Sorry, Liz.”

  She nodded in satisfaction. “Good. Then dinner’s ready.”

  Hank made the first cut into his thick, juicy steak with the enthusiasm of a half-starved man. He lifted the bite to his mouth, savored the aroma, then bit into it slowly. It was delicious, with just a hint of mesquite in the flavor. He swallowed and the image of Ann’s disapproving expression flickered alive in his stupid brain. Guilt stole in. The second bite wasn’t nearly as flavorful as the first. The third practically choked him. He determinedly ate another and then another, forcing himself to finish the entire steak.

  When he looked up from his meal at last, he caught Todd and Liz exchanging an amused glance.

  “Did you enjoy your steak?” Todd inquired with contrived innocence.

  “Terrific.”

  “I have another piece in the kitchen,” Liz offered sweetly.

  “No, thanks. I’ve had plenty.”

  “More salad?” She held out the bowl.

  Hank reached for it, then stubbornly jerked back his hand. “No.”

  “Are you sure? You’ve hardly eaten a thing.”

  He took a deliberate sip of the excellent full-bodied wine. “Guess I just wasn’t as hungry as I thought.”

  “Aren’t you feeling well?” Liz persisted, her eyes filled with concern.

  “I’m fine. Dinner was superb.”

  “How about some apple pie?”

  Hank was cheered by the prospect. Apples were healthy. Not even Ann could find anything to object to there.

  “Maybe with some vanilla ice cream on top?” Liz suggested.

  His mouth watered. “Terrif—” he began, then recalled Ann’s speech about the fat content of ice cream as she’d given him a bowl of frozen yogurt. “No. I’ll take it plain.”

  Damn. She wasn’t within fifty miles and she was still ruining his appetite. Fortunately before Liz could make too much out of his refusal, the phone rang. “I’ll get it,” she said. “Kevin, how about bringing the dishes into the kitchen.”

  When the two of them had gone, Todd said quietly, “It’s worse than you’ve admitted, isn’t it?”

  “Don’t you dare start gloating again.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it. I’ve waited a long time to witness the fall of the mighty lecher. Are you in love with her?”

  “Absolutely not. You know how I feel about love. It doesn’t exist.”

  “Methinks thou does protest too much.”

  Hank glared. “Think whatever you want.”

  “Well, what are you going to do about it?”

  “Not a damn thing,” he insisted stubbornly.

  “But…”

  The ringing of his cell phone interrupted Todd’s protest. It was Tracy.

  He almost knocked over his chair as he stood and answered the phone. “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice raw with panic.

  All he heard were muffled sobs.

  “Tracy, where are you?”

  “At a gas station.”

  “Where?”

  “In Key Largo.”

  “Are you okay?” He closed his eyes and forced himself to ask gently, “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

  “No, I’m just so mad.” She choked back another sob. “Hank, he was just as big a creep as you said he was. Why didn’t I listen to you?”

  Hank’s heart finally began beating again. “Because you wanted to believe in the guy. Trusting someone isn’t a sin. It takes a lot of experience, though, before you can completely trust your judgment.”

  “I’m never dating again.”

  Hank grinned, thankful that Tracy couldn’t see it. “I doubt you’ll feel that way by next weekend. You stay put, honey. I’
ll come get you.”

  “You don’t have to do that,” she said bravely, but her voice was still thick with tears. “I can call Ann.”

  “Stay put. I’m on my way.” He took down the location of the gas station and hung up, then turned to find Liz and Todd regarding him intently.

  “You heard?”

  They nodded.

  “I have to go get her.”

  Liz reached out and touched his arm. Until he felt the gentle brush of her fingers, he hadn’t realized how tense he was. “She’ll be fine. She’s just scared.”

  He felt himself beginning to relax. “I know.”

  He headed for the door, then turned back. “Thanks.”

  “Any time.” Before he could close the door, she called out. “Hank.”

  He looked back.

  “You’ll make a wonderful father.”

  He shook his head, but as he climbed back into his truck and headed south, he realized that was exactly how he felt: like a father.

  It scared the hell out of him.

  Chapter 8

  Tracy was waiting exactly where Hank had told her to wait, inside the office at the gas station. Sitting on a chair, shoulders slumped, her expression glum, she looked like an abandoned waif, rather than a beautiful young woman just emerging into adulthood. Seeing her like that scared him. He didn’t have any experience at handling something like this. What if he said the wrong thing? What if he only made matters worse? How had Todd survived all the years he’d been a single parent to Kevin? How did Ann cope on her own with the steady stream of kids she’d taken into her home and heart? He wished he’d taken the time to call her for some quick advice on parenting before barreling down here, but he hadn’t. He was on his own.

  He opened the door to the office and stepped inside.

  “Tracy,” he said quietly.

  Her gaze shot up and her eyes filled with tears. She launched herself into his arms and clung like a frightened child. He held her tight. “It’s okay, sweetheart. Everything’s okay,” he soothed.

  He turned to the attendant. “Thanks for letting her stay inside.”

  “No problem, mister. I just wish more girls used their heads these days and called home when things got out of hand.”

  When they’d gotten into the car, Hank handed her a tissue. “He’s right, you know. You did the right thing by calling. Don’t ever be afraid to turn to Ann or me when you’re in trouble.”

  Tracy fidgeted nervously. She glanced sideways at him.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “You’re not going to tell Ann, are you?”

  He hesitated, torn. Finally he sighed. “Not unless you say it’s okay.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Wait a minute. I think you should talk to her about it yourself.”

  “But she wouldn’t understand.”

  It was the cry of teenagers about their parents from time immemorial, but still Hank stared at her in astonishment. “Ann? Sweetheart, she’s the most understanding woman around. Of course she’d understand.”

  “But she’s so perfect. She never makes any mistakes, at least not really dumb ones like this.”

  Hank thought of the story Ann had told him just last night about her own youthful error in judgment. If only she would share that story with Tracy. It would bring the two of them even closer, bridging the gap that even Ann was all too aware of.

  “Talk to her,” he urged again. “I think you could be surprised.”

  An hour later when they walked into the house together, Ann looked up from her book, her expression welcoming until she spotted Hank with Tracy. Alarm warred with dismay. Hank could read the entire gamut of emotions in her eyes. As always, concern for one of her kids won out over her own feelings.

  “Is everything okay?” she asked, looking anxiously from one to the other.

  “Fine,” Tracy mumbled, not meeting her gaze directly. “I’m going to sleep. Thanks for picking me up, Hank.”

  When she’d gone, Ann stared hard at Hank. “Is she really okay?”

  He nodded. “Just a little shaken.”

  “What happened? Was there an accident? Why was she with you?”

  “I gave her a ride home.”

  “Don’t be deliberately obtuse. Why?”

  “Ask her.”

  “Dammit, Hank. She’s practically my daughter. If she’s in some kind of trouble, I ought to know about it.”

  He knelt down beside her so he could gaze directly into her worried eyes. He placed a reassuring hand on her knee, but removed it when he felt her go tense. “She’s okay, Annie. I swear it, but I promised her I wouldn’t talk about it. I think she’ll tell you herself once she’s had some time to settle down a bit.”

  She frowned at him, then asked furiously, “Where the hell do you get off deciding what’s best for one of my kids? I’m responsible. Whatever happened, I should have been there, not you.”

  He recognized the frustration and guilt in her voice and wanted more than anything to put her fears to rest, but he’d made a promise and he intended to keep it. He knew enough about teenagers to understand that Tracy would never trust him again if he betrayed her now, no matter how well-intentioned he might be.

  “She called me,” he reminded her gently. “What was I supposed to do?”

  After a long silence, she finally let out a deep breath. “I’m sorry. You’re right. You had to go. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you, but, Hank, I’m really worried about her. She was acting funny all day long.”

  “She really is fine.”

  “I’m not so sure. I’m not just talking about whatever happened tonight. I’m talking about how she handled it. She insisted on calling you earlier today, too. I’m sure that was part of the same thing. I think she’s developing a full-scale crush on you.”

  The comment hit him from out of the blue. It rocked him back on his heels. “Come on, Annie. Don’t be ridiculous.”

  “It’s not ridiculous and you know it. You may well be the first man who’s ever treated her with respect and tenderness. Why wouldn’t she fall for it?”

  “Hell, I’m old enough to be her father.”

  “Age is irrelevant in a situation like this. Young women who’ve had absent or abusive fathers often think they’re in love with older men who are like the idealized fathers they never had.”

  He got up and started pacing. The movement only seemed to increase his agitation. Finally he sank down in a chair and ran his fingers through his hair. Ann was making a sort of twisted kind of sense, but he was convinced she was way off base. He wasn’t that insensitive. He would have known if Tracy had a crush on him.

  “You’re wrong, Annie. She’s thinking of me as her father. I’m sure that’s all it is.”

  “Maybe. Just be careful. Whatever her feelings, if she begins to depend on you too much, she’s going to be devastated when you leave.”

  “Who says I’m leaving?”

  “Hank, be realistic,” she said impatiently. “The job will be over sooner or later. You’ll go back to Miami. We may all run into one another occasionally on holidays at Liz and Todd’s but that will be the extent of it.”

  He studied her closely. Her expression was determinedly unemotional, her tone flat. Still, he had a feeling she was voicing her own fears now. “Is it Tracy you’re worried about now or yourself?”

  She flushed. “Leave me out of this. I’m an adult. I can handle it.”

  “Can you really? Look what happened last night.”

  “Nothing happened,” she pointed out with a touch of wry humor.

  “I was referring to how upset you got, but let’s put that aside for a minute and deal with what’s really bothering you. You know perfectly well that I stopped making love to you for all the reasons you’re talking about. I probably will go back to Miami in a few months and when I go, I don’t want you on my conscience.”

  “How very noble!” she said, her blue eyes flashing fire. “Don’t do me any favors, mister.”<
br />
  Troubled by the hurt behind her remark, Hank tried to sort through the mess they seemed to be in. “Do you want me to move out now? Maybe it would be better for everyone if I went before the attachments got any deeper.” That went for him as well as them, though he wasn’t willing to admit it.

  “Maybe it would be,” Ann said in a voice that was surprisingly weak considering her angry state only moments earlier.

  There was a sharp ache in his gut, but Hank nodded and got to his feet. “I’ll pack my things.”

  He was halfway across the room when he heard what sounded like a muffled sob. When he turned, Ann was hastily wiping the tears from her cheeks. He was beside her in an instant. Kneeling again, he took her hands in his. “Annie, is this really what you want?”

  The broken sound she uttered was part laugh, part sob. “I don’t seem to know what I want,” she confessed. “For the first time in a very long time I don’t have the vaguest idea what’s right.”

  “Then I guess we’re in the same boat. I don’t seem to be sure of anything anymore, either. Liz and Todd seem to have this crazy idea we’re meant for each other. They set us up, you know.”

  She nodded and smiled ruefully. “Think we should wring their necks?”

  “It’s crossed my mind. On the other hand, they are our best friends. They know us pretty well.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “Maybe we should stay right where we are and play out this hand like a couple of grown-ups.”

  “Now that’s a risky notion,” she joked feebly. Tears trembled on the ends of her lashes, then spilled down her cheeks.

  “Hey, I’m a gambling man, remember?”

  “Maybe so, but I’ve never gambled on anything in my life.”

  With the pad of his thumb, he rubbed away her tears. “Who knows,” he said. “Maybe you’ll have beginner’s luck.”

  The only trouble with this new game plan was that they didn’t seem to know how to begin. For the next few days, they were both so wary Ann thought she would scream in frustration. Every time Hank so much as brushed accidentally against her, he apologized profusely and bolted. She was rapidly reaching the end of her patience.

  Nor was she one bit sure how she felt about Hank’s decision to insinuate himself into their lives more completely than ever. From her point of view, particularly after their talk about Tracy, she still thought a little caution was called for. When she told him exactly that one night after dinner, he snapped back, “You can’t have it both ways. I can’t stay here and back off at the same time.”