A Wedding In the Family (2 page)

“S
o you came to the Open House. Heather said you might,” a vaguely familiar voice commented. Angela stood up from adjusting her shoe to come face-to-face with Adam Dalton for the second time in one week. Only, this time he looked much friendlier—more like the man she remembered from the pool.

“Hello, Mr. Dalton,” she responded. “My kids wanted me to attend this function tonight. They enjoy the recreation center very much. And they have friends here they wanted to see.” She had been aware of the inevitability of running into him here, but she hadn’t thought he would look quite this appealing. Dark brown slacks, cream-colored shirt and a tie swirled with coordinating colors—all suited him well. As did the smile he offered, in place of the glare she remembered.

“Please, call me ‘Adam,’” he said quietly. “I’m glad you’re here. I owe you an apology.”

“No, you don’t You helped Heather out of what could have been a serious situation, and I appreciate that. I’m sorry if I was rude when you brought her home.”

“No, really, you weren’t. I was. I would never have made such a harsh remark about you and your husband…if I had realized the situation. I apologize for my comment.” He had regretted his thoughtless statement from the moment that he had learned of Angela’s recent loss.

Angela knew that he felt badly about his sharp words. She could see it in his eyes. “Apology accepted,” she said. “No harm done.”

“Good,” he replied, as a seriousness darkened his expression. “I didn’t know then that Heather’s father had died.”

“Yes, well, I suppose it’s unlikely you would have known. Heather doesn’t talk much about her dad.”

Adam nodded, and they stood in awkward silence for a moment. “I’m sure it’s been difficult”

“It’s been very hard on the kids. They were still trying to adjust to the idea of a divorce when Dan was killed, so it’s not been easy.”

“I didn’t realize you were divorced.”

“We were in the process…which gives me a rather unusual status. I’m not quite divorced, but I’m not really a widow, either. I haven’t figured it all out yet.”

One corner of Adam’s mouth curved upward in a
brief acknowledging smile. “I’ve been in situations I haven’t been able to figure out, too. It’s not a comfortable place to be.”

“No, it’s not,” she agreed with a small smile. “So, maybe we should change the subject. Can you tell me about swimming lessons? How is Heather doing?”

“Well, she’s doing fine—basically—but I’m concerned about her not moving up to the next class.”

“She’s been stuck at this level too long, hasn’t she?”

Adam shrugged. “I don’t have a problem with children repeating lessons. That’s necessary sometimes. But Heather really needs only one thing more before she can move on.”

Angela nodded. “The dive.”

“Exactly,” Adam agreed. “She needs to go off the board into twelve feet of water. There will be an instructor in the pool waiting for her, but she just doesn’t want to do it.”

“That’s odd. She hasn’t said anything about it this time. During the summer session she was very anxious about that part. Then she decided she wasn’t ready to dive and just didn’t do it. I told her that was fine…to wait until she felt ready,” Angela explained and glanced around the reception area until she glimpsed her daughter.

“And it’s basically the same situation this fall,” said Adam. “I know she can do this. I think even
she
knows she can, too…but she won’t. And she’ll only get another certificate of participation instead of the certificate of completion she needs to go on. If she
repeats this level again, she’ll be the oldest kid in the group, and I’m worried about what that will do to her self-esteem, Mrs. Sanders—”

“My name is Angela,” she corrected. “And I’ll speak to Heather about it again and encourage her, but I won’t tell her she has to dive. The whole learning-to-swim issue has been difficult enough.”

“She didn’t want to learn?” Adam asked.

“Not really. We finally talked her into it, but she was very ‘iffy’ about the idea.”

“Are you afraid of water, Angela?”

“No, I wouldn’t say I’m afraid of it, but I’m not a swimmer either, so I have a healthy respect for it.”

Adam smiled and looked over at some children playing by the front door. “So that’s where Heather’s fear comes from.” Then his gaze returned to Angela’s face. This woman didn’t look as if she’d be afraid of anything. No, she seemed determined, set in her ways possibly. And she looked far more attractive in this stylish green suit than she had in a sweat suit.

“As a parent, I’d prefer to be thought of in some way other than the source of my child’s fears,” Angela stated bluntly. She looked straight into the charcoal-gray eyes that seemed to be amused by her—although his grin had faded.

“I wasn’t being critical. Just logical. Lots of kids’ insecurities can be traced back to the things their mothers are afraid of.”

“Or fathers, I would assume?” she added.

“Or fathers,” he agreed. “I stand corrected.” He knew they needed a change in conversation. “So,
have you and your children used the rec center much over the years?” he asked, sliding one hand into the pocket of his dark slacks. “I’ve only been here about a year. I’m not really familiar with who the longstanding members are.”

“Heather has taken a number of classes here. My two sons also come occasionally.”

“Two? I thought Nathan was Heather’s only brother. I remember him from the summer session. He took karate, didn’t he?”

“Yes, and there’s David, too. He’s more into studying than anything right now. He wants to earn a college scholarship so he can go to law school and make a lot of money like his Uncle Rob used to do.”

“Used to do? Why? What happened to Uncle Rob?” Adam asked in sudden curiosity.

“He left the legal profession to enter the ministry.” Angela smiled. “I’ve never seen him happier.”

“The change agrees with him that much?”

“It probably feels good to stop running from God. He spent about a decade doing that. And it also helps that he now has the wife of his dreams and twins on the way.”

“The twins may be a bigger adjustment than the loss of income was,” Adam remarked, his eyes twinkling.

“Rob’s always been good with kids. Mine, especially. He’ll do fine.”

Adam nodded. “When it comes to dealing with children, you’re either good at it or you’re not. There’s not much gray area there, in my opinion. At
least, that’s been my experience over the years—both at work and in real life.”

Angela was curious about his comment, but didn’t want to pry. “You work around kids here all day long. You must be very good with them.”

“Not having any of my own probably makes it easier to be with them so much here at the center.”

“You don’t have any of your own?” Angela repeated, surprised. He certainly looked like the family type.

Adam didn’t answer immediately, which puzzled Angela.

“No,” he said after a moment’s hesitation. “The only family I have is my brother, his wife and their daughter.” Abruptly, he looked toward the refreshment table. “Could I get you some coffee?”

“I’d like that,” she responded, and watched him leave to get their drinks. She glanced around the room to check on Heather, Nathan and David, all of whom she caught sight of over by the bleachers talking with friends.

Then Adam returned. She smiled as she accepted the foam cup. “Thanks.”

“It’s black. I didn’t know—”

“That’s fine…really,” she answered a little nervously. She would never have guessed that it would be so awkward—and yet so pleasant—to share a conversation with this man. She almost wished that it wasn’t pleasant.

“So…what do you think about Heather?” Adam continued, obviously not intending to return to the
subject of his life. “Would you be willing to talk to her about going off the board? This session ends in mid-November. That’s not a lot of time.”

“I’ll discuss it with her. I’d like to see her advance in the series.”

“She could probably be on the swim team if she wanted to try,” Adam added.

Angela shook her head. “I don’t think she’d do that. She’s not as competitive as her brothers. Team sports haven’t interested her at all.”

“It was just a thought. You know, if you could come to a lesson or two and watch her, it might be just the encouragement she needs.”

“I’ll try. It’s difficult sometimes with my schedule to do little things like that, although I know it would mean a lot to her.” A familiar pang of guilt tugged at Angela. How would she ever have the time to do all the little things that would mean a lot to her kids?

“Where do you work?”

“I’m principal of a private Christian school on the west side of town. This is my first year at it, and I spend too much time there. I taught for so many years and now that seems almost easy compared to this job.”

“I was a teacher, too,” Adam remarked, watching some other parents and visitors enter the lobby. “Algebra…geometry…”

“Math? I’m envious. That was never my strong point. I taught primary grades. First grade for several years, then second for five more before I moved into administration.” She shivered slightly, appreciating
the warmth of the cup in her hands. The cool night air of autumn blew in through the center’s heavy front doors that opened and closed as visitors came and went.

“There.” Adam, obviously noticing her shiver, pointed to an empty space near the drinking fountain. “You’ll be warmer over by that wall.”

When she turned to move, he cupped her elbow with his hand directing her to the spot that he had indicated. Angela was suddenly aware—too aware—of his momentary touch and it startled her.

“So we both left teaching for administrative jobs,” Adam remarked, taking a drink of his coffee. “Any regrets?”

“Regrets?” Angela thought for a moment. “I guess I have about a thousand of them, but none have to do with leaving teaching. I needed to make a change, and I needed more income, so…it’s a challenge, but one I enjoy.”

He nodded in recognition of her answer. “Me, too,” he agreed. “Teaching was great for a while, but I was ready to do something different. Then this job at the center came up. It seemed like the perfect solution.“

“Is it?” she asked.

“For now,” Adam responded. She saw him surveying the lobby, now filled with all age groups—from preschoolers to some senior citizens. “I suppose I should be mingling with the visitors, although that’s my least favorite part of this job.”

“Adam!” They both turned at the sudden sound of his name.

“Adam,” a young woman at his elbow repeated emphatically. “There are other people here you should meet,” she insisted with her brow creased in disapproval.

She was a beautiful young woman, Angela noticed, no more than college age, she estimated—at least a decade younger than Angela or Adam. She had gorgeous curly black hair and wore a short navy blue skirt and a sweater of deep red.

Adam nodded in acknowledgment. “Excuse me,” he said to Angela. “That’s my assistant.”

“Your assistant?” she commented quietly, offering a wry smile.

Adam frowned and glanced again at the woman who was already slipping back into the crowd of visitors. Then he returned his gaze to Angela. “Yes, well…” he began as an easy smile played at the corners of his mouth. “She’s very—”

“Young?” Angela finished.

And Adam chuckled quietly, tiny laugh lines crinkling around his eyes. “Yes, so she is. However, she’s also right. I
should
be mingling with the crowd since I’m the director.”

“True,” Angela said politely, and nodded toward the attractive associate. “You’d better go to…”

“Tiffany,” Adam responded, his gray eyes flashing with humor and a mischievous grin curving his mouth. He paused. “Actually, Tiffany is my brother’s stepdaughter. So…she’s my niece…”

”…sort of?” Angela offered.

Adam shook his head. “She’s as intelligent as she is attractive. And she’s engaged to the coach of the swim team.”

Engaged.
Angela wondered how that felt. The thought made her feel even older than the lovely, raven-haired niece had managed to do. Engaged was an experience she’d never known. First, she’d been a college kid, living in a dorm. Then she was married and a mother—almost overnight, it seemed. And now, at 32, a parent of three—and widowed. Or almost divorced. Or whatever. Where had the years gone?

“Oh, to be young again,” she said more wistfully than she’d intended. She looked from Tiffany to Adam’s suddenly serious expression.

“Youth isn’t everything,” he remarked, seeming to sense the trace of heartache in her tone. “There’s a lot to be said for the wisdom that comes with the years.”

“Let’s hope so,” she replied. “I’d like to think something gets better with time.” She raised her cup. “Thanks for the coffee.”

He nodded. “You’re welcome. Are you free this Thursday to come to Heather’s lesson?”

“I’ll check my schedule,” she answered and then nervously cleared her throat. Suddenly she felt the need to find some conflict on her calendar. She’d seen enough of Adam Dalton for one week. The very last thing she needed was interest—however remote—in a man. Even if he did have the warmest eyes she’d ever seen.

“I’ve enjoyed talking with you,” he commented quietly. “Very much.”

The first part was an obligatory remark, Angela knew. The last part was not. She nodded her head slightly before acknowledging. “Me, too.”

“Maybe I’ll see you Thursday,” he said before excusing himself to join Tiffany and fulfill his role as the director.

Angela drank the last of her coffee, dropped the empty cup into the trash receptacle beside the door, and went in search of her children.

Heather saw her mother approaching and came to meet her. “We’ve been having fun, Mom. The boys are over here talking about video games.” She clasped Angela’s hand and led her to where Nathan and David sat, eating popcorn and talking with other youngsters.

“Time to go, gang. We’ve got things to do,” she announced. After some stalling, her children had found their jackets, said goodbye to friends and were on their way out the front door.

Against her better judgment, Angela did not resist glancing back into the thinning crowd to the spot where she’d last seen Adam speaking with an older gentleman. And he stood there still, listening to whatever the man was saying. But, to Angela’s surprise, his gaze returned to her at that moment