“If you’re screwing up, you should be grateful I’m giving you the chance to change direction.”

  “We haven’t even played our first game, Gabe. Are you looking for a scapegoat already?”

  Gabe chuckled and shook his head. “I’m not going to need a scapegoat, Melvin. We’re going to win. You can either help me do that or get out of my way.”

  “You think your big head will be enough to pull this team through?”

  “Still dealing with some residual envy?” Gabe said.

  “What’s to envy?” Blaine replied. “I can walk.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  HANNAH sat in her driveway, staring at the light gleaming through the window of her own living room. Russ’s Jeep was parked at the curb. She knew he had to be waiting for her and didn’t want to talk to him, not with Gabe’s T-shirt stuffed in her purse and her skin still sensitive and tingly from his touch.

  She hoped her ex-husband would give up and leave, but as the minutes dragged by, she knew that wasn’t going to happen. Unless she was willing to drive off for a while, he’d see her the second he stepped outside, anyway.

  Taking a deep breath, she dropped her keys in her purse, forced the zipper to close despite Gabe’s shirt and got out. Somehow she had to get through the next few minutes. But she knew it wasn’t going to be easy. She could still smell Gabe on her skin and clothes. Surely everyone in the room would know by the guilt on her face exactly how she’d spent her afternoon the moment she tried to explain that she’d gone out to Gabe’s cabin to wash windows.

  How long had Russ and the boys been home? Maybe she could say she went for a long drive. That was sort of true. No one needed to know she’d even seen Gabe.

  “There you are,” Russ said as soon as she walked through the door. He was sitting on her couch, which was pretty much where he’d spent most their married life, drinking one of the beers she kept in the fridge for Patti.

  “Sorry I’m home so late,” she said. “I wasn’t sure when to expect you back.”

  “We didn’t know we had to submit a schedule if we wanted to find you again. Where the hell have you been?”

  “Hi, Mommy.” Brent hurried over to give her a hug as she put her purse on the small table inside the front door.

  “You don’t have the right to ask me that, remember?” she said to Russ while giving her son a squeeze. “We’re not married anymore.”

  “I have a right to know where you are when I’m trying to return the boys.”

  “Why? Obviously, Kenny had his key to the house, or you wouldn’t be here, drinking my beer and watching my TV. He’s old enough to sit with Brent until I get home.” She glanced around, looking for her oldest son, but didn’t see him. “Where is Kenny?”

  “In his room.”

  “Is he okay?”

  Russ shrugged. “He’s fine. Just mad.”

  Hannah walked over and turned off the television. Finding Russ on her couch was bringing back some of the old helpless, I-can’t-escape feelings she’d had during her marriage. “Why?”

  “Mom, I was watching that,” Brent complained.

  “It’s getting late,” she told him. “Go take your bath and get in bed. I’ll tuck you in later.”

  Brent grumbled some more but finally left, and Hannah turned back to Russ. “Why’s Kenny upset?”

  “Because I made him go over to Sly’s house and apologize.”

  Hannah stiffened, but quickly reminded herself that as Kenny’s father, Russ had the right to get involved. Still, it was difficult not to resent the fact that she hadn’t been consulted when she typically took care of Kenny’s every need and had already been dealing with Sly’s mother. “You know it was his fault?” she asked.

  “Of course. He hit first, didn’t he?”

  Russ finished his beer, then belched and crushed the can. When he set it on the accent table next to her couch, Hannah almost snapped at him to get up and throw it away instead of leaving it there. But she wanted him to leave as soon as possible, preferably without an argument, so she bit her tongue. The less said, the better.

  “I wasn’t sure how it happened,” she said. “Did Kenny explain it to you?”

  “He wouldn’t say much. But he admits to throwing the first punch, and I won’t have a son of mine—”

  For a split second, Hannah thought he was going to say, “picking fights,” and was prepared to be mildly impressed. But she should’ve known better.

  “—doing anything that could hurt his chances to play football.”

  “You’re teaching him to take care of number one, I see.”

  “Sly is Blaine’s nephew,” he said, as if that somehow justified his behavior.

  “So? There’re more important issues at hand here, Russ. Dealing with anger and feelings of aggression. Solving problems in a constructive manner. Character issues Kenny could carry with him into adulthood.”

  “Yeah, well, I want to see him carry a football into adulthood.”

  Hannah’s mind reached for the memory of Gabe’s kiss as she strived for patience—positive to balance the negative. “You need to quit pushing him, Russ. If he continues with football, it has to be his dream, not yours. Kenny has a great mind. There’re a lot of paths for him to choose from.”

  “He wants to play football, and you know it.”

  “Why are you here?” she asked. “So we can have the same tired argument we have all the time?”

  He shoved a hand through his thinning hair. “No, I…” He seemed to struggle for words, which wasn’t something he did very often.

  “What?”

  “I wanted to ask you to stand by me for a change.”

  Stand by him? She’d stood by him for twelve years—until he’d completely annihilated all the positive feelings she’d ever had toward him. But…he looked pretty sincere today and, for her boys’ sake, she couldn’t give up hope that he might change. She didn’t want to let Brent and Kenny down if her cooperation might make a difference. “How?”

  “Tell Kenny that I’m only trying to help him. I’m his old man, I love him.”

  “He knows you love him, Russ.”

  “But I don’t have any credibility when it comes to him. He…he pays more attention to what you tell him. He…respects you.”

  Maybe Russ was reaping the rewards of his own actions, but Hannah couldn’t help feeling sorry for him. She would be heartbroken to think that her sons didn’t respect her. “What do you want me to say to him?”

  “Tell him I know what I’m talking about when it comes to football.”

  Football again. Hannah didn’t like the importance Russ placed on this one issue, but she supposed supporting him when it came to sports wasn’t too much to ask. He knew more about football than she did. “I’ll tell him you have his best interests at heart,” she said.

  “That’s not exactly what I meant.”

  “Sorry, no blanket endorsements.”

  “What happened to that soft heart of yours?”

  “You took advantage of it.”

  He grabbed the ball cap he’d left on the arm of the couch. “Where were you today?”

  She cleared her throat as guilt washed over her again. She wanted to believe she’d done what she’d done for Gabe’s sake. But deep down she knew making love with Gabe was exactly what she’d wanted for a long time, and the fact that she hadn’t been disappointed somehow made it worse. “I went for a drive.”

  “Where?”

  “Up in the mountains. It was nice, refreshing.”

  “Must’ve been. I’ve never seen you look prettier.”

  Hannah’s cheeks burned. “Thanks.”

  “Any chance you might like to—”

  “No, I’m sorry,” she said before he could even finish. She knew he was going to ask her out. He still did that, occasionally. But she had no desire to be with him and knew better than to give him, or their boys, any false hope.

  “Right.” He nodded. “Okay, well, I’d better go.”

  He crossed the room and stepped outside. She followed to say goodbye and lock up, but he came to a sudden stop. “What’s Gabe doing here?” he asked.

  Hannah’s jaw dropped as she leaned around Russ to see that Gabe had pulled into her drive. Lazarus was in the back of his truck—along with the chair she wanted.

  * * *

  GABE HAD SEEN Russ’s car, knew Hannah’s ex-husband was at her house and that meeting up with him might not be the most comfortable of moments. But he wasn’t about to turn around without fulfilling the reason he’d driven all the way to town. After speaking to Blaine, he’d called Mike—and learned that Josh and Rebecca had spotted Blaine having breakfast with Kenny and Russ at the diner a week ago. He needed to warn Kenny not to get involved with Blaine, just in case.

  Lazarus jumped out as soon as Gabe released the tailgate. Then Gabe started pulling the chair he’d brought for Hannah toward him by the legs, so he could lift it to the ground.

  Russ reached him before he could manage it. “What’s this?”

  Gabe didn’t answer. He didn’t owe Hannah’s ex any explanation.

  Hannah glanced up from where she’d knelt to pet Lazarus. “It’s a chair.”

  “I can see it’s a chair,” Russ said. “What’s it doing here?”

  “It’s mine.”

  “You bought this and had Gabe pick it up for you?”

  Hannah stood up and moved closer. “He built it. He makes all kinds of furniture. Isn’t it great?”

  Gabe nearly smiled at the enthusiasm in her voice. She really liked the chair. He’d caught her sitting in it on his porch, had even heard her tell Ashleigh how cool she thought it was.

  Russ stepped forward as Gabe lifted it over his head. “Looks like you need some help with that.”

  “I’ve got it,” Gabe said.

  “But—”

  Gabe shimmied his hands up the frame of the chair to lower it.

  “Okay.” Russ backed up a step as Gabe set it on the ground. “So you can move furniture. Great. Is this a gift or…or what?”

  The jealousy in Russ’s voice and posture wasn’t difficult to detect. Gabe looked to Hannah. This was her ex-husband; he wanted to let her handle the situation.

  “It’s a trade,” she said.

  “What kind of trade?”

  “Just a trade.” She stepped toward Russ’s Jeep. “Thanks for taking the boys today.”

  Ignoring her broad hint that he leave, he glanced at Gabe. “It’s been a long time since Gabe and I have had a chance to talk. Mind if I come inside so we can catch up?”

  “Not tonight,” Hannah said. “I’ll see you next week when you pick up the boys.”

  Hearing this dismissal, Gabe lifted the chair and held it upside down on his head with one hand while pushing his wheelchair up the drive with the other.

  “Want me to—” Russ started to skirt past Hannah, but she caught his arm and drew him even more pointedly toward his Jeep.

  “Gabe’s got it.”

  A few seconds later, Gabe heard the engine start. Then, Russ tossed him a frown and pulled away.

  When Hannah came up the walk, Gabe couldn’t help running his eyes over her and remembering what a sweet, sensitive lover she’d been. He knew that what had happened today had changed him, stolen some of the drive he’d been fighting to keep. But he couldn’t regret it. Yet. Maybe he would tomorrow, when the memories weren’t quite so fresh.

  “Is this where you want it?” he asked, indicating the spot by her front door where he’d put the chair.

  She smiled. “For now. When the weather gets colder, I’ll probably move it into the studio. I’m going to take bunny pictures with it next spring.”

  “For Playboy?” he teased. “Make sure you send me one of those.”

  “I’m talking about kids!”

  “Oh, real bunnies.”

  She chuckled at the disappointment he’d injected into his voice, then sobered when their eyes met. “You probably shouldn’t have brought it here yet,” she said.

  “Why not?”

  “I’ve only made you two meals.”

  He straightened the chair a little, then shrugged. “You’ll make more.”

  “Actually, I’m not sure that’d be too smart.”

  Only the shadow of the porch light fell on her face, but he could tell she looked troubled. “Why not?”

  She cleared her throat. “I might want dessert.”

  He grinned. “Something tells me you’re not talking about chocolate-covered strawberries.”

  “No.”

  He pretended to put some thought into her response. “Personally, I like plenty of dessert.”

  “But I can’t afford it in my life right now,” she whispered.

  She was scared. Hell, so was he. They were both feeling vulnerable. But he knew, after what had happened, they probably wouldn’t be able to stop seeing each other anytime soon. Once those barriers came down—and they were certainly down now—it was too hard to prop them up again.

  “Okay,” he said simply. He wasn’t going to push her. She needed time to work through her reservations.

  Once he gave in, she didn’t seem to know how to respond. “So…do you still want to come in?”

  “If you don’t mind. I actually came over to talk to Kenny.”

  “Kenny?” She blushed. “You let me go through that whole thing thinking—you let me make a fool of myself!”

  “You didn’t make a fool of yourself. I enjoyed what happened today, too.”

  “I didn’t enjoy it that much,” she said, but he knew it was only to get back at him.

  He cocked his head to the side as he looked up at her. “You called it dessert.”

  “I know, but…” She laughed and shook her head. “God, you’re…”

  “Bad?”

  “Cocky!”

  “Fortunately, you don’t mind.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Just tell me you’re not having a problem with Kenny. Why do you want to talk to him?”

  “It’s probably nothing to worry about,” he said, hoping that was true. They lived in such a small town it wasn’t inconceivable that Russ and Blaine would meet for breakfast as friends. And maybe the fight between Sly and Kenny simply stemmed from the usual teenager-type angst. Neither event proved anything. “I want to discuss last night’s fight. We’re going into our first game in a few days. I need to make sure the team puts their personal squabbles aside.”

  “Right. Okay. Well, Russ made Kenny go over to Sly’s and apologize today. That should help.”

  “Maybe,” he said.

  “Mommy?” Hannah’s youngest son had opened the screen door and poked his head out. “Who’s here?”

  Hannah gave him the evil eye. “Brent, aren’t you supposed to be in bed?”

  “But who’s here?”

  “It’s Coach Holbrook.”

  “Kenny’s football coach?”

  “Yes. Can you please remember your manners and say, ‘It’s nice to meet you?’”

  Brent didn’t respond because he’d spotted Lazarus at the edge of the yard. “Is that your dog?” he asked excitedly.

  Gabe nodded, and Brent burst out onto the porch. “Can I pet him? Please?”

  Lazarus was busy marking the trees and bushes. When Gabe whistled, the dog hurried over, and Brent immediately went down on his knees.

  “He’s big!” he squealed, then fell over giggling as Lazarus proceeded to lick his cheeks.

  “I want a dog,” Brent said, only halfheartedly protecting his face.

  “You have a rat,” Hannah said.

  “A rat isn’t as good as a dog. Look, Mom! He loves me.”

  “You can have a dog when you get a couple years older.”

  “Kenny’s older,” Brent said.

  Gabe thought Brent had a pretty good point, but Hannah had an answer for that, too.

  “Kenny’s a teenager. He’s gone a lot.”

  Brent rolled away and tried to get up, but Lazarus wasn’t finished with him yet. A moment later, he fell down laughing again. “How old…do I have…to be?”

  “At least ten,” she replied.

  Gabe called Lazarus off, and Brent finally sat up. “Then can I have a big dog like Coach Holbrook’s? Please, Mom? This is the best dog I ever saw.”

  Gabe couldn’t help smiling at the grass in the boy’s mussed hair—and feeling a little sorry for Hannah. She cared so much about her kids, she’d probably break down and get Brent a dog before another week was out, even though she had too much on her plate already. “Dogs are a lot of work,” he said, trying to throw a little support her way. “Especially Alaskan Malamutes. They’re typically friendly, but they’re pack animals. You have to establish yourself right away as the dominant figure in their life.”

  “I could be a—a—what is it?” Brent said.

  Gabe chuckled. “A dominant figure.”

  “I could be one of those,” Brent said with more confidence than Gabe had expected.

  “When you’re ten or so, it’ll be easier,” he insisted.

  “Can I take him inside, to my room?”

  “For a few minutes, if it’s okay with your mom.”

  Brent checked with Hannah, and she nodded. “Come on, boy,” he said.

  Lazarus followed Brent as far as the door, then paused to look back at Gabe. When Gabe nodded, the dog disappeared inside the house with his new friend.

  “I wish my boys were as obedient as your dog,” Hannah said.

  “Boys are a little harder to train.”

  She gave him half a smile before opening the door. “I’ll see if Kenny’s still awake. Are you coming in?”

  Gabe pictured trying to talk to Kenny with her possibly overhearing the entire conversation and decided to stay where he was. “Actually, maybe Kenny and I could have a few minutes alone out here on the porch.”

  She hesitated. “You’re sure everything’s okay?”

  He could tell that she was used to carrying the whole load when it came to the worry and care of her boys. He sympathized and tried to reassure her. “He’s a good boy. He’ll be fine.”

  “Okay.” She slipped inside, and he felt some concern of his own. She’d trusted him that easily—but if Kenny let him down…