Route 66 Reunions (10 page)

Blake’s eyes widened, and a grin started at one corner of his mouth. He turned toward Rob with lifted eyebrows. “Something tells me Mom wasn’t in on my invite.”

R
obert Stevens.” Blake watched Tessa turn on her oldest son. He admired the blue sparks that flew from her eyes. She’d done a lot of changing over the years, but she still had a lot of fire. She was a survivor. He had never loved her more. “Did you invite Blake to meet us here?”

A bit of Tessa’s fire flared in Rob’s eyes. “Well sure, Mom.” He gestured toward his brothers. “We took a vote and decided if you weren’t going to invite him, we would. Kasi brought Travis.”

Tessa choked on that last bit of logic. Blake held back a laugh, but Travis didn’t. While his laughter bounced toward the canyon walls, he stepped forward with his hand outstretched.

“Hi, I’m Travis Baynes.” Still grinning, he motioned toward Kasi. “This is my wife, Kassandra, and our children. The young man is Zachary, otherwise known as Zack. Our daughter is Alexandria. We call her Zandra.” He shrugged. “My wife has a thing about Zs.”

Blake liked him instantly. They shook hands, and Blake said, “I’m Blake Donovan. I met Tessa several weeks ago and followed her here. I figure if I keep showing up, she’ll get used to me eventually.”

Travis looked from Blake to Tessa and back. “So you two just met?”

Blake grinned at the frown on Tessa’s face and shook his head. “Nah, we’re old friends.”

“I see.” Travis fell into step with Blake as the group moved toward the trail leading to the natural amphitheater.

The boys swarmed around the men and ran a few feet ahead while the women followed. Blake could hear Tessa’s low voice and her friend’s response, but he couldn’t understand any words. Maybe it was best he didn’t know what they said. At least she hadn’t called security when he showed up.

“So Tessa didn’t expect you tonight.”

Blake grinned at Travis’s attempt at prying. “Doesn’t look that way.” He watched Rob’s easy stride ahead. “In fact, I may have been set up.”

Travis grinned. “Got some young matchmakers?”

Blake nodded. “Could be.”

“So how long have you known Tessa?”

Hmm, Travis must be long in bluntness and short in tact. Blake appreciated that Tessa had concerned friends. He suppressed a grin and answered, “More than ten years. We met at a party not long after she moved here. We dated off and on for a year or so, and then I joined the navy. We lost contact until a few weeks ago when she walked into my restaurant in Oklahoma.”

Mentioning his restaurant brought more questions, and by the time they reached their seats, Blake sensed Travis’s acceptance. At least he took Kasi’s hand and left Blake to sit beside Tessa with the women in the middle and the kids in the row in front of them.

Carved from Palo Duro Canyon, the beautiful natural basin where they sat formed an outdoor amphitheater that made the perfect backdrop for the musical. Blake slipped his arm around Tessa’s shoulders as a horseback rider appeared on top of the high cliff. The rider raised the Texas flag, letting it unfurl behind him as he raced around the crest of the canyon walls. Each time he saw the show, Blake’s pride in his home state rose with the swelling music, while the sky came alive in an impressive fireworks display.

His arm tightened around Tessa as she relaxed against him. He watched the bright lights from the stage reflect in her wide eyes, and he lost interest in the story unfolding in front of them. She turned and met his gaze, her lips turning up at the corners. A grin began at the corner of his mouth. His heart leapt with the dancers onstage. She didn’t mind him being there.

While the evening air kept Tessa in the circle of his arm where she belonged, warmth flooded Blake’s heart. He had never loved another woman as he now loved Tessa. Why hadn’t she been this way eleven years before? He loved her beauty, her zest for life, and the way she put her boys first before herself. But more than anything, he loved the peace he saw in her eyes. A peace that made this Tessa so different from the girl he had known before. With his mind full of the woman beside him, Blake scarcely watched the actors depict the historical settlement of the Texas Panhandle. More quickly than he expected or wanted, the show ended.

Back at the parking lot, Blake released Tessa’s hand while she stepped aside to tell Kasi good-bye. Travis was helping his sleepy daughter settle in their car, so Blake waited for Tessa at her car. Rob walked up and leaned against the car near Blake.

“Mom doesn’t want me to learn to drive.”

“Is that the straight of it?” Blake figured this story might have another side. He looked across the trunk of the car at Tessa’s startled eyes and knew she had heard.

“Yeah, I’m doing the lessons, but she won’t let me take the test.”

Tessa rounded the back of her car. “That isn’t entirely true, Rob. I don’t mind you learning to drive.”

“So I can go Monday and take the test?” Rob challenged her. “I’m ready.”

“I don’t know, Rob. You’ve got plenty of time for driving, don’t you think? You’re only fifteen. Driving a car is a big responsibility.”

“Everyone drives at fifteen, Mom. I’ll bet you even did.”

Tessa shook her head. “No, I didn’t. My mom didn’t have a car then. I got my license when I was eighteen.”

Rob groaned. “I am not waiting three more years. You can forget that idea.”

“I didn’t mean that,” Tessa protested. “I just meant that you need to show more responsibility. I’m afraid you won’t understand the importance of treating a car like a dangerous tool rather than a toy.”

“Oh Mom.” Rob folded his arms and scowled.

Blake cleared his throat. “Maybe your mom has the right idea, Rob. You know she’d hate to scrape you up off the pavement.”

Rob deepened his scowl. “Not you, too.”

Blake held up his hand. “Hear me out here. How about if you and your mom came to an agreement? Set a time limit and if you show her how responsible you can be in that time, you get to take the test?”

Rob’s arms relaxed and his frown cleared. “You mean like keeping my room clean?”

Blake’s eyebrows raised, and he took a step back. “You mean you don’t already?”

Rob laughed, and Blake laughed with him. “Okay, keep your room clean, take out the garbage, have a decent meal ready for your mom when she comes home at lunch. Wouldn’t hurt to have dinner started for her each evening, too. What do you think, Mom?”

Tessa smiled and nodded.

“Rob?”

Rob shrugged. “Sure, I can do all that. I’m not a little kid.”

Tessa stuck her hand out to Rob. “Shall we shake on it? I’ll try to figure out all the details tomorrow and let you know what to cook. Actually, I think this is an excellent idea. I should have had you guys helping more all along.”

Rob grinned and shook his mom’s hand. “You need to put Seth and Derek to work, too.”

“I’ll do that.” Tessa glanced at Blake. “But for now, it’s getting late. I think we’d better call it a night.”

Blake could have stood there for hours watching the moonlight dance in Tessa’s eyes. She was right though. The boys needed to be at home in bed, and they still had a thirty-minute drive ahead of them. He watched Rob go around the car to hassle his brothers about cleaning the house.

“They’re good kids, Blake.”

He turned back to her. “Of course they are.”

“They are so much better than I deserve.”

“You deserve the best.”

She gave a soft laugh. “I deserve death, yet Jesus gave me life while He died in my place.”

Blake didn’t respond, but his chest tightened at her words. After a moment, he said, “I want to follow you back to Amarillo.”

Tessa shook her head. “You don’t have to, Blake. I’m used to going alone.”

“I know, but there’s no reason for you to.” He caught her hand and brought it to his lips for a quick kiss. “Not as long as I’m here. Would you care if Rob rides with me?”

“No.” Tessa stared at him, her eyes wide. “Not if he wants to.”

Rob appeared behind her. “Sure, I’d like to.”

Tessa nodded. “Okay. I’ll see you at the house.”

All the way home, Blake’s headlights assured Tessa he was there. She couldn’t remember ever feeling so secure on the highway. She didn’t know what to do about Blake. Depending on him could be addictive. Loving him would be so easy. But what of Derek? Could she share her son with his father? If she did, would she lose them both?

Almost two weeks later Rob took the test for his permit and passed. He practically skipped back to the car. “Mom, I have to drive to learn, so you’re going to let me now, aren’t you?”

Tessa handed over her car keys with a prayer in her heart. “I guess we can be thankful we have an automatic transmission. I learned on a five-speed. Talk about being a real jerk.”

Rob laughed. “Cute, Mom.”

They were halfway home when Rob turned the wrong way.

“Hey, have you forgotten where we live? And you were doing so well.”

“Thanks.” Rob’s face beamed with pleasure at her praise. “I’m going to Blake’s.”

The blood drained from Tessa’s face. “You mean his mom’s house?”

“No, his new restaurant. What’s wrong? You look like you saw a ghost.”

“I’m fine.” Relief that she wouldn’t be facing Blake’s mother made Tessa weak. How silly to be so scared of a mere woman.

Rob turned into the parking lot of Blake’s future restaurant and stopped near the building. Tessa sighed. “You go on in. I’ll wait here.”

While Rob went into the old brick building, Tessa leaned against the seat and closed her eyes. She didn’t know why she dreaded seeing Blake’s mother. They’d lived in the same town for years but had never crossed paths other than at a distance. Mrs. Donovan would never recognize her anyway, but she didn’t want to take the chance. She’d never forgotten how she had called her names and ordered her to leave that day eleven years ago.

“Wow! So you passed the first time.” Blake’s voice drifted to the car. “I’m proud of you, Rob, for doing so well on the test but mostly for helping your mom out. I hope that doesn’t stop now.”

“Nah,” Rob said. “I kinda like cooking.”

“Maybe when you’re older, you can go to work for me.” Blake leaned against the open car window and looked inside. “Tessa, why don’t you come in and see what I’m doing?”

“Yeah, Mom, it’s pretty neat.”

Tessa couldn’t think of a good excuse not to, so she got out of the car. Blake took her hand and didn’t let go even after they were inside. He pointed out the new wall he’d just finished that separated the kitchen from the large dining room.

Blake had started painting a dark blue on the walls of a smaller room he said would be the arcade. He talked about the games he would install and then showed them the video section.

“I’ll build a wall here to separate these two areas from the dining room. What do you think?”

“Looks like you’ve got a good start.” Tessa realized he was far from finished.

“Yeah.” Blake turned back to the dining room. “This will be my biggest draw. There isn’t enough room here for bumper cars, but I plan to put in a bar against that wall. I should be able to squeeze in a small dance floor to the side of it. I’ll be keeping some late hours, but it should be worth it.”

Tessa stared at the empty wall, visualized a bar with alcohol flowing free, and shuddered. She had been held in the grip of hard liquor long enough to know she wanted no part of a bar. If Blake served alcohol, she would not allow her boys to come near the place. How could she tell him so he would understand?

Finally she said, “I don’t know, Blake. I think you need to make this family oriented so everyone will feel welcome. You’re missing a large group of people otherwise.”

“Of course.” Blake glanced toward his planned arcade. “It will be. You’d be surprised how many kids will make this a regular hangout. Families, too. I don’t think you need to worry about the customers. They’ll show up.”

But her boys wouldn’t. Even if they wanted to, she wouldn’t let them. If she hadn’t already known, seeing what Blake had in mind for his restaurant would have told her their values were too different for more than casual friendship. She turned toward the door with a heavy heart. She would have to keep her distance from Blake. Her heart broke at the thought.

T
essa snapped the lid back on the empty flour canister. Rob had been cooking again. She needed to take cookies to the singles’ Bible study tomorrow night, and Rob had used her ingredients for the cookies he and his brothers ate up as fast as he pulled them from the oven. A smile tugged at her mouth. This was Blake’s fault. Encouraging her son to cook. Who would have guessed Rob could learn so quickly and love it as much as he obviously did?

An unexpected thought entered her mind, and she leaned against the kitchen counter for support. Could Rob’s sudden interest in cooking be a bid for attention from the only man she had allowed into their lives since he was a small child? Regret twisted her insides. She understood God’s plan for families now in a way she had not considered when Robbie was born. Back then her only goal was obtaining acceptance and what she thought was love. Truthfully, she had found neither until she found Christ.