Drawn Deeper (8 page)

She refused to make eye contact with me, telling me the cost of the bag in a no-nonsense tone. I passed over the money, dropping the coins to the table.

“Sorry,” I said softly, picking them up.

She put the bag and my receipt into a plastic shopping bag and handed it to me, not saying a word. I took it and bolted for the parking lot.

I’d donate the bag to charity. Otherwise, I’d remember the shame I felt right now every time I looked at it.

I didn’t belong here. No matter what I did or how much time passed, people would always see me for what had happened with Reed.

Getting the cold shoulder from Grace burned more this time because I wanted her to like me. She was Kyle’s mother and Jordan and Eric’s grandmother. They mattered to me, and I wanted to think Grace might be willing to give me another chance.

It didn’t look likely, though. I wondered if she was upset because she’d heard I was going over to help the boys or because of Reed.

Either way, she didn’t like me, and I was pretty sure she never would.

Kyle

The next week, there was a new energy between Meredith and me. Just making eye contact with her when I came home from work got my blood pumping. Sometimes her smiles felt different—secret somehow, and meant just for me.

If eye contact and her smile made my dick stiffen with awareness, I could only imagine what being alone with her would do to me. I’d probably have an erection over dinner. I was thirty-seven years old, but I felt like a teenager again, all raging hormones, desperate for even a touch from her.

I kept my phone on my nightstand every night, hoping she’d text me from her bed. Not that she had a reason to.

When I got home Thursday, Jordan asked Meredith to come to his baseball game that night. She told him she had plans, but from the way she looked away before answering, I sensed she didn’t. She probably just knew rumors would start flying if she showed up anywhere near the Lockhart family.

“Maybe next time,” Jordan said.

“I’d like that,” she said. “You play first base, right?”

“Yeah. Sometimes third.”

“Well, good luck tonight.”

I walked her to the front door as usual, and she turned to me right before walking outside.

“Are we still on for tomorrow?” she asked softly.

“I hope so.”

She smiled. “Okay. What should I bring?”

“Just you. When I get home, I’ll run the boys over to my parents’ house.”

“I’ll probably run home and change when you get home. I mean . . . you probably don’t want the boys to know about . . . not that we’re . . .”

Her cheeks had turned bright pink, and it was really damn cute. I grinned and leaned against the doorframe, hoping she’d continue.

“Anyway . . .” She took a deep breath. “I’ll just bring some wine.”

“And a swimsuit.”

She arched her brows with surprise.

“In case we want to swim,” I said.

“Oh, right.”

“Do you, uh . . . have any two-pieces? Not that the other swimsuit wasn’t nice, you know, but . . .”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“We’re practically whispering here,” I said.

“I know. I feel like a naughty kid or something.”

“Naughty, huh?”

Her blush deepened. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Kyle.”

“Looking forward to it.”

As Eric and I sat in the stands at Jordan’s baseball game that evening, I felt a twinge of guilt. My mother made no secret of her feelings about Meredith. And while my kids were having dinner at my parents’ place tomorrow, I’d be making dinner for Meredith.

When I left the bleachers to get Eric some popcorn, my mother followed me, pulling me off to the side where no one could hear our conversation.

“I’ve been hearing Meredith Hobbs’s Jeep has been seen at your house quite regularly lately,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “What’s going on?”

“She’s been helping the boys with homework after school.”

“It’s summer.”

I shrugged. “Extra help. They both need it. Their grades slipped after Kim left.”

She narrowed her eyes slightly. “But why Meredith?”

“Why not? She offered. The boys like her.”

My mother’s laugh did not sound amused. “I bet she offered. She regrets what happened with Reed, and now she’s moving in on you.”

I shook my head. “She’s not moving in, Mom. Relax.”

“You’re probably the most eligible man in all of Lovely, Kyle. A handsome doctor with a beautiful home. I know how women like Meredith work.”

“She’s not working anything.”

“She’s going on thirty now, and no man will give her a second glance after what she did to your brother. She’s an opportunist looking to secure her future.”

“Mom,” I said firmly. “Stop. I mean it. The boys like her, and I don’t want you talking about her this way.”

“That’s all this is, then? Just tutoring for the boys?”

“Yeah.”

It was sort of true. Nothing else had happened . . . yet, and my mom was overstepping her boundaries. I wasn’t about to tell her I was attracted to Meredith—that was none of her business.

“I just want what’s best for you and my grandsons,” she said softly.

“Let me worry about that, Mom.”

She nodded. “I know Meredith is a pretty girl, Kyle, but she’s bad news.”

“I think she’s a nice person who made a mistake. I’ve been there myself.”

“A mistake?” She stared at me in disbelief. “She humiliated your brother in front of this whole town.”

“He’s over it, Mom. It was a long time ago. Now, I’m going to get some popcorn. You want some?”

“No, thanks.” She hesitated before continuing. “You know, it may be time for you to consider dating again.”

I sighed, but I stopped short of glaring at her. She meant well.

“
I’ll
decide when it’s time. And then I’ll decide who. I’m not dating your hospital foundation friends’ daughters just because they’re single.”

She pursed her lips. “Well, maybe you should at least give one of my suggestions a try.”

So she had someone in mind. I wasn’t surprised. My mom was great overall, but sometimes she tried too hard to get things happening her way—the
best
way, in her not so humble opinion.

“I’m going to get some popcorn for Eric, and then I’m watching Jordan’s game,” I said.

“Sure, we can talk about this later.”

“Or not,” I said firmly. “Because I think the conversation is over.”

Her quick nod told me it wasn’t over as far as she was concerned. I had to give her a little slack because she’d struggled while watching the Kim disaster unfold. Kim’s drinking had escalated, and I’d buried my head in the sand over it for a few months. I deeply regretted that now. I sometimes wondered what would have happened if Kim hadn’t left me. Would I still be with her?

I’d never considered leaving her. Marriage was a lifelong commitment to me. But the boys and I were definitely in a better place with her gone.

I wasn’t about to upset that balance by getting into a serious relationship. I’d spend time with Meredith, but I wasn’t looking for more than that. It was probably best to be up front with her about that.

Hopefully, she wouldn’t be offended. I rubbed my forehead, considering the best way to tell her as I walked to the ballpark concession stand.

Dealing with women was
not
my strong suit. They were the opposite of my work, which was all about precision and order. I just hoped I wouldn’t run Meredith off before I’d even gotten a chance with her.

The next evening, I’d dropped the boys off at my parents’ place, expertly ducking out before my mom could ask me why I wasn’t staying for dinner, and I was getting things ready for Meredith’s arrival.

I had steaks marinating and sweet potatoes wrapped in foil, both ready for the grill. I wore basketball shorts and a T-shirt because it was in the high eighties outside. Despite the shorts, I was still sweating. Had to be nerves. I was so fucking out of practice with this kind of thing.

I was halfway through a Corona when she knocked on the door. When I opened it, she smiled, and I could see she was nervous, too.

“Hey,” I said, stepping aside so she could come in.

“Hi. I brought red.” She pulled a bottle of wine from the large bag on her shoulder. “Is that okay?”

“It’s great.”

I finally felt like I could look her over slowly, savoring every inch of her, knowing I wouldn’t get busted by my sons. She wore a black strapless dress that showed off her legs, her turquoise swimsuit strings tied around her neck. Her dark hair was pulled up in a bun, showcasing the creamy, perfect skin on her neck.

“You look nice,” I said.

Her smile was the wide, pretty one I fantasized about. “You’re sweet. It’s a swimsuit cover-up.”

“Ah.” I grinned sheepishly. “I don’t know about these things. Looks like a dress to me.”

She followed me into the kitchen, where she set her bag down on the floor.

“I turned the hot tub on, in case you’re up for that later,” I said, moving our steaks from the container I’d marinated them in onto a plate.

“I’d love that. I haven’t been in a hot tub in years.” She set the wine on the counter. “How can I help with dinner?”

“I’m just gonna grill it. I’ll pour some wine, and we can sit outside while it cooks if you want. Or I have Corona with limes if you want that.”

“Fancy,” she teased. “I’d love one.”

I opened a bottle of beer for her and stuck a slice of lime inside. “I can’t drink a Corona without a lime in it. Not that I drink much.”

“Not your thing?”

I shrugged. “I used to have a beer with dinner now and then, especially after a long day. But the boys don’t like having alcohol in the house after Kim. They worry I’ll become an alcoholic, too. So I never drink around them.”

Meredith’s expression fell. “That’s really sad.”

I didn’t want to talk about my ex-wife anymore, so I moved on. “Means we’ve got six Coronas and a bottle of wine to finish tonight. You may need to stay over.”

She blushed and smiled. My cock twitched in my shorts, and I moved to stand behind the island so I didn’t look like an overeager pubescent.

Once I’d tamed the beast by thinking about the steak and potatoes, I took the food outside and Meredith followed.

“It’s quiet without the boys here,” she said, sitting down on a bench by the grill.

“Yeah, it is.” I turned on the grill and looked at her. “So how was your Friday at work?”

“Pretty good.”

“What do you do at the dealership?”

She waved a hand. “Just boring stuff. Payroll and benefits administration and accounting.”

“You like it?”

“I don’t mind it. I like the people I work with, and I like knowing my dad’s business is in good hands.”

“He’s lucky to have you.”

“That’s nice of you to say.”

She crossed her legs, revealing more skin, though she didn’t seem to know she’d done it. As I tried not to stare, she was obliviously sipping her drink.

“How about you?” she said. “Did you have a good day at work?”

“Yeah, the usual. I did an appendectomy and a gall bladder removal this morning. Had office hours in the afternoon.”

“What made you decide to become a doctor?”

I smiled. “You remember Dr. Porter?”

“I do.”

“I had to go see him when I was a kid because I had pretty bad leg pains. He sent me to a specialist in St. Louis, and it turned out I was just growing really fast, and that was the source of the pain. But that trip to the children’s hospital made me realize I wanted to be a doctor. I thought it was the coolest place in the world.”

“I like that.”

“I never really planned on becoming a surgeon, but Lovely Hospital recruited me when I was in med school. They needed a general surgeon and were set on a hometown boy settling in here long-term.”

The steaks sizzled as I put them on the grill. Meredith stood up and looked out over the pool.

“Well, you do have a great bedside manner,” she said.

“Thank you,” I said, trying to keep from smirking.

“What? That’s funny?”

I shook my head. Now I was the one blushing. I couldn’t tell her I didn’t want to be
beside
any bed she was also near.