by Holly Jacobs
He looked embarrassed. “I don’t know why I told you that. That one’s not in the public portion of the house.”
They were standing in the middle of the mall. And without thinking about it, Eli took Zac’s hand and gave it a light squeeze. “I’m glad you shared it.”
“Hey, Zac.”
Eli realized she was still holding Zac’s hand and dropped it.
Cecily didn’t seem to notice as she opened a bag and pulled out a top. “Look what I’ve got to wear after the game tomorrow.”
Ariel stood behind her, bagless. Eli wished she could offer the girl money to buy a new top. But she was Ariel’s teacher, and had already edged too close to the boundary that should exist between a student and teacher. Plus, she suspected Ariel was too proud to accept it.
Zac was scowling in the general direction of Cecily’s shirt. “Where’s the rest of it?”
“Funny. Ha. Ha. It’s all there.” She turned to Ariel. “My brother thinks he’s Mr. Funny. He’s so not.”
“And you know Dad’s worse than I am,” Zac continued. “And you know what else? It’s practically winter. Turtlenecks are in season.”
“Funny. You’re almost as funny as Dad now, Zac, and that means not at all.” She turned back to Ariel. “Tell, him Ariel. Tell him this isn’t bad.”
“It’s a very popular style, Mr. Keller.”
“Seriously, Ariel, don’t go calling him ‘Mister.’ I told you, it gives him a swollen head. Soon he’ll expect all of us to be Mistering him all over the place. And Z-man, that’s so not going to happen.”
“Don’t listen to Miss Incorrigible, Ariel.” Zac tried to sound stern, but knew he didn’t manage it well. “Before she can start a fight with me, why don’t we all head over to Elephant and Castle for dinner.”
“You’re not saying much, Ms. Cartwright,” Ariel said as they walked toward the car.
“I’m an only child, but even I know better than to get in middle of a brother-and-sister sniping war.”
Cecily and Zac continued their banter as they traveled the short distance to the restaurant. And they kept it up even after they were seated in a booth, only letting up when the waitress came over. “Can I start you all out with something to drink?”
When it was Ariel’s turn, she said, “Water.”
“Oh, come on,” Zac prompted. “We’re celebrating your new job and Cecily’s first game tomorrow. This one’s on me. You can do better than water. How about a milk shake? It’s got milk in it, so it’s good for you.”
“Strawberry, then,” Ariel said.
Eli realized that Ariel had been worried about paying for the dinner. She could have kicked herself for not making sure Ariel knew the meal was on her. While the girls were busy talking, she nodded at Ariel and mouthed the word thanks in Zac’s direction.
IT WAS SEVEN O’CLOCK when Zac drove to Keller’s Market parking lot. They’d already dropped Ariel off at her aunt’s and Cecily was in the backseat.
Zac got out and walked Eli to her car.
“Thanks for a wonderful day.” Eli had so enjoyed not having to worry. She’d enjoyed listening to Zac and Cecily’s playful arguing. She’d enjoyed the meal. It had been especially sweet to hear Ariel and Cecily yakking—just two teenagers talking about school. Her conversations with Ariel had centered around her pregnancy, her schoolwork and her job. The dinner reminded her that Ariel was still a girl. A girl in the process of growing up too fast. “Really, I had a great time.”
“You didn’t buy anything. I don’t think I’ve ever been shopping with a woman who didn’t buy anything.”
Eli shook her head. “Maybe you’ve been shopping with the wrong women.”
Zac laughed. “Maybe.”
She unlocked the door and opened it. Zac still stood there. “Did I forget something?”
“You were considering coming to the game tomorrow. I could pick you up. You’re on my way and car-pooling…we’d be saving the planet and all that.” He hesitated. “That is, if you want to.”
Wanting to drive with Zac had nothing to do with saving the planet, although Eli had tried to live green before green was the fashionable color. “That would be great.”
“You’ll have to give me your address.”
She gave him her best teacher’s look. “I thought you said I was on your way?”
“Eli, Whedon is at best a fifteen-minute drive from border to border. Okay, that’s an exaggeration. You could probably drive the circumference of the town in fifteen minutes, with time to spare. Everything is on my way.”
Eli laughed even harder as she dug in her bag and pulled out a card. “Here you go.”
“Always prepared. I like that in a woman.” He pocketed the card. “I’ll be there at one.”
“I’ll be ready.”
Zac stood there as she started the car and pulled away. She glanced in her rearview mirror and saw him finally moving toward his own car.
She went directly home and had barely taken off her coat when her phone rang.
She kicked off her boots, exposing her favorite striped socks. “Hello?” she answered.
“I texted earlier. You didn’t answer. Are you okay? Nothing wrong with the baby?” Tucker asked, anxiousness in her voice.
“Sorry. I didn’t see it. I’m fine. The baby’s fine. I just walked in the house.” She flipped on the lamp and sank down onto the couch.
“I wanted to see how things went with your parents.”
“They canceled. So I went to Grove City and did some shopping at the outlet mall.” There was silence on the other end of the line. “What’s up, Tuck?”
“I was worried when I didn’t hear back from you.”
“Sorry.”
“No problem.” Tucker paused. “Want to do something tomorrow?”
“I could in the morning, or late afternoon. I have something at one.”
“Something?”
Eli pulled her feet onto the couch and covered them with the throw. “A girl’s basketball game at the high school.”
“Oh, I like basketball.” Tucker muffled the phone, as if she were putting her hand over the receiver. “Hey, Bart, want to go to the girls’ basketball game tomorrow?”
Eli could hear Bart’s voice, although she couldn’t make out what he was saying.
Tucker came back on the line. “He says sure. We’ll meet you there, unless you want me to pick you up?”
Eli wasn’t sure why she felt embarrassed, but she did as she replied, “I sort of have a ride already.”
“Oh? With who?”
“Zac Keller. You remember, he’s helping me out with the new CATA Project.”
“Hot, single Zac Keller, whose family owns Keller’s Market…the chain. That Zac Keller? You’re going with Zac Keller?”
“Yes. It’s only car-pooling. You know, to save the environment.”
Tucker snorted. “Eli, you’re a catch…pregnant or not.”
“Shh! I don’t want Bart to overhear you. I need to tell my parents before I tell anyone else. I’ll tell them next week.”
“You sure you don’t want me to come with you when you do? Your parents always liked me, and maybe I’d serve as a reminder that unexpected pregnancies sometimes turn out to be a blessing in disguise. I could bring Bart’s last report card. All A’s…not that I’m bragging.”
Eli laughed. “You’re bragging. But mom-brags look very good on you, Tuck. And thanks again for the offer, but I can handle this. More than anyone, I know how these things go.”
“But it’s not the same when it’s you. When you’re worried about your parents being disappointed in you.”
“I’ll handle it. I’ll handle it all, Tuck.”
“Just remember, you’re not alone.”
“I won’t forget.” Eli’s hand rested on her stomach, and she thought it felt a little rounder.
She wasn’t alone. Not ever. Friends. Family. And soon, a baby.
&nb
sp; CHAPTER FOUR
“First things first. You need to tell those you love that you’re pregnant. You’re going to need their support.”
—Crib Notes: Pregnancy, Childbirth and Parenting for Teens, by Mary Jeanne Lorei
ZAC ARRIVED ON TIME to pick up Eli and held open her jacket. She looked startled. “Sorry. I know some women take offense, but my mom’s lessons on how a gentleman should behave stuck.”
“I don’t ever take offense when none is meant.” She stuck the hat on herself. “Okay, I’m good to go.”
“Just like that? A jacket and hat—no primping? My sisters always take forever to get ready to go anywhere. Even just a basketball game.”
“I might have when I was younger, but such is the way of age. You’ve figured some things out.” Eli smiled as she opened the door, letting him go through first, then followed him and used the key to turn the dead bolt.
“Only some things? You always seem to have everything sorted and in order.” He opened her car door.
Eli climbed in, saying, “If only you knew.”
Zac walked around the car and got in the driver’s side. “Ah, is that a cryptic reference to whatever was bothering you the other day? That offer to listen is still there.”
She paused and looked him directly in the eye, as if seeing him for the first time. “I may take you up on that someday. But not today. Today is for basketball and Niagara pride.”
The school parking lot was overflowing with cars. And as they made their way into the gym, the home side was awash with blue and white.
“There they are,” Zac said, pointing to his family sitting in the bleachers. He did a quick head count. Everyone had made it, including Seth, although he sat apart from his parents. Cessy would be surprised and pleased.
“Hi, this is Eli. Eli, my mom and dad, Abe and Deborah Keller. And…” He listed each name, trying to see his family through Eli’s eyes. Was she taking in the different colored skin, the lack of any similar features? Was she seeing the braces on Dom’s legs?
“Eli, come sit by me,” his mom invited, patting the spot next to her.
Eli went over and took the seat between his mom and May. There was no way Zac could squeeze in, too, so he sat behind them between Dom and Seth.
“Thanks for coming,” he said to his brothers. “Cessy seemed to really need us all here.”
“No problem.” Dom nodded at Eli. “By the way, nice-looking lady.”
Zac didn’t say anything. He turned to the still silent Seth. “Thanks.”
“I’m here for Cessy” was Seth’s flat response.
Zac had tried in the past to mend the rift between his parents and Seth, but his brother would have none of it, and not wanting to start a fight today, he didn’t say anything.
“You two serious?” Seth jerked his head in Eli’s direction.
“She recently ended another relationship, but…”
Any further conversation was put on hold as the home team entered the gym. Cessy was easy to spot. She towered over her teammates.
A woman and boy arrived and sat down by May, Eli and his mom. Zac realized he hadn’t planned this very well. What he’d hoped would be a continuation of yesterday’s good time wasn’t working out that way.
“Hey, it’s fine. You can go be with her at half time. I won’t be insulted,” Dom assured him.
“That obvious?”
Dom laughed. “Maybe not to everyone, but I’m not everyone. I’m your brother. And I am good at reading people. Even if I wasn’t, you’ve always been pretty much an open book.”
Zac laughed. It wasn’t only Cessy who’d needed to connect with the family. He did, too.
He glanced over at Eli and she seemed totally relaxed with his mom. Good. He wanted her to fit in. He hoped she’d be spending a lot more time with them in the future.
THE GAME WENT FASTER than Eli thought it would. The home team won by three points.
Cecily Keller was an amazing player, especially for a freshman on the varsity team.
Eli had planned to ask Zac to drop her at home as soon as the game ended, but Mrs. Keller had proclaimed a family dinner was in order to celebrate the first scrimmage, and while Eli thought her I’m-not-family excuse should get her out of going, it didn’t.
Tucker and Bart were dragged along, too.
“I could have told you arguing with my mother was useless,” Zac explained as he escorted her into the rambling Keller home. They waited on the porch for Tucker and Bart to get out of their car and follow them.
“I don’t think you two formally met. Angelina Tucker, this is Zac Keller. And this is Tucker’s son, Bart.”
Zac led them back to a huge kitchen and started introducing Tucker and Bart to his family. Even as he picked on his siblings the genuine affection was apparent.
Mrs. Keller pulled bowl after bowl out of the refrigerator, and took the lids off of two Crock-Pots. “Dig in, everyone.”
It was chaos.
Pandemonium.
It was wonderful.
“Are you as freaked out by all these people as I am?” Tucker asked as they sat together in a relatively quiet corner of the living room. Bart had disappeared with Cecily, leaving the adults on their own.
“You two hiding, too?” Zac’s brother, Seth asked.
He was teasing. Until now, he’d been monosyllabic at best. Eli could sense there was some rift in the family, and Seth’s avoidance of his parents confirmed that. It was like a dance. Every time his mother headed in his direction, he countered and moved in the opposite one.
“Do you need anything?” Seth continued, without waiting for either of them to respond to his first question.
“In your dreams,” Tucker said with a scoff. “My son’s got socks in his drawer that are older than you.”
Seth looked flustered for a moment. “I didn’t mean it that way—” he began, then saw Tucker was teasing and smiled. The expression looked a bit rusty, but he managed to tease back, “Hey, I’m a cop. I spend my life protecting and serving the community. That ages a man rapidly. Heck, I might be chronologically seven years younger than my big brother, but my soul is so much older than his paltry thirty-four years.”
“Listen, Seth, you seem like a nice guy, but I’m not interested. And Eli’s—”
For a second, a horrifying second, Eli thought Tucker was going to say she was pregnant. And Eli is pregnant. But when Tuck said, “And Eli isn’t interested, either,” Eli breathed a sigh of relief. She should have known better.
Eli laughed. “Sorry, Seth.”
“Hey, you can’t blame a guy for trying.” He sat down on the couch next to Tucker. “But since I know you’re not interested, you’re safe. I’m hiding out with you two.”
“I thought you were a big, brave cop. I didn’t know that involved hiding.”
“Sure it does. Don’t you watch cop shows? They’re always staking out someone….”
The two of them continued their banter, while Eli digested Seth’s words. Zac was only thirty-four. Ten years younger than she was.
Not that it mattered. It wasn’t as if there was anything more than a friendly business association between them. But still, she’d thought Zac was older. Around her age, at least.
“…Zac,” Tucker said.
Eli had been too preoccupied to catch the first part of Tucker’s sentence, but Zac’s name was enough to draw her back.
“That’s how it goes. Zac always got all the girls because he was older.”
Zac had somehow edged close to their conversation when she was lost in thought.
“Wrong, little brother,” he corrected. “I got the girls because I was oh, so much prettier.”
Eli studied him, and still didn’t see a younger man. She just saw Zac. Someone who was a friend. A nice guy.
“I’m sure that’s what they said, but they only said that to make you feel better about your rather large nose,” Seth countered.
; “You know what they say about men with big noses…?” Tuck started, then stopped. “Or maybe it was big hands.”
“I think this conversation has gone about as far as I’m comfortable with,” Eli said as primly as possible.
“Come on with me,” Zac said. “These two can duke out the whole age issue without our help.”
Eli couldn’t see any way not to go with him and not seem rude, so she got up and followed him.
He led her to the back porch, which looked out over a beautifully landscaped yard. “Does your mom do the gardening or your dad?”
“Both. After all these years, they still enjoy bumming around together. They consider working in the garden a date. Groceries, too. Us kids always called them geek dates, but it’s actually sort of comforting knowing they still get along. Does that make sense?”
She nodded. “My parents are like that. A unit. I can’t imagine one without the other. They’re heading down to Florida in a few weeks. They love to call me with news of their adventures. Mom got Dad to try ballroom dancing lessons a few years ago, and now they like to hit the clubs. Picturing my mom and dad club-hopping is a bit bizarre.”
“It’s nice knowing people who can raise kids, and still maintain a sense of self. That’s what I want someday.”
Eli didn’t nod, didn’t say anything. Once upon a time, she’d have said the same thing. And not too long ago, she’d have said she’d found that with Arthur. But their relationship had been a sham.
And now with the baby coming?
She couldn’t imagine she was going to be able to balance her job and raising a child with finding a new boyfriend. So odds were, she was out of the running for that kind of relationship. The kind her parents and Zac’s had.
The thought saddened her.
“I never called my parents’ outings geek dates, but now that I know the term, I could. Antiques. Mom’s crazy about antiques and Dad tends to indulge her. Those would probably qualify.”
Zac grinned. “Do you like antiques?”
“Sure. I grew up with them. I don’t know as much as my parents, but I have a fondness for old stoneware.”
