Bad Traveler (20 page)

“Anyway, we heard this loud crash. Mom and I rushed in. He’d managed to knock a bunch of bottles off of the shelf, breaking the bottle of white-truffle oil. It spilled everywhere. I slid halfway across the floor and landed on my keister. When Cody tried to help me, the clumsy ox swung his elbows around and broke my nicest bottle of vanilla.”

“I tossed him a cleaning towel, so I didn’t get my feet in the mess, and he brandished it with such a flourish that he knocked down a container of ground coffee. Naturally, it burst open, spilling everywhere. I took his shoes and sent him back to the table without Tabasco sauce. Gwen and I got the mess cleaned up as best we could, but I fear the floor will be slippery until we can give it a proper scrub. Do be careful if you go in the kitchen, dear. I would hate to cause the Ravens to bring in a backup backup coach.”

Mom had called him “dear,” as if he were family. With a smile, she moved her hand to Kyle’s thigh and gave him a little pat. She didn’t have to hide her affection.

“I wondered why your kitchen smelled so strange, not bad necessarily, just overpowering.”

“The worst part was that he never apologized. When we returned, he asked if I would bring the Tabasco sauce when I had a chance. Harrumph! Did you bring those pretty flowers?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“What a thoughtful gesture. I hope they don’t wilt in that kitchen!”

They laughed. The easy give-and-take between Mom and Kyle made it easy to picture him at family gatherings, passing plates around the table, pleasantly conversing and bringing a sense of ease to all. With a babe in her arms, he would hoist an older Chloe up in the air. His arm would drape across her shoulders, not just today, but when their hair began changing to gray and later still when their hands weathered and wrinkled from years of living. Her heart expanded against her rib cage. She loved him. Her free hand brushed away a tear from her eye.

He leaned toward her. “If that made you laugh until you cried, you must be under a lot of stress.”

She couldn’t tell him why her eyes moistened. Not with Mother sitting across the room, nor without the confidence he reciprocated her love. “It’s the hormones, and it’s late.”

“Why don’t you go up to bed, dear? I’ll see Kyle out.”

Mystified at the dismissal, they glanced at each other. He raised an eyebrow, but she had no response. With a shrug, she kissed his cheek in an all too chaste manner. She stood, preparing to leave the room, when he rose beside her and muttered, “What the hell?” and gave her the kind of goodnight kiss that ensured sexy dreams.

***

The consummate hostess, Charlotte insisted on bringing Kyle a left over slice of cake and a cup of decaf coffee. “These are delicious, Dr. Jones.”

“Thank you. Gwen made the cake. I swear I’ve gained ten pounds since she’s returned home.”

“You don’t look it.”

“Stop flattering me, Kyle. I’ve had my fill of toadying today between students hoping for a better grade on their first paper and dinner with Cody.”

The sharpness in her voice stood out from her usual pleasant demeanor. He’d never sat in one of her classes, but by reputation, she was tough and kind, if a bit scatterbrained.

“Let me be blunt with you. I don’t trust Cody. His actions tonight undermined his verbal efforts at reconciliation. I overheard him apologizing to Gwen, and he indicated his hope that her stay here is temporary, especially after learning how tight the local job market is. He may well want to be an active father, but I’ll be damned if I sit idly by while he insinuates himself into my daughter and granddaughter’s life.” Her voice returned to a motherly tone. “Would you like more coffee? I do believe there is a cup left.”

“No, thank you, Dr. Jones.” Coffee couldn’t wash away the lump forming in his throat. “You think he wants to reconcile with Gwen?”

“Yes, I do. And I fear my daughter is foolish enough that she’ll put her daughter first without considering her own needs and the needs and desires of those with her best interests at heart. I don’t know what Cody is up to, but it can’t be good. He’s a disaster. Not too meddle in the affairs of others, but you and Gwen seem…bonded. You might want to think about whether you are willing to fight for her.”

That battle was a no-brainer.

With Chloe strapped in the car seat, she rolled down the driveway. Ice crunched under her tires. It was too blustery to walk to the restaurant for an early brunch. By ten thirty, the church crowds started rolling in, making parking impossible and the wait for tables too long for Chloe’s level of patience. As Gwen approached the hostess, Cody stood up tall from a corner table and waved.

He was attractive, even if his black hair did need a trim. Collared shirts didn’t show off muscular arms as well as T-shirts, but for once, he’d dressed up. Perhaps he wanted to appear responsible or perhaps to blend in with the college crowd as much as a guy who looked like a professional fighter slash firefighter could. His work-place injuries couldn’t be too severe, at least not enough to interfere with his workout routine. He was a handsome man, and she appreciated the effort he put into today. On the other hand, she’d tossed on a Ravens hoodie, jeans, and snow boots.

His gaze bore into her as she walked across the dining room and put Chloe in the highchair. He let her handle Chloe, though he did help with the diaper bag and her coat.
Chivalry wasn’t dead
. Arms the size of tree limbs gripped her chair from behind. As the chair neared the table, he kissed her on the cheek. He’d done that hundreds of times while they were together. A cold shiver ran down her spine.

“Thanks for agreeing to meet me for a little family time.” The last few words rumbled in the back of his throat, in a seductive purr.

Warning lights flashed in her mind. This was the man she remembered falling for. Maybe he was taking his medication again, the one that kept him more even-tempered—until he went off them and got weird. The pills she’d coaxed him into taking time and time again. He must be on them again.

Cody was making an effort to know his daughter. Since everything she’d read claimed fathers should be an important presence in a child’s life, she would make an effort, too. It was easier on neutral turf to remember he had redeeming qualities.

She skimmed the menu, refusing to look at him. “It’s the least I could do. You traveled all this way to see Chloe.”

“This isn’t about Chloe. I wanted to see—”

The server arrived, interrupting his thought.

Relief swept through her bones as she requested coffee and French toast. She didn’t want to hear the end of his sentence. After Cody ordered half the menu, she pulled an assortment of jars, cups, and spoons out of the diaper bag.

“I find it easier to feed Chloe before my food arrives. I brought pears, oatmeal, and a blend of chicken and apples. Would you like to help feed her?”
Keep the focus on Chloe, keep the focus on Chloe
.

“That didn’t go so well last time.”

“Her tooth pushed through yesterday. Besides, practice makes perfect.”

He hesitated and then reached for the spoon dangled in front of him. She snatched her hand away, unwilling to risk a touch. The tiny thing looked ridiculous in his oversize hand. The spoon had to be smaller than his pinky. After twisting off the lid, she set the open jar of chicken and apples in front of him.

“Chicken for breakfast? Gross.”

“This from the man who ordered half a pig to accompany his scrambled eggs and pancakes.”

“You always have to overthink things. It ain’t that complicated.” He put some food on the spoon. “Open wide, here comes the airplane. That’s how you do it, right?”

“She’s a good eater. So far, I haven’t needed tricks to get her to eat.”
Concentrate on Chloe and the spoon
.

“You’ve done good with her.”

Chloe kicked her legs and opened her mouth again as soon as he pulled the spoon away.

“Thank you.”

“I never meant for it to be like this,” he continued, in spite of her scowl. “I didn’t want you to take off with Chloe and leave.” He put down the spoon and put his hands to his hairline, but Chloe’s sharp cry demanded more food.
Shut up and feed Chloe
. Instead, he looked at her with sad puppy-dog eyes. “Gwennie, I screwed up, and I screwed up bad.”

“Oh, there was screwing involved.” The sarcasm was lost on him.

“I freaked out. The whole idea of being married, having kids, having to get a different job when I flunked the fire test, buying a house. It scared me.”

“I was scared, too. Throwing up morning, noon, and night is pretty unsettling, especially when the guy who’s supposed to be there to help and support was never around because he was too busy running around with a teenager.”

His betrayal no longer had emotional power. Her bitterness dissipated the night she and Kyle waited at the hospital for word on Coach Meyer.

“I deserve that. I am sorry, ya know.”

Their food arrived. Cody dove into his plates while she alternated between nibbles of her food and feeding their daughter. The jarred food disappeared by the spoonful. She juggled twenty pounds of girl on her lap and tried to eat around her, without making a mess. The one piece she dropped on her lap was a gooey, buttery, syrupy bite of French toast that Chloe shoved in her mouth. She extracted it, but not before noticing the beatific expression the sweet syrup brought to her face.

Her hot coffee grew cold, neglected out of fear she’d bump the mug and burn both of them. Kyle would make sure she got to drink her coffee while it was still hot. He was that kind of guy. Meanwhile, Cody didn’t take a drink until all the food had disappeared from his plate.

“You know I’m sorry, right, babe?”

“Don’t call me babe. You lost that right when you found a girlfriend.”

“She wasn’t a…. Aw, hell, Gwennie. You weren’t putting out and she was. She was rubbing up—”

“Stop. It’s done.”

“I was dumb, and now I’m sorry. I feel bad for everything that I missed, ya know? Like seeing Chloe grow up. She’s way bigger now than she was in October, better, too. She makes cool noises. I missed you more. I’m jealous of all the time she gets with your boobs and you.”

“Please.” Her optic nerves got a good workout with an eye roll. “Feel bad about how you threw away your chance to know your daughter and how you disrespected me, but don’t feel bad for me. Coming back to Corwin has been wonderful. I’m surrounded by family, making new friends, and I have my bakery. Chloe and I manage just fine. Better than fine actually.” Her thoughts fluttered to Kyle. Maybe she’d see him later.

“But you live with your parents.”

“Did my father complain about that when you two were out drinking the other night? He misses his quiet office, but he’s the one who set up Chloe’s play area in there. It’s temporary. The rental market opens up in a few weeks, and I have a list of places open to families.”

Cody’s mouth pressed into a line. She took delight in his struggle to remain in control. “You’ve got it all figured out, then. You’re not a family though. Not yet.”

He’d gone too far. She and Chloe were a family. Her nostrils flared. If Cody recognized her aggravation, he chose to ignore it.

“It seems like an okay place, but too freakin’ cold. I wanted to take Chloe to a park, spend some time with her, but it’s too cold. The hotel carpet looks dirty. I saw this show on TV once about dirty hotels. Well, you know what we did when we went to Mexico for the weekend. I don’t have to tell you.”

She shuddered at the memory, but he went right on talking. “No offense, but your little coffee place ain’t the best place to play with a kid, you know?”

“What do you want, Cody?” Her patience was running low.

“Is there some place fun I can take her? Like an indoor zoo?”

“Not really.” His lack of parenting knowledge knew no bounds. If he had Chloe for a whole day, the girl would return home in a diaper ready to explode from being too full, and she’d be hungry or worse. If he proved himself capable of watching her for short period, he might demand more. But what was the point? He’d go back home soon, and she could go back to life as usual. She’d deal with visitation options later, when Chloe was older.

“Or maybe we could hang out at your parents’ and check out those toys I sent her at Christmas?”

She resigned herself to spending the day supervising some father-daughter bonding time. Chloe arched back against her, rubbing her eyes. She’d discuss the toys later. “That would be easier. Chloe is ready for her nap. Why don’t you come over about two hours.”

“Nah. I’ll come over now. Maybe while she’s sleeping we can check out the toys I sent
you
for Christmas.”

She remembered that glint in his eye, the one she fell for too many times in Phoenix. His affection repulsed her.

“If you mean that red monstrosity, I threw it out.”
Or used the store credit for everyday underpants
. His reddening face was priceless. “Perhaps your little girlfriend would have liked it better.”

With Chloe’s feeding supplies in the diaper bag, she prepared to leave, but he grabbed her wrist, pulling her firmly to her seat. Chloe continued to wiggle and rub her eyes, grunts and squawks escaping her mouth.

“Sheila and I are no longer together.”

She feigned surprise. “Really.”

“Yeah. We split right after you left. I was broken up about that.”

She wondered which breakup he meant.

“Anyway, it’s given me time to think, you know, about you and me and Chloe.”

His grip loosened on her hand, so she took the opportunity to slip away, diaper bag flung over her shoulder.

“Let me be clear. There is a me and Chloe, and a you and Chloe, but there is not a you and me.”

“Sure there is.” He snickered. “We are connected, babe. We have a kid.”

Chloe’s fussing grew louder. Gwen clenched her teeth so hard she expected a filling to pop out of place.

“I’m taking her home now. You may come over later.” She hoped her voice sounded as frosty as her car windows in the morning. Once, she had thought they were a good pair, that he needed and loved her, but the more he opened his mouth, the more she regretted the time she spent with him.