And yet, the fact remained. Drew knew nothing of substance about Lexy. He knew nothing about her health, and the thought of getting involved with another woman who had health concerns, who took risks, the thought of putting Ian into the position of getting his heart broken again—it was the last thing he’d do.
Regret and fear kicked him. Repeatedly.
Thump, thump. Thump, thump.
It took a moment for Drew to realize it was actually Ian bouncing the toes of his good shoes against the back of the driver’s seat. “Don’t kick the seat, please.”
Ian did as he was told, but tossed out another melodramatic sigh. “Now are we there?”
“We are.”
“We are?” Ian’s tone changed. “For real?”
“Yes. Look out the window.” Drew paused. “See all those people?”
“In the park?”
“That’s the town square.”
“Oh. Looks like a park.”
“It’s kind of a park,” he conceded.
“What’s all those people doing?”
“Waiting for the guest of honor.”
“The who?”
Drew glanced at his son in the rearview mirror. “You, goof. You’re the hero, remember? Heroes are always guests of honor.”
After a long pause, Ian simply said, “Oh.”
Drew crunched into the packed asphalt parking lot and found a spot in the back row. Claiming it, he cut the engine, then released his seat belt and twisted to face his wide-eyed son. “Ian? You okay?”
“All those people are here for me?”
“You bet.”
Ian lapsed into stunned silence, pressing his back against the seat. “But we don’t know that many people,” he said, sounding surprised and a little nervous. Which wasn’t like him. He’d always been a sociable boy, at least until he’d lost his mother. Until his father drew him close and kept him sheltered.
Too sheltered, maybe? Too much Dad time?
For far too long?
More regrets.
“Do we, Daddy?”
“Hmm?”
“Know those people?”
“We don’t know all of them.” Drew swallowed through the guilt brought on by his sobering realization and tried for a nonchalant tone. “But Miss Lexy will be here. You know her, right?”
Ian crossed his feet at the ankle, making no move to unbuckle. “Did she bring all those strangers?”
Drew rested his hand on Ian’s knee. “They’re folks who live in town, Ian. They’re here to celebrate with you. Neighbors, not strangers.”
“Oh.” A pause. A crinkled nose. “Our neighbors?”
Drew cocked his head. This hesitancy wasn’t like Ian. “What’s wrong, son?”
“I dunno.” He chewed on one corner of his lip, ignoring the question. “Who else do we know here?”
“Well, I’m not a hundred percent sure yet.” He thought hard. “But I’d bet Nurse Yvette, from the hospital, will come. You liked her, right?”
Ian nodded. “She gave me a piece of pie in the middle of the night when you were sleepin’.”
“She did?”
“Yeah. ’Cept I wasn’t s’posed to tell you, so don’t say anything to get me in trouble.”
Drew smiled at him.
Ian rolled an idea around in his head. “And what about Mr. Brody?”
“I’m sure he’ll be here, too. And the other paramedics who helped us.”
“Oh.”
Drew reached back and squeezed one of Ian’s shoes. “You’ll know a lot of people once we get out there. You might even meet some kids. Make some new friends. And I’ll be right with you the whole time. Okay?”
Ian wound his fingers together, his gaze never leaving the grassy square teeming with strangers. “I kinda just wish I could see Miss Lexy.”
“I know.”
Ian’s pointed gaze was too direct, too insightful. “Do you wanna see her, too?”
A beat passed. More than Ian could possibly know. “Sure. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone. And don’t forget, we get to have cake.” Nice save, Kimball.
“My tummy doesn’t feel like eatin’ anything. It’s all tumbly and gross.”
“Not now, maybe, but that’s just nerves. Your tummy will be fine later. I know how you get around cake.”
Undeterred, Ian asked, “Daddy, is Miss Lexy our friend? Like, our real friend?”
“Well,” Drew hedged, “we just met her.”
“But she helped me. And she visited us. And she’s really nice and pretty and saves lives.” He twisted his lips to the side. “I want her to be our friend. Really a whole lot.”
“So you’ve said. We’ll see what we can do.” He couldn’t make promises until he checked out the situation. Instead, he bought time getting out of the SUV and opening Ian’s door. “Unbuckle, pal. Let’s get going so you can see Miss Lexy and the others.”
Ian did as he was told but made no move to head toward the throng. “Do we have friends anymore, Daddy? Like we used to in Virginia?”
Drew stood back and let Ian leap out of the vehicle. “Sure we do,” he fibbed.
“Then how come no one ever comes over to our house?”
Another thud of regret dropped to the pit of Drew’s stomach. He’d been trying so hard to keep everything together, but obviously he’d let it all fall apart. He managed to keep his tone light. “I guess because we haven’t invited them.”
“How come?”
“Well, we just moved here.”
“We’ve been here forever,” Ian said, with a groan, flapping his arms out to the side and letting them drop.
“Three months is only forever when you’re six years old.” He hesitated. “The house isn’t all fixed up yet, that’s all.” He still had boxes stacked in some of the rooms, a fact that embarrassed him.
“How come it isn’t?”
Kids. “Because your dad’s been busy opening the gym and answering all your millions of questions, and there’s only so much time in the day.” He swung Ian up into his arms for a hug that made the boy giggle until he squirmed to be set down. Drew squatted and adjusted Ian’s slacks and tucked in the part of his shirt that had come untucked. He had to give his son more than pat answers. “Tell you what. We can start on the rest of the house today when we get home, if you’d like.”
Ian slid his hand into his father’s and they headed toward the throng. “And when it’s all fixed up, we’ll invite our friends over? For a big, giant party?”
God, a big party. Drew’s jaw clenched. “You bet.”
“The friends from Virginia?”
He chuckled softly. “I don’t know about that. It’s a little far for them to drive.”
“Then our new friends instead?”
“Sure.”
“We gotta make some, then.”
A beat passed. “Okay.”
“Starting with Miss Lexy.”
Kids, Drew thought again. Like little coyotes. They circled a target, slowly, but they always trapped it in the end. “Okay. We’ll see,” Drew said. “For now, let’s enjoy your hero ceremony, okay?”
“’Kay! But we’ll tell everyone they can come to our house for a party as soon as we finally take all our junk out of the packin’ boxes and put it away.”
Drew laughed. “Let’s keep that one to ourselves.”
Thankfully, Ian’s questions ended as he stared out at the festive crowd. They’d scored a perfect Rocky Mountain day for the ceremony, complete with a cloudless, deep blue sky and a light breeze to keep the blazing sun at bay. In addition to those who milled about, elderly ladies in sun hats perched on the temporary bleachers the city had erected. Families shared bright blankets laid over the grass. Music from two big speakers carried on the breeze, mingling with the fruity fragrance of summer.
Though he’d played it off for Ian’s sake, it surprised Drew to see how many strangers had shown up simply to honor one little boy’s heroics. Neighbors, not strangers. He’d wanted this small
-town atmosphere for Ian; it’s why he had left a lucrative career he loved to move here. But the coziness still caught him off guard now and then. He needed to loosen up. Maybe Lexy could help him meet people….
And clearly, as Brody had said, the grapevine hummed with what had happened. All week, Gulchers he’d never met had reached out. Stacks of cards and letters for Ian arrived daily at the gym, some with a five-dollar bill tucked in, or a small gift. Warm gestures like these went a long way toward prying open Drew’s self-protective shell. They’d moved to Troublesome Gulch for a fresh start, after all. Ian was ready.
Now was the time to grab for it.
A vision of Lexy undulated through his mind; his breathing shallowed. He had to get it together, regain his bearings. He didn’t have the luxury of being drawn to a woman he knew nothing about. Just because Ian had perched her high up on a pedestal, just because she wasn’t somebody’s mommy? That didn’t mean anything. She could be married. She could be completely uninterested. And, even if she wasn’t, who was to say—
“Stupid,” he said.
“Da-addy!”
“I’m sorry, pal.”
“My kinny-garden teacher always tol’ me I was s’posed to think with my head, not with my mouth.”
“Smart woman.” Drew winked at his son.
But…really. Stupid wasn’t an overstatement. He couldn’t afford to get swept up in Ian’s fantasy. Fact: Lexy had merely stopped by the hospital to meet Ian, to give them the news about the award. Like sending cards and showing up for an award presented to a six-year-old boy, that’s what small-town folks did. It didn’t mean anything.
Did he want it to mean something?
Did he?
He couldn’t answer that, not without seeing her again, to get a feel for the situation, for her situation. But seeing her in front of the whole town, among people she knew and who knew her? He’d never admit it out loud, but the prospect was a bit daunting.
Ian, on the other hand, had overcome his momentary, uncharacteristic shyness and vibrated with excitement. He yanked on Drew’s arm. “Walk faster, Daddy.”
“I’m coming, I’m coming.” Drew’s throat went dry. So many unfamiliar faces.
People he didn’t know.
Hadn’t taken the time to know.
Hadn’t thought he needed to know.
Now he didn’t have a choice.
“Daddy?”
“Yes?”
“Lexy could be a mommy if she wanted to, right? Even though she can’t walk and stuff?”
Besides the fact that Drew had no clue, they’d dissected this line of thinking repeatedly over the week and it wasn’t helping his mind-set. He didn’t have the strength to get into it now. It wasn’t Ian’s fault. The kid missed his mother—who could blame him? But Drew couldn’t handle him bringing that up in front of Troublesome Gulch proper.
It’s been two years. It’s Ian’s life, too.
“You know what we talked about, Ian. I don’t want you acting nosy around Miss Lexy. Please don’t ask her that question. Be polite, okay?”
“I’m just curious. You know, if she wants to. If she likes kids and stuff.”
That makes two of us….
The week had been a nightmare, culminating with today.
Lexy had just transferred to her chair and raised the ramp from her van when her cell phone rang. She slammed the door, then punched the button to her headset as she made her way toward the grassy town square. “Hello?”
“Where are you?” her friend Faith demanded.
“I’m here, I’m here. I was running late.”
“She’s running late,” Faith said to someone else, in an incredulous tone. Lexy knew this would raise questions for her friends. If she was one thing always, it was punctual.
Lexy heard Cagney say, “You’re kidding me. Why?”
“No clue, but that’s what she said,” Faith murmured, then into the phone, she added, “Here, where?”
Lexy rolled her eyes. The thing is, she wouldn’t have been late if she hadn’t completely freaked herself out about being honored alongside Ian Kimball. She didn’t deserve to be called a hero, and she didn’t want it. Plus, she’d changed clothes a zillion times, which of course smeared her makeup and jacked up her hair. At the last minute, she’d thrown on her original outfit, repaired her makeup as best she could, fluffed her hair and flown out the door. But she was still pushing it, time-wise, and now her friends were suspicious.
Exactly what she didn’t need.
“I’m coming from the parking lot,” she said, trying not to sound testy. “How much time do I have before it starts?”
“Barely any. Hang on.”
Lexy heard deep, muffled voices through the phone.
“Where in the lot, Lex? Be specific,” Faith said. “I sent Brody and Jason up to hunt you down. They said they didn’t see your van.”
“I don’t need to be hunted down. I’m coming. Anyway, I parked in the courthouse lot, sorry. They still haven’t fixed that buckled piece of concrete at the edge of the other lot and I’m sick of maneuvering around it. This is the smoothest access into the square.” She glanced out over the crowd, and a flock of chickens inside her tummy started to peck and squawk. God, she didn’t want to be held up to the community as anyone’s standard. Least of all, Ian’s. “Meet me up near the podium, okay? I’ll be there in a sec.”
“Hurry!”
Lexy disconnected and tucked her phone earpiece into the side pocket of her chair. She shoved forward and let the rubber of her handrims skim beneath her palms as she sped dangerously down the courthouse’s ramp, toward the wooden pathway that led to the portable dance floor they’d set up instead of a raised platform, in deference to her. At the bottom, she gripped the brakes hard to slow down, then looked around.
People soaked up the warm sunshine, chatting and laughing, totally oblivious to her inner turmoil. She may have cut it close, but she’d made it in time.
Breathing deeply to calm her frazzled nerves, Lexy scanned the crowd for Ian. Inhale. And, okay, Drew. Exhale. Definitely Drew. “Stupid,” she muttered. The man knew nothing about the real her. The imperfect, unworthy, tormented Lexy Cabrera.
She pressed a palm to her abdomen to quell her anxiety about seeing him again. Anxiety? Or was it poorly thought-out anticipation? Whichever, she didn’t see them. Pushing forward, she came around the back side of the podium and skidded to a stop behind her best friends: Cagney and Jonas, Erin and Nate and Faith.
“Where’s Brody?”
The group turned to face her.
“Whoa,” Erin said, her eyes going round.
Dead silence.
“What?” Lexy looked from one friend to the other. No one said anything. “What? Hello? Will someone please translate? I don’t speak monosyllabic pseudo-grunts under a time crunch, sorry.”
With a smirk, Jonas said, “I think she meant, whoa, look at Lexy bringing sexy back, in a world-class way.” He whistled low, then stepped back to sweep her with an appreciative glance. “You look…wow.”
“Oh, please.” Lexy played it off with a scoff. “It’s just a sundress. I’m so not—”
“You so are,” Faith said, with a gleam in her eye. “And you so know it.” She crossed her arms and bounced on her heels. “Do tell, Lex, who’s the extra effort and brand-new dress for? I mean, we’re impressed, obviously, but we’re always impressed by you.”
“It’s not new, it’s newish.” Lie. It was new. “And it’s not for anyone,” Lexy said, peevishly, trying to ignore the hot flush moving up her neck. Okay, so maybe the dark fuchsia halter dress tipped the sexy scales a little, but it was still professional. But the sexy factor wasn’t why she’d bought it. It was flowy and knee-skimming, and it looked good against her olive skin tone. If the deep V and empire waist happened to enhance her cleavage in a big way, okay. Bonus. But, that wasn’t exactly her fault. Nor was she to blame for the way her locket…nestled just so within that V.
It’s not a
s if she made the damn jewelry.
She’d just needed to feel…better about herself today, because she’d felt nothing but bad and progressively worse since visiting the Kimball men in the hospital.
“Need I remind you, I’m representing the comm center? I have to be in front of the whole town. I’m just trying for a professional yet festive look.”
“You mean the whole town, who’s known you since you were a baby and doesn’t care how you look?” Cagney asked, in that thoughtful, observant way of hers.
Point taken. “So? What—you want me to wear sweats to a hero presentation? I have to look nice.”
“There’s looking nice,” Nate said, with a playful narrowing of his eyes, “and then there’s being so hot you render you friends mute.” He lifted her hand and twirled her chair around in a circle. “Lexy, seriously.”
She forced a smile, heat creeping up her face. “Thanks, Nate. You’re a gracious man. Everybody, you’re all sweet, really. But I didn’t take any more effort today than I do on any normal day.” Big, honking lie. She didn’t feel worthy of this award, or of the crush she seemed to have on Drew Kimball, but she’d damn well try to look worthy, if nothing else.
“Right.” Erin pursed her lips in scrutiny. “Is that a new lipstick color, too?”
Lexy groaned. “Geez, is Big Brother watching?”
“Answer. Is it new?” Faith reiterated.
“Look, I was at the salon the other day and I grabbed a tube. Whatever. It matched the dress. It doesn’t mean anything when a woman buys a new lipstick.” Her chair wobbled slightly. She shot a glance at Faith, whose hand was currently stuffed into the little ditty bag that snapped onto the arm rest. “Hey, what are you—?”
“Aha!” Faith held up the shiny black lipstick tube as if she’d found a smoking gun. She squinted at the tiny label on the end. “Interestingly enough, ladies and gents, the shade’s called Manhunting.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Lexy said, in as arch a tone as she could muster, what with being thrown so totally off-kilter by the rapid-fire interrogation. Her friends were looking for clues to a mystery that didn’t exist, and suddenly she verged on tears. “Did I name the thing?”
“Come on. You can tell us. Is it Dane from work?” Erin asked, in a conspiratorial whisper. Her eyes danced with curiosity. “I’ve always thought he was a cutie.”
Lexy’s Little Matchmaker Page 6
