Rachel Laine (The Women of Merryton Book 3) (3 page)

I
didn’t know if Drew totally got that, but I could tell he was thinking about
it. I also noticed a hint of admiration there. It tugged at my heart a bit. I
didn’t like it.

“Please
help yourself.” I pointed to the enchiladas and the salad.

He
surprised me. “Ladies first.”

Drew
had already reached for the spatula in the enchilada pan.

“Maybe
we should let your mom go first,” Andrew suggested.

Drew
shrugged his shoulders like, why not.

I
was so stunned by his show of manners and deference that it took me a second to
come out of it. I eventually reached for the spatula myself. “Thank you.”

Andrew
grinned in response.

Dinner
was an unexpectedly pleasant affair. Andrew was keenly interested in Drew. He
wanted to know all of his likes and dislikes from sports teams to food.

Drew
was responsive, but I think he was a little tired of the twenty questions. “May
I please be excused? I want to finish my game.”

“What
about dessert?” I asked.

He
jumped off his chair. “Later.” He wasted no time scooting off upstairs.

I
thought Andrew would take that as his cue to leave, but no, he helped clear the
table and clean the kitchen, even though I told him both were unnecessary.

We
ended up at the sink—he rinsed off the dishes while I filled the dishwasher.
With every dish he handed me, I wanted to curse him. Why did he show up in our
lives?

“Dinner
was great, by the way.”

“Thank
you.”

“Drew’s
a great kid,” he whispered.

“He’s
the best.”

“He
does have an amazing gene pool.”

I
rolled my eyes. “I’m glad he didn’t seem to get any from the shallow end of
that pool.”

He
laughed. He did that a lot.

After
the kitchen was clean, he still didn’t leave.

I
wasn’t sure what to do with him. “Would you like some cake and ice cream?”

“I
thought you would never ask.”

I
sliced us each a piece of the apple spice cake. I topped it with some of my
homemade cinnamon ice cream. We took our dessert and settled in on my couch.
Jake wasn’t far behind, but he lay at my feet this time.

Andrew
took a bite and his eyes lit up. “Very good.”

“Thanks.”
I took a small bite. My appetite was almost non-existent.

“Good
cook, insurance agent, and home designer. I’m impressed.”

I
didn’t respond other than to take another bite.

“Did
you grow up in Merryton?”

“Yes.”

“It’s
a nice place. My mom lives in Evergreen, not too far from here.”

I
thought I knew that. I remembered Cheyenne mentioning she ran into them there.
“Did you grow up there?”

He
shook his head while he swallowed. “No, I grew up in and around Denver.”

“Oh,”
I commented. This was a tad uncomfortable for me. I wasn’t used to men
questioning me in my living room.

“How
did you get into insurance?”

“My
dad owns the agency.”

“Nepotism,”
he teased.

“Something
like that.”

“I
thought you were the owner.”

“I
probably will be some day, but for now, I only run it. My dad is semi-retired.”
I kept looking at the time. It was getting close to Drew’s bedtime and I was
hoping Mr. Sperm Donor would get the hint and leave, but no.

“Do
you have somewhere to be?” He must have noticed all the clock glancing.

“Drew
needs to get to bed.”

“Don’t
mind me. I’ll keep the dog company.”

I
wanted to tell him to take a hike, but I reminded myself I needed to play nice.
“Okay.” I grimaced.

I
walked up to the loft to find Drew already in his pajamas. He was such a good
boy. I tucked him in and read him a chapter from the third book in the
Harry
Potter
series. As I read, I wondered why our guest below was staying. I
couldn’t imagine why he would want to. I’m sure he could hear every word from
below. Everything carried in this house. But I tried not to let it bother me as
I enjoyed my moment with my son. This was my favorite time of day.

I
kissed his brow and pulled the covers up over him. “I love you infinity.”

“I
love you infinity plus one.”

I
walked back down to find Andrew staring at me with a soft expression on his
face. I stood near the couch. He continued to stare.

I
stared back at him. “What?”

“You’re
a good mom.”

“Well,
it’s easy when you have such a great kid.”

“I
don’t think that’s the only reason.”

“Well,
thanks. I guess you probably want to leave. It’s a long drive back to Highlands
Ranch.”
Please take the hint.

He
looked at his watch. “I guess I probably should.” He seemed hesitant about it,
but stood and I walked him to the door.

He
turned to me before he opened the door. “Thanks for a great night.”

“You’re
welcome.”

“Hey,
I’d like to see him play tomorrow, if that’s all right.”

Where
did that come from? Didn’t he know that he couldn’t throw things like that at
me with no warning?
My heart couldn’t take it. “Andrew … I
don’t think that’s a good idea.” I had to keep my voice down so Drew wouldn’t
overhear us.

“Why?”

“Well,
for starters, this is a lot to take in all at once. Besides, my parents live in
this town and come to all of his games. And let’s just say you wouldn’t be high
on their list of people to know, if you get my drift.”

“Hmm,”
he said, disappointed. “I guess you have a point.”

Yes,
I did.

“Okay.
I guess I’ll call you and we can set something up.”

 “I
guess so,” I replied with great resignation.

“Goodnight,
Rachel Laine.”

“Yeah,
goodnight.” I heaved a heavy sigh. I was relieved the night was over and that I
wouldn’t have to see him tomorrow, but I worried about future interactions.

I
usually liked to read before I went to sleep, but I was having a hard time
concentrating. I had hoped this would be the first and only time we would see
Andrew, but it looked like that wasn’t going to happen. I was going to have to
tell Drew and my parents the truth. I wasn’t sure which one I dreaded more. I
also didn’t know what to expect. Was Andrew going to want to go the legal route
and get some type of shared custody of him? The thought of sharing Drew with
anyone made my heart sick. I knew I shouldn’t be so selfish, but he had been
all mine his whole life, and I wasn’t sure Andrew deserved rights to him.

And
what was Drew going to think of this? He had expressed interest in knowing who his
father was, but he had never said he wished he had a dad. He’d never acted like
he was missing out on something, but maybe he would as he got older. I didn’t
know. All I knew was that I was scared and unsure.

Saturday
morning dawned chilly and clear. It was perfect football weather. While I made
ham and cheese omelets, Drew sat at the breakfast bar laughing.

“What’s
so funny, kiddo?”

“I
was picturing the Raiders crying in their underwear.”

I
placed an omelet on a plate for him. “Let’s not share that piece of advice with
your friends.”

“Ahhh,
Mom. It’s funny.”

I
gave him my patented mother look as I handed him his breakfast.

“I
like Andrew,” he commented.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,
he’s funny.”

I
nodded my head in agreement, though I didn’t think he was that funny.

“I
can’t wait to tell grandpa I met him. He loves the Bears.”

Oh,
that was a problem. But what could I say?
“Bud, I need to make a phone
call. I’ll be right back.” I walked to my room and closed the door. I had to
tell my parents before someone else did. “Hi, Dad.”

“How’s
my girl?” That was his go-to greeting for me.

“Well,
I’ve been better.”

“What’s
going on, honey? You’ve been out of sorts for the last week.”

“Dad,
I need to tell you something, but I need you to promise me you will remain
rational and that you will keep it confidential.”

“You
know me; I’m the king of restraint,” he teased. He had a reputation for being
hot headed. Ask any one of my boyfriends growing up.

“Dad,
this is important.”

“Honey,
you have my word.”

“Do
you know who Andrew Turner is?’

“The
pitcher for the Bears?”

“The
very one. Well, he came to see me last week, and yesterday at the office.”

“Great.
Did you sell him the works? Maybe he would endorse us.”

“Dad,
he didn’t come to see me about insurance.”

“All
right.”

I
felt lightheaded. I still couldn’t believe this was happening. “Dad, I don’t
know how to say this.”

“Are
you dating him?”

“No,
no.”

“That’s
good. I mean, he seems like a real class act, but you never really know with
these professional athletes. So what is it, honey?”

“He’s
Drew’s father.” I blurted out before I lost my nerve.

There
was complete silence on the other end for several seconds.

“Dad?”

“Rachel
Laine, are you sure?”

“Yes,
unfortunately.”

“Does
Drew know?”

“No,
and I don’t know when or if I’ll tell him.”

“What
do you mean if?”

I
gave him a brief recap of the whole story, but I left out anything that would
tarnish Sydney’s reputation.

“So,
this guy shows up after all this time and thinks he has a right to my grandson?
You tell him we will get the best lawyer there is—”

“Dad,
remember restraint? I need you to be calm. I need you and Mom to not speak of
this. I need to play nice. I don’t want to drag Drew through any court battles,
and for all we know, Andrew may not even want to be a part of his life. That’s
why I’m not telling Drew right now.” I started to cry. I wasn’t really a crier,
but this whole situation had me on edge.

“Honey,
it’s going to be okay.”

“I’m
so afraid I’m going to lose Drew.”

“Honey,
you’re not going to lose Drew. The adoption was finalized years ago and you
have full legal custody of him. And you’re the best mom around. Anyone would
attest to that.”

“I’m
not only worried about custody issues. What if Drew decides he wants a dad over
a mom?”

“Honey,
you’re worrying over nothing.”

“I
hope so. Will you please promise me that you and Mom will let Andrew and me
work this out? And that you won’t say a thing?”

“I
don’t like it one bit, but you have my word.”

“Dad,
I love you.”

“To
the moon and back?” He’d asked me that since I could remember.

“And
back again,” I replied, like always.

I
fixed my makeup and walked back out to Drew, who had already scarfed down his
breakfast. All I could eat was a few bites. The stress was killing my appetite.
Drew ran up to get ready.

“Don’t
forget your Under Armour. It’s going to be cold today,” I yelled up.

“Mom,
I’m tough. I don’t need no stinkin’ Under Armour.”

“Okay,
tough guy, but who was begging for hot chocolate and a coat last week at
halftime?”

Needless
to say, he came back down in his Under Armour. I still made hot chocolate for
the thermos.

Just
as we were ready to walk out the door, I received a text. I grabbed my phone and
sighed when I realized who it was from. Andrew had thought we should exchange
numbers last night. I figured since he knew where we lived, what could it hurt?
But this was painful.

Please
wish Drew luck for me this morning, and remind him to visualize winning and, if
it helps, the Raiders in their underwear.

Will
do
,
I texted back.

I
wasn’t going to mention the underwear part. Besides, Drew had that one down.
Begrudgingly, I let him know that Andrew wished him luck and to remember that
winning began in his head.

He
smiled big in response. “I wish he could come see me play.”

“We
better get going.” I didn’t know what else to say, because I wished he would go
away forever.

We
loaded up the car with all of our gear—I needed gear too. I loved watching him
play, but I generally froze outside this time of the year, so bleacher seats
and a blanket were a must, as well as hot chocolate. I was also a team mom, and
it was my turn to bring the snacks for after the game.

My
parents were already in the stands when we got there. The local high school was
nice enough to rent out their stadium to the little league on Saturdays. It was
fun for the kids to have announcers and a real scoreboard. Drew loved hearing
his name over their sound system. After I saw Drew out to the field, I headed
up to where my parents were. Douglas and Claire did not look happy this
morning.

My
dad got up and greeted me with a kiss on the cheek. I sat in between him and my
mom.

I
kissed my mom’s cheek. “Good morning.” I tried to sound cheerful.

She
held my hand. “Are you okay?” she whispered.

“I’m
trying to be.”

I
noticed that both of my parents sat extra close. I guess even when your
children are thirty, you feel the need to protect them. Believe me, I wish they
could protect me from whatever lay ahead, but I knew they couldn’t. The only
thing I did know was that they would cushion any blows that came my way if they
could.

It
was a pretty silent affair between the three of us. I was happy when my friend Taylor
showed up. She looked uncomfortable as she navigated the bleachers. She was in
her last trimester, and looking fabulous if you asked me, but she disagreed. I thought
she was still trying to come to terms with the fact she was forty-three and
having a baby. Her husband, Dr. Easton Cole, was ecstatic about it. I’m not
sure I had ever seen a man so excited to have a baby, or one who loved his wife
so much. Maybe it was the fact that his wife was also his former ex-wife of
fourteen years, and so he knew what life was like without her. I wondered if I
would ever find someone to love me so completely once I was done raising Drew.

Not
only were they having a baby, but they opened up their home to a foster child,
Gage, who was the same age as Drew and in the same class as him. He was also on
Drew’s football team. Easton was kind enough to be one of the assistant coaches
this year. I think it was good for both him and Gage. Probably Taylor, too, but
the poor thing hated the cold weather. She was a Southern woman at heart.

Taylor
sat bundled up in front of us on a cushioned seat and turned back our way.
“Good morning.”

“Good
morning,” we all replied back.

“Where
are the girls this morning?” I asked her.

“They’re
at a volleyball fundraiser at the high school. We’ll hit that once we’re done
here.”

“Is
Ashley excited about being Homecoming Queen?” I asked.

“Mostly,”
Taylor responded.

“Mostly?”

“Spencer
was nominated King.”

Spencer
was Ashley’s ex-boyfriend and quarterback for the high school team. “Awkward.”

“Just
a little, but I think they’re both trying to be grown up about it, at least in
public. At home we’ve had a couple of emotional outbursts.” Taylor smiled. “The
teenage years can be so fun.”

“I’m
thankful I have a few more years until we hit that point.”

“By
the way, Cheyenne heard that Andrew Turner visited your office and she’s back
on that train now, so be prepared for her to accost you for information.”

I
could feel my parents stiffen at the mention of Andrew’s name. I tried my best
to remain unaffected by it. “I don’t have anything to report.”
Other than he
is my son’s father.

Taylor
laughed. “Well, you know Cheyenne. She’s determined to get her man.”

I
laughed uneasily and changed the subject. “How’s Gage doing?”

Taylor’s
laughter turned to thoughtfulness. “I think he’s doing well. He’s been through
a lot in his young life, but I think he’s starting to trust us. And we’re all
getting used to having a boy in the house. He’s a lot different than the girls—not
in a bad way, just different. I think Easton appreciates not being so
outnumbered and having someone to watch sports with.”

“Your
family is doing a good thing,” my mom complimented Taylor.

She
shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. Sometimes I think Gage is doing more
good for us than we are for him. He’s a reminder of how blessed we’ve been. He
only wants to love and be loved. We’ve enjoyed being on the receiving and
giving end of that.”

“Well,
you’re good people in my book,” my dad said.

“We
feel the same about you,” Taylor responded.

“How’s
that little girl you’re growing?” I asked.

She
rubbed what I considered to be a tiny baby bump, but ask her and she would call
it a beach ball. “Perfect. Keeping her mom up late at night with her gymnastics
routines and heartburn.”

My
parents and I laughed with her.

“Oh,
look. Our boys are taking the field,” I alerted everyone.

Drew
walked out onto the field with his coach for the coin toss. Drew called heads
and won. I could see his grin from the stands. Gosh, I loved that kid.

The
Colts ended up on the 30-yard line after the kick-off. As both teams lined up,
my first thought was that the Raiders should have been called the Giants. I
wanted to see some birth certificates. Holy cow. But as we made our way through
the first quarter, I realized their size was almost a hindrance. Our team was
quick and nimble and Drew was smart and a quick thinker. By the end of the
quarter, we were up 14–0. I was feeling great until the second quarter, when
one of those oafs slammed my baby into the ground. I jumped up fast, but I
restrained myself from running onto the field. I had done that before, and Drew
had said it was super embarrassing. The coaches promised me if I was needed out
there, they would call me down. I also had to hold my tongue. I had a tendency
to get riled up at sporting events. I wasn’t sure why—normally I was a pretty calm
person—but something came out in me when my teams were playing, and especially when
it was my son playing.

I
held my hand to my heart as I watched Easton check out my son on the field. I
felt like I couldn’t breathe. Taylor turned around and held my hand, along with
my parents. It wasn’t too long before Easton helped Drew stand
stand
and
I got a thumbs-up. Our side cheered and I breathed a huge sigh of relief. It
was moments like those that made me question why I allowed him to play.