Jackson Hole Valentine (21 page)

“What’s the occasion?” Cole asked, sounding only mildly interested.

“He didn’t say.” Meg had tried to pin down the smooth-talking attorney, but he’d been as slippery as Charlie at bathtime. “But I have a hunch he wants to talk to you about Kate.”

Cole started to laugh then stopped when she didn’t join in. “You’re serious.”

“While I don’t know for certain,” she said, “that was the vibe he was giving off.”

“I hate to burst your bubble,” Cole said, “but guys aren’t like women. Ryan isn’t going to spend all that time driving out here to talk about his girlfriend problems.”

“Believe what you want.” Meg took a bite of toast. “I grew up with brothers.”

“I still say there has to be another reason for his visit,” Cole said.

“I’ve given you my theory.” Meg pushed back her chair, other worries on her mind. “I’m going to hop into the shower.”

A thoughtful look blanketed Cole’s face. “Before Ryan gets here I think I’ll sit with Charlie for a few minutes. That way, if he wakes up, he won’t be alone.”

“That’s nice of you, but not necessary,” Meg said. “Last I checked he was sleeping very soundly.”

“I’d still like to spend the time with him,” Cole said.

“Well, if you need me I’ll be making myself presentable for company.” A tiny smile lifted the corners of Meg’s mouth. “Just in case I’m wrong and Ryan does want to visit with me while he’s here.”

“You want me to do
what?
” Ryan’s voice rose before the attorney reined it in and dropped it to a more conversational level.

“For God’s sake, Ry, I’m not asking you to rob a bank.” Cole spoke freely, not concerned about being overheard. Meg was upstairs while he and Ryan were in the first-floor office with the door shut. “Just drop off the envelope at the post office in town. It already has the correct postage, so you don’t need to do anything else.”

“Does Margaret know?” Ryan asked.

“Know what?” Cole shifted in his seat, hoping his impulsive decision to ask Ryan to drop off the envelope containing his and Charlie’s DNA samples hadn’t been a mistake.

When Meg had mentioned Ryan’s visit, Cole realized the attorney could be his way of getting the samples in the mail.

“Does Margaret know you’re doing a DNA test on the boy?”

Cole hesitated, not sure whether to confirm or deny Ryan’s suspicions. “You got all that from one envelope being sent to a lab?”

“Actually, the fact that Charlie looks like you was my first clue.” Ryan leaned back in the tall wingback chair, his eyes devoid of the laughter usually found lurking in the gray depths. “Joy wanting to add you to the will, even though she’d already listed Margaret, was the second. I may not be smart enough to figure out a way to keep Kate from preferring Joel over me, but I’m not stupid.”

Meg had been right, Cole suddenly realized. Ryan
had
come over to talk about Kate. He forced his thoughts back to the matter at hand. “All I’m asking is that you drop the envelope off on your way home.”

“You are aware that by doing the test in this manner, the results won’t hold up in court.” Ryan’s expression turned serious and Cole could almost see him putting on his lawyer’s hat. “The chain-of-custody requirement won’t be met.”

“I understand,” Cole said. “If this comes out the way I think it will, then I’ll look at taking that next step.”

“You like Margaret,” Ryan said.

“Of course I do,” Cole admitted.

“Then, as your friend, I suggest you don’t keep this from her.” Ryan dropped the envelope into his briefcase, snapped it shut and stood.

“It’s not as simple as you’re making it sound.” Cole jumped to his feet and began to pace. “No matter what explanation I give, Meg will see the fact that Joy slept with me as a betrayal. I don’t want her feelings for the woman she considered to be her best friend tarnished unnecessarily. Especially since I may not be Charlie’s father. Joy told me herself that Ty was his dad.”

“But you could have been,” Ryan guessed.

Cole nodded. “The dates match.”

“You do have yourself a mess.” Ryan clapped Cole on his back and turned toward the door. “Tell Margaret and Charlie I said hello.”

“Don’t you want to stay? Talk about you and Kate? I assume that’s why you dropped by.”

Ryan surprised Cole by placing a hand on his shoulder. “I have to thank you.”

“Thank me?” Cole cocked his head. “For what?”

Ryan grinned. “Your issues make mine look insignificant.”

Ryan had barely walked out the front door when Meg waltzed down the stairs, dressed in jeans and a navy-and-white ski sweater.

“Was I right? Did he come to talk about Kate?” Meg asked.

Cole blinked. “What?”

“Ryan. Was his visit about Kate?” Her hazel eyes appeared green in the light. “Or something else? He looked pretty serious when he left.”

“You were right. He came to talk about Kate.”

“I hope you gave him some good advice,” Meg said, her expression earnest. “After all, that’s what friends are for.”

She really was a good gal, Cole thought. So caring. So compassionate. The more he got to know this grown-up Meg, the harder it was to reconcile her with the girl who’d betrayed his confidence back in high school. “Ryan assured me he felt better about the situation by the time he left.”

“I knew you’d come through for him.” A warmth ran through Meg’s veins. She was beginning to realize Cole was a guy you could count on. “I only hope things go as well with Ed.”

“Ed?” Cole looked up.

“Ed Rice,” Meg explained. “From high school. Tall. Thin. Prominent Adam’s apple. Some of the mean kids called him ‘beanpole.’”

The muscle in Cole’s jaw jumped. “I remember him.”

“Well, apparently Ed is now the reading specialist for the Teton County Schools.” Meg ignored Cole’s less-than-enthusiastic reaction. “He asked if he could stop over and talk to us about Charlie.”

“I didn’t know you were still in contact with him.”

There was an odd look in Cole’s eyes. If Meg didn’t know better she’d think he was jealous.

“Until today, I hadn’t seen or spoken with him in years.” Meg kept her tone matter-of-fact. “After our phone conversation, I’m now fully up-to-date. He married Brenda Carl. She was in the class behind us. They have two little girls and are expecting a baby boy in March.”

“Good for him,” Cole muttered. “Tell me again why he’s coming over?”

Clearly something was bothering Cole. Tension was rolling off him in waves.

“So what do you think?” Meg kept her tone deliberately light. “Lunch before or after Ed?”

“I’m not hungry—”

“Lunch afterward, it is.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” Cole said, trying but not quite pulling off a smile. “Why is he coming over?”

“I’m not sure.” Unease settled across Meg’s shoulders as she reviewed the conversation in her mind. “Come into the kitchen with me. I’ll make some hot tea and tell you all about the conversation. It was very strange.”

Cole followed her into the kitchen and took a seat at the table. “Strange how?”

Meg put the teakettle on the stove before sitting down opposite him. “I called Charlie’s school this morning to let them know he was sick and ask if there was any homework I needed to pick up.”

“Homework? He’s only in first grade.”

“Things have changed a lot since we were that age.” Meg smiled. Back when she was Charlie’s age they were just beginning to read. “Anyway, they put me on hold for the longest time, then Ed suddenly came on the line. For some reason the office staff at Charlie’s school had patched me through to the district office.”

“And?”

“Well, when I discovered it was Ed, I wasn’t sure what to think.”

“I remember you two being close friends.”

Meg felt her cheeks warm. “Ed had a crush on me back in high school. I didn’t return his feelings. It was…awkward.”

Cole didn’t look like he believed her but he didn’t comment.

“What do you think he wants?” he asked instead.

“All he’d say is that he needed to talk to you and me about Charlie.”

“He mentioned me?”

“He did.” Meg didn’t understand Cole’s surprise. After all, Ed had Charlie’s file. “I tried to find out more, but he just kept telling me not to worry, that we’d talk about Charlie when he came out.”

Without warning, Cole reached over and covered her hand with his. “But you
are
worried.”

Meg nodded, feeling the sting of tears against the back of her lids. She blinked them away, feeling foolish.

“I’m worried, too.”

She looked up and for the first time saw the concern in his eyes.

“Whatever is going on with Charlie, we can handle it,” he said. “He’ll be okay.”

“Because he has us.”

“That’s right.” Cole got up to tend to the whistling teakettle. “We’re in his back pocket.”

Chapter Fifteen

E
d Rice took a sip of coffee. Though his demeanor was calm, Cole sensed he was nowhere near as composed as he appeared. For one thing, his Adam’s apple kept bobbing up and down, and there appeared to be a sheen of perspiration on the top of his balding head. And he seemed to be avoiding Cole’s gaze.

Perhaps Meg’s suggestion that they meet in the kitchen had thrown the educator off his stride. He was dressed for business in a navy suit and red tie, and they’d placed him in a kitchen? Not to mention when they’d taken seats at the table, Meg had scooted her chair closer to Cole, as if wanting to make it clear where her allegiance lay.

At that moment, the tightness gripping Cole’s chest had begun to ease.

“I was sorry to hear about Joy.” Ed kept his pale blue eyes focused on Meg. “I remember how close you two were in high school. Rarely saw one of you without the other.”

“Joy was special.” Meg sighed. “I don’t know that there was anyone I trusted more.”

“
Both
Joy and Ty were special,” Cole said.

For the first time, Ed shifted his gaze to Cole. “I forgot. You knew them, too.”

“Joy was my neighbor growing up,” Cole explained. “And Ty became a good friend later.”

“Of course,” Ed said. “That’s how you ended up with partial custody.”

“Meg and I have joint custody,” Cole clarified. “We both love Charlie and are concerned about the reason for your visit today.”

“While it’s wonderful to see you again, Ed,” Meg said, “I, we, really would like to know why you’re here.”

Ed cast a surreptitious look in Cole’s direction, and suddenly Cole knew why Ed had come. The temperature in the room dropped thirty degrees in a heartbeat.

Please, God, no.

“Last year Charlie’s teacher noted that he wasn’t reaching the milestones that are set for children of that age.” Ed spoke slowly, obviously choosing his words carefully. “He spoke with Ty and Joy, offering the opportunity for Charlie to participate in a program that would give him extra reading assistance.”

“How’s that been going?” Meg asked.

Time seemed to stretch and extend. Ed shifted uncomfortably in his wooden chair. “They declined to participate.”

“What?” Cole straightened in his seat. “Why?”

“Parents opt out of the additional assistance for a variety of reasons,” Ed said diplomatically. “They have to agree to work with the child every night for thirty minutes. Some won’t—can’t—commit to that amount of time.”

Cole frowned. “That doesn’t sound like Joy or Ty.”

“I assume you’re here because Charlie is still struggling.” Meg’s face held lines of strain, her tone as tightly strung as a piano wire.

“Charlie is still experiencing issues with his sounds and with letter identification,” Ed said. “He’s fallen even further behind where we would expect him to be reading. His classroom teacher reports he’s been acting out during reading time.”

Meg glanced at Cole then back at Ed. “Because of his parents’ deaths?”

Ed shook his head. “It’s been going on since the beginning of the year.”

“He’s doing it to divert attention from his difficulty reading,” Cole murmured.

After the tiniest hesitation, Ed nodded. “That would be my guess.”

Cole took a deep breath and asked the question burning a hole in his brain. “Do you think Charlie could be dyslexic?”

“Dyslexia is a possibility.” Ed cleared his throat. “His school’s reading specialist happened to be in the classroom one day observing the children and noticed Charlie was writing his letters backward.”

“Doesn’t dyslexia run in families?” Meg looked perplexed. “I know Joy wasn’t dyslexic. I don’t think Ty was, either.”

“It’s frequently found in families.” Ed tapped his Montblanc pen against the tabletop. “Where dyslexia is identified, up to half of these children have a history of learning difficulties in their family and more than half have a family member who is left-handed.”