CHAPTER 9
Ean sat at the dining-room table Thursday night, staring hard at his mother’s boyfriend. Most people would find it hard not to like Leonard George. Ean wasn’t most people. As a high school quarterback, he’d thought his coach had been great, second only to his father. Now that the man was dating his mother, he didn’t like him at all. He drained his glass of iced tea, wishing the beverage was a cold beer and the evening was over.
“Why don’t we relax in the living room while we enjoy our desserts?” Doreen’s smile seemed forced.
Tension returned to Ean’s neck and shoulders. He’d thought the evening would end after dinner. He’d been wrong. Ean carried the serving tray of Trinity Falls Fudge Walnut Brownie, which his mother had made for dessert. He dutifully followed his mother, Leonard and Megan into the living room. A surreptitious glance at his watch showed the time to be seven-thirty. How much longer would this event last?
Doreen and Leonard sat, thigh to thigh, on the dark pink love seat to his left. He avoided looking at their linked hands. Megan had chosen the overstuffed armchair and ottoman opposite the matching sofa, on which he’d settled.
“This brownie is fabulous, Doreen.” Megan speared another forkful of the dessert.
Leonard’s laughter forewarned another joke. “It must have been great growing up with a mother who baked like this. But it’s a good thing you played football, otherwise you would’ve gotten fat.”
Ean lifted his gaze to find Megan’s encouraging smile. He wouldn’t have made it through the evening without her. “You’re right.”
Leonard gestured toward him with his fork. “You look like you kept up your training. Did you work out in New York?”
His former coach had been asking let’s-get-reacquainted questions all evening. How had Ean enjoyed Georgetown University? What was his favorite part of attending law school at New York University? Ean would have been fine with those questions—if he wanted to get reacquainted with his coach. He didn’t.
“I still run and lift weights.” Ean felt Megan’s eyes on him. Was she remembering their jog through Freedom Park? He’d never forget it.
Doreen glowed with pride. “He attended Georgetown on an academic scholarship.”
“I remember.” Leonard smiled a little too long at Doreen.
“Of course you do.” Doreen touched Leonard’s arm with too much familiarity.
Leonard finally seemed to remember he and Doreen weren’t alone. “Ean, maybe you could come to a couple of Heritage High games.”
The silence in the living room was absolute. Everyone seemed to be holding his or her breath, waiting for Ean’s reaction. Tension drilled down his neck. Dinner with Leonard in the company of his mother and Megan was bad enough. Attending the coach’s football games would imply he approved of Leonard’s relationship with his mother. He didn’t.
“Maybe.” Ean stretched forward, setting his empty glass on the serving tray. Hopefully, Leonard would forget his invitation.
But the idea had been planted and Leonard was persistent. “The kids would get a kick out of it. You’re a legend at the school. You conquered Trinity Falls. Then you conquered New York.”
What was his former coach talking about? “I didn’t conquer anything.”
“Yes, you did.” Leonard insisted. “It’ll be fun for you and the kids. And it’ll give us a chance to get reacquainted.”
Ean’s gaze dropped to Leonard’s fingers intertwined with his mother’s. The coach appeared to make Doreen happy. He wouldn’t get in the way of that. But their relationship didn’t mean he and Leonard had to be friends.
He spoke with finality. “Coach, I’m not making any plans right now.”
“Call me Leo.” Leonard’s smile wavered. “I understand. You just got back to Trinity Falls. You’re settling in, trying to get back into the community.” He stood as he checked his watch. “It’s late.” Leonard helped Doreen to her feet.
She frowned at Ean before cupping the side of Leonard’s face. “Thank you for coming, Leo.”
Leonard’s good humor was restored. “It was fun, Dorie.”
Dorie?
Ean stood from the sofa, fearful that his dinner might come back up. He gathered the dessert plates and empty glasses onto the serving tray, and turned to carry the load back to the kitchen.
“I should be going, too.” Megan’s voice carried from across the room.
Ean looked at her over his shoulder. “Wait for me. I’ll walk you home.”
“It’s only three blocks, Ean. I’ll be fine.” Megan crossed to kiss Doreen’s cheek and give Leonard a hug.
Doreen took the tray from Ean and gave it to Leonard. “Leo and I will handle the cleanup. I’d feel better if you took Megan home.”
“Sure.” The evening had taken a turn for the better. Was it getting out of kitchen duty or the prospect of being alone with Megan, even if it was only for three blocks?
Megan accepted her purse and navy coat from his mother. “Thanks again for dinner and dessert, Doreen. They were both delicious.”
Ean stepped forward to help Megan with her coat.
“Thank you.” She gave him a long, slow blink and the world slowed down.
Ean came out of his trance. “You’re welcome.”
In silence, he followed Megan through the front door and down the steps. The early-November night was cool with a brisk, late-fall breeze. A deep breath brought the scent of moist earth and the advent of winter. Sidewalks were lit only by their neighbors’ porch lights. Halloween decorations were still on display a week later. They hung next to the sesquicentennial banners.
It was so quiet here. Ean enjoyed the silence and the comfortable presence of the woman walking beside him. No honking horns, emergency sirens, blaring television programs or driving rock music. He could hear himself think.
“Do you suppose your mother’s making out with Coach Leo, now that we’ve left?”
Megan’s question drew a mental picture Ean could do without. “I’d rather not think about it.”
Her soft laughter blended into the evening. “I was just joking.”
“That’s not funny.” Ean resisted the urge—just barely—to wrap his arm around her waist and draw her closer to him. “Thank you again for coming. Your presence really did make a difference.”
“You’re welcome. You did well.”
He basked in her praise. “Until the end of the evening.”
Megan’s throaty chuckle strummed across Ean’s abdominal muscles. “Leo can be a little pushy.”
“That’s a nice way of wording it.”
“Don’t worry.” Megan patted Ean’s arm. “Well, at least not until he shows up on your doorstep next football Friday night.”
Ean felt her warmth even through his coat sleeve. He ached with the desire to press her hand to his arm.
“Let’s change the subject.” Ean put his hand on Megan’s shoulder. He dropped it when he felt her tension through his fingertips. “I’m sorry. I forgot that you don’t like to be touched.”
“It depends on who’s doing the touching.” Her voice was wry. “How’s Ramona?”
Ean smiled at her pointed question. “She’s your cousin. You tell me.” He looked both ways before they crossed the street.
Megan forged ahead, picking up the pace. “Don’t play games, Ean. Have you two gotten back together?”
“I’ve only been home a couple of weeks.”
“So?”
“She left me six years ago, remember?”
“Still, you probably should have invited her to dinner at your mother’s house tonight instead of me.”
Ean again recalled his mother’s comment: “It may surprise you to know that Ramona isn’t my first choice for you or my second. Or my tenth.”
“I don’t think so.” Ean shook off the memory. “By the way, I enjoyed watching you stand up to Ramona.”
Megan’s gaze flew back to his. “When did I do that?”
Ean’s brows knitted in confusion. “During your store’s Halloween costume party. You made her take responsibility for hiring Stan. Not one of her better ideas.”
Megan gave him her slow blink. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Why did she seem surprised by what he’d said?
She was silent, seemingly lost in her thoughts until they arrived at her home. What was on her mind?
“Thank you for walking home with me.” Megan led them up the winding walkway to her front steps. She’d left her porch light on.
“It was my pleasure.” And he meant it. He’d enjoyed the sound of her laughter, her gentle voice and serene silences.
Megan lifted her winged brows above her chocolate eyes. “You may not be as pleased if Ramona finds out you escorted me home.”
“She’d rather I let you walk by yourself at night?” He stood only an arm’s length from her. It wasn’t close enough.
Megan chuckled as though he’d said the silliest thing she’d ever heard. “You must have forgotten how possessive Ramona can be.”
“She broke up with me.”
“But she’s not done with you.”
Ean held her gaze. “What if I was done with her, Megan?”
“What do you mean?”
He knew of one way to clear up her confusion. He stepped forward and lowered his head to hers. Megan’s eyes widened and her mouth parted in surprise. Ean touched the tip of his tongue to her top, then bottom lip. They were soft and sweet. He laid his mouth on hers and swept his tongue inside. Megan trembled against him. Ean wrapped his arms around her to comfort and reassure. The feel of her body in his embrace—even through the layers of clothing—drew a primitive response from him. He was man. She was woman. His body shook in reaction.
Megan pushed away from him. She mounted the bottom step before facing him. The boost in height put them at eye level. “That was a mistake.”
Not to him. “Why?”
Megan started to respond, then seemed to change her mind. She turned and climbed the steps. “Good night, Ean.”
He caught her wrist to stop her. Her pulse fluttered beneath his thumb. “Tell me why you think my kissing you was a mistake.”
“You think Ramona stayed in Trinity Falls because she broke up with you?” Megan whispered the question.
“She did.”
“You’re wrong. She’d always intended to go back to you.”
When Megan turned to leave this time, Ean let his hand fall free. Not because he wanted to, but because she’d caught him by surprise.
He remained on her walkway until Megan entered her house. When he heard her lock her door, he began the return trip to his home.
Ramona had intended to restart their relationship? Interesting. Maybe things would have been different six years ago. But he didn’t have feelings for Ramona any longer. What would it take to convince her of that? How could he convince Megan?