A Second Chance (3 page)

“Christine.” He took her hands in his. “I want to come back.”

She stared at him. “You want to come back? Here? With me?”

“Yes, I want us to be together again, like it used to be.”

She turned away and filled the coffee maker. She needed a few minutes to think.
He wants to come back.
Was this some kind of a sick joke? How she used to pray to hear those words.
Damn, why now?

“Just like that, you want to come back.” For a minute, she almost laughed. Then all the rage from the past two years emerged. She turned toward him, trying to keep her voice calm. “You walked out on me.”

“Chris, listen, you...”

“Listen!” She clenched her teeth, trying to hold back the scream that welled in her throat. “I did listen. You found someone you couldn’t live without, remember? Now, you dare to ask if you can come back.” She spun around and stomped from the room, not giving him a chance to respond. She left him in the kitchen and went upstairs to bed.

The next morning, she heard Tony whistling in the guest bathroom. So he had stayed. Now what? After a long sleepless night, weighing her feelings, her anger hadn’t subsided. Showered and dressed, she went downstairs. All the self-doubt and inadequacies surfaced again. She remembered these feelings when he left her for his young dental assistant.

He came into the kitchen, whistling as she put the coffee on. “Have you thought it over,” he asked. “Can I stay?”

She opened her mouth to say something, but he raised his hand to silence her.

“Hear me out, Chris, We can work this out. Give me a chance to prove it.” He took her hand, turned it palm up and brushed his lips across it.

An unexpected spark ignited in her. She pulled it away.

A wicked gleam entered his eyes. “You’re as desirable as the day I married you.” He reached out to touch her.

His words rekindled her anger. “I have to think.” Her voice rose as anger flared through her. “You can’t walk in here after two years and expect me to welcome you with open arms.” Her hands shook as she poured her coffee. “I have a life now. I’m a different person.”

“Come on, Chris. I just want you to give me a chance to prove we can work this out. Let me stay, I’ll sleep in the guest room.”

She studied him. Still handsome, with a full head of dark hair only slightly flecked with gray, his body solid, not as muscular as before, but it hadn’t turned to flab. He had taken good care of himself. But then he always had.

“What about Lacey?” She had to ask, needed to know, but not sure she really cared.

“I left her.” He moved toward her, his head tilted to the side in a way she used to love.

Left her? Long ago she had prayed to hear those words. She turned away, needing to think, about Steven, whom she had grown to love, and Tony, whom she had loved for thirty-five years. “I have to go to work.” She couldn’t do this.
Damn it, why now?
She grabbed her coat from the closet and left.

Chapter Four

“Did Grandpa stay overnight?” Jenna asked on the way to school.

“Yes, he did.” Christine hoped her voice sounded normal because her emotions were sure in turmoil. She drove into the school parking lot.

She hugged them good-bye, but Jenna held back. “You do like Uncle Steven, don’t you, Grandma?”

“Yes, I like Uncle Steven, now go.” Christine gave her a gentle push and went into the office. Funny, why would Jenna prefer Steven to her own grandfather? Maybe because Tony never paid much attention to them, especially since he married Lacey. She shrugged and went into the office.

“Wow, you look awful.” Kelly looked up from her desk.

“Gee thanks.” Christine hung her coat in the closet, poured coffee, and tried to organize the day’s work. “Tony came back.”

“Tony?” Kelly fell back in her chair “What do you mean Tony came back, as in back to you?”

“He said he wants a second chance.” Christine sipped her coffee as the bell rang and chaos took over.

When things settled down, she didn’t get a chance to catch her breath before Kelly started questioning her. “You kicked him out, I hope.”

“Not really. I mean, I was so mad, I left him sitting in the kitchen and went to bed. When I got up this morning, he was still there, begging for another chance.” Christine refilled her coffee and sat at her desk. “I’m so confused, Kel. I like Steven, but I had thirty-five years with Tony. Maybe I do owe him another chance.”

Kelly stood up, walked toward her with hands on her hips. She stopped in front of her. “You owe him! You’ve got to be kidding. Come on, girl, get real. What makes you think you owe that jerk anything?”

“I was married to him, remember? I had two kids with him. I don’t know. I felt something.” Tears welled up in her eyes, and she brushed them away.

“Look, hon.” Kelly’s eyes showed her concern. “Just because you were married to him, and he fathered your children, doesn’t make him less of a jerk.” She grabbed a tissue and handed it to Christine. “I’m sorry. You do what you have to do, but remember you don’t owe Tony anything! You gave him the best years of your life, and he threw you over like a wet dishcloth. If you want to give him another chance fine, but you don’t owe it to him.” Kelly shook her head and went back to her desk.

Glad school business occupied her time–the day passed quickly. The final bell rang, and Christine got ready to leave.
Tony will be at his office
; it would give her time to think. She pulled in the driveway and Steven appeared.
Oh no
, she groaned,
not now
.

“Hey, how about dinner tonight? I’ll fix something if you want.”

“Steven, I’m sorry, not tonight. Tony, oh damn...” She stared at him unsure how to explain.

“Tony, huh? I noticed he spent the night.”

“He asked me to give him another chance. I have to think. I’m sorry.” Her eyes begged him to understand, begged him to stay, knowing if she let him go, she’d regret it. Her head pounded.

Without a word Steven turned and walked away. How could he understand, she didn’t understand it herself. Tears filled her eyes. She went into the house and started a pot of coffee. She needed to think. Needed to sort this out.

* * * *

Steven went inside. He went upstairs and packed a bag. He couldn’t stay here. Couldn’t watch her make a new life with Tony.

He came downstairs and found Lisa. “I’m leaving.”

“What do you mean, leaving? Why?” Lisa set her potato peeler down and looked at him.

“You know your father’s back?”

Lisa nodded.

Her sad gaze hurt him. This was her father they were talking about. Didn’t she want them to get back together? Okay, Tony was a jerk, but he was still her father. Hell, he couldn’t do this. “I’d only be in the way.”

“That’s not true, Uncle Steve. You know we love having you here. Besides, I haven’t seen my mother so happy in a long time.” Lisa took his hand. “Please don’t go.”

“I’m sorry, honey. I have to.”

“But you have no place to live. Where will you go?”

“I’ll check into the Hilton. If you don’t mind, I’ll pick up the rest of my stuff when I find a place to live.” Steven hugged her and kissed the top of her head. “You’ll say my goodbyes to Derek, won’t you? I’ll say goodbye to the kids.”

He found Richard and Jenna in the dining room doing homework. “Hey, guys, I have to leave.” The look on their faces told him they overheard the conversation with Lisa.

“Please don’t go, Uncle Steve,” Jenna said.

“Hey, I’ll come back to visit. It’s time I found my own place to live.” He kissed Jenna and Richard goodbye. Pain twisted his gut as he turned to leave. Images of mealtime giggles, helping them with their homework, snowball fights and building snowmen flashed before his eyes as he walked out the door.

* * * *

Before Christine finished setting the coffeepot, Tony came home, a bouquet of flowers in his hand. He kissed her cheek.

So much for time alone.

Christine made dinner while Tony freshened up, just the way they used to. Throughout dinner, he talked about his practice, bringing her up to date on his newest equipment and conferences he attended. She half listened, her mind elsewhere, wondering what Steven was doing.

After dinner, she cleared the table, loaded the dishwasher, and dished out strawberry shortcake for dessert. Tony turned on the television and plopped on the couch as if there hadn’t been a two-year separation.

Guilt overcame her as she remembered buying the strawberries with Steven. Shaking her head she tried to erase the memory. Steven had planned an exotic dessert for them.

Setting her dish on the table, she handed Tony his. He took it, set it aside, and pulled her down next to him, nuzzling her neck.

She pushed him away, fighting an urge to run out the door. She couldn’t do this. Not yet, she needed time. Surprisingly, Tony seemed to understand, and they spent the evening watching television. At bedtime, he got up and went to the guestroom. Stopping at the door, he kissed her goodnight, a comfortable familiar kiss, not passionate like Steven’s.

The next morning, after a sleepless night, Christine realized Tony monopolized the conversation, controlled the remote for the television, and ignored everything about her life. He wasn’t interested in what she had to say. Compared to the evenings spent with Steven, Tony’s self-centered conversation bored her.

Tony came into the kitchen, whistling and acting like his normal happy self. Typical of Tony, he leaned forward for a kiss and waited for her to pour his coffee. She turned away.

“Take your stuff with you when you leave. I don’t want you back.” She grabbed her jacket, picked up her purse and car keys, and left, not giving him a chance to respond. What a great feeling, like someone lifted a load off her shoulders. She got into her car and went next door to pick up Jenna and Richard.

“Uncle Steven left.” Jenna sounded angry as she got into the car.

Left?
Panic set in. How could he leave, where did he go? He could have given her time. She had to find him, set things right. She pulled into the parking lot at school and parked the car.

“Where did he go?” Christine hoped her voice sounded normal.

“I don’t know, I think he said something about a hotel.” Jenna grabbed her bag, got out of the car and slammed the door.

“The Hilton Hotel.” Richard smiled at her. “I listen better than Jenna.”

Christine hugged them both and hurried into the office.

“Can you handle things here? I have to find Steven.”

Kelly looked up and smiled. “Yes! Go! Take all the time you need.”

Chapter Five

Christine sped to the hotel, praying she could find Steven. What a fool to even consider taking Tony back. She pulled into the parking lot, sprang from the car, ran inside, and asked for his room number.

The young clerk looked up from her computer. “I’m sorry, whose room number?”

“Payton, Steven Payton.” Christine tapped her fingers on the counter while she waited.

“Oh yes, here it is. Stephen Payton, room 515. Would you like me to call him?”

“Uh...oh, no that’s okay. He’s expecting me,” she lied.

Hurrying to the elevator, she bumped into an older gentleman. “Excuse me. I’m sorry.” Lord, she had to calm down. The elevator doors opened, and two women stepped out. Christine got on and pushed the button for five before they had their luggage out.

Finally, she stood outside the room, took a deep breath.
Please be here.

She knocked. What if he didn’t want her? What if she just imagined his feelings for her? He’d never told her he loved her. For half a second, she almost left.

Steven opened the door and stared at her, surprise on his face and in his eyes.

“What...”

She didn’t give him a chance to finish. She pushed him into the room, wrapped her arms around him, and slipped a hand under his shirt. Loving the feel of his smooth taut skin, she pulled him closer, and raised her lips to his.

His breath came in gasps as he let out a moan. He backed away long enough to look into her eyes, his own revealing questions she needed to answer.

“I was a fool. I don’t know why I felt the need to give Tony another chance. Guilt, maybe. He has a way of doing that to me. Can you forgive me?”

Steven looked at her and stroked her cheek with his thumb.

She pulled him to her. “I love you.”

“And what made you realize you loved me?

“Strawberries. I want you to make me exotic strawberry desserts for the rest of our lives.”

“Strawberries. Hmm.” He kissed her hair, cradling her head against him. “I love you, too.”

She wanted him, needed him. This is where she belonged. This was her second chance.