Happy Hour: From the Black & White Collection (13 page)

Grace dragged herself to the back of her classroom late Friday afternoon to grab a resource book off

her bookshelf for a lesson she planned to teach next week. She’d spent the entire week replaying the

weekend and Jamie’s words from Sunday. He wanted a relationship. With her. Several times she’d started

to tell Maddie about him, but every time she opened her mouth, the words failed her.

Jamie had been extremely patient, maintaining a professional distance at work, careful not to give

them away until she was ready. She’d been grateful for the time, but now she’d worked herself up into a state of constant anxiety. Her head was pounding, she hadn’t been able to eat. She was acting like the

world’s biggest idiot. She may work in a high school, but that didn’t mean she had to act like a teenager.

She’d counseled her daughter and students through new love, always managing to speak with wisdom and

so-called experience. Now the shoe was on the other foot and she was building mountains out of molehills.

Maddie would be okay with this relationship. Deep inside, Grace knew that. The problem wasn’t with

her daughter’s acceptance as much as it was about how Grace felt. Was she okay with this? She adored

Jamie. No, more than that. She loved him.

But she’d loved and lost before and she knew, regardless of Jamie’s assurances to the contrary, she

wasn’t strong enough to survive another loss. She sank down into one of the students’ desks and put her head in her hands.

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Happy Hour

What the hell was she going to do? She’d centered her concerns about entering a relationship with

Jamie around their age difference. However, last weekend had dispelled all those worries. They were

compatible, they were well-suited.

“Grace.”

She lifted her head, found Jamie leaning in the doorway, concern written on his face.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

She nodded once, then shrugged. “I haven’t told Maddie about us.”

He gave her a sad smile that proved he knew that fact. “Why not?”

“I don’t know why not.”

“Have you changed your mind about pursuing this?” He gestured his hand between them, pointing at

her and at him.

“No.” She shook her head.

“You think Maddie will be upset, disapprove?”

“No.” She closed her eyes, aware she was repeating herself, offering him no answers. Hell, she didn’t

have any answers.

“Jesus, Grace. You gotta give me something here. I’ve missed you this week. Tell me what’s wrong.

Let’s look for an answer.”

“I care for you,” she said, standing slowly. She knew the answer was vague and didn’t even touch on

the depths of her feelings for him.

He narrowed his eyes and she could see him waiting for the other shoe to drop. “That’s good. I care

for you too.”

“I can’t stand to lose someone again, Jamie. When Drew died, I felt like he’d taken a huge part of me

with him. For months, I struggled to keep my head above the water, afraid I was going to drown in a sea of despair. I couldn’t go down because of Maddie. She needed me.”

“You’ve been using Maddie as an excuse to protect your heart, to avoid relationships—all these

years.” There was no question in his voice.

“I don’t think I’ve been consciously doing that and definitely not the whole time, but yeah, the last

couple of years, I think maybe I have been using my daughter as an excuse. I put Maddie and myself in a safe little bubble to protect us. To make sure we never experienced the pain we felt when Drew was taken from us.”

“I can understand that pain, angel. I was devastated when Maura left. I’d honestly planned spending

the rest of my life with her. She ripped out my heart when she walked out the door.”

Grace nodded. “I know.”

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“I’m not letting the fear of feeling that pain again stop me, stop us.” Jamie’s face was determined,

resolute. She let the strength of his convictions seep into her soul. If he was brave enough to try again, she could be too.

“I love you, Grace.”

Tears sprang to her eyes. “I love you, too.”

He stepped forward and she fell into his embrace. Wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her

cheek to his chest, listening to the wondrous sound of his beating heart. She was finished hiding her

feelings—from him, from Maddie, from herself.

“You aren’t the only one who’s loved and lost, angel.”

She nodded, recalling the months of pain he suffered after Maura left him. “I know that and I’m sorry.

I’m sorry for hiding from you this week. For risking losing this.”

Jamie kissed her. It was a hard, long, deep kiss that showed her just how much he’d missed her this

week. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave herself up to it, to him.

“Mom.”

Grace jumped away from Jamie quickly. “Maddie.” Her daughter was looking at her with confused

eyes and Grace fought to still her shaking hands. “I thought you were catching a ride home with Jessica.”

“Her car won’t start. She’s waiting for her dad to come look at it. I told her I’d just ride with you.”

Maddie looked from her to Jamie. “What’s going on?”

“I can explain,” Grace started, her throat suddenly dry with nervousness.

“Were you two just kissing?”

Grace could see Jamie nodding from the corner of her eyes and she fought against closing her eyes

and groaning. She’d had all week to tell her daughter about her new relationship. Now, the truth had been revealed in an all-too-clear, far-too-abrupt fashion.

“Are you guys dating?”

Grace tried to read her daughter’s face, her expressions, but her mind moved too sluggishly to

comprehend anything other than the fact she’d just gotten caught making out with her daughter’s softball coach in the back of her classroom.

“We, I mean, I, it’s just that—” Grace stumbled to find the right words.

Jamie, of course, knew the right one. “Yes.”

“Awesome,” Maddie said. “Seriously freaking awesome.” Her face broke into a huge grin as she

rushed over to them. She high-fived Jamie, then turned, grabbing Grace up in a tight, unexpected hug.

“It is?” Grace asked weakly. “I mean, you don’t mind?”

“Mind? Are you nuts? Why would you think that?”

Grace shrugged. “The last time I dated—”

Maddie frowned and interrupted her. “Last time? You’ve never dated anybody.”

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Happy Hour

“That’s not true.” Grace put her hands on her hips. “Don’t you remember Bill? When you were in

eighth grade?”

Maddie rolled her eyes and Grace tried not to grin at how much her daughter’s expression reminded

her of herself. “When I was in eighth grade? Um, yeah, Mom. I sort of remember boring Bill. How long did that last? Like ten minutes?”

“We went on several dates and you made your feelings about him and the fact I was being unfaithful

to your father perfectly clear.”

Maddie sucked in a deep breath and Grace cursed her stupid words. “Is that why you’ve never dated?”

Maddie’s voice filled with hurt. “Because of me?”

Grace shook her head quickly. “Absolutely not. I didn’t mean what I said to sound that way.”

Jamie stepped forward. “Your mom was pretty messed up after your dad died, Mad. I think it’s just

taken her awhile to get her sea legs again.”

Maddie seemed relieved and Grace was grateful for his interference. “I was devastated when your dad

died. I don’t know how well you remember those days right after the car accident, but it was months before I felt like I could make it through a day without hovering on the verge of tears. By the time I pulled myself together, we’d established a routine. Our lives were stable and even happy. I convinced myself that was enough.”

“But it wasn’t?” Maddie asked.

Grace grasped her daughter’s shoulders, pulled her closer and looked her in the face. “It was enough. I cherish each and every day you and I’ve spent together. And I’m going to miss you so much when you

leave for college.”

Maddie grinned. “So you and Coach?”

Jamie laughed. “You know, Mad, maybe when we’re not in school, you should consider calling me

Jamie. Might be a little weird to call your mom’s boyfriend Coach.”

Maddie put her hands on her hips and studied Jamie with very new eyes. “Well, Jamie,” she said, her

voice exaggerating his name, “I can tell you right now, you better not be messing with my mom. I have a wicked curve ball and I’d have no problem directing it at your head if you even thought of hurting her.”

“Maddie,” Grace chastised, but her comment was drowned out by Jamie’s loud hooting laughter.

Grace narrowed her eyes as she turned to see him doubled over with laughter. “What is so funny?”

“She not only looks like you, she is you. Jesus, it’s like you have your own personal mini-me.”

Grace looked over at her daughter before glancing at herself. They were both standing with their

hands on their hips, haughty expressions on their faces. In unison, they rolled their eyes and gave in to their own laughter.

After several moments, Grace composed herself enough to speak again. “Maddie, you’re sure you’re

okay with this?”

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Maddie nodded. “I’ve been so worried about leaving, Mom. Leaving you here alone. Coach—I mean

Jamie and you are perfect for each other. I always thought so, but you seemed to think he was too young for you.”

“You don’t think—”

Maddie shook her head emphatically. “Heck no, but I have a feeling every girl in the senior class is

gonna hate you from now on. I mean Mr. Fisher is one of the hottest teachers in school.”

Jamie wrapped his arm around Grace, giving her a squeeze. “Hear that, Grace? I’m hot. Told you so.”

She elbowed him in the stomach as Maddie giggled.

“What do you say I take you two gals out for dinner and to a movie?” Jamie suggested.

“Sounds awesome,” Maddie replied. “Can I pick the movie?”

Jamie pondered her request. “Will I like your choice?”

“No way. Chick flick.”

He sighed, though Grace could detect a glimmer of humor in his eye. “What do you say to a

challenge? Winner picks movie.”

Maddie’s interest was sparked. She’d clearly gotten her competitiveness from her father. “What kind

of challenge?”

“Race you to the car?”

Maddie appeared to think about it before turning and racing toward the classroom door. “Deal,” she

yelled over her shoulder.

“Cheater,” Jamie called out, turning back to Grace. “I love you,” he said, giving her a quick kiss on

the cheek. He took off and she laughed as he yelled back to her, “Meet you at the car.”

Grace bowed her head, laughing to herself. Gathering up her stuff, she turned off the lights and locked the door. Life just suddenly got a lot more exciting—and a lot less lonely.

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Epilogue

Grace laughed at Cheryl’s comment about one of their school’s more colorful students as Jamie

ordered another round. They were back at Tully’s, mourning the end of another summer. They’d survived

the first week of the new school year and she had dropped Maddie off at college the weekend before. To

say she needed this happy hour was putting it lightly. Empty nest syndrome had hit her like a freight train and it was taking all the strength in her body not to get in her car and go fetch her daughter home.

The only thing that had gotten her through the week was Jamie. They’d dated for nearly four months

and every day simply got better. He’d spent a great deal of time with her and Maddie this summer, but he’d also left them plenty of time alone—knowing that once Maddie left for college, things would be different.

She’d felt like a teenager sneaking around for sex, but she simply couldn’t bring herself to sleep away from home while Maddie was still there, despite the fact her daughter was old enough to know all about the birds and the bees. She also wasn’t comfortable with him spending the night at her house, so they’d had to improvise. Grabbing a few stolen moments whenever they could. Even with their hit-and-run bedroom

sessions, she wasn’t sure she’d ever had so much incredible sex in her life. It was unbelievable how much the man could shove into a half hour here and there.

Jamie looked at her, then bent to kiss her.

Trey groaned. “Jesus. If I’d known you two would be so disgustingly happy when I set you up, I don’t

think I would have bothered.”

Grace frowned. “You didn’t set us up.”

Trey winked at her, his face smug and she recalled the night they’d spent together months earlier.

He’d had the same self-satisfied look that night too.

He must have seen the understanding dawn in her eyes and he leaned closer, whispering his next

comment for her ears only. “You two were meant for each other. You just needed a little push in the right direction.”

She turned her head discreetly and pressed a quick kiss on his cheek. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure,” he replied, his words proving exactly what kind of pleasure he meant and she laughed.

“Hey. Our song,” Jamie teased when she heard the jukebox play the beginning strains of “Endless

Love”.

She feigned a shudder. “Ugh. Hate to break it to you, Jamie, but I’m not drunk enough to sing yet.”

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“Then dance with me.” He grasped her hand and pulled her to the small dance floor, wrapping her in

his strong embrace. She wondered if the magic of being held by him would ever wear off. He hummed in

her ear and she grinned, pulling back to look at him.

“How old were you when this song came out?”