Love By Accident (13 page)

"What's her name?" his mother persisted.

Well damn, he thought, here we go. "Lauren."

His father's smile vanished and so did his lazy slouch. "
The
Lauren?" he asked.

Matt held his breath. "Yes."

"Did you know she'd be in Jasper?" he asked pointedly. His father had never made any bones about his feelings toward her after the accident. Of course, since his dad had held Matt up as he'd learned to walk again and had shared in the tears of frustration when his son hit set-back after set-back, Matt figured he was entitled.

"I did," he answered. He never lied to his family.

His mother shoved her unfinished project back into the bag. "Did you talk to her?"

He told them what he knew so far, which wasn't much. He explained why she left after the accident and how they were working on rebuilding the friendship.

"She damn well better feel guilty," his father muttered. "After what she did to Gil, and almost did to you."

"Antony," Baba warned. "Watch your mouth."

"Sorry, Ma," he muttered.

"I agree with you, Dad, but it's not like she deliberately caused the accident, that's why it's called an accident. She loved Gil, she'd have never hurt him intentionally."

He thought of how fragile she looked compared to how she'd been, how much different she was. "She's suffered too, Dad. She's not the same person."

His mother's eyes were direct and had him squirming in his seat. "You like her?"

He inhaled deeply, puffed out his cheeks, and blew out the air. "Yeah." That was one thing that hadn't changed, no matter how much he'd tried. And for years, he'd tried damn hard. But seeing her again, talking to her, brought it back. Damned if he knew how to stop it.

Or if he even wanted to.

"Matthew, she's not the kind of girl you need in your life. You're rebuilding, starting again. She's already proved once the kind of friend she is, why on earth would you want to get involved with her again?"

"Antony, go to bed. You too, Yvette. I want to talk to my grandson alone."

His mom set her lips but didn't argue. She did, however, spear her son with a look which let him know she wasn't done with this. His father wasn't so subtle.

"We'll talk tomorrow," he said and followed his wife down the hall.

Matt waited until the door closed and his parents' muted voices began discussing their son's life. He was thirty two. Some things never changed.

"You always liked her," Baba said simply.

It wasn't a question, so he didn't answer.

"Does she feel the same way?"

Matt leaned back into the soft cushions. "I don't think so. At least, not in the same way. She's willing to be friends."

"Is that all you want?"

What did he want? Well, friendship, for sure. He'd missed the hell out of her. He pictured her in his mind, shiny blond ponytail and expressive grey eyes. A willowy body hidden beneath her too-big clothes. A smile that never failed to draw him in. A personality that had always meshed well with his.

He knew what he wanted. What he'd always dreamed of. To get Lauren into his arms and into his bed. Who knew what would happen afterward?

"I want her in my life."

"For how long?"

Matt cast a glance down the hall. He didn't blame his mom and dad for not liking Lauren, but it wasn't going to stop him from pursuing her. He'd waited for her long enough. Sighing, he met his baba's pale, sharp eyes.

"For however long she'll have me," he answered.

***

Soft morning light slipped its fingers through the window blinds. The walls of his childhood bedroom weren't the same denim blue they'd been. The ratty old comforter he'd loved and refused to give away had been replaced with a handmade quilt which consisted of a series of colorful interlocking rings. A queen-sized bed dominated the room along with a menagerie of mismatched antique pieces. One thing, however, hadn't changed. The sheets were freshly laundered and, despite the cool fall temperature, still managed to smell like a lazy summer day in the country.

Stretching his limbs to all four corners of the bed, Matt sighed. There was a reason they said there was no place like home and he never forgot it. Home was peace. It was a sanctuary to turn to when life sucked and it was a heart that never turned you away.

And, he thought when he heard solid footsteps in the kitchen, it was a constant. Just like the man whose steps Matt recognized.

Throwing back the blankets, Matt dug out clean shorts, socks and jeans from his bag. After tossing a sweatshirt over his head, he padded down the hall and into the kitchen nook his dad had added to the house after Matt left for college.

"Morning, Dad."

"Morning."

His father had opened the fridge and taken out a carton of orange juice. Rather than pouring any, he slipped the container back untouched.

"Something wrong?"

"Just thought of something better. You up for some real coffee?"

Matt smiled. "Tim Hortons? You don't have to ask me twice. You drive, I buy?"

"And miss a chance to ride in that fancy car of yours?"

"Cool," Matt said, opening the hall closet and taking his coat off the hanger. "Then you'll buy."

"I didn't say that, either."

***

Matt swung the Corvette into one of the few remaining parking stalls of the nearest Tim Hortons. Pushing open the doors, Matt inhaled the yeasty smell of donuts coupled with fresh brewed coffee. Tables were at a premium and the lady running the Drive thru was speaking non-stop into her headset.

Matt took their loaded tray to the table his dad had secured.

"Black coffee for you, double-double for me," Matt said, referring to his cup with double the cream and sugar. He set the cup next to his apple fritter. With his fingers, his father cut into his cruller and popped a chunk into his mouth.

Silence descended as they paid proper homage to their breakfasts by not stopping until the last crumb had been licked clean.

Antony Skarpinsky pushed aside his empty plate, cupped his white porcelain mug, and leaned forward. Eyes blue as his own fixed onto him.

"Tell me about Lauren."

"So we're skipping the small talk portion of our morning?"

"I won't lie to you, Matt. I hate that she's back in your life."

Well, he couldn't say the words were a surprise, but they did tear at him, because he respected his father. Hell, he thought the world of him. And he hated that what he was about to say would hurt the man he'd tried hard never to disappoint.

"I knew she was in Jasper, Dad. It's one of the reasons I took the transfer."

Confusion and shock washed over his father's face. Taking a long swallow of the sweetened brew, Matt gathered his thoughts. He may never make his dad happy with his decision, but he hoped to at least help him understand.

"Part of it was to get answers, but it wasn't the only reason. I missed her."

"I hope you haven't forgotten the long hours of therapy, the endless trips to the physiotherapists." His voice hardened. "The doctors saying you might never walk again, because I haven't. I still have dreams." His eyes shone with pain. "
My
son, my only boy, lying so still in a hospital room, maybe to never walk again. It killed me to see you that way. And worse, we had to bury another we loved almost as much as our own son."

Despite his dad being with him through every step of his rehabilitation, this was the first time Matt had heard those words, heard so much pain in his dad's voice. Obviously Matt had known the anguish the senior Skarpinsky had faced, but he'd done a great job of keeping it hidden.

"I'm sorry. I am. And I do remember, Dad. I cherish my legs and my life every day, but there's more to it than walking. There's family, friends, love." He plowed his fingers through his curls. "I'm not saying I'll marry her, Dad, but I want more than a friendship with Lauren. But I want your support, too."

"And if I can't give it to you?"

"I'd like to think in time you'd come to understand and maybe even give her another chance."

Once again silence dominated, only now there wasn't the excuse of donuts between them. Matt finished his coffee and toyed with his mug. It was like watching the doctors walk into his room with a diagnosis and hesitating to say the words aloud. Was it good or bad? His apple fritter sat heavily in his gut.

Finally his old man moved. He looked down into his own mug.

"Are you splurging for a refill too? Or do I only get one freebie?"

"Does that mean you're okay with this?"

"Don't I get my coffee first?"

"Nope," Matt grinned, leaning forward, feeling encouraged by the light in his father's eyes. "First you need to answer my question."

His dad took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "Well, if you can move past it, I guess I'd better try. After all, it was you that was hurt."

"It wasn't only me, it was you, Mom, Baba and Giddo. The rest of the family. But I really like her."

"We don't have to have the sex talk again, do we?"

Matt's grin covered his face. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you, too, now go get me a refill. All this talking's made me thirsty."

TEN

She was sitting on the porch when the sleek Corvette purred to a stop on the opposite side of the street. Her stomach quivered. Was Juliet right? Did Matt have feelings for her? God, it felt like high school all over again. Had it been summer, she could have yanked a daisy out and played "he loves me, he loves me not" with the petals.

The door opened. The interior light reflected off the shoulders of his leather jacket. A long jean-clad leg came first. Then, using the steering wheel as leverage, Matt unfurled from the car. The street light took over where the interior glow left off. Their eyes held. She saw the white of his teeth.

If she'd have had a video camera she could have taped him exiting his car, sauntering across the street. He was a walking GQ ad.

"Kinda cool to be on the porch, don't you think? Must be close to freezing." He sat beside her, the wood moaning with the extra pressure.

"I've got a blanket." Though between first his appearance and now the heat of him next to her, she really didn't need it any more.

He grinned. "I don't."

"Then you should've brought your own."

"Nice, McKinnon. You'd let me freeze my ass off?"

Carm's words came back to her but he was sitting on his butt so she couldn't very well check it out.

"Is that hot chocolate?"

"Hmm. Mint."

"Mint's my favorite."

"I know," she grinned, enjoying teasing him.

He took it from her and drank a long swallow. "Hmm. Good."

Passing her the mug, he tilted his head back and closed his eyes. When he once again turned to look at her she saw the fatigue around his eyes and the slight droop of his shoulders. Concerned, she lay a hand on his arm; the leather of his jacket was crisp and cool beneath her fingers.

"You look beat. Was the drive back from Edmonton a long one?"

"No it was fine, the roads were good. Just kinda forgot how loud and obnoxious my family can be." He threw her a smile but she knew him better than that.

"You told your family I was here, didn't you?"

He hesitated a moment. "Yeah."

"I'm sure that went over well."

Lauren had loved his family on sight. They hadn't had many opportunities to get to Edmonton between their studies and their jobs, but Matt had taken both her and Gil up one January for Ukrainian Christmas and she'd never forgotten it. Tons of food had steamed from a smorgasbord which could have easily fed an NHL team.

Conversations, two to four at a time, had ping-ponged through the rooms. Each was animated and spoken from the heart, which accounted for the raised voices and fists that threatened to collapse folding card tables when someone tried to make a point. She'd walked out of his parents' house dazed and in love with the Skarpinskys. Her own family, or at least her parents, were conservative and quiet. She'd envied Matt the rambunctiousness he'd come from.

He toyed with the cuffs of his leather coat. "Baba says hi."

Lauren set down her mug, no longer thirsty. "And your parents?"

"Mom's conflicted. She liked you but I'm her baby, so she worries."

"And your dad?"

"Dad's trying to understand. But it will take some time to get used to the idea."

"Of my being back in your life?"

His blue eyes latched onto hers and suddenly the air between them was electric. "No," Matt said, closing the last of the distance between them, "of this."

Before she could do more than blink, he'd wrapped his arms around her and lowered his lips to hers. Her heart did a slow roll and everywhere she felt him, her skin tingled. It didn't occur to Lauren to resist; it felt too incredible and it had been so very long since she'd been in a man's embrace.