Cross Country Chaos

Divorced mom Kelly Alexander wants her younger son, Denny, who is in a wheelchair due to spina bifida, to participate in sports. Kelly finds out about the Junior National Disability Games, but they're in Spokane, Washington, a continent away from her Florida home. She's clueless about what to do next.

Mart Rawlings is a single, handsome wheelchair athlete who volunteers to coach Denny and helps him qualify--and falls hard for Kelly. But past heartache over her cheating ex fuels Kelly's reluctance to get personally involved with him.

Kelly must survive a grueling cross country drive to Nationals with her sons and mother, but more importantly, can she make herself take a chance on love?

Cross Country Chaos is a funny, passionate, and at times cringingly honest story of healing broken hearts, rebuilding trust, finding love in unexpected places, and realizing sometimes the greatest disability is between a person's ears, not their body.

Sensuality Rating:SENSUAL
Genre: Chick Lit/Hen Lit/Contemporary
Length: 100,000 words

Cross Country Chaos

Lesli Richardson

ROMANCE

www.BookStrand.com

ABOUT THE E-BOOK YOU HAVE PURCHASED: Your non-refundable purchase of this e-book allows you to one LEGAL copy for your own personal use. It is ILLEGAL to send your copy to anyone else. This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to a file sharing peer to peer program, for free or for a fee, or as a prize in any contest. Such action is illegal and in violation of the U.S. Copyright Law. Distribution of this e-book, in whole or in part, online, offline, in print or in any way or any other method currently known or yet to be invented, is forbidden without the prior written permission of both the publisher and the copyright owner of this book. When you no longer want this book, it must be deleted from your computer.

A SIREN-BOOKSTRAND TITLE

IMPRINT: Romance

CROSS COUNTRY CHAOS

Copyright © 2009 by Lesli Richardson

E-book ISBN: 1-60601-282-7

First E-book Publication: February 2009

Cover design by Jinger Heaston

All cover art and logo copyright © 2009 by Siren-BookStrand, Inc.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER

www.BookStrand.com

DEDICATION

This one’s for The Boo.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

While this is a work of fiction, the medical conditions, terminology, depictions of people with disabilities, adaptive sports, and related situations are realistic and based on fact. Sometimes attitude is the greatest disability.

The people and events in this novel are fictitious. I am the mother of a wheelchair athlete with spina bifida, and I did take a cross country drive with my son in a Honda Element from Florida to Spokane. Fortunately, the similarities to my life and Kelly’s end there. My son is lucky that not only is my ex-husband an active co-parent in his life, he’s the one who got him into adaptive sports in the first place, and has put in countless hours tirelessly helping out with youth adaptive sports.

Unfortunately, there are many “Kellys” out there, women who find their partners bail on them and their disabled child when the going gets tough. I’ve met plenty of them over the years.

If you’d like more information on youth adaptive sports, you can visit the links section of my website at: http://www.leslirichardson.com

CROSS COUNTRY CHAOS

LESLI RICHARDSON

Copyright © 2009

Chapter One

Kelly forced herself to relax her grip on the phone. “What do you mean you’re not taking the boys camping?” She tried to keep her voice level, but it wasn’t easy. Talking to David always taxed her patience.

“Look, I have to go to this…conference. I won’t have any other time to take them this summer.” From the way he hesitated, she knew he was lying.

“I’ll bet Bernice is going with you to your ‘conference,’ isn’t she?”

“You know her name is Beatrice.”

“Whatever. So you’ll take a trip with your girlfriend, but not with your sons?”

“Kelly, how am I supposed to take Denny camping? Paulie, yes. But Denny?”

“Maybe if you spent more time with them, you’d see how easy it is to take Denny camping. He can get around just as well as Paulie.”

“In a wheelchair? Kelly—”

“You know what, David? Never mind. You weren’t here for the boys when we were married, so why should I expect you to be here for them now?” Kelly slammed the receiver down hard enough to shake the table and fought the urge to scream.

A noise startled her, and she spun around. Paulie stood in the living room doorway. How much had he heard?

“Hi, honey.”

“Dad canceled the trip, didn’t he?”

She sighed and nodded.

“Denny’ll be upset,” he said. At twelve, he was wise beyond his years.

She hugged him. “We’ll do something,” she promised.

Kelly had thought the divorce would be harder on Paulie because he was older, but she was wrong. Denny took it harder because he didn’t have as many bad memories. He experienced “super dad” every other weekend—when “super dad” wasn’t busy “working.”

Paulie, however, remembered more of the bad times than his little brother. Like his dad staying away for whole weekends on “business trips.” And he was the one who stumbled across David’s secret email account and showed it to her.

“Mom, can you take us camping?”

“Well, I haven’t done anything more rustic than a Holiday Inn since I was a kid, but we’ll figure something out.”

“Figure what out?”

Denny had snuck up on them. At eight, he was feisty and wanted to do everything his big brother did, even from his wheelchair.

“Dad canceled on us.”

Fighting his tears, Denny looked at the floor. Giving, in he sobbed. “I knew he wouldn’t do it. I knew it.”

They both went to Denny and hugged him.

“Mom said she’ll take us, Squirt.”

“Really?”

Kelly wiped his tears. Not sure how, but knowing she couldn’t disappoint them, she said, “Really.”

* * * *

Patty knew how to cut to the chase. “So what’s the louse’s excuse this time?” She ran a hand through her hair, which magically rebounded.

“‘Conference.’ But Bernice gets to go.”

“Beatrice,” Patty corrected, eyeing Kelly over the top of her sunglasses.

“Whatever.”

Kelly envied Patty’s naturally sandy blonde hair. She wore it in a pixie cut that was apparently immune to the ravages of Florida humidity. Unlike her own shoulder-length, auburn rat’s nest.

They were stretched out in lounges by the side of the North Port YMCA pool, watching Denny, Paulie, and Patty’s son, Ben, taking lessons with the rest of the swim team. Ben was a year younger than Paulie, but they were good friends.

They watched the boys work up and down the pool, Denny in his own lane next to the other kids. The instructor started the able-bodied kids, then gave Denny instructions, often sitting on Denny’s wheelchair by the side of the pool while he coached him.

“You’re really going to take them camping?”

“I told them I would.”

“Your idea of roughing it is a Motel 6 without WiFi. How are you going to camp?”

“I was a Girl Scout. I camped.”

“You hate camping. You break out in hives if you can’t shave your legs every morning.”

Patty was right, but Kelly wouldn’t disappoint her boys. “I’ll figure it out.”

“Oh, I want to show you something.” Patty dug through her tote bag and produced a magazine. “A friend of mine gave it to me. Take a look at this.” She handed Kelly the magazine, one page dog-eared. Junior National Disability Games in Spokane, WA This Year.

“What’s this?”

“Just read it.”

The magazine, Sports N’ Spokes, covered competitive adaptive sports. The article was about the Junior Nationals being held in Spokane and briefly detailed the history and events—swimming, track, field, and weightlifting, among others—and listed a website.

“What’s this have to do with Denny?”

“You are really thick, you know that? Go talk to Coach and see if he can get you some information. It’s only March. The article says the registration deadline is in June. You still have time to enter Denny.”

“I don’t know, Patty.”

“You said you wanted Denny to be a normal kid, right?”

“Yes, but—”

“Do it.”

“I don’t know anything about adaptive sports.”

“You didn’t know anything about raising a kid with spina bifida, but you’re doing a damned good job.”

Kelly glanced through the rest of the magazine. There were few children in their small community with disabilities, and none at Denny’s school. She’d heard about adaptive sports for kids, but there weren’t any local programs. This would be good for Denny. He’d always wanted to compete like Paulie.

When Coach Greg gave the kids a ten-minute break, Kelly walked over to talk. He glanced at the article and asked one of the lifeguards to keep an eye on the kids.

In his office, they located the website. He found the information. “Kelly, we should look into this. I don’t know exactly what Denny’s classification would be, but looking at most of the times for his age group, he can easily swim these.”

“What?”

“Yeah, look here.” He pointed. “Hold on a second.” He called someone and asked them to come to his office. A moment later, one of the staff physical therapists entered. “Jenny, take a look at this.”

Jenny read the information over his shoulder. “For Denny?”

“Yeah. What do you think?”

She reached over and opened a new browser window and went to a different site, looked something up, then returned to the Nationals site. “I think he’d be in this group here—” she pointed, “but I never did classification, so I can’t be sure. If it’s like the adults, then this—” she pointed again, “I know is CP, this is amps, and this whole grouping here is where Denny would fit in, somewhere. I’d have to make some calls.”

“Could you?”

“Sure, but it’s too late this afternoon. I’ll do it in the morning.”

“I need to get back on deck anyway. Listen, Kelly, can you get here about thirty minutes early tomorrow? Then we can go over this some more.”

“Yeah. Do me a favor, please don’t say anything to the boys about this yet.”

He looked a little curious but nodded. “Okay, sure.”

“Thanks.”

Kelly was quiet the rest of the evening. Even the boys noticed. Paulie waited until his little brother went to take a bath to talk to Kelly.

“What’s up, Mom?”

“Nothing, honey.”

He looked at her.

“Okay, Paulie, you can go now.”

He walked away, glancing back at her. Kelly knew he worried about Denny. They had their normal squabbles, but since the divorce, Paulie had taken on more than a brotherly role, as if he felt personally responsible for triggering the events. Perhaps trying to make up for their father paying more attention to him than Denny. She’d tried to talk to Paulie about it, but he clammed up every time.

After the boys went to bed, Kelly retrieved the magazine from her purse. A Google search for racing wheelchairs gave her a dizzying amount of information.

And nearly choked her with prices. Racing chairs were expensive. At least Denny could swim competitively.

Even if she could twist David’s arm to pay for at least half of a race chair, she didn’t know how she could afford it. She made enough money as a freelance writer that alimony and child support covered many extras for the boys. She wasn’t in a situation where she could plop down a few thousand dollars on a racing wheelchair.

She went to bed and lay awake thinking about it before falling asleep.

* * * *

The next afternoon, after the bus brought the boys home, Kelly drove them straight to the Y. She sent them out to the pool and met Greg in his office.

He called Jenny, who quickly joined them. “I’ve worked with adult disabled swimmers,” she said, “but I never worked with track, field, or juniors.”

Greg chimed in. “A friend of mine is a road racer. I’ll give him a call, see if he can get me more info.”

“How much is this going to cost?” Kelly asked. “I looked up race chairs last night, and those are out of my price range.”

“For the swimming, just the cost of registration, and the trip,” Greg said. “He could probably do field, too.”

Jenny handed Kelly a sheaf of papers. “I called a friend who works for the ShrinersHospital up in Tampa. She emailed me a bunch of stuff. I think Denny will be in one of these three classes.” She pointed to some circled information on the page that made absolutely no sense to Kelly. “If so, Greg says Denny can easily swim those times.”

“And there’s a meet here in two weeks that’s sanctioned. I called the organization that runs the Junior Nationals. They said as long as a registered official will certify Denny’s times, they’ll accept them in lieu of him going to a qualification meet.”

“But Denny can’t swim against able-bodied kids.”

“He won’t. He’ll swim against the clock. We’ll have him in a heat with other kids, but he’ll be swimming to beat a time.”

This was too much information coming too fast. “What are we doing?” Kelly asked.

Jenny laughed. “We’re going to enter Denny in Nationals!”

Kelly, overwhelmed with the information, stuffed the papers into her purse. Patty had saved her a lounge. Kelly told her about the conversation in the office.

“I wondered about the pow-wow.”

“What do you think?”

“I think you should do it. Paulie has baseball and basketball and Pop Warner. This would be good for Den. You know he’ll love it.”

“How am I going to afford it?”

“Ask your mom.”

Kelly glared at her.

Patty returned to her book to escape Kelly’s withering stare. “It was just a suggestion.”

“I’m not asking my family for a handout.” Yes, her mother could afford it. No, she wasn’t going to beg for money. She’d made it on her own this long. She’d figure it out. Somehow.

Kelly didn’t speak much during practice, trying to get her head around the logistics. She’d have to come up with money to fly them from Florida to Spokane. Rent a van, hotel—she didn’t even know how to register him.

At the break Greg showed her a stopwatch. “That’s Denny’s time for a twenty-five meter freestyle.” He pulled a paper from his pocket. “Those are the fastest possible times we think he actually has to swim to qualify.” Denny’s time was fifteen seconds faster than the fastest time, and twenty-five seconds faster than the slowest.

Kelly always felt a twinge of sadness at Paulie’s games. Denny loved watching his big brother compete and had said more than once he wished he could, too. Kelly wondered how much of that was his desire to compete or the desire to get David’s attention. What games David did attend, he never failed to put on his “super dad” act.

Maybe this was Denny’s chance to shine for a change.

“How do I enter him in the swim meet?”

Chapter Two

On the way home, Kelly didn’t tell the boys about Nationals. She didn’t want to get their hopes up too soon. She did tell them about the swim meet. Paulie didn’t swim competitively, he took lessons to do something fun with Denny. He was all for his little brother competing.

“Hey, I get to cheer you on, Squirt.” He ruffled his little brother’s hair.

Denny pulled away and tried to straighten his hair. “Don’t call me Squirt. Mom, if I win, can I splash Paulie?”

She didn’t want to tell him about the qualifying times. “You’ll win regardless, honey. You’ll be the only one swimming in your class even though other kids will swim in the same race. You just have to swim against the clock. You can’t lose unless you drown. All you have to do is swim your very fastest.”

“Cool!”

Kelly pulled into the driveway and helped Paulie unload Denny’s chair from the back of their Element. Kelly spied Paulie’s bike propped against the side of the garage. He always rode slow enough so Denny could keep up. She knew about hand-pedal bikes and hoped to coerce David into paying for one this summer.

But what if Denny had a race chair?

* * * *

The boys were at school Friday morning when her phone rang.

“Kelly? It’s Greg. Can you have the boys at NorthPortHigh School tomorrow morning at seven?”

“Why?”

“They’re hosting a 5K, and a friend of mine will be there. I want Denny to meet him.”

“Okay. What time was that…?”

The boys grumbled about the early wake-up, but Kelly got them conscious and loaded in the car and made it to the high school on time. Greg emerged from the crowd and helped unload Denny’s chair.

His appearance surprised Denny. “Coach! What are you doing here?”

“There’s someone I want you to meet, buddy. Follow me.” Denny took off after him.

Paulie looked at his mom. “What’s going on?”

She shrugged. “He wouldn’t tell me. Don’t give me that look. All Greg told me was he wanted Denny to meet someone.” They picked their way through the crowd. A few minutes later they found Greg and Denny near the starting line.

Kelly saw they were talking with a third person, a man seated in a three-wheeled racing chair. Neon green with orange flames, it looked like a sleek race car compared to Denny’s bulky blue beast.

“Mom, isn’t this the coolest thing you’ve ever seen?” Denny practically squealed with joy.

“Martin Rawlings—call me Mart.” The man offered his hand, and Kelly shook it.

“Kelly Alexander.”

“I was telling your son about wheelchair racing.” Mart’s lower body was tucked into the racer. He looked like he was sitting on his knees. His lean, rock-solid upper body didn’t escape Kelly’s appreciative glance. She noticed a trace of grey in his dark brown hair, and his intense green eyes held hers.

He was handsome. From the way the corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled, she imagined he had quite a sense of humor.

She cut off that line of thinking. He was probably married. Taken, at the very least.

“Can we stay for the race, Mom? Please?” Denny begged.

“Won’t take long,” Greg said. “He’s usually done in about ten minutes.”

“Of course we can, sweetheart.”

Mart smiled, making Kelly’s heart fluttered. “I’d like to show Denny something when I’m done, if that’s okay?” he asked.

“Pleeeeeze, Mom?”

She laughed. “Yes, okay, fine.” Denny didn’t get a chance to be with other people in wheelchairs very often.

Denny maneuvered himself close to the starting line so he could watch. The finish was on the other side of the parking lot, where the runners would come in after making a pass through a local park. Mart was the only wheelchair racer, and they gave him a two-minute head start. As soon as he was out of sight, the boys raced to the finish line, eagerly awaiting him.

Greg walked with Kelly. “Don’t blink—he’ll be flying when he comes through.” Sure enough, Mart zoomed across in just over twelve minutes. The boys raced after him, cheering.

Kelly and Greg caught up with them in the parking lot at Mart’s van. “Greg, could you grab that for me?” he asked, pointing inside the open back door.

Greg leaned into the back of Mart’s van and pulled out an old red race chair. Denny’s eyes widened. Kelly put her hand to her mouth, trying to hold back her tears.

“This is one of my old racers,” Mart said. “It’s probably too big, but would you like to take it for a spin?”

Denny looked at her. She nodded.

Mart grabbed an old pair of gloves and a helmet from the back of his van, and they all returned to the track. The high-school track team was practicing, but apparently Greg and Mart had already cleared their demonstration with the coach. A small crowd gathered while Mart explained the chair to Denny and showed him the special gloves he used. The gloves were too big for Denny, but they used sports tape so they would stay on the boy’s hands.

“These are what you push with,” Mart explained. “You know how you push your regular chair?”

Denny showed him.

“Right. You don’t push a racer like that. It’s too slow. You push like this.” Mart showed him how the gloves held his hands in a closed fist position with Velcro straps, and he hit the rims with a downward motion, using built-in pads on the inside of the gloves. “You see how I did that?” Mart popped a wheelie and smoothly pivoted his racer to face them. Kelly sensed the chair was more an extension of him than simply a vehicle he used.

Denny nodded, too excited to speak. He was bouncing in his chair, a pre-cursor to his “flapping” habit, something he did when he was extremely excited or happy.

Greg lifted Denny into the race chair while Mart showed him how to sit on his knees. “They tuck under you, like this,” and he explained to him how his feet fit in the pouch beneath the seat. He strapped Denny in and demonstrated how to push and stop. Then they made their way to an outside lane. Denny started pushing.

Kelly couldn’t hold back her tears. The chair dwarfed him, but Denny pushed, carefully watching Mart and imitating his every move.

“Mom,” Paulie whispered, “he’s gotta get one of those.”

She nodded and put her arm around him. “I know, honey. I know.”

Chapter Three

Mart let Denny take the racer and gloves home, but Denny needed a helmet of his own that fit. “Make sure you stay out of the road, buddy. I’ll get it back from you in a couple of weeks.”

“I sure will. Mom, isn’t this the coolest thing ever?” Denny had to lean over to reach the push rims. Because the chair was so wide, it was obvious he wasn’t pushing as hard as he should, but he was happy.

She walked over to Mart while he watched Denny take a few last pushes in the parking lot.

“I can’t tell you how much this means to me,” she said. “And to Denny.”

Mart looked up and smiled. She felt that pleasant flutter in her stomach again. “It’s my pleasure, Kelly. I’d love to help him.” He paused. “If your husband has any questions about the chair, let me know.”

She shook her head. “I’m divorced.”

Did his smile brighten? “Oh. Sorry.”

“I’m not.” She laughed.

“Boyfriend, then.”

She shook her head. She was sure his smile widened. “Nope. Only men in my life are those two right there.”

“Ah.” Mart watched Denny slowly make his way back to them. “Then let me show you how to get the wheels off.”

Mart spent a few minutes with her. She fought to pay attention to what he said, not his gorgeous eyes. It didn’t help that his skintight race shirt rippled over his torso, displaying every lean, well-defined muscle.

And she noticed he wasn’t wearing any rings under his gloves, wedding or otherwise.

Greg helped her load the racer. It was tricky, but it fit after removing the wheels from both the racer and Denny’s everyday chair. She stopped on the way and bought Denny a bike helmet. When they arrived home, Kelly put the wheels on the racer, and Paulie rode with Denny around their block for over an hour.

Kelly stood at the kitchen window and watched them pass the house yet again. Mart had told her a chair would cost around three thousand dollars, and Denny would outgrow it in a year or two.

He lived about forty minutes north them, outside Sarasota, and offered to help Denny train.

“He obviously wants to do it,” Mart told her out of earshot of the boys. “If you want, I’ll help him train. I’m a certified official, so we can take him to the USATF training center in Clermont and squeeze him into a regular meet. But if you want to qualify him for track for Nationals, you have to order a chair now or you’ll run out of time.”

“Do you think he can qualify for track? He’s never done it before.”

“Look at his arms. He’s built like I was when I was his age. He can push. We can try him in field events, too.”

“Okay. I’ll see what I can do.” She knew Medicaid wouldn’t pay for the race chair because it wasn’t considered “necessary.”

Mart gave her the name and number of a local chair vendor, but they were closed until Monday. He also gave her his business card and wrote his home number on it. She knew she didn’t imagine it when his hand hesitated, his fingers touching hers.

“Feel free to call me if you have any questions. Or, just call me.”

He winked.

* * * *

“Kelly, where the hell am I going to get three thousand dollars?” David protested.

Kelly had spoken with the chair company. A base chair was around two thousand, an additional five hundred for add-ons that would help Denny, and she should budget an extra five hundred for spare tires and rims.

She decided to twist David’s arm to pay for the whole thing. He bought baseball and football gear for Paulie without complaint. He would do this too, like it or not. She’d be damned if she’d let him get away with shortchanging Denny.

“This is your son. You can max out a credit card or something.”

“Get real, Kelly. He’s in a wheelchair. You’re getting his hopes up for nothing. He’ll do it for a little while, then once he realizes it’s hard, he’ll drop out.”

Kelly recalled the look in Denny’s eyes when he first started pushing Mart’s old chair. “No, David, you don’t get it. You don’t think twice about paying for Paulie’s baseball camp or Pop Warner, but when it comes to Denny, he’s a second-class citizen to you, isn’t he?”

“Kelly, you have no right to say that to me.”

“I have every right to say that to you. You used Denny as an excuse to bail on our marriage. You don’t give him a chance because he embarrasses you. You will write me a check for three grand and bring it to me—today—or I will send Bernice and your boss an envelope full of all the emails and pictures I downloaded from your secret email account after I caught you screwing around, including stuff you did on the company dime.”

He fell silent. For a moment, Kelly thought the call had dropped.

“They won’t believe you.”

“Let’s see if they won’t. Are you screwing around on Bernice yet?”

Silence.

He didn’t correct her for saying the wrong name. She must have hit home.

“I’ll put it in the mail tomorrow.”

“I want it today, David. If it’s not in my hand by tonight, my envelope full of your exploits goes out in tomorrow’s mail. Bring it by the house. Tonight.”

She hung up on him, her hands shaking. She’d never thought he’d agree to it, thought he’d see through her bluff. She did have evidence, but she wasn’t about to dredge up painful memories to copy and mail it.

But David didn’t know that.

Two hours later, Paulie raced inside, slamming the door behind him. “Mom, Dad was just here.”

Her gut tightened. It was amazing how the sensation felt bad when it was about David, but so good when she thought about Mart. She couldn’t get Mart’s green eyes out of her mind. Or his playful wink.

“What did your dad want?”

Paulie ran into her office and handed her an envelope. Kelly carefully peeled back the flap.

There was the check, signed, for three grand.

“What is it?” Paulie asked.

“For Denny’s race chair.”

“Yes! Wait’ll I tell him.” Paulie ran down the hall to find his brother. It didn’t escape Kelly’s notice that David hadn’t stayed long enough to say hi to Denny.

David was such a liar. Obviously he’d had the money the whole time. She breathed a silent thank you and called Mart.

“Hi, Kelly. How are you?”

“A lot better. Denny’s father just brought me a check. I can order his racer.”

“Great! When can we get together to measure him? The sooner the better. I’ve ordered my chairs from them for years. I’ll bring the forms and a catalog so Denny can pick his paint job.”

“I’m available tomorrow afternoon, if that’s okay?”

“That’s fine. Do you want me to meet you somewhere?”

“Whatever works for you.” She briefly considered flirting with him but thought better of it. Then again, he had told her to call him. “I don’t mind driving to meet you.”

“There’s a park about halfway between us in Venice. They have a track. I’ll have time to work with Denny, if you’ll bring the other racer.”

“That would be great.” She paused. “Your wife won’t mind?” Okay, that was sneaky, but two could play the game.

“No wife, no current girlfriend. I’m presently unattached.”

“Oh.” She laughed with him.

Straight and available. Hmmm…

They agreed to meet the next afternoon. She tried to control her nerves at the thought of seeing Mart again.

She looked in the mirror on the foyer wall. Why would he want her? He was obviously in great shape. She was a thirty-five year-old mom of two. Fortunately, she didn’t need glasses—yet—and there weren’t too many crow’s feet around her hazel eyes.

She wasn’t exactly fat, but spending most of her time in front of a computer every day left her a few pounds heavier in the hindquarters than she’d like. She’d have to start walking more often. And why would he want to spend time with her, when she had two kids, one in a wheelchair?

Well, at least that was one line of thinking she could dismiss. If anything, Mart had more in common with Denny than he did with Paulie.

Wasn’t that ironic?

Chapter Four

When Kelly drove up, Mart was waiting by a picnic table in the shade. He waved when they parked next to his van. Minutes later, they were all gathered around the table.

He showed Denny the forms, explained the measurements he had to take. “Do you have any questions, buddy?” Mart asked.

“Why are you in a chair?” Denny asked.

“Denny!” Kelly admonished, mortified. She was used to people asking about Denny but wasn’t sure her comfort applied to other people with disabilities.

“It’s okay.” Mart smiled, reassuring her. “That’s a normal question.” He looked at the little boy. “I was in a car accident when I was real little.”

“How old were you?”

“I was three.”

“Really?”

Mart nodded.

“How old are you?”

“Forty-two.”

“Did you used to walk?”

“I did, but I was so little I don’t remember.”

“I have a shunt in my head, and I have to cath to go to the bathroom. Do you?”

Kelly cringed, but Mart shook his head. “No. I’m what’s called an incomplete paraplegic. One of the bones in my back was broken in the accident. A part of the bone injured nerves on one side. It only injured part of it, and it didn’t cut through my spinal cord. I’m like you—some of me works, some of me doesn’t. My legs don’t work.”

“What level are you? I’m L5-S2.” Denny knew all about his spine and which vertebrae were involved with his level of function.

Mart smiled. “I’m L5.”

“Just like me! Hey Mom, did you hear that?”

This would be a surreal conversation in any other company. For Mart and Denny, however, it was the facts of life. Kelly tried to stifle her imagination. She knew approximately what functions the lumbar spine controlled. If Mart was an L5 and didn’t have to cath, he might be able to…

She immediately clamped down on that thought and hoped she wasn’t blushing.

“Did you have to wear braces when you were a kid? I did, for a while, until the doctor said I didn’t need them anymore.”

Mart shook his head. “No. Back then, the doctors said I couldn’t walk. I liked rolling better anyway.”

“I like rolling better too. I tried the walking braces but I hated them. They were hard work and too slow.”

Mart nodded. “I don’t blame you. Better to go fast, isn’t it?”

Denny bounced, flapped. “Yep! I love speeding!”

Denny perused the catalog and showed Mart the paint job he wanted. Kelly noticed that while Mart’s attention was on Denny, he let Paulie help, obviously not wanting to leave him out. They finished the measurements, Mart noting everything on the order forms.

“I need to talk to your mom for a few minutes,” Mart said.

“Why don’t you guys go shoot some baskets?” Kelly suggested.

“Okay.” Paulie grabbed his basketball, and the boys headed for the court.

* * * *

Mart wanted to ask Kelly out. There was something that attracted him to her, but he didn’t want to upset her by coming on too strong, too soon. Maybe in a few weeks, after they got to know each other.

“I’ll get this in for you tomorrow,” he said.

“Thank you for doing this, Mart. I know you’re busy—”

He cut her off with a smile. “It’s fine. Seriously. I’m glad Greg put you in touch with me.”

“Denny doesn’t have anything except swimming and, until now, not competitively.”

“Paulie plays sports?”

“Baseball, football, basketball. He tries to play with Denny as much as he can. There’s only so much he can do. He has his own friends, his own life. It’s not fair to ask him to do everything with Denny.”

She sat on the picnic table bench next to Mart’s chair and watched the boys shoot baskets.

“Denny’s a great kid,” Mart said. “They both are.”

“I’m lucky they stick together as well as they do. I mean, they fight like normal kids, but you know what it’s like.”

Mart nodded. “I’ve got big brothers. They could pick on me, but God help anyone else who tried.”

Kelly laughed. “That’s about right.”

Denny made a basket and flapped his arms, bouncing in excitement while Paulie retrieved the ball, high-fiving his little brother on the return.

Mart laughed. “Why does he do that? I’ve seen kids who do it but never asked.”

“The flapping?” He nodded. “It’s a stimulation thing. Some kids in wheelchairs, especially spina bifida kids, do it. A normal kid can jump up and down or dance around or whatever when they’re excited. These kids can’t, so they flap.”

He chuckled. “It’s so cute.”

“We joke that one of these days he’s going to take off and fly away.”

Mart reached out and touched her hand, squeezed it, let go. “You’re a good mom.”

* * * *

She looked at Mart, pleasantly surprised. Their eyes met, held. Then she looked away, her heart pounding. She couldn’t deny she was attracted to him, but she barely knew him.

“Thank you.”

“I mean it, Kelly. You don’t baby him. You let him be a normal kid.”

“I feel lucky.”

“Why’s that?”

She tried to ignore the way her heart skipped when her eyes met his. “It can always be worse. I’ve seen kids in SB clinic who are on vents, kids who have CP and can’t take care of themselves. Will never take care of themselves. He’ll end up changing my diapers when I’m old.”

They laughed. He patted her hand again. She wanted to reach out and take it, hold it, but resisted the urge.

“Thank you, Mart.”

“For what?”

“For taking time with him, with us. I can’t tell you how much this means to me, to him. Both of them. Their dad…” She didn’t finish.

Mart watched the boys. “Your ex isn’t comfortable with the whole disabled lifestyle, is he?”

She shook her head. “No. I think the final straw was when Denny was four and got his first wheelchair and preferred it to walking braces. David couldn’t handle not having a ‘perfect’ son. Until then, he insisted Denny would walk. There’s more to it, but that’s the bottom line. He always makes a big deal with Paulie about his sports, but with Denny…”

She turned back to Mart, found him looking into her eyes.

“Your ex is an idiot.”

“I know that and you know that, but I can’t tell the boys.”

“They’ll figure it out. Sooner rather than later.”

“I know.” She forced her eyes away from his intense gaze. “I wish I could soften the blow. Unfortunately, I’m not alone. I’m on a support group for SB moms, and a lot of men bail. Not all of them, but more than I thought ever would.”

“I was lucky. My dad was competitive. My parents raised me insisting I go out and do everything I could. Dad wouldn’t let me quit. I was the baby, and my brothers were big into baseball. While I couldn’t really do that back then, because of how it was set up, he made sure I was out there trying to do something, learning how to hit, to pitch. I was allowed to practice with the team and help with equipment. The coach made me assistant equipment coach.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “I throw a wicked curveball, by the way. The point is, my dad didn’t let me sit around and feel sorry for myself. I was in high school when he heard about wheelchair racing. He made me get a part-time job to help pay for my first racer.”

“What did you do?”

“Went to work for my friend’s dad. He built computers, wrote programs, and later built websites. This was back when the Internet was still pretty new, mind you. Before long, I was better at it than he was.”

“Impressive.”

He shrugged. “Got to the point I could pay for my own equipment and travel expenses. I put myself through college. Learned programming, wrote some open source software that got me noticed, and I had a job before graduation. Fit well with my racing schedule because I could work anywhere. They gave me a laptop and away I went.”

“Lots of freedom, huh?”

“I don’t do well in an office. At least not long-term. I manage to make someone mad by speaking my mind.”

“Not a ‘plays well with others’ kind of person?”

“I am when it comes to sports. At work I want to be left alone. Someone else can handle the bureaucracy. I just want to do my job. I don’t mind handling customers or training, that’s part of the territory. But I don’t deal well with management. I’m lucky the company I’m contracting to right now takes a hands-off approach. I produce, they get results, but they have to let me work my way. And I have the occasional speaking engagement. That’s not my bread and butter, but it’s fun.”

“That’s good.”

“Works for me.” He met her eyes. “What do you do?” She had to focus on what he said.

He’s talking to you, stupid!

“Huh? Oh, I’m a freelance writer. Working on the great American novel.” She smiled, and he laughed. “Mostly software tutorials, articles, things like that. Allows me to work from home and pay the bills.”

“That’s great. What’s your novel about?”

She blushed, not used to someone taking an active interest in her. “Paranormal thriller.”

He brightened. “Really? I love those. Can I read it when it’s done?”

She nodded. David never, not once, offered to read her work. The few times she got him to read anything, he picked it apart, doing nothing but finding fault. He didn’t like her writing fiction because, as he said, it was a ‘waste of time.’ “I’m getting good comments about it from a critique list I’m on. Once I get the draft cleaned up, I’ll query agents.”

“That’s neat. Any others?”

She answered despite feeling self-conscious. “Well, a couple of ideas. Making notes right now.”

“People tell me I should write a book. I don’t have the patience or the time. Do you ever ghostwrite?”

“I’ve done some of that. And freelance editing.”

“Would you be interested in partnering on something?”

There was that wonderful shiver of anticipation again. “Sure. I have a couple of projects I’m committed to right now, but by the end of next month, I’m available.”

“Cool.” He called the boys over. “Denny, do you want to try field?”

“What’s that?”

“Throwing things.”

“I can do that!”

Mart laughed. “You have to do it a certain way.” He handed Kelly his keys. “Could you please get the green duffel bag out of the back of my van?”

She retrieved it. It was heavier than it looked. When he unzipped it, she realized why—it held a shot put.

He handed it to Denny. “Do you know what that is?”

Denny hefted it. “Cannon ball?”

Mart laughed. “No, but that was good. It’s a shot put.”

“What do you do with it?”

He reached for it. “I’ll show you.” He demonstrated the proper technique, putting it for Denny. Paulie retrieved it and handed it to Mart. “Think you can do that?” Mart asked Denny.

Denny nodded. Mart turned him around to prevent an accident with the picnic table and showed him the proper way to heave it. “Keep in mind when you compete, they have these lines you have to stay in, called a vector. Looks like a pie wedge, but you start at the little end of it. If you go out of bounds, you get DQd.”

“What’s dee-queued?”

“Disqualified. Well, that throw would be disqualified. You get several chances. They use your longest good throw as your score.”

Paulie brought it back again. Mart spent several minutes working on it with Denny.

“What else?” the boy asked.

Mart returned the shot put to the duffel bag and started to hand Denny a red rubber disk, quickly snatching it away before the boy touched it. Mart looked at Kelly. “Is he latex sensitive?”

She shook her head. “No. Precautions, but not reactive.” Her heart soared. It took her years to pound latex allergy precautions—a common and potentially deadly complication—into David’s head, and Mart already knew about it.

Mart looked relieved. “Sorry, didn’t think about it sooner. I don’t like to take chances.” He showed Denny how to hold it. “Now when you throw it, you have to do it like this.” He demonstrated, spreading his long fingers around the discus. “You try it.”

The boy lobbed it. Mart laughed. “Good! How’d you like that?”

Denny flapped. “That’s fun!”

They practiced for a few minutes. Paulie and Kelly took turns retrieving. Mart put it away and unpacked a plastic rocket, about two feet long, blue and yellow.

“What’s that?” Denny asked.

“You ever hear of a javelin?”

Denny shook his head. “It’s sort of like a spear,” Mart explained. “You know what that is?” Denny nodded. “Well, kids your age get to use one of these. It’s called a Turbo Jav. It’s a safe version, easier for you to throw.”

“Safe?” Kelly asked.

Mart smiled. “Well, not around a windshield. I accidentally put a crack in mine during practice once. Do you want a kid tossing a pointy metal stick at you?”

Kelly laughed. “No thanks.”

He demonstrated, then watched Denny throw it. After a few minutes, Mart repacked the bag and handed it to Kelly.

“That was good. Remember, you don’t want to throw just for distance, you’ll also have to keep it between the vector lines. A friend of mine’s loaning me a throwing chair for you. For now, you and Paulie practice in the backyard every day. Okay?”

Denny nodded. “I promise.”

Mart looked at Paulie. “Did you see how I threw?”

“Yeah. We did it in PE last semester.”

“You help him. Make sure he throws correctly. If you have any questions, call me.”

Paulie puffed up. Mart knew how to keep Paulie engaged and involved, and Kelly loved that about him.

That thought scared her.

Hell, she didn’t even know if he liked her! Didn’t even know if she liked him! This was crazy. She needed to get her head on straight.

She looked at Mart. It’s just lust.

As if sensing her thoughts, Mart winked at her. Her face turned bright red, but she winked back.

Chapter Five

“So tell me more about this guy,” Patty said. The boys warmed up in the pool under Coach Greg’s watchful eye. As always, Patty’s hair stubbornly refused to frizz, while Kelly bullied hers into submission with a ponytail holder.

“What’s there to tell? He’s nice, and he’s helping Denny qualify for Nationals.”

Patty looked at Kelly over the top of her sunglasses. “That’s not what I meant.”

“What do you mean?”

“Is he cute?”

“Patty, not every single guy I meet is a potential date.” Because of Denny, most of them weren’t.

“That was my next question. And why the hell not? Does it bother you he’s in a chair?”

“No. Of course not.” Actually, now that she thought about it, it didn’t. She was so accustomed to Denny being in a chair that she didn’t see Mart as a guy in a chair.

Just as a handsome guy. Who happened to be single. With gorgeous green eyes…

“Then ask him out.”

“Why would he want to date a divorced mom of two?”

“Because you’re not a bad-looking woman. Why wouldn’t he want to date you?”

Kelly thought about the way Mart told her she could call him, how he went out of his way to mention he was single and ask if she was single. “He has the neatest green eyes.”

“Really?” Patty sat up. “Tell me more, girlfriend.” Patty was happily married and always dying to get a vicarious thrill out of Kelly’s potential dating life.

Kelly thought about Mart. “He is cute.”

“And?”

“Not an ounce of fat on him.”

“Ooh, keep going. You have me interested in him now.”

Kelly realized what she was doing. “Patty, point taken. He’s a nice-looking, available guy.”

“Then ask him out. What’s the worst that can happen? He says no.”

“He’s Denny’s coach. I don’t want anything weird happening. What if we don’t hit it off and then Denny loses his coach? I don’t want to do that to him.”

Patty sighed, relaxed on the lounge. “You need to learn to take chances, take a leap of faith.”

“I did that once and hit the ground like a freaking rock.”

“David was an asshole. From what Greg told me, Martin’s a nice guy.”

Kelly hated it when people tried to manage her life for her, especially her love life. “What? You’ve been talk—”

“Kelly, if your best friend can’t look out for you, who can? Greg said he thinks Martin likes you.”

Kelly’s outrage faltered in mid-rant. “Really?”

Patty nodded. “Greg told me Martin asked if you were seeing anyone.”

“Really?”

Kelly leaned back in her lounge. Mart asked about her.

Who knew being this scared could feel this good?

* * * *

Greg helped Kelly with the paperwork to enter Denny in the swim meet. Later, at home, Kelly called David with the time and date.

Predictably, he’d be “working” that day and would miss it.

But he asked if Paulie also had a game. “Maybe I could make that,” he said.

Kelly hung up on him.

Denny met the news head-on with a question. “Can Mart come to the meet?”

“I guess so, honey, if he’s not busy.”

“Can I call him?”

“Sure, go ahead.” Kelly punched in Mart’s number and handed the phone to Denny.

Excited, Denny bounced in his chair. “Mart?” he yelled. “Hi, it’s Denny! Can you come to my swim meet Saturday?…Yeah, it’s at the Y…Eight o’clock. Thank you! Here’s my mom!” Denny thrust the phone at her and wheeled out of the kitchen to find Paulie.

“Sorry about that. I should have warned you he’s loud on the phone.”

Mart laughed. “That’s okay. He’s enthusiastic. Yes, I’ll be at the meet.”

The now-familiar thrill ran through her. She tried to temper it. “It’s not an imposition, is it?”

“No. I’d love to see him swim. I’ll bring the qualification forms with me. Maybe we can knock out all his swim events.”

“We don’t know for sure what his classification is.”

“Once I see him swim, I’ll have a pretty good idea. I don’t do classification, but I can narrow the possibilities. We just need certified results for now.”

They talked for a few more minutes, arranged to meet the next afternoon so he could practice field with Denny, and said good-bye.

He was friendly. He was nice.

He was cute and single and had the most gorgeous eyes.

And I’m a chicken. Make that a divorced mother hen.

* * * *

Denny awoke early Saturday without needing extra prompting from Kelly. They arrived at the Y in plenty of time, and Mart was already on deck talking with Greg. Patty saved her and Paulie a spot at the far end of the pool enclosure. Kelly left Denny with his coaches and went to watch with Patty.

“How’s Ben?” Kelly asked.

“Oh, he loves these things, you know that. He’s fired up.” Patty pointed across the pool, and Kelly finally spotted him.

Mart joined them to watch Denny’s first event. “He’s ready. He’s excited.”

“What was the confab about?”

“We wanted to make sure he understood the rules about getting in and out. He’s allowed to start in the pool instead of on the starting blocks, so I wanted to explain how it would work at Nationals.”

“I’m so nervous!”

He patted her hand and smiled. “He’ll be fine.”

She tried to return his smile, but his touch made her more nervous, only in a good way.

Denny swam well in all his events—freestyle, backstroke, and breaststroke. He didn’t do butterfly, not quite coordinated enough yet to master the proper arm movements. Mart noted his times and had the head official sign off on the sheets. As long as there weren’t any problems with Denny’s classification, he’d swim the twenty-five and fifty meter freestyle and backstroke events, and the twenty-five meter breaststroke at Nationals.

After the meet, they all went to lunch. Patty leaned over to Kelly while Mart was distracted talking with the three boys.

“He’s cute.”

“Hush!”

“Well, he is.”

Kelly looked at Patty and smiled, shrugged. Yes, he was handsome.

He was also Denny’s coach. She wouldn’t do anything to screw that up.

* * * *

They met at the park for practice as often as Mart’s schedule allowed. He was frequently out of town on business, trying to wrap up several work projects before summer arrived.

“I have several races coming up, and Junior Nationals, so I’m trying to cram it all in to take the time off,” he explained.

Kelly spent most of the practices watching Mart. He even worked with Paulie on his pitching. Mart hadn’t lied about his curveball.

She spent many post-practice nights lying in bed, thinking about Mart’s eyes, or his arms, or…

She’d be lying if she said she didn’t like him. The more Denny worked with him, the more scared she was to think about asking Mart on a date. Denny loved sports. Even Paulie looked forward to the practices. If she dated Mart and it didn’t work out, it would be too weird. She could never do anything to hurt her boys. Denny needed this normalcy in his life, and she refused to take that away from him.

It was better to keep her feelings to herself despite the empty ache she felt every time she said good-bye to Mart.

* * * *

One evening three weeks after the swim meet, Mart was going over competition details with Kelly in preparation for the upcoming qualification meet in Clermont. Mart forced himself to concentrate around her.

He still couldn’t bring himself to ask her out. This was never a problem for him before, yet he sensed if he screwed it up he wouldn’t get a second chance with her. Better to wait for the perfect opportunity, let her get to know him better.

Kelly slumped and shook her head. “How am I ever going to remember all of this? There’s so much to learn.” She watched the boys shooting hoops on the basketball court.

“I’m not asking you to. You don’t have to remember it.”

“That’s easy for you to say. You’ve been doing this for years. I have to be able to help Denny with practice. Paulie can’t do it all, and I can’t ask you to practice every afternoon.”

Why not? he wanted to ask. “I’ll show you how easy it is. Come here.”

“What?”

He climbed out of his wheelchair and patted the grass in front of him. “Sit. I’ll show you so you can work with Denny.”

She did, hesitantly. He encouraged her to scoot closer, her back against him.

He put the shot put in her hand and swallowed hard, trying to control his reactions. The last thing he wanted to do was freak her out. She was so cute, it would be so easy to kiss the back of her neck…

Focus, Rawlings. Don’t screw this up!

“Like this.” He helped her position the shot put, his arms around her, hands on hers, guiding her, helping her feel the correct movement. “It needs to be touching his cheek, like this, and his elbow up, like this.”

The boys were still shooting hoops. He was alone with Kelly.

“I get it,” she said.

“Take a practice throw.” He leaned out of her way, and she did.

“Good. That was good.” She stood up, brought it back, and he patted the ground in front of him again.

* * * *

Maybe she should rethink not dating him. She wanted to lean back and kiss him. His strong arms around her like that, his hands on hers, it would be so easy…

Kelly took a deep breath and tried to listen. He was so close, right there.

After a few more puts, he switched to the discus and stretched his right arm along hers, helping her hold it properly, putting his other arm around her waist for balance and to show her the motion. “Swing it like this,” he said, stretching back. She moved with him and put her free arm over his arm around her waist, holding on, not wanting to let go.

He hesitated, like he wanted to say something. God, she wanted to kiss him! She’d never wanted to kiss someone as much as she did right then.

His voice a little hoarser, he continued. “He can’t throw it like a Frisbee. That’s the important thing.”

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. When he finally told her to take a practice throw, he wasn’t in a hurry to remove his arm from her waist.

She was certainly in no hurry to make him move it.

“I guess I’d better go get it,” she said. He nodded, letting her go.

Her knees wobbled, but she managed to get to her feet and retrieve the discus.

“Can we do that again? I want to make sure I do it right.”

Yeah, real subtle.

He nodded, smiled, and she took her place in front of him again.

Kelly closed her eyes and took a deep breath when he put his arm around her waist. She wondered if she was losing her mind. She barely knew him. She shouldn’t be doing this. Especially since he was Denny’s coach.

But dang, he felt good.

He took his time as his right hand positioned hers, arm outstretched, his long fingers placing hers on the discus. She risked leaning into him, enjoyed the feel of his body against hers and his warm breath on her neck.

She took another practice throw, again slow to retrieve it. Meeting his gaze as she returned, she turned and sat in front of him, resuming her position.

“I’d like to try that again,” she whispered.

His voice sounded a little hoarser when he answered. “Okay.”

He took more time helping her get her arm in position, slowly, lingering, his fingers seductively stroking the back of her hand. Her heart raced. So this was flirting? There was no doubt in her mind that’s what he was doing.

Wasn’t he?

Then the doubt returned. Why would he be interested in me?

She took the throw and retrieved it, then resumed her position. He got the Turbo Jav, showed her how to position her hand and fingers, put his arm around her waist again. This time, she risked lacing her fingers through his and leaned back against him.

What the hell? She was single, and so was he.

* * * *

Mart lost his train of thought. The last thing he wanted to do was misinterpret her signals and upset her. But the feel of her hand around his…

He was glad he was wearing jeans. Hopefully she couldn’t feel his growing “interest.” He shifted position, just a little, so she could pivot her shoulder. He knew he didn’t imagine it when she pressed against him again.

Was it too much to hope, or was she simply trying to learn this? “Did you want to do that again?”

She nodded and resumed her position. She used coconut-scented shampoo. With her auburn hair pulled up in a loose ponytail, the nape of her neck was tantalizingly close and accessible.

He slipped his arm around her waist. She immediately laced her fingers through his again.

Was that a squeeze?

God, he needed a cold shower. He wondered if she had any idea what she was doing to him.

Maybe she did. He could only hope.

She wanted to throw the jav several times. He was pretty sure he wasn’t misinterpreting her signals. She was enjoying it, taking her time, definitely holding his hand. She was about to ask for another throw when the boys returned.

“When are we going to eat?” Denny asked.

Mart swallowed his disappointment. He would have sat there all night with her like that, given half a chance. Her eyes held his. He smiled. “Whenever you want,” he said.

She took a moment to answer. “Okay.”

“Boys, take the gear back to my van for me, please. Your mom and I will be right there.” His eyes never left hers as the boys headed for the parking lot.

Ask her. Right now.

“Thank you,” she whispered. He wanted to lean forward and kiss her.

“You’re welcome,” he whispered back. She squeezed his hand one last time before she slowly, almost reluctantly, got to her feet.

Chapter Six

The next morning, Kelly got the boys on the bus without killing herself or them. With less than two months left in the school year, she dreaded having the boys home all summer. How was she going to get any work done? Her mom and Patty would take them, yes, but not every day.

She sat down to work when the phone rang. She screamed in frustration.

“This. Is. Not. Helping!”

She snatched the receiver without looking at the display. “Hello?” She didn’t care how sharp or shrill her voice sounded.

“Uh, hi, Kelly? It’s Mart.”

Oh crap! Her face flushed, remembering the dreams she’d had last night following their steamy practice session. “Hi, Mart, I’m sorry. It’s been a rough morning.”

Her heart skipped at the sound of his laugh. “That’s okay. I just got a call. Denny’s chair is ready.”

“I thought the company was supposed to call me?”

“The factory is in St. Pete. I know a guy there.”

“Nice to have connections.”

“Yeah. I asked them to call me. We can pick it up over there. That way they can check it to make sure it’s right. Otherwise, it’d be another week before we get it from the vendor, and we need it for the Clermont meet.”

“When do you want to go?”

“Can you pull Denny out of school early tomorrow, meet me at my house? We can drive up together.”

Her hand tightened on the phone. “Sure, I can do that.”

He gave her his address and directions. “Meet me at noon. It’ll take about an hour to get there.”

“Okay, we’ll see you there. Thanks, Mart.”

“No problem. I’m glad I can help.”

She ended the call and stared at the receiver. This was stupid. Six little monosyllabic words, that’s all it would take. Would you like to go out? Why the hell couldn’t she say them? Or much of anything around him.

Speaking her mind was usually not an issue. Around Mart she lost the use of her extensive vocabulary.

It would be easier to keep Denny home than pick him up early. She called his teacher and asked her to send his work home with him for the next day. Paulie had tests, and Kelly didn’t want to put him behind. She arranged for him to take the bus home with Patty’s son the next day.

The next morning, Kelly fought her nerves and the urge to change clothes twenty times.

This isn’t a date, it’s a wheelchair fitting. Good grief, get a grip.

She eventually settled on jeans and a blouse that didn’t scream single mom with two kids.

With Denny at the kitchen table doing his schoolwork, she took a few moments for her own work, then realized it was a useless effort.

Remembering the feel of Mart’s arm around her was infinitely more appealing to think about than the article she was working on.

She needed a distraction. She created a new document and stared at the screen. Poetry was always a personal refuge, one she didn’t intend to pursue seriously, simply an emotional release.

She typed.

You quiet the fire within me.

She considered how she felt.

The embers burned low and cool, dying in the ash.

Your gentle breath stirred, stoked—

Ah, not stoked. She used the backspace key to try again.

Your gentle breath stirred the air

brought me new life

and once again the flame lived.

She re-read the line. It matched her feelings.

Afraid to tell you how I felt,

I concealed behind the stones how hot I burned.

Trite, but okay.

And when I thought it would consume me,

you quieted the fire within me.

Kelly stared at the lines for a few minutes. It needed a lot of work. But more importantly, what was she saying? She could have sat there with him all night at the park, Mart’s arm around her…

She gave up and saved it. She could finish it later when she had some privacy and time to think.

“Okay, honey, you can finish your work later. Go get ready.”

“Yes!” Denny spun around and flew down the hall to his bathroom. They were ready to go twenty minutes later, a record for them.

Kelly felt a little self-conscious driving into Mart’s development near Lakewood Ranch, just outside of Sarasota. Her neatly kept twenty-year-old home felt shabby by comparison. He lived in a single-story, Spanish-style stucco home with a barrel tile roof. His landscaping wasn’t elaborate, but it was well-tended, as were all the houses on his street. The front walkway sloping gently up to the front door made a ramp unnecessary. She left Denny in the Element and rang the bell.

Mart yelled from somewhere inside. “Come on in, it’s open.”

Steadying her nerves, she opened the door and tentatively looked inside. It wasn’t fancy, but it was tidy and clean. She stopped in the entryway and looked around. Cream walls, oak furniture, functional and sturdy.

“I’m back here,” he called from somewhere in the house.

She took a few steps inside and found herself in the living room. Mart’s voice came from the hall. She saw one open door, the light on.

“Denny’s outside. Do you want me to load him in your van?”

“Sure, go ahead.” His voice definitely came from the open doorway.

“Is it locked?”

“Yeah. I have the keys here. Come on down, I’m decent. Well, I’m dressed. I don’t know how decent I am.”

They laughed together. She walked to the door and stopped outside in the hallway. The bedroom, like the rest of the house, wasn’t overly decorated. A few pictures on the walls and plain, functional oak furniture. Neat, but not obsessively so.

Mart was dressed, but his shirt was still unbuttoned, his hair damp from the shower.

She wanted to run her hands through his hair and over his firm torso. Forget quieting the fire, she knew his lips would feel hot against her skin…

Okay, stop that right now. You don’t know if he’s interested in you.

Mart reached under his chair to the storage pouch hung from the frame and found his keys. “Here you go.” He rolled over and handed them to her. “I’ll be ready in a minute.”

He met her eyes and held onto the keys for a moment before letting them go. That electricity shot through her again. Was he flirting with her? She was so out of practice she couldn’t tell.

She found her voice. “Okay.”

Kelly unloaded Denny’s chair, trying to keep her mind on the task at hand. Thank God she had Denny with her. Not that she didn’t want to be alone with Mart—she did. That was the problem. She feared if she were left alone with Mart, he’d discover what a babbling idiot she was, and whatever potential romantic interest he might have would disappear.

Wouldn’t it?

She quickly figured out his van lift and had Denny loaded by the time Mart emerged. His shirt was buttoned and neatly tucked into his jeans, and he had a small backpack slung on the back of his chair.

“Here’s your keys.” She offered them, palm up. Her heart tripped when he placed his hand over hers, again with the hesitation, before taking them back.

“I’ll lock the house.”

She nodded, not trusting her voice.

He loaded and greeted Denny. Then he smiled, his eyes lingering on hers. “Ready?”

She returned his smile. “Let’s go.”

Denny fired questions from the backseat, keeping Mart’s attention off Kelly and giving her time to study him out of the corner of her eye. He was so good with Denny, so patient, answering all his questions.

What would he want with me?

No one will want you, Kelly. David’s voice floated in from the past. One of the many things he repeated after she discovered his affairs and ordered him out, demanding a divorce. No one will want a woman with two kids, one in a wheelchair.

So far, David had been right. It grated on her at the deepest levels.

Why can’t you put this behind you? We’ll just carry on. He’d meant carry on as in he could keep carrying on while she played the dutiful wife and looked the other way.

Although dulled by time, David’s sharp taunts still chipped away at her self-esteem.

Why would anyone want me? So far, no one had.

They arrived at the factory a little after one. Mart made the introductions. “Tom, this is Kelly and Denny.”

They shook hands. “Nice to meet you. Follow me, we’ll get everything checked out.” Tom led them to a conference room and pushed some chairs out of the way to make more space. A few minutes later, he reappeared with Denny’s racer, a paint job similar to Mart’s.

Denny’s eyes widened. “That’s so cool!” He touched it while Kelly once again fought her tears.

Mart showed Denny how to get into the racer by himself, where to position his legs. Tom checked the measurements. “It’s a hair big, but that’s okay. It’ll give him room to grow. Shouldn’t interfere with his pushing.”

“You’ll need these, buddy.” Mart reached into his backpack and pulled out a small bag. He handed it to Denny, and the boy opened it. Inside were a new pair of gloves like the ones Mart wore, only in Denny’s size.

“Wow, thanks!” Denny leaned over and hugged Mart, who winked at Kelly over the top of the boy’s head.

She knew the special Harness gloves cost over a hundred dollars. For practice, Denny wore Mart’s old gloves, taped around his wrists to keep them on.

“You’re welcome. Put ’em on and let’s check it out.”

They moved to the parking lot. Kelly stood out of the way, watching. Denny listened to Mart, hanging off every word as he explained the steering and compensator. Mart also explained checking his skin for any pressure sores or wounds from the chair. Then he let Denny push, correcting his stroke, and turned to Kelly.

“I’d say this boy just got a lot harder to keep up with.”

She smiled. “You think?”

They loaded, Denny getting in by himself now that he was familiar with the lift. Mart helped Kelly stow the racer into the back of his van, and she touched his shoulder.

“Thank you for the gloves. I’ll pay you back.”

“No, you won’t. He needs them. We have to get him up to Clermont next weekend, try to qualify him. I can work with him several days between now and then.”

“I can’t let you spend—”

Mart took her hand. “I can afford it. If it’ll make you feel better, you can buy lunch. How’s that?”

She smiled. “Thank you.”

“That’s settled.” He gently squeezed her hand. “Let’s go.”

* * * *

They ate in St. Pete before heading south. They had to wait for a table. Finally, the hostess seated them, moving two chairs to make room for Denny and Mart. She handed them menus and turned to Kelly. “What does everyone want to drink?”

Kelly glanced at Mart, who warily eyed her over his menu from across the table. Denny was buried in his. “I want iced tea, please,” she said.

“And them?”

Kelly smiled at the hostess. “Why don’t you ask them?”

Mart’s eyes crinkled over the top of his menu. He looked torn between irritation and amusement.

The hostess, now flustered, apologized. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”

“I’ll have decaf coffee and a water, please,” Mart said, sparing her further embarrassment.

“Root beer, please,” Denny said.

When they were alone, Mart leaned over the table. “Thank you.”

Kelly looked up from her menu. “For what?”

“How you handled her.”

She shrugged. “I go through this all the time with Denny.”

“You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve been out, and whoever I’m with has no clue how to handle that.”

“I promise I won’t cut your food for you either.”

He laughed and sat back with his menu.

“Mart, is it hard to qualify?” Denny asked.

“No, buddy, not for you. I need to look up your classification stats, but you shouldn’t have any problems.”

“How do we know for sure what his classification is?” Kelly asked.

“That’s what we need to discuss. A friend of mine will be in Clermont, and she said she’ll do a classification for us. He’ll still need to be classified officially in Spokane, but at least we’ll know where he is. We have to get an early start on Saturday. Either you need to spend the night up there, or drive up really early.”

She mentally ran through her credit card totals. She could do that. “Where do you stay?”

“If you want I’ll make you a reservation, you can pay when you get there.”

“Thank you.”

“No problem.”

* * * *

Mart hoped his voice was steady. He didn’t want to scare her off, sensed she was still nervous about getting involved. He didn’t think he misread her signals, but then again, he didn’t have the best of records in the relationship department. He knew pushing hard would send her running—he wasn’t an idiot.

She apparently had no idea how attractive she was. Not runway model gorgeous, but real-world beautiful, a woman who would still look fantastic as she aged, even if she didn’t think she did. And he loved that she wasn’t stick-thin. He’d dated women who looked like you’d break them if you hugged them too tightly. She had the perfect curves in the perfect spots.

He’d spent many evenings after practice wondering how it would feel to run his hands over her curves. Especially after the other night, how good it felt having his arm around her waist…

He tried not to stare. He wanted to lean over the table and kiss her—

“Right, Mart?” Denny said.

“What, buddy? Sorry, I was distracted.”

“You’ll show Mom how to set up my racer, right?”

“You need to learn how to do it. We can work on it this afternoon.” He looked at Kelly. “If you don’t have any plans tonight, why don’t we get Paulie and go practice? I’ll take everyone out to dinner later.”

“I don’t want to impose.”

“Kelly, it’s no imposition.” He fixed her with his eyes. “I want to, and Denny needs all the practice he can get. I want to work with him as much as I can when I’m home.”

“Really?”

She looked like she couldn’t believe he wanted to help them. He nodded. “Yes, really.”

When she smiled, something caught in his throat, wanting her.

“Thank you, Mart. We appreciate it.”

“It’s my pleasure, Kelly. Believe me.”

Chapter Seven

Using the map Mart emailed her, Kelly found the hotel in Clermont. While jittery about seeing Mart again, she was even more nervous about Denny qualifying.

Denny called Mart when they were close. Mart met them in the lobby when they checked in.

“Hi. Mart!” Denny flapped.

“Hi, buddy.” He smiled, and Kelly’s heart jumped. How could a man that good-looking and sweet still be single? What was wrong with him?

Yet another reason to take it slow and not get my hopes up.

“Hi, Kelly.”

“Hi, yourself,” she said.

“Dinner next door? My treat,” he offered.

Before Kelly could protest, the boys accepted. She was forced to smile and agree. “Okay.” She couldn’t disappoint them, but she felt guilty Mart was spending more money on them. She didn’t like feeling obligated to him. “Let me get our stuff unloaded, and we’ll meet you there.”

“Great. I’ll go grab us a table.”

Kelly and the boys met him twenty minutes later. “What’s the plan for tomorrow?” Kelly asked once they were seated and had ordered.

“Terrie’s going to classify Denny first thing. I told her we’d meet her at seven. It shouldn’t take too long. After that, his field and track events.”

Denny flapped. “Mart, did you get the throwing chair?”

“I sure did, buddy.”

“Will it help me throw better?”

“It’ll add a little height so you can get some distance. But remember, you have to stay in the lines.”

“Okay,” Denny said. Before they could talk more, their food arrived. After dinner, they stopped at Mart’s van. He showed them the throwing chair.

“Is that it?” Denny asked.

“Sure is. I need to get you one of your own, but it should work for you for Nationals.” It was a three-legged metal frame with wheels on one side and a cushioned seat at the top.

“That’s neat!” Denny said.

“We’ll get you used to it, figure out the best position tomorrow.”

Denny flapped. “I’ll be warmed up!”

It was only later that night, after Kelly went to bed, that she realized what Mart said. I need to get you one of your own…

Would she ever overcome her fear?

Not at the expense of my boys.

* * * *

Mart’s friend Terrie was dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. She had curly red hair, a spray of freckles across her cheeks under hazel eyes, a loud Midwestern accent, and a red, white, and blue prosthetic right leg.

Denny looked at her leg. “Wow! Is it battery operated?”

Paulie, Mart, and Terrie all laughed, while Kelly turned a deep shade of purple and clapped a hand to her face, shaking her head.

“No, Speed Racer, it’s not,” Terrie said. “But it’s pretty cool, isn’t it?” She slapped Mart on the shoulder. “How ya doing, crip?”

“Not too bad, gimpy.”

They both laughed again. Kelly felt like she’d just been dropped into an episode of the Twilight Zone—Disability Edition. Mart noticed Kelly’s discomfort.

“I’m sorry, Kel. Terrie and I have known each other for…what?”

“At least fifteen years,” Terrie said. “He was my coach in college.” She looked at Denny. “Be prepared, buddy, he’s going to work your heinie off.”

Denny grinned. “I want to learn to go fast!”

“Yeah, well, Marty will teach ya that, for sure.”

Terrie started working with Denny. Kelly leaned over to Mart. “Uh, what was that about?”

He laughed. “Get used to it. You’ll hear a lot of trash talk among the older athletes. Especially between the amps—amputees—and wheelchairs.”

“But what’s with the…” She couldn’t bring herself to say it.

“Crip?” He grinned. “Well, that’s kind of one of those things where it’s okay to say it if you are one, but if anyone else tries to call you that, it’s not okay. Like the N-word.”

“I’m in for a culture shock, aren’t I?”

He smiled. “I’m sure you can handle it.”

After classification, it didn’t take Denny long to get used to the throwing chair. Paulie helped Mart anchor it on the concrete pad. Mart showed him how to align it with the marked vector lines, then secure it with the tie-down straps. One of the other officials helped mark and measure Denny’s throws. Denny easily made his required qualifying distances.

Track was more difficult, because Denny didn’t like the starter’s pistol. Sensitivity to loud noises was common with spina bifida kids, and Denny was no exception. Once he got used to the sound, Denny managed to make the qualifying times for his track events. His only problem was on the 200 meter race, when he had to start on the curve and wobbled in and out of his lane. After Mart let him practice a few minutes, Denny managed to stay in his lane and make the qualifying time.

“We’ll need to work on that, buddy,” Mart told him.

“Do we have time today?” Denny asked.

“Yes. I want you to get used to the compensator. This is a really good track to practice on, because it’s so smooth.”

He helped Denny reset it for an outside lane and coached him on his timing, when to hit it before he went into the curve, so the front wheel would naturally follow the track. And when to hit it again on the straight-away, so the racer would automatically steer straight. “You want to get to the point where you don’t need to bump your steering arm at all, just use the compensator or adjust how hard you push on one side or the other to steer. Otherwise, you’ll be all over the track. When you’re bigger, you’ll be able to throw your weight to either side and hip it.”

After the instructions, Mart sent the boys around the track, telling Denny to focus more on staying in the lane than on his speed at first. “Don’t touch the steering, use the compensator. Focus ahead of you, adjust your push strength on either side to steer. Got it?”

Denny nodded, and the boys took off.

Kelly sat on the grass next to Mart’s chair, watching the boys circle the track. Denny pushing, Paulie jogging right behind.

“He’s getting the hang of the compensator,” Mart said. “That’s one of the trickiest things at the beginning. If he can master that, he’ll do great in longer races.”

“This is all Greek to me. I’m so lost right now, if it wasn’t for you, I’d be a wreck.”

He touched her shoulder. “You’re doing great.”

Their eyes met. She pulled her gaze away from him to watch the boys. They were at the far end of the track, coming around the turn. Denny carefully pushed as Mart had instructed, doing his best to stay in the lane.

With nearly effortless movement, Mart slid out of his chair and sat on the grass next to her. “Seriously. You’re in the middle of a huge learning curve,” he reassured her. “This time next year, you’ll be an old pro.”

“I wish I believed that.”

“I noticed on the paperwork his name is Daniel. Why did you start calling him Denny?”

“We named him after my dad. He was always called Dan or Danny, and when Denny was a baby, it was still painful to call him that because my dad died not too long before. Paulie called him Denny, and that’s what he’s been ever since.”

“That’s cute.” He watched the boys. “They really stick together, don’t they?”

“I tried to keep Paulie involved early on so he didn’t feel left out or neglected. I’m lucky he’s so close to Denny. But I’m glad Denny’s got his own sports now.” She watched as Denny lagged and Paulie apparently joked with him, smiling. Denny dug into his push strokes again.

Kelly’s voice dropped. “He feels responsible for Denny. And me. I’ve tried to talk to him about it, but he’s always been really mature for his age, you know? My ex had a secret email account. Paulie’s the one who found it, showed it to me.” She kept her eyes on the boys, wondering why she was spilling her guts to Mart. “I know Paulie loves his father, but he resents what he did, too. I think Paulie feels guilty about the divorce, that he found the email account, so he tries to make it up to Denny.” She studied her hands for a moment. “If Denny has his own sports, maybe Paulie can relax. Not feel guilty about doing things without Denny.”

* * * *

Mart studied her. “This is personal, I know, and feel free to tell me to butt out. Your divorce wasn’t friendly, was it?”

“No,” she whispered. “David didn’t want a divorce. He wanted me to put up with his screwing around.” Mart didn’t push her. Eventually she continued. “I spent a lot of years listening to David tell me how good he was for me, how lucky I was that he took care of me. That I’d never make it on my own. Then I found out about the other women.”

“Did he hit you?”

“Not with his fists. Words can hurt pretty deep, and you can’t see the scars. Would have been easier if he had. At least then I would have ended it sooner.”

She met Mart’s gaze. He saw how close she was to tears. He wanted to put his arm around her and comfort her. He settled for taking her hand, and she didn’t pull away.

“I’m sorry.”

“Not your fault. Patty thinks I have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.”

“What do you think?”

She shrugged. “I think I need to suck it up and move on. It’s a lot better than it used to be. I have two boys who need me. They sure as hell can’t count on their father.”

“I think they’re two very lucky boys to have you as their mom.”

“Enough about me. And the ex-man. This is supposed to be fun.”

Outside the fence, directly across the track, two rabbits emerged from the brush and gingerly sniffed at the air. Mart pointed them out. To break the tension, he said, in a decent Scottish accent, “Argh, those rabbits are murder!”

Kelly looked surprised. For a moment, Mart was worried she didn’t get the Monty Python reference, and he prepared to apologize.

Then she responded in a passable British accent, “Run away! Run away! I think I wet myself!”

He grinned and replied in a different accent, “Oh, shut up and go change your armor.”

They were still laughing when the boys stopped in front of them.

“What’s so funny?” Denny asked.

The adults looked at each other and laughed again. “Nothing,” Mart said. “How are you guys doing?”

He sent them around the track for another slow lap. The boys walked away. Mart tried to work up his nerve.

She knew Monty Python—could it get any better?

Ask her. Ask her now. The mood and moment were perfect.

He looked at her, took a deep breath, and then she spoke.

“Mart, again, thank you so much for all of this.” She watched the boys. “I never could have done this without you.”

He lost his nerve. “Kelly, I mean it when I say it’s my pleasure.”

* * * *

They bandied Monty Python lines back and forth all afternoon, most going over the boys’ heads. How long had it been since she’d laughed like this?

Kelly couldn’t remember.

Her sense of humor had constantly grated on David. In college, she’d hung out with like-minded friends, but David wasn’t into her kind of humor. She was a Monty Python kind of girl; David was a “pull my finger” kind of guy.

That should have been a clue, she realized later.

She thought Mart would laugh himself out of his chair when she sang “The Drunken Philosophers Song” by heart.

“I cannot believe you know that. I am suitably impressed.”

It struck her one of the reasons she was attracted to Mart was his playful, funny nature. He was kind, not with David’s “I’m-just-kidding-geez-can’t-you-take-a-joke?” biting edge.

Why can’t I tell him how I feel? Kelly thought about the unfinished poem sitting on her computer. She knew it would break her heart if Mart didn’t feel the same.

She wanted to see Denny excel in sports. To do that, he needed a coach. Mart was great with him. The changes she already saw in Denny’s self-confidence were more than worth the cost of sitting back and not rocking this delicately-balanced boat. Not to mention how it would help Paulie, get the boys doing things independently.

She admitted it—she was afraid. She didn’t know Mart, not really. It was better to keep her mouth shut. Because if she didn’t say anything to him, then he couldn’t say no.

Chapter Eight

Over the next few weeks, Kelly managed to corral her hormones and focus on work. Her priorities were to a)survive summer, b)take the boys on a trip, and then c)revisit the “Mart Rawlings is a hunk” issue later, if it was still even on the table by that point.

Although, with Patty egging her on to ask him out, Kelly found herself frequently wavering on point C.

There was no reason to rush into anything. Rushing into a relationship got her divorced with two sons. The very fact that she felt so goofy about Mart was even more reason to take it slow.

She was settling in to work one morning when her phone rang.

“Denny is officially entered in Nationals,” Mart said.

Kelly closed her eyes and conjured Mart’s face. “Really?”

“All set. I just received confirmation from the local organizing committee that they got his registration packet.”

“Good.” With Denny qualified in field, track, and swimming, it’d be a busy week in Spokane. “Now I have to plan the trip.”

“I have frequent flier miles I can give you, if you need them.”

“Thanks, I appreciate that. I’m still not sure what we’re doing. We might drive.”

“That’s a long drive.”

She bit back a snarky reply. David had already belittled her over the phone when she mentioned they might drive to Spokane, and she still stung from that exchange. But Mart’s tone of voice wasn’t condescending.

“I know,” she said. “I promised the boys a trip. I need to crunch numbers and figure out how to swing it, either way.”

“Well, seriously. If you need help, let me know.”

She knew she couldn’t accept his tempting offer. He’d done so much already, she couldn’t impose on him. “Thanks, Mart. I’ll talk to you later.”

Kelly hung up and rubbed her eyes. She’d run tentative numbers the day before. Even with the cost of gas, flying the three of them to Spokane and renting a large van for the week would be almost as much as if they drove. Not to mention she despised flying. It was worth driving just to not have to fly.

And she had promised the boys a camping trip.

She looked at the US map pinned to her office wall, the one Denny and Paulie used for their homework.

Her finger traced I-75 north. They could see St. Louis, hook through Kansas City, up to Sioux Falls. Then across South Dakota to Rapid City—the Badlands and Mount Rushmore. Yellowstone. After they left Spokane, they could head west and see Mount St. Helens and Mt.Rainier. Realistically, when would they ever have another chance like this?

It was doable. If she could find the money to do it.

Her folder of monthly bills lay open on the desk, the mortgage statement on top. She had a fixed mortgage that was almost half paid, thanks to the divorce. Over fifty grand in equity.

Back to the map. There was so much they could see between Florida and Washington. Trip of a lifetime. More than enough to help the boys forget their father reneged on his promise.

Kelly glanced at the clock. It was only noon. She picked up the mortgage statement, found the customer service number, and made the call.

An hour later, she looked at the map again. If she wanted, she could have ten grand in an equity line of credit by the end of tomorrow. She wouldn’t need that much, and she could use credit cards.

But it was a safety net.

I’ll have to rent a U-Haul trailer…

She’d already priced renting an RV, and the mileage charge alone was astronomical. So if they drove, it would be the Element.

* * * *

After school, Kelly sat the boys down. “I need to talk to you.”

“What’d we do, Mom?” Denny asked.

“Nothing, honey. We need to have a family meeting.”

“What’s going on?” Paulie interrupted.

“If you’ll let me talk, I’ll tell you.” She took a deep breath. “Denny, do you really want to go to Nationals?”

He nodded. “I know it’s a lot of money. I’ll do chores.”

“That’s not the point. Do you really want to go? To compete?”

“Yes.”

She looked at Paulie. “You don’t get to sit and play around all the time. I’d need your help with your brother’s equipment and the luggage.”

“I get to pick on Squirt, right?” He tousled his brother’s hair, eliciting a protest from the younger boy. Then he turned serious. “I’ll help.”

“If we fly, we can go straight there, sightsee a day or two before and after. It’ll be an easier trip.”

Paulie watched her, knowing there was a point and smart enough not to rush her. “Yeah?”

“Or, we can drive. It won’t be an easy trip, like to Orlando and back. We’ll be up very early every morning, driving until very late, and sometimes driving all night or sleeping in the car. We’ll see more, but it’ll be a lot of work. It won’t be comfortable spending that long in a car every day. You can’t hit every hotel pool between here and Spokane. Or sit and watch cartoons late at night on TV. And we’re not stopping every two hours for food.”

“But what’s the good side?”

“We’ll go to Yellowstone, and see Mount St. Helens and Mt.Rainier.”

“Yes!” both boys screamed in unison, high-fiving each other.

“Hey, don’t agree to this unless you understand what I’m saying.” Who was she kidding? They’d be complaining before they reached Gainesville.

“Yellowstone!” Denny yelled, pumping his arms up and down. “I want to go to Yellowstone!” Ever since seeing Supervolcano on the Discovery Channel, the boys were fascinated by the park.

“No complaining. No fighting. No giving me a hard time. No whining how boring it is, or how tired you are. Especially since I’m driving.”

Both boys nodded.

“This will also count as the camping trip I promised.”

They nodded again.

“So no complaining I didn’t take you camping, right?”

More nods. They looked like a couple of puppets.

“So we’re agreed? We drive?”

The boys looked at each other and screamed, “Yellowstone!”

Kelly crunched numbers again after the boys were in bed. She’d pay for this trip for the better part of a year. It had been years since she’d taken a car trip like this.

Well, actually, she’d never taken a car trip like this. Her parents took them to the SmokyMountains or Disney or the beach. The farthest she remembered was Mammoth Caverns in Kentucky.

And they were always punctuated by a fight. Make that fights, plural. Leading up to the trip, her father would get tense. She and her younger sister, Leanne, gave him a wide berth, making sure to do their chores and walk the straight and narrow.

When they got on the road, the constant bickering between him and her mother nearly drove them to tears in the backseat. It wasn’t always like that between them. With adult hindsight as a parent, Kelly wondered how much of it was his stress over paying for the trip.

She wouldn’t do that to her boys. She would stay calm. She wanted this trip to be remembered for how good it was, not that Mom bit their heads off every time they asked a question.

And if it made her ex-husband look like an even bigger jerk in the process for cancelling his trip, all the better.

* * * *

The boys talked about little but the trip. For once, something eclipsed the end of the school year in their minds. They scoured the Internet for information about places they wanted to visit, researching Yellowstone and practically memorizing the brochures Kelly brought home from AAA.

Denny, ever sweet and helpful, was concerned. “Can you drive all that way by yourself?”

“I won’t be by myself, honey. You guys will be with me.”

“Grandma can go with us.”

“Honey, I’m sure Grandma doesn’t want to spend three weeks cooped up in a car with us.” I know I don’t want to spend three weeks cooped up in a car with her.

“Yes, she does. I asked her yesterday.”

Kelly winced. “Denny, what did you ask Grandma?”

“I asked if she’d come to Nationals with us.”

Oh boy. “I’ll have to call Grandma and see if that’s okay.” And talk her out of it. “Maybe she doesn’t realize how long the trip will take.”

“Yes, she does. I told her.”

Kelly forced herself not to swear. The last thing she wanted—needed—on the trip was her mother. She loved her mother. But three weeks in a car might destroy the fragile relationship they’d forged since her father’s death. Before then, she was the daughter, and mother knew best. And mother didn’t hesitate to say she despised her son-in-law.

Then again, her mother had been right.

It was her father’s death that made Kelly put their difference in opinion behind her. Then Denny was born, bringing them even closer.

But Kelly wouldn’t ask for a handout. Her pride was still too bruised from years of bad decisions about marrying David and trying to make her family and friends like him. She’d made her bed, she’d lay in it. But her mother was a godsend when it came to taking care of the boys, and Kelly welcomed every minute of that respite.

Just not her money. Kelly didn’t want it, even though she could use it.

It would be different if she was losing the house, or the lights and water were getting turned off. In a case like that, yes, she’d grit her teeth and ask. Unless or until that day came, Kelly was determined she’d make up for her bad choices and eventually stand on her own two feet.

Well, part of that was due to David’s threats.

No one will ever love you the way I do. You can’t make it on your own. You’ve never lived on your own, how will you support yourself and the boys?

He was right that she’d never lived on her own before the divorce. From her parents to David, then married a year later. As for the rest, she’d prove him wrong.

* * * *

Kelly sent the boys to do their homework and called her mother. “Mom, you don’t have to go.”

“I want to. How are you paying for it?”

“Equity line of credit.”

“You can’t do that.”

Kelly bristled and tried to keep her tone level. “Yes, I can.”

“Let me rephrase that—you shouldn’t.”

“Why not?”

“Kelly, you have to hold onto that house. I don’t want to see you going backwards on the mortgage. How much do you think the trip will cost?”

Kelly looked at her list. “Probably around five grand. Depends on gas, and how much I have to spend on hotels.”

“I’ll give you three grand. Can you put the rest on credit cards or something?”

“Mom, no. I don’t want your money.”

“I know you don’t want it, but you’re going to take it whether you want to or not. Quit being stubborn. This isn’t charity, it’s a gift for the boys.”

Kelly didn’t want to take it but ran the numbers in her head anyway. She had two credit cards paid off, probably could get the limits raised. Raid savings if she had to. “I’m pretty sure I could swing it with that. But

Mom—”

“Then it’s settled. I’ll go and help out.”

Kelly closed her eyes, silently groaning. “You don’t have to go.”

“I want to see Denny race. Besides, we haven’t been on a family trip since you and Leanne were kids.”

“Mom, our family trips were never great.”

Understatement of the century. There wasn’t enough therapy in the world to heal those emotional scars. World War II was a family squabble compared to family vacations with Sharon and Daniel Exeter.

“That’s because your father was so intense about everything. This will be fun. Where’s your sense of adventure?”

Kelly didn’t want to give in but it was really tempting. “You’re sure you want to do this?” she asked.

“Absolutely. It’ll give us time to spend together as a family.”

That kind of family time might kill me.

Chapter Nine

Kelly’s phone rang an hour later. She groaned when she looked at the screen. “Hi, Leanne.”

“Hey, big sis. What’s up?”

“You tell me. You called.” They loved each other but weren’t close. Leanne was three years younger, single, and a successful stockbroker. She’d moved to New York five years earlier and rarely visited.

And it was awfully coincidental she happened to call this afternoon.

“I just got off the phone with Mom.”

“Uh huh.” Kelly had an uncomfortable feeling where this was going, that her hunch was on the money. Literally.

“Yeah. She told me about Denny’s trip.”

Kelly closed her eyes. How many people would her mother call and portray her as the poor, pitiful, struggling single mom? “Yeah, she’s going with us. I guess.”

“I’d like to help.”

And there it was. It was bad enough taking money from her mother. Kelly’d spent several years struggling financially with David before he started earning his keep, but she’d always been able to work while writing on the side to keep money coming in. Without begging family for handouts.

She wasn’t about to start now.

“I appreciate the offer, Lee, but it’s not necessary.”

“Kelly, you’re a stubborn woman. I haven’t exactly been the best aunt. I’d like to give the boys—not you—money for the trip.”

A handout was still a handout. “That’s a technicality, right?”

“One you’d better live with. I’ll put a check in the mail today for three grand. Make sure to give the boys a great time, tell them it’s courtesy of Auntie Lee, right?”

“I’ll make sure they send thank you cards.”

“Send post cards. I’d love to see the country, but I’m too damn busy.”

They chatted a few minutes before saying good-bye. Kelly stared at the phone and tried to swallow the lump in her throat. She wouldn’t have to dip into equity, raid savings, or run up credit cards.

Or ask David for money.

That last thought was enough sugar to make the medicine go down a little easier.

“You called Leanne,” Kelly said when her mom answered.

“You’re welcome.”

“I didn’t ask you to do that.”

“You didn’t have to. She loves the boys, she doesn’t have any of her own, and she’s single and successful. It’s not going to break her.” She paused. “And you won’t have to hit David up for money.”

Kelly closed her eyes. Despite how aggravating her mom could be, she could get to the point when she tried.

And she loved her for it.

“Thanks, Mom.”

“You’re welcome. I knew you wouldn’t ask us for it. I’m damn sure not letting that jerk put you in debt. You have enough stress. For once, would you swallow your pride and accept the help that’s offered without feeling bad?”

She didn’t want to but tried to keep it in perspective. It was for her boys. “Yes, fine. I do. Thank you.”

“How goes the plans?”

“I already made reservations at Yellowstone.”

“I’ve never been out there. Oh, hold on a minute.” Her mother put the phone down. In a moment, she was back. “You need to run over to Bradenton to the De SotoNationalMemorial park. They sell these things called passport books for the parks, the kids can get them stamped. They also have special park passes for people with disabilities to get into Yellowstone and other places for free. That’ll save money.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I had to find the stuff I printed.”

“You’re doing research?” Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad having her mom to distract and entertain the boys.

“Of course. I don’t want to look stupid when the boys ask me questions.”

“Printed, as in on the computer?”

“I gave up stone tablets last week.”

Kelly laughed. Her mom didn’t exactly embrace technology. More like kicking and screaming. Leanne gave her a computer last Christmas, and her mom eventually overcame her terror of Nigerian scams and email viruses to learn how to Google.

Kelly talked with Mart the next day after practice. “My mom’s going, and we’re definitely driving.”

“That’s a long trip.”

“It’ll be the trip of a lifetime. I don’t get to take them places very often. This will make up for it.”

He watched the boys shooting hoops. “Will you be okay driving that far?”

“I already asked people on the Element owner’s forum about it. They said no problem with the trailer.”

Mart looked like he wanted to say something else when Paulie ran over. “We’re hungry. Can we go eat?”

“Sure,” she said.

Mart picked up his bag and glanced at his watch. “I wish I could eat dinner with you guys, but I have an early flight tomorrow.”

“Oh.” She swallowed her disappointment. “Well, when do you want to get together again?”

“When are you leaving?”

“Next Saturday.”

“We can get together this weekend, and again on Friday. I’ll have all Denny’s paperwork ready for you by then.”

She nodded. “That sounds good.” Kelly wanted to force the words out, I really like you, but she couldn’t bring herself to say them.

No. Too much to deal with. After summer was over, the craziness of the trip behind her, then, maybe, she’d think about it.

“Mart, thank you. I never could have done this if it wasn’t for you. You’re the reason Denny’s going to Nationals.”

“I think you give me too much credit, but you’re welcome. I fly out to Spokane, late, the Wednesday before Nationals. You’ll probably still be in Yellowstone?”

“If all goes according to plan.”

“It sounds like a neat trip.”

“I hope so. David finally signed off on letting them go. Formality, but I like having my I’s dotted and my T’s crossed when dealing with him.”

“Good. It’d be stupid for him to say no, especially after he canceled their camping trip.”

“Tell me about it. But then again, you and I are rational.”

They both laughed. She loved the sound of Mart’s voice, so warm and rolling and genuine. Not David’s fake, forced braying guffaw.

When would she stop comparing him to David?

Chapter Ten

Kelly made her preparations and tried to stay sane. Truth be told, she was looking forward to seeing the country with the boys. David usually had the honor of taking them to all the fun places. For once she would be able to show them a great time.

If David got his nose bent out of joint listening to the boys talk about their trip, well, that was a nice bonus. Serves him right, the cheating son of a bitch.

She planned and shopped and packed, and in the final days double-checked everything. The day before their departure, she took the car in for servicing.

While her mechanic went over the SUV, Kelly sat in his waiting room with her laptop and tried not to tick up the bill in her head. Lee’s check was in the bank. She could afford this.

He totaled her invoice when he finished.

“Can you send both your girls to Harvard now?” Kelly joked.

“Not quite. Maybe a good prep school. We did everything we talked about. You’re good to go.”

She closed her laptop. “How bad?”

He handed her the bill, and she didn’t choke. It was actually less than she’d anticipated, but still a huge chunk of money.

“Make sure you get the oil changed when you’re out there. Then bring it in again when you get home.”

“I will. So I’m all set?”

“Yep. It’s in great shape. You shouldn’t have any problems.”

“Thanks.”

Next stop—pick up the trailer.

She nervously filled out the rental paperwork. This made it real. They were going.

Kelly remembered how excited the boys were when she broke the news to them. She smiled and took a deep breath and signed the form. This would be a good trip. Even if her mom was coming along.

“Have you ever towed a trailer before?” the guy asked after he hooked it up and tested the lights.

Kelly looked at the rig. The trailer was a few inches shorter and narrower than the back of the boxy Element. “It’s been a while, but yes.”

At home, her mom suspiciously eyed the trailer. “I still say it looks like an orange toaster. At least we’re color-coordinated.”

Kelly didn’t comment. She loved her Element, and it was a happy coincidence it was nearly the exact same shade of orange over grey as the trailer. She considered it a good omen.

“You realize I won’t be able to drive with the trailer, right?” Sharon said.

Kelly nodded, relieved. She’d been trying to find a tactful way of telling her mom there was no way in hell she was letting her drive, especially with a trailer. “That’s fine, Mom.”

“It’s not too late to fly. I’ll pay for it.”

“We’re driving. I promised the boys a camping trip.”

“We won’t be camping.”

“No. But we’ll be in the woods. You don’t get any woodsier than Yellowstone. Do you honestly want to sleep in a tent?”

“And get eaten by a bear? Not on your life. I looked it up on the Internet. Bears have killed people out there at Yellowstone.” She thought about it. “Can we stick David in a tent and cover him with honey?”

“Mom!” Kelly looked around to make sure the boys were out of earshot.

“Just a thought. Okay, more like a revenge fantasy.”

Mart showed up around five with Denny’s paperwork and looked at the trailer hook-up. “You’ll be okay driving this?”

She nodded. “I’ll take it easy.”

“Have you ever towed a trailer?”

“I worked for a landscaping company in college. I drove a crew cab truck and pulled a twenty-two foot equipment trailer.”

He smiled. “Go Girl Power.”

“Don’t be too impressed. I was one of the few employees with a legal, clean driver’s license. The owner could insure me.”

“Oh.” He laughed again.

The trailer was half-loaded, the throwing chair already buried at the front. She wanted the luggage toward the back, with enough room for the coolers and Denny’s everyday chair near the doors for easy access. The racer should sit on top of everything. She had an old, thick comforter to cushion it.

“Could they have held it any further from Florida?” she asked Mart.

“You missed out. A couple of years ago, it was in Tampa two years in a row. Hey, at least it’s not in Arizona again.” Mart looked like he wanted to say something else. “Kelly, I wanted to ask you—”

“Hey, Mom! Paulie’s being a butt-head. He says I can’t watch his DVD player on the trip!”

She looked at the front porch. “Denny, you know Paulie’s messing with you. And don’t call your brother a butt-head. Don’t make me stop this car before I even start it!” She turned to Mart. “Sorry about that. I’m hoping I don’t rip out all my hair before I get to Spokane. You were saying?”

“Uh, I wanted to ask if you had everything you needed for his race chair.”

“I think so. I have everything you gave me, and your air pump.”

“Good.” He handed her the paperwork.

“Thank you.” She loved his eyes. “Mart, I appreciate everything you’ve done. I can’t tell you how much it means to me.”

“It’s no problem. I enjoy spending time with you.”

The boys and her mom came out to say good-bye to him before he left. As he drove off, Sharon leaned in to Kelly. “He’s cute.”

“Stop it, Mom.”

“Just saying.”

Kelly glared at her mother. It was bad enough she’d spent years trying to get Kelly to divorce David, constantly sniping and snarking at her about him. She sure didn’t want to hear her mother’s “helpful” matchmaking suggestions. “Boys, get inside, go take your baths.” They left, and Kelly dropped her voice. “Don’t you dare start with me, Mom.”

Her mom gave her an innocent ‘who me?’ smile. “What?”

“That.”

“What?”

Kelly shook her head. “You know what. Don’t start with me.”

Chapter Eleven

The boys were wide awake at five. Kelly’s mom cooked breakfast while Kelly went through their luggage one last time before loading the trailer. With the dishes done and one final walk through the house to check locks and windows and lights, Kelly looked at Sharon.

“Ready?”

“I don’t know if I’m ready, but let’s go.”

Denny nearly flapped out of his chair while he waited for Kelly to open the car doors.

“Let’s go, Mom, it’s almost seven,” he bounced.

“Calm down. We’re going.”

Kelly slid behind the wheel and took a deep breath. I can do this…

She looked at her mom. “Rule one—my car, my radio.”

Her mother nodded. Fortunately, that was one of the few things her mom wouldn’t argue about.

Kelly looked between the seats. “Rule two—no piggies. You clean up after yourselves back there, right?”

The boys’ heads bobbed up and down.

“Rule three—we have fun. Right?”

“Right,” they all echoed.

Kelly took a deep breath. She shifted into reverse and slowly backed down the driveway.

They were almost to I-75 when Sharon pointed to the lanyard hung over the gearshift. “What’s that?”

“Extra keys. I put on a locking gas cap, and that’s the extra key. So we both have a car key, a gas key, and a spare remote.”

“No, that.” She pointed at the little canister hanging from the lanyard.

“Pepper spray.”

“You think we’ll need it?”

“Better safe than sorry.”

“As long as I don’t spray myself with it.”

“I have a bigger can, too.”

“Why?”

Kelly shrugged. “It was cheap. I figured we’d have it for Yellowstone, in case of bears.” She was joking, but her mother’s eyes widened.

“I told you I read about bear attacks. You think we’ll need it?”

Kelly laughed, then realized her mother was seriously freaked out. “No, Mom, I was joking. It was on sale and I thought it’d be a good idea to have it.”

How did the Serenity Prayer go? Maybe she should have had it tattooed on her hand. Kelly had a feeling she’d need it.

The familiar mix of Florida prairie, dotted with palmettos, cabbage palms, and scrub oaks, slowly evolved as they drove north toward Tampa. The land slowly transformed from black dirt to orange clay, tall slash pines and thick stands of live oaks taking over the interstate medians as they pushed through Brooksville. It was almost like another state as the land gave way again to rolling expanses of horse farms in Ocala. The boys, still thrilled over the departure, exclaimed over every new and unfamiliar sight.

Kelly stopped for lunch and gas north of Gainesville. The trailer made drive-through impossible, so Kelly parked in the shade and locked the boys in the car, peeking out the window to make sure they were okay. Her mom studied the menu boards like an art exhibit.

After ten minutes, Sharon sighed. “I never know what to get.”

Kelly tried to contain her frustration. “It’s McDonalds, Mom. They’re the same all over the country.”

Sharon shook her head. “I know it’s easy for you, but I can never decide.”

“Mom.” Kelly took a deep breath. She wanted to get back on the road, but this was not the time to lose her temper. “Let me order so I can get the boys their food.”

Sharon waved her on. “Go ahead. I’ll be a while.”

Kelly wanted to scream. They weren’t even out of Florida. Was this a mistake?

“Mom, just order something. It’s all. The. Same.”

Sharon shot her an exasperated look. “Maybe to you. It. Is.”

“Where’s Grandma?” Denny asked. Kelly handed bags and the drink carrier through the front seats to Paulie to divvy up.

“She’s still ordering.”

Kelly had finished her sandwich by the time Sharon emerged with her order.

“I’m sorry I take so long. I never can make up my mind.”

“Next time, I’ll give you an advanced warning and you can decide what you want before we get there.” Now Kelly understood why her dad insisted on doing all the food ordering when they went out to eat. If he didn’t, they would have taken forever.

“Maybe that works for you, but it doesn’t work for me.”

Kelly fought the urge to groan. This was going to be a long trip.

* * * *

The miles passed. Kelly increased her speed as she gained confidence towing the trailer. When Denny needed an afternoon bathroom break, Kelly pulled into a rest area in northern Georgia. Unfortunately, it didn’t have a family bathroom, so the women took Denny into the ladies room with them.

“How you doing, honey?” Kelly asked.

Denny mumbled something from the stall that sounded like he dropped his cath.

Kelly exchanged looks with her mom. “What was that?”

He repeated what he said. Kelly gasped, struck with horror. The bathroom was equipped with self-flushing toilets. If Denny had dropped his catheter into the toilet, it was gone.

And he had a special metal catheter the urologist gave him to use for a couple of months. They only had one—no spares.

“Don’t flush!” Kelly screamed. “Don’t move! The toilet will flush by itself!” She tried the door. Locked, of course.

Well, the floor didn’t look too disgusting. She dropped to her knees and wiggled under the door on her back, pushing Denny’s wheelchair out of the way so she could stand.

Denny sat on the toilet, holding his catheter in one hand, the bottle of rubbing alcohol he stored it in the other. He looked aggravated.

“Mooom! Privacy!”

Her heart started beating again. “Honey, I thought you said you dropped your cath?”

“I dropped the cap—to my bottle. I can’t find it.”

Kelly took a deep, calming breath. “Okay, honey. We’ll find it.” Then to her mom, “He dropped the alcohol bottle cap.” Kelly found it, on the floor.

“Oh, thank goodness. I heard him say ‘cath.’”

Denny rolled his eyes. “Mom, I said cap, not cath. Sheesh.”

“You need to call the doctor and get another one,” Sharon said from outside the stall.

“He’s trying. They’re a special order thing, and it didn’t come in before we left. Denny’s only supposed to use it for a couple of months before he tries him with regular ones again.”

Denny glared at her. “Mom, I’m sitting right here.” While he didn’t mind discussing his medical issues, he didn’t like it when others talked about them without including him.

“Sorry, sweetheart.”

She waited for Denny to finish before opening the stall door and washing her hands. Kelly grabbed a clean shirt from her luggage and returned to the bathroom to change. If that was the worst disaster they had the whole trip, she was happy.

Kelly hoped that was the worst disaster they had the entire trip.

Later that evening, in southern Tennessee, Kelly’s mom looked at her.

“Are you hot?” Sharon asked. She seemed incapable of simply stating what she wanted, instead choosing to hint around until someone agreed with her before she’d speak her mind. Kelly had grown sick and tired of playing the “Guess What I Want?” game with her before they even reached Atlanta, and she fought to keep her voice even.

“Mom, if you want me to adjust the temperature, all you have to do is say so.”

“Well, I don’t want to change it if everyone else is comfortable.”

Kelly gripped the wheel and bit her tongue. “Mom, please, just say what you mean. Don’t play word games. Say, ‘I’m hot, can we adjust the temperature?’ When you’re hungry, ask me to stop for food. Don’t say, ‘Is anyone hungry?’ Say, ‘I’m hungry, I’d like to eat.’” Kelly’s patience grew shorter by the mile.

Sharon looked at her. “Fine. I’m hungry. And I’m hot.”

“Fine.” Kelly reached over and wrenched the A/C knob. “One thing taken care of. Was that so difficult?”

“I didn’t want to say anything because I knew we’d end up in a fight.”

Kelly took a deep, calming breath. “We’re not fighting, Mom. We’re discussing. And if you’d simply said, ‘I’m hot,’ we wouldn’t be having this discussion.”

Sharon fell silent. Kelly knew it wouldn’t last.

“Kelly, do you have to turn everything into a discussion?”

“You’re doing it again, Mom. You aren’t comfortable with it, so you’re trying to put it back on me. Look, if we’re going to survive this trip without killing each other, promise me you’ll speak your mind. I’m not Dad. I’m not going to yell at you for wanting to adjust the air or stop for food or bathroom breaks.”

“Well, now that you mention it, I could use a potty stop.”

Kelly resisted the urge to beat her head against the steering wheel. There was an exit a mile up the road, with gas stations and restaurants. “Let’s pull over now.” She changed lanes to make the exit.

“But this isn’t when you planned to stop.”

“That’s okay. Don’t you get it? I don’t want you sitting here hot or hungry or about to explode all over my seats.”

Denny giggled. “Want one of my night diapers, Grandma? I brought extra.”

Sharon’s severe façade dissolved in a fit of laughter. By the time they reached the signal at the bottom of the exit ramp, she’d composed herself and wiped her eyes.

“I’m sorry, honey. Please bear with me. Trips with your father were always hell.”

Kelly reached out and squeezed her mom’s hand. “I know. That’s why Lee and I quit going. The two of you were fighting before we left the driveway. Talk to me, okay, Mom? Just ask.”

Sharon nodded, smiling.

They stopped for gas, food, and to use the bathroom. Her mistake, Kelly realized, was letting Denny and Paulie take a few minutes to peruse the tourist trap brochures in the restaurant, lined up in neat, tempting display racks along the wall near the door.

“Mom!” Denny screamed. Kelly whirled around, afraid someone was trying to kidnap him or Paulie.

“What?”

Denny slid to an excited stop in front of her, flapping a brochure. “Mom, we HAVE to go here! Please?”

She snagged the brochure from his flailing arm. Cooter’s Place, in Nashville. Both boys were huge fans of the Dukes of Hazard TV show, the one thing that united them above all others.

Paulie also had a brochure. “Please? Mom, please? Can we?” he begged.

She looked at the brochure and closed her eyes, knowing she’d regret it. “On the way back, yes. We don’t have time now. And only if you behave the entire trip.”

The boys cheered. Denny threw his arms around Kelly and hugged her, his chair smashing painfully into her shins and almost knocking her over. “Thank you, Mom. You’re the coolest!”

Sharon smiled. “And so it begins.”

Kelly rubbed her shins and glared at her mother.

They spent the night south of Nashville. The boys were ready to go early the next morning, and they were on the road again by seven. Travel fatigue had not set in yet, fortunately, and Kelly felt calmer after a night’s sleep.

As they rolled through the unfamiliar landscape towards St. Louis, Kelly wondered how long the positive attitudes would last.

* * * *

“There it is!” Denny screamed, startling the women. He pointed between the front seats. Over the ridge, sunlight glinted off the top of the Arch.

“Wow, it’s big,” Sharon said. “I didn’t realize how big it was. It looks smaller in the pictures.”

Kelly nodded, gripping the steering wheel tighter. Traffic was heavier as they approached St. Louis, and she was trying to minimize her lane changes. “It’s big.”

She reached the correct lane without sideswiping anyone. The boys snapped pictures of the Arch and road signs as they crossed the state line and the Mississippi River into St. Louis.

The Arch dominated the waterfront. Kelly paid the parking attendant at a nearby church to let them take up two spots in their lot. Because of the trailer, they couldn’t park in the garage. And Denny was too heavy to piggy-back up all the steps if they parked by the river.

“Wow, it’s huge,” Denny said, awestruck. He wheeled ahead of them through the trees toward the Arch, Paulie on his heels and carrying their park passport books.

Sharon grabbed a bottle of water from her backpack. “And they say Florida’s hot? This place is like the southernmost quadrant of Hell. At least we have a cool breeze at home.”

It was hot. “Mom, come on, try to get into the spirit of it.” Kelly felt the miles in her arms and back and was glad for a chance to stretch her legs. She didn’t have the energy to deal with her mom’s grousing, and bit back the urge to snap at her.

“I’ll get into the spirit when I drop dead from a heart attack hiking in this heat.”

Kelly lagged behind and stuck out her tongue at her mom’s back.

The line to get into the exhibit area under the Arch was fairly short, and it was cool inside despite the crowd. Denny and Paulie went to the information desk to stamp their passport books, their very first entry of the trip. Kelly dribbled a little water onto her hand and wiped it on her face, letting the air conditioning take over. Eventually she felt human again. The boys and her mom wandered the exhibits while Kelly rested.

With time for Denny to cath, Kelly had allotted an hour for the stop. It wasn’t enough time to do it justice, and they wouldn’t take the tram ride up to the top, but hopefully they could stop on the way back. Yellowstone was their goal, and Kelly wouldn’t jeopardize their reservations. She hauled herself to her feet and went in search of her family.

They chased the sun across Missouri to Kansas City, stopping for gas and dinner before dark. Denny enjoyed trying to read the map, but Kelly was glad he wasn’t the official navigator. Left up to him, they would have routed through Minneapolis. Or Dallas.

Kelly stretched one last time before climbing behind the wheel. “How many miles to Sioux Falls, Denny?”

Denny had the map. “I don’t see it.” He handed the map to Sharon.

She took it and studied it, frowning. “The map says twelve hours,” Sharon said.

“Mileage, Mom.”

“This little chart right here,” she pointed, “says that the time—”

“Mom.” Kelly took a breath and steadied her voice. “I need to know the miles.”

“Well, AAA has already figured the time for you on the map, in this little chart.”

“Mom, miles. Please.”

“Why?”

“We’re averaging over seventy miles an hour. Give me miles so I can figure drive time based on my speed.”

“What’s the speed limit—”

“Mother!”

“Fine.” Sharon looked at the map for a long moment. “Where are we again?”

Kelly silently held out her hand for the map. Sharon relinquished it. Kelly studied it, then returned it to her mom. “Thank you.”

“When are we stopping for the night?” Sharon asked.

“I’ll let you know.” Kelly began drinking cans of espresso shots before St. Louis and got coffee at every gas stop. She felt strong enough to push onward. The sooner they got to Yellowstone, the sooner she could relax.

Shortly after eight, they made the turn north on I-29 toward Sioux Falls.

“When are we stopping for the night?” Sharon asked again.

“I’ll let you know.”

By midnight, they were closing in on Council Bluffs. “We’re not stopping, are we?” Sharon asked.

“Not until I can’t keep my eyes open.”

“You are so stubborn. You can’t keep this up.”

“I’ll pull over when I have to. I want to make sure we get to Yellowstone on time.”

Kelly got fuel and coffee in Council Bluffs. The Interstate was nearly deserted. To the west she caught glimpses of distant lightning from storms that would, hopefully, hold off. She didn’t want to drive in the rain at night as tired as she was, especially towing a trailer.

And she was tired. But she wasn’t about to admit it.

It was amazing to her, but they’d pass through the better part of two states and not see much beyond the boundaries of the Honda’s headlights.

Kelly cranked the A/C and her music to keep her awake. Both boys were asleep, and her mom reclined her seat and followed suit. The pavement changed the farther north they drove, eventually turning rougher and more like a two-lane highway than the smooth asphalt ribbon she was used to in Florida.

As highway signs materialized out of the dark and Iowa gave way to South Dakota, Kelly realized how truly far from home she was. Not alone, but never before taking a trip like this as captain of the ship. Responsible for everyone having a good time.

Never taking a trip like this at all. This was for the boys, she constantly reminded herself. And so far, so good. They wouldn’t remember their dad canceled his promised trip with them—they’d remember their mom drove them across the country and showed them a damn good time.

It was better than the bastard deserved, but the boys had been through enough already in their life. There were plenty of years ahead of them to discover their father’s truths. At least she could fill their childhood with happy memories.

Kelly used some of the time to think about Mart. Maybe she could ask him out to dinner in Spokane. Just dinner. There wouldn’t be anything wrong with that, right? It would be nice to spend time alone with an adult who wasn’t a blood relation.

Hell, it’d be nice to spend some time alone with anyone.

Or some time alone.

Maybe she’d rethink that. She might need a rubber room and a straight jacket by the time she rolled across the Washington state line. Only two days from home, and while her nerves weren’t totally frayed—yet—she missed her alone time.

This is for Denny, she thought. And Paulie. They’re counting on me, and I can’t let them down. I have to do this for them. That was enough to keep her going a few more miles.

Around two a.m., she pulled into a rest area alongside several RVs parked under the security lights. She used the facilities, grabbed her pillow from the rear hatch, and tipped her seat back far enough she could wedge the pillow between the door and her headrest. An hour later, she opened her eyes and freshened up before hitting the road again.

Her mom looked up. “What? We’re going already?”

“I don’t want to do more than nap, or I’ll be totally out of it.”

“That makes no sense.”

“I’m okay.”

She wasn’t okay, but Sharon was too tired to argue or notice and went back to sleep.

* * * *

Dawn kissed the sky as they turned west in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Kelly filled the tank and double-checked the map. Rousting Denny and Paulie, she made them take a bathroom break before they hit the road.

The routine was tedious. Either Kelly or her mom confirmed the bathroom was one, accessible, and two, not nasty, in that order. Then Kelly unlocked the trailer, cautiously bracing the door so anything that had shifted since the last stop didn’t fall on her. Push back the coolers. Untangle Denny’s everyday chair and wheels, put the wheels on. Then untangle Denny from inside the car.

Reverse the process to load.

After the first few times, it got old, and her back was killing her.

“Load and unload,” her mom chanted.

“Shut up, Mom.”

The inky blackness on either side of the asphalt faded into deep purple light, revealing rolling, rocky, grassy nothing broken by fences and the occasional house or barn or billboard. Kelly never imagined this much nothing still existed in the continental United States. It made the Everglades look positively crowded by comparison.

They saw the first signs just outside Sioux Falls. “World Famous MitchellCornPalace.”

“Mom, I saw that on the Food Channel,” Denny said. “Can we go?”

Kelly looked at her mom. “Want to?”

“Why would I want to miss a world-famous cultural landmark like the MitchellCornPalace?”

“No sarcasm before breakfast, Mom.”

“That wasn’t sarcasm. I was being corny.”

Kelly fought the urge to beat her head against the steering wheel while the boys roared with laughter.

It wasn’t quite nine when they finished refueling and sat down to breakfast in a Mitchell fast-food restaurant.

“I’m sick of hash browns,” Sharon said, dropping an unfinished patty on her tray.

Paulie eyed it. “Can I have it, Grandma?”

She nodded and pushed it over to him. “Be my guest.”

“I’m sorry,” Kelly said, “but we can’t spend three hours a day eating in sit-down restaurants with better food. I can drive over two hundred miles in three hours. We have to make time if we want to spend two days in Yellowstone.”

“At this rate, we’ll sleep through Yellowstone,” Sharon groused.

Denny looked glum. Or maybe it was exhaustion.

“What’s wrong?” Kelly asked.

He shook his head, but she pressed him. “What if I don’t win?”

Paulie elbowed him. “You will, Squirt. Don’t worry.”

“But what if I don’t, Mom?”

Kelly shrugged. “So? What if you don’t? Paulie’s teams don’t always win. Only one person can win each event, honey.”

“But we’re driving all the way out here.”

Kelly leaned forward and touched his hand, far too exhausted to have a Hallmark moment. “Denny, listen to me. We’re driving out here to have fun.”

“We are?” her mom quipped.

“Hush, Mom.” Kelly focused on Denny. “Fun. Got it?”

He nodded. “I want you to be proud of me.”

Paulie, God love him, threw his arm around Denny and tousled his hair. “We are proud of you, Squirt. I’ve never been to a national anything. I think that’s cool.”

Kelly and Sharon exchanged smiles. “Paulie’s right, honey,” Kelly said. “We are proud of you.”

Denny didn’t look totally convinced. “Really?”

Kelly nodded. “Really.”

Downtown Mitchell was a neat place. Even the light poles bore corn motifs. The inside of the WorldFamousCornPalace smelled like a bag of popcorn. Denny and Paulie studied the exhibits, fascinated by pictures of former displays.

“Makes me hungry for a corn dog,” Sharon said.

Kelly shook her head, too tired to reply. She took pictures of everything and looked for coffee. Now that it was daylight, she knew she could stay awake.

If she poured enough caffeine down her throat.

They stopped for gas in Murdo, South Dakota, around two. The hot breeze scoured them with sand carried across the parking lot. Not a cloud in the sky.

“Okay, forget what I said about St. Louis,” Sharon groused. “This is the southernmost quadrant of Hell. My God, how can people claim Florida is hot? Isn’t Murdo the blizzard capital of North America or something?”

Kelly sweated over the gas pump. “You’re thinking Fargo, and that’s in North Dakota. Mom, please. Go buy a couple of bags of ice for the coolers.”

She was tired but didn’t want to stop until they reached Rapid City. Then she could take a shower and collapse for the night. As tired as she was, the espresso shots weren’t keeping up with her exhaustion. She supplemented by snacking on chocolate-covered coffee beans. Kelly didn’t even want to think about sleep, or she’d doze off over the low-grade fuel nozzle. And she didn’t have the energy to deal with her mom’s constant grousing, which was getting worse by the mile.

But Kelly agreed it was damn hot.

Chapter Twelve

They made Rapid City before dark and found a small motel south of downtown on the way to Mt.Rushmore. The next morning they were on the road before seven. The time changes worked in their favor, getting them started early in the morning with few complaints from the boys. It played hell with Kelly’s sleep, however, and she was wide awake by four.

Sharing a bed with Denny didn’t help. Kelly laid there, her mind racing despite her exhaustion. About the time she’d fall asleep, Denny elbowed her in the back or stuck his foot in her face. Denny was a natural pretzel due to low muscle tone in his legs. He could, literally, stick his feet in his ears.

There was nothing like being awakened by your child’s foot slamming into your nose while he snored in your ear.

Kelly had always imagined Mt.Rushmore as a mountain in the middle of nowhere. Instead, it was hidden in the Black Hills, and as they wound through Keystone toward the park entrance, the mountain played peek-a-boo. Seeing the mountain sparked the boys’ enthusiasm. They were delighted, yelling every time they spied it and squabbling over the digital and video cameras to take pictures.

They arrived just after eight. Kelly took two spots on top of the parking garage. There were few other cars yet. The mountain was large, no doubt, but somehow she thought it would be bigger.

Or maybe she was on the edge of exhaustion.

Kelly had an idea, got the boys to pose, their fingers held in the air like they were testing the wind. She sat twenty feet from them, the camera steadied on her knee, giving them directions. She wouldn’t tell them why.

“Did you lose your mind?” Sharon asked.

Kelly glared at her mother, but didn’t answer. Finally, Kelly had the boys posed just right and snapped several pictures. She looked at the screen and laughed.

“What?” Sharon asked.

Kelly stood, showed her the camera, and Sharon roared.

“What, Mom?” Denny flapped in irritation. She held the camera so both boys could see.

It looked like the boys were picking George and Tom’s noses.

Both boys laughed and turned to look at the mountain. As they walked to the entrance, Sharon smiled and shook her head.

“Ought to send that to Mart. He’ll get a kick out of it.”

At lunch in Custer, Kelly did. She dumped all the pictures from her camera onto her laptop’s hard drive and used her air card to send him and Patty an email.

We drive across the country to pick the presidents’ noses. How classy is that? :)

Her phone rang a few minutes later. Mart laughed. “That was funny! That’s the kind of thing I’d think of.”

His call thrilled her. “Well, I’m the mom of two young boys. Disgusting comes naturally.”

Denny flapped, reaching for the phone. She handed it over. He happily yelled at Mart for a few minutes, telling him about what they’d seen, and hung up before she could get it back and talk to him.

They gathered the boys. Sharon helped Kelly break down Denny’s chair and put it in the trailer.

“Load and unload,” her mom chanted. “Load and unload.”

* * * *

Kelly drove north and west through Wyoming to I-90, then from Ranchester south through the BigHornMountains.

“Why are they the ‘Big Horn’ Mountains—two words—but it’s the ‘BighornNational Forest’—one word?” Sharon asked.

Kelly suppressed a groan. She thought she heard Paulie snicker in the backseat. “I don’t know, Mom.”

As they ascended, the day turned grey and damp. While it wasn’t raining yet, Kelly didn’t relish the thought of negotiating steep, wet downhill mountain roads for the first time with the trailer and two-wheel drive Element. Her mountain driving experience was limited to this trip.

The boys were amazed by their first “real” mountains of the trip. Sharon’s eyes were fixed on the steep drop-off on her side.

“That’s a long way down.”

“Don’t start, Mom.”

To Kelly’s immense relief, the weather improved as they descended and crossed into drier, flatter land. They grabbed dinner and fuel from a convenience store with a grill counter in Greybull. Then they drove through rolling flatlands bracketed by foothills on either side, into Cody, Wyoming, just before sunset.

“How much longer, Mommy?” Denny asked.

“Not too much, sweetheart.”

Sharon looked at the map. “A couple of hours. After dark, but we’re almost there.” She looked at Kelly. “You want the miles, dear, or can I guess the time?”

Kelly stuck her tongue out at her.

Deep shadows blanketed the Buffalo Bill Reservoir as they drove through. Then Sharon spotted a sign.

“Wait, that sign said we’re in bear country.”

Kelly glanced at her. “Yeah, so?”

Sharon turned, trying to see the sign, but they were past it. “It was a warning sign, like for rock slides and stuff, except for bears.”

Kelly was more worried by the variations of falling rock signs she’d seen along the way. From innocuous circles bouncing over a car, to craggy boulders denting the tops of vehicles, she never knew the yellow and black signs could instill such foreboding. Her nerves were frayed from hours of intense vigilance as they snaked through the mountains.

“What’s your point, Mom?”

“Bears! They. Eat. People.”

Kelly looked at her mom. She was serious. “Mom, it’s Yellowstone. They have bears. But we’re not hiking or camping in a tent, so we don’t have to worry.”

Sharon didn’t look relieved.

“And we have pepper spray,” Kelly joked. Sharon shot her a withering glare.

Kelly pulled over to get a shot of a vista before the sun completely set.

Sharon’s face paled. “You’re getting out?”

Kelly put it in park and unbuckled her seat belt. “Uh, yeah. Why?”

“Bears!”

Kelly stared at her mom. “You’re kidding?”

Sharon grabbed her arm. “You can’t! It’s almost dark. They say that’s a bad time. I told you, I looked it up on the Internet.”

Kelly looked around the open parking area. Not a bear in sight—grizzly, black, polar, or otherwise.

“I don’t see any bears, Grandma,” Denny said.

Paulie caught Kelly’s eye in the rearview mirror. He smiled, shaking his head. She tried not to laugh.

“Mom, it’s okay.” Kelly gently shook her mom’s grip and stepped out of the car.

They reached the east Yellowstone entrance a little before nine. The ranger looked at their park pass and handed her information and maps. “You have reservations?”

“In CanyonVillage tonight, then Old Faithful tomorrow.”

“That’s a good trip. Be careful for the next few miles, there’s construction, but the road’s safe. Take your time. The check-in desk is open all night.”

“Thank you.”

“Are there bears?” Sharon asked. Kelly fought the urge to groan.

The ranger smiled. “Yes, but I doubt you’ll see any tonight.” He was apparently used to soothing nervous tourists.

“Thank you.” Kelly drove off before her mother could embarrass her again.

Kelly drove carefully, glad there were few vehicles on the road. She didn’t want a caravan to build up behind her, and she refused to speed. She couldn’t see anything beyond her headlights. The boys had fallen asleep, sparing her from answering their excited questions about the park.

Eventually the road angled downhill. She knew they were closing in on FishingBridge, where they would find the main park road. She slowed as the shoulder completely disappeared. Suddenly, a huge black shape turned and moved on her side of the road.

Kelly jumped, startled, and jammed the brakes.

Sharon panicked. “What? A bear?”

Kelly watched the bison disappear in the dark. “No, Mom, not a bear. A buffalo.” Now that Kelly knew to expect the unexpected, she slowed further, unsettled by the lack of a shoulder and the spooky mist drifting across the road. At first she was afraid it was smoke from a fire, then realized it was steam from hydrothermal features unseen in the dark.

She made the turn north onto the main park road, following it to CanyonVillage.

Check-in was fast, finding their wheelchair accessible cabin easy, but parking was horrible.

While Sharon fretted Kelly would get snatched and eaten by a grizzly, Kelly was more worried about where to park the rig without getting towed, stuck, or blocking someone else. She had to be careful in the dark, because sometimes she forgot the trailer was behind her. Luckily, she hadn’t hit anything.

Yet.

She double-parked behind a row of cars to unload their luggage, then circled the area three times before she eased into a spot, halfway off the asphalt, where she wouldn’t block any cars.

After breakfast, they spent a couple of hours in the CanyonVisitorEducationCenter, where the boys wondered over the volcano exhibits, including the 3D model. Then they headed north to see TowerFalls.

Sharon blanched from her passenger vantage point as the ground steeply fell away, in some places only inches from the edge of the road. Denny and Paulie were engrossed taking pictures and video and trying to keep an eye out for bison. Surprisingly, they hadn’t seen any yet.

“There’s no shoulder. Or guardrails,” Sharon whispered.

“Shut up, Mom.” Kelly took her time, frequently using pull outs so other vehicles could pass. She had to downshift the automatic transmission several times to negotiate the steep, winding switchbacks. She was glad it was an automatic.

“I’m glad it was dark when we came in. I would have had a cow seeing this last night.”

“You’re having a cow now, Mom. What difference does it make?”

“I’ve had coffee.”

Sharon spotted a group of hikers heading down the side of a hill. “Where are they going?”

Kelly shrugged, trying to keep her eyes on the road. “Who knows? Out for a hike.”

“What? What about the bears?”

“Mom—” Kelly took a deep breath. “I’m sure they’ll be fine.”

“They’re crazy. Wouldn’t get me out there with bears around.”

Kelly bit her lip and drove. It wasn’t worth getting into a discussion with her mom that bison and elk and hot springs and other drivers were far more dangerous than bears. Her mom had enough freak-out material already.

* * * *

Since they were used to sea level, the high altitude was a killer. After a few stops, the women worked out a finely choreographed routine. Kelly went out her door with the digital camera, and Sharon went out the other with the video recorder. They scouted to see if Denny could access the site, and if so, unloaded him. Otherwise, it was capture as much as possible with the cameras, then back to the car and drive. Every stop left Kelly and Sharon gasping for breath and thankful for their large cooler full of bottled water.

After her third bottle of water in thirty minutes, Kelly needed a break. “This is ridiculous.” It was also hotter than hell, something Kelly hadn’t anticipated.

“We brought the heat with us, apparently,” Sharon joked. “We’re hell on wheels!”

Kelly groaned, but the boys laughed.

They worked their way south to the LowerFalls. Kelly and Sharon walked down to the lower observation platform to take pictures and video while Paulie stayed with Denny.

“This is great!” Sharon said, filming everything.

Kelly nodded, trying to catch her breath. “It’s beautiful.”

The boys were amazed by the sound of the falls and the canyon’s depth. Paulie helped Denny navigate the rougher sections and made sure Denny could read all the signs.

Denny was fascinated by the falls. “It’s so loud!”

Kelly nodded. “It’s big.”

“Can you swim in the river?”

“You shouldn’t,” Kelly said.

“I wouldn’t mind shoving David over the falls without a barrel,” Sharon muttered.

“Mom!” Kelly scolded her, hoping the boys didn’t hear.

After they’d loaded and left the main parking area, Kelly slowed to let another car pull out ahead of them, then slammed on the brakes. Still gasping from her exertion, it was all she could do to scream and point to the woods just feet from the passenger side.

“What? Is it a bear?” her mom exclaimed, panicked.

“Bison!” Kelly finally managed. Everyone looked to see the large animal, laying no more than ten feet away, flicking his tail in the dirt.

It was their first bison of the day. Sharon rolled down her window to take video. When the car behind them realized what they were looking at, the driver walked in front of them to get his own close-up pictures.

“Mom, should he be doing that?” Denny asked.

Kelly shook her head, glad they were in the Element and not a small car. The huge animal was nearly as large as the SUV. “No, honey, he shouldn’t.”

“Unless it’s David—”

“Mother!”

Sharon smiled. Kelly shook her head and laughed.

But the bison didn’t move, and after a couple of minutes they continued.

They stopped for lunch at FishingBridge, finally seeing a lot of bison along the way. They spent over an hour at WestThumbGeyserBasin, and the vast size of YellowstoneLake impressed both boys. Glad for her digital camera, Kelly took pictures of everything, idly wishing Mart was there to share it with them.

West Thumb was one of Denny’s favorite stops. And because of the boardwalks, he could see nearly all the features without obstruction.

“This is so cool, Mom,” Denny said as they followed the boardwalk.

Sharon looked at Kelly and smiled. “You’re a cool mom,” she whispered. Kelly laughed.

They drove west to Old Faithful, stopping for pictures at both Continental Divide signs. It was nearly dark when they checked into their tiny and totally non-accessible cabin.

“Well, Denny, you’ll have to improvise,” Kelly said.

She steadied his chair while he climbed onto the top step and into the cabin. They left his chair outside until they were unpacked, and then she brought it in and parked it behind the door. There was barely enough room in the cabin to turn around, much less for him to wheel around. The bathroom was so tiny, Denny had to draw his legs up practically to his ears to shut the door behind him.

Paulie laughed. “Good thing you’re a pretzel, huh, Squirt!”

“Yeah,” he shouted from behind the door. “And don’t call me Squirt!”

With their bodies still on Florida time, there were few tourists around early the next morning when they left the cabin to see Old Faithful. The bulletin board in the lodge lobby predicted the next eruption in approximately fifteen minutes.

“Mom,” Paulie said, pointing, “there’s the web cam.” He ran ahead and stood on the boardwalk, pointing at a tree where Kelly saw a box mounted about twenty-five feet up.

“Can I call Dad?”

It was the first time either boy asked to call David during the whole trip. Kelly nodded, handing him her BlackBerry. “Go ahead.”

Sharon caught up. “What’s going on?”

“Hey, Dad? It’s Paulie. Get on your computer. You can watch us at Old Faithful.” Denny watched Paulie and flapped with excitement.

Paulie’s smile disintegrated. Kelly knew the boys’ bubble was burst again. “No, Dad, I meant—”

Kelly reached for the phone but her mom grabbed her arm. “No hon,” she whispered. “They have to do this.”

Paulie’s eyes dropped. “Yeah, Dad…Okay…Sorry we bothered you.” He angrily punched end and handed the phone to Kelly. “He’s busy, Squirt,” he said, turning away.

Denny looked at Kelly. “Can we call Mart?”

“Of course you can,” Sharon said. She took the phone from Kelly and handed it to Denny before Kelly could respond.

Denny dialed Mart’s cell number from memory while Paulie turned to watch. Kelly wanted to reach out and comfort him. She knew learning the reality of his relationship with his father stung.

“It’s ringing,” Denny bounced. “Mart, can you hear me?” Denny screamed into the phone.

“He’s in Florida, not on the moon,” Paulie growled.

“Mart, we’re at Old Faithful! Do you have your computer on? You can watch us on the webcam…Hold on.” He turned to Paulie. “What’s the website?”

Paulie gave Mart the address and handed the phone back to his little brother.

“Yeah? Okay.” Denny grinned. “Turn around and wave.” They all turned and waved at the box. “You can? He sees us!”

Kelly took the phone before Denny flapped it into a geyser, unable to conceal her smile. “Hi, Mart, I’m sorry we’re bothering you.”

He laughed. “You’re not bothering me. I’m waving back even though you can’t see. Denny’s in front, and it looks like he’s wearing a yellow shirt.”

“Yep, that’s us.” She turned from the boys, who were both enthusiastically waving now. “Mart, you have no idea how much this means to me, taking the time to put up with us.”

“Kelly, it’s okay. I wish I could have gone out there with you. I’d love to see Yellowstone.”

Her heart tripped. The way she wanted to take his comment could make her look like an idiot if it wasn’t the way he meant it. “I wish you could be here, too.” Well, so much for waiting.

There was silence, and she thought the call dropped when he said, “Would you mind going out to dinner with me when you get to Spokane? I mean, just the two of us?”

She was prepared for a lot of things, but not that. He misunderstood her hesitation.

“Not that I don’t want to have dinner with the kids,” he added, “but I’m sure you’ll be ready for a break. My treat. And I’ll take everyone out a different night.”

“Yes. I’d love it.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Okay. Great.”

Kelly smiled and waved at the webcam, holding the pose so he could see her the next time it cycled. “Thank you. I’m looking forward to it.”

They heard a noise behind them and turned. Denny bounced, in full flap. “It’s going off! It’s erupting!” He grabbed for the phone. Kelly handed it to him while Paulie started filming. “Mart, do you see it?” Denny screeched, “It’s going off!”

Kelly couldn’t hide her smile. Sharon noticed. “Yes?”

Kelly kept her voice down so the boys wouldn’t hear. “He asked me to dinner when we get to Spokane.”

“Alone?”

“Yes. He wants to take all of us out on a different night.”

Sharon smiled. “I did a little research. There’s one of those IMAX theaters there. I can take the kids.” She kept her voice low. “I have a feeling I’m going to like Mart a lot more than I liked David.”

“You hate David.”

“Yeah, well, he set the bar pretty low.”

“It’s only dinner, Mom. Don’t you dare embarrass me in front of him.”

“You haven’t said that to me since high school.”

“Mom—”

“Relax, honey. You’re an adult. Of course I’ll take the boys out, give you some time alone.”

Kelly knew that wasn’t the end of it. Sure enough, a few minutes later, her mom leaned over. “The boys really like him.”

“Mom!”

“I’m just saying.” Sharon smiled.

* * * *

Because of Denny’s wheelchair, there were places they couldn’t see due to the terrain, like NorrisGeyserBasin. But they spent plenty of time at other features, like MidwayGeyserBasin, where the boys were amazed by Grand Prismatic Spring.

They worked their way north to Gardiner, outside the north park entrance, and had lunch at a small cafe on the main street.

“Buffalo burgers. Can we have that, Mom?” Denny flapped.

“Sure. Sounds good.”

It was the best hamburger she’d ever had. They spent about an hour in town before hitting the road again.

“Load and unload,” Sharon chanted. “Load and unload.” Her words took on a sing-song quality.

If she broke out into “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” Kelly knew she’d scream. Exhaustion threatened, the combined miles and hours and stress taking its toll on Kelly’s body. Her hands were developing calluses from the steering wheel, and her neck and shoulders hurt like hell. Not to mention her left arm was about four shades darker than her right from being in the sun all the time.

Denny took a few final pictures of the Yellowstone stone arch before they left town. “That was really cool, Mom. Dad’s never taken us anywhere like that,” he said.

“Yeah,” Paulie echoed. “This is fun. Thanks, Mom.”

Some of Kelly’s exhaustion evaporated. She looked at her mom, who smiled.

“Thanks, boys,” Kelly said.

“I wish our family trips had been this fun,” Sharon whispered.

Kelly patted her hand. “It was fine, Mom. Dad was…intense, like you said.”

Sharon shrugged and looked out the window, lost in her thoughts. Kelly gripped the wheel and set her sights on the road.

Next stop, Spokane.

Chapter Thirteen

While Kelly originally intended to push through to Spokane, her body rebelled, demanding sleep. After consulting the map, she calculated the remaining miles and decided to find a hotel room.

They spent the night in western Montana and arrived at the host hotel in Spokane before lunch Friday. Kelly had never seen so many kids and adults in wheelchairs in one place in her life. Everywhere. Denny’s jaw dropped, and she knew he’d make new friends before the week was out.

One cluster of teenagers in the far corner of the lobby ignored their front wheels. They were all, except one, doing stationary wheelies, reclining on their rear wheels as if they were leaning against a wall. Except they were balancing on air.

Kelly supposed their parents were over the heart-stopping worry they’d tip backwards. She knew this was good for Denny, but it was another nerve-wracking set of benchmarks for her as he made leaps and bounds in his independence.

She checked in while Denny and Paulie wandered the lobby. She was gathering room key cards and paperwork when she heard Denny’s excited squeal.

“Mart!”

Kelly’s heart jumped. She turned and saw Mart wheel toward them, his grin nearly as broad as Denny’s. As her heart pounded she realized how much she’d missed him now that he was in front of her again.

Denny flew to him, hugging him. “I wish you’d been at Yellowstone with us. It was so cool!”

Mart hugged him and tousled his hair. “Wish I could have been there, too. Hi, Paulie.” Paulie smiled and stuck out his hand, and they shook.

Mart turned to Kelly, and the butterflies took flight in her stomach. “Hi, Kelly.”

She smiled. “Hi.” She leaned in for a hug and enjoyed the feel of his arms around her. “Thank you for playing along with the boys in Yellowstone,” she whispered in his ear.

He squeezed her a little tighter and whispered, “I enjoyed it. I took a few screenshots for you.”

“Thanks.”

She straightened, and their eyes met. Was she imagining the spark? Did he feel it too? She was too mentally and physically drained from the drive to think about it.

“Did you just get here?” he asked.

“A few minutes ago. I need to unload and find out where to park. I don’t want to leave everything in the trailer.”

He looked around. “Where’s your mom? You didn’t…”

“Bathroom. No, I didn’t ‘accidentally’ lose her between Yellowstone and here.”

He grinned. “You read my mind.” He winked. “Registration’s in the conference room. Once you’re settled, get with me and I’ll walk you through everything. What room are you in?”

“720.”

His face lit up. “I’m down the hall from you, 728. If I’m not in my room when you’re ready, call my cell and I’ll come find you.”

It took Kelly and her mom three trips with two carts and a bellhop assisting them. The whole time, Sharon muttered, “Load and unload,” under her breath. An hour later they were unloaded, and Kelly found a suitable spot in the hotel’s large parking garage.

Kelly sent Denny and Paulie to lunch with her mom, collapsed on the bed, and breathed in the blessed silence.

Could any lack of noise ever sound so sweet?

She used the hotel phone to dial Mart’s room. He answered on the second ring.

“You may need security to get me out of this room,” she said.

“Why?”

“Because I’m alone for the first time in a week and loving every second of it.”

“Dare I disturb you?”

“I’m already disturbed, but come on over.”

He laughed. “What’s the password, or is there a secret knock?”

“Tell ’em Joe sent you.”

“I’ll be right there.”

Sure enough, she had time to roll over and hang up the phone when she heard a door slam closed down the hall. Seconds later, a soft knock.

Shave and a haircut, two bits.

She walked over and opened the door. “Close enough.”

Mart returned her grin. “You can always hide out in my room.”

“Watch out or I’ll trade you. Your room for my mom and kids.”

Mart took her to registration, introduced her to several people, and helped her round up Denny’s packet and bib numbers. He looked over Denny’s paperwork and signed off on it as his coach.

“Look here.” He showed her the forms. “This is where you have to be careful. Make sure his classifications are always correct, that he’s entered in all his events, and that they have his qualifying stats right.”

“Is it right?”

He nodded. “Yep.” He handed her copies of the schedule, including the coaches’ meetings. “They’re every night, for changes, concerns, complaints, all that.”

Exhausted and overwhelmed, she couldn’t make sense of the schedule. “I have to go to those, too?”

He sensed her anxiety. “No, don’t worry, I’ll be at all the meetings, so I’ll take care of it and let you know if there are any changes.”

“Did I look that freaked?”

“Deer in the headlights.”

“I’ll be honest with you.” She sat at an empty table, and he pulled close. “I’m so worn out, I don’t know anything at this point. You may have to break out crayons and draw me pictures to get me where I need to be.”

He laughed. “Classification this afternoon. Then nothing until Sunday evening, the opening ceremonies. Tomorrow there’s open track and field practice in the morning, and open swim practice in the afternoon. Denny should get to those. After opening ceremonies they run the 5k, and that’s fun to watch because it’s the older racers and they’re pretty intense.”

“Will you be there?”

“I have to. I’m an official.”

She laughed. “Can’t play hooky?”

“Not this time.”

“It would be fun to see that.”

“Why don’t we go over tomorrow after breakfast? I have a rental car. You can follow me, and I’ll show you where all the venues are set up. It’s about twenty minutes from here. I’ll have time to work with Denny.”

“Rental?”

“Portable hand controls. Not as nice as custom, but I’m not stuck bumming rides all week.”

“Tomorrow’s great.” She was going to ask about their dinner date when an official had a question for him about the registration computers. Mart put everything in the envelope and handed it to her.

“Sorry, gotta run. I’ll catch up with you later this afternoon at classification.”

She watched him wheel away, then returned to her room. She had nearly an hour to herself before the boys and her mom returned, shattering the quiet.

Ah, so much for blissful peace.

* * * *

They made it to classification with plenty of time to spare. Kelly looked for Mart, didn’t see him, and tried to contain her nerves. What if they re-classified Denny? What if none of his results would count because of a huge screw-up, and he couldn’t compete?

She tried to calm down. Mart knew what he was doing, had been competing for years, and wouldn’t make that kind of mistake. He was thorough.

Mart still wasn’t there when it was Denny’s turn, and Kelly nervously waited while Sharon took Paulie to the pool. Fortunately, the classifiers agreed with Terrie’s assessment. All of Denny’s qualifying results counted. The classifier was going over the paperwork with Kelly when Mart wheeled in, flustered.

“Sorry I’m late,” he apologized. “What’s going on?”

The classifier, Melissa, smiled at Mart. Kelly fought a surprising bout of jealousy.

What right did she have to be jealous? She wasn’t his girlfriend.

“Mart, everything’s fine,” Melissa reassured him. “Denny’s all done.”

Mart took the paperwork and looked through it. “Oh, good.” He winked at Kelly. Her heart fluttered. “Our boy is all set then, it looks like.”

She liked the way he’d said that. Our boy.

Horse, there’s your cart, about three miles up the road ahead of you…

Denny wheeled up. “Can I go to the pool now, Mom?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

When Denny left, Mart looked at Kelly and started to say something when a woman stuck her head in the classification room. “Mart, it’s down again. Can you help?”

He closed his eyes and swore under his breath. “I’ll be right there.” The woman disappeared, and Mart looked at Kelly. “Sorry.”

“You’re a wanted man.”

“Yeah, my face on every post office wall.”

“Does Indiana want you, too?”

He grinned. “Yeah, but Lord, I can’t go back there.”

Kelly laughed, pleasantly surprised he’d not only picked up her quip, but returned it with impeccably precise timing. “Go on, I’ll see you later.”

She watched him wheel out, unable to contain her smile.

* * * *

Sharon wrangled the boys so Kelly could nap and get some work done. Later, they ordered a pizza and settled in the room in front of the TV. They all slept late Saturday morning and met Mart for breakfast before following him to the college campus where most of the events would take place.

Mart was pleased with Denny’s field practice. When they finished, Paulie took the throwing chair to the trailer and returned with the racer and tire pump.

Kelly and Sharon sat in the nearly empty stands and watched Mart work with Denny. Paulie carried the air pump, walking next to Mart, listening as he coached Denny.

Sharon’s voice startled Kelly. “You’re a good mom.”

She looked at her mother, her eyes wide with surprise. Her mom never criticized her parenting—directly—but had never spoken out like this, either. “Thank you.”

“I mean it.” Sharon watched the boys. “This was hard work getting them out here.”

“You helped.”

“No, I didn’t. All I did was swipe a credit card. And all the work you did to get Denny qualified and get him a chair.”

“All I did was drive. Mart coached him, and David paid for the chair.”

Sharon smiled. “Yeah, but I’m sure you stood up to David to make him pay for it. There’s no way, knowing the cheap son of a bitch, he would willingly shell out that much money for Denny for anything other than medical expenses.”

Kelly couldn’t conceal her grin and simply nodded.

Down on the track, Denny pushed his racer, Mart rolling alongside giving instructions and correcting his technique. Paulie walked with them, listening and learning. “They really like Mart, don’t they?”

“Mom—”

“I’m not making judgments, Kel. He’s a very nice man.” They were both quiet for a moment. “Have you set up your dinner yet?”

Kelly shook her head. “We will.”

They watched in silence for a while before Sharon spoke again. “I don’t think I could have done half as good as you’ve done. I remember after Denny was born, he was three days old. Leanne and I were sitting in the waiting room at the hospital, and you came in and plopped down in a chair next to me like you were fine.”

“Mom, I had a new baby, and another son to take care of.”

“Kelly, you’d had a C-section. I could barely walk for a week after Leanne was born with that C-section.”

Kelly was nervous about the conversation’s direction. She didn’t like to revisit the early days, the anxiety, just putting one foot in front of the other to get through each day, the emotional numbness that was her security blanket to hold back the fear.

And the grief.

She wanted to focus on the here and now. “I did what I had to. I had it lucky.”

Sharon snorted. “Lucky? Honey, we were all worried to death, and you kept it together and chugging along. Hell, even David stayed out of your way, and that in itself was a miracle.”

Kelly shook her head, her voice dropping. “It could always be worse. I’d be there every day until late at night, go back early the next morning, and babies that were in the NICU the night before were gone. Not sent home in the middle of the night, Mom. Gone. Little babies no bigger than my hand, in incubator beds with intubation tubes and plastic wrap stretched over the top to keep the moisture in.”

Kelly’s stomach rolled in a bad way. “And there was Denny, the biggest baby in there, a moose compared to the others, over seven pounds. He was one of the only babies the nurses could pick up and bottle feed and burp. He didn’t even need oxygen. I swore when he was in the hospital that I would never feel sorry for myself or what we went through, because it could always be worse.”

She looked at her mom. “After the divorce, I knew I had to keep it together for the boys. Because it could have been worse then, too. David could have left me with nothing, he could have beaten me, he could have given me AIDS or something when he was screwing around. I don’t want to do anything to mess up their lives and hurt them more than they’ve already been hurt. Especially Denny.”

“Give yourself a chance to relax. Let go a little. The boys are old enough now, they’re more independent, they need their mom happy.”

“I am happy.”

“Take a chance.”

“I took a chance on David and ended up a divorced mom of two.”

“Martin’s not David.”

Kelly’s heart skipped, watching as Mart reached over Denny’s chair and made an adjustment, sending him ahead again. It was obvious from how Paulie leaned in that Mart was explaining what he did to Paulie.

“No, he’s not David. Can we drop this?”

Sharon patted her leg. “I’m just saying, sweetheart.”

* * * *

After swim practice, Mart had afternoon meetings. Sharon and the boys attended a weightlifting seminar at the host hotel. Kelly used the time to work and dump her camera card. She also needed coffee. When she returned to the room, she found a plastic bag full of parts from Denny’s regular chair hanging from the doorknob.

Concerned, she opened it and found Mart’s note.

Our boy has been talking to other kids and decided he doesn’t want these anymore.—Mart.

Push handles, wheelie bars, armrests. Kelly swallowed her fear, recognizing Denny needed to define and stretch his independence. It would be wrong for her to force him to keep them on his chair if he didn’t want them.

She remembered the sight of all the kids doing wheelies in the lobby and tried to settle her stomach. It couldn’t be worse than when Denny was four years old and started diving—head-first, with outstretched arms like a little Superman—off the couch to get onto the floor.

Her baby was growing up.

She re-read Mart’s note. Our boy.

Kelly sat on the bed and stared at the note. She dropped the bag to the floor, startled by the how loudly the parts inside clanked together.

He’s not David.

Maybe if she repeated it enough times, she could make it sink in.

Chapter Fourteen

Sunday morning, Kelly and Sharon slept late while the boys raced downstairs to have breakfast with their new friends. Later, they all ate lunch with Mart, and then he had to attend an officials’ meeting.

“I’ll see you guys at the opening ceremonies tonight.”

Denny flapped. “Okay!”

Paulie and Denny wandered off in search of other kids, with an admonishment to stay together and not leave the hotel. Kelly and Sharon returned to the room, each claiming a bed, the TV dark.

“Do you hear that?” Kelly whispered.

“What?”

“Silence.”

“I would, honey, if you’d shut up,” Sharon whispered back, and they both giggled.

Their peace was destroyed minutes later when the boys burst into the room. “Mom, can we go swimming?” Paulie asked. “Everyone’s going swimming.”

Kelly waved from the bed. “Yes, fine. Stay together. Be back by three, don’t drown. Got it?”

“Got it.”

The boys quickly changed and stormed out, and Kelly sighed.

“Bliss,” she whispered.

Her mom didn’t respond, and Kelly realized she’d fallen asleep. Kelly took the opportunity to work. Around two-thirty, she wandered downstairs in search of coffee and found the hospitality room, where they handed out free information, samples, and local maps. She turned to leave and nearly tripped over Mart.

He smiled. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

He started to say something else when another official walked in. “Marty, there you are. Karen needs you in the war room. Computer’s down again. Can you come?”

Was that frustration on his face? He nodded. “I’ll be right there, Jim.” Mart turned to Kelly and smiled. “I guess I’ll catch you later.”

“Okay.” Something in his voice made her heart flutter in a good way. She found the boys in the pool and reminded them of the time. As Kelly returned to the room, she thought about her steamy afternoon field practice with Mart and how she’d love to feel his strong arms around her again.

* * * *

Foiled again. Mart was going to talk to Kelly when Jim interrupted. He wanted to talk to her alone, not with a thousand ears around.

His afternoon was busy with meetings and helping with the computers, wireless server connections that tenaciously refused to stay connected. As a professional geek, he was the one tapped to fix things and knew he might not get another chance to talk to Kelly that night. Between the ceremonies and the race, his time was spoken for.

Mart tried to focus on the task at hand, but his mind wandered back to Kelly. Every night—hell, every few minutes, it seemed—he replayed their field practice session. How she leaned into him, took his hand in hers.

He’d flirted with her, taking a risk she’d be offended. Had she been flirting back? It sure felt like it. She’d agreed to go to dinner with him. That was a good sign, right?

But he sensed her fear. He didn’t want to rush into something, push her too hard and have her run the other way. He sensed if that happened, he probably wouldn’t get a second chance.

Jim said something, and Mart pulled his focus back to the war room, to the computer in front of him.

“Sorry. What?”

“Man, what is up with you? You are really out of it.”

Mart shook his head. “I’m okay, just a little distracted.”

“Denny Alexander’s mom?”

Jim laughed at Mart’s stunned expression. “Dude, I saw how you looked at her. I’ve known you how many years? Is she single?”

Mart nodded and turned back to the computer. “Divorced.”

“Ask her out.”

“I’m trying to set up a dinner date with her, and almost did.” He looked at Jim. “Until someone interrupted me.”

Jim reddened and coughed. “Sorry, man. You should have said something.”

Mart shook his head. “It’s okay. She’s already agreed to go out while we’re here. I want to talk to her alone to set it up, but we keep getting interrupted.”

“Take it from a married guy with two kids, there’s never a time you don’t get interrupted, buddy.”

The connection took—again—and Mart pushed away from the computer. “There you go.” He turned to leave when Jim stopped him, his voice low.

“Marty, ask her. If she’s already said she’ll go out with you, just do it.”

“Easy for you to say. You’re married with two kids.”

“I didn’t get them by being a chickenshit.”

The rest of the afternoon, Mart was pulled in twenty directions. He barely had time to eat and change before opening ceremonies. He drove to the stadium, met with the other officials, and received his assignment for the 5K.

Scanning the growing crowd for Kelly, he didn’t see her until after the kids were queued for their entrance, grouped by state and team, volunteers carrying state flags ahead of them. The individual competitors were escorted by volunteers carrying banners made especially for them so they didn’t feel left out. The announcer introduced the teams and individual athletes as they circled the track.

Mart waved from his location with the other officials in the middle of the field. Kelly saw him, smiled, and waved back.

Mart now understood all the corny clichés about smiles brightening a room or lifting a heart. When he saw Kelly, her smile had that effect on him.

He didn’t think he’d have time to talk to her tonight. There was still another hour left in the ceremony, and then he had to work the race. He would, without fail, ask her tomorrow.

* * * *

Kelly filmed the procession while her mom took pictures. She found Denny and Paulie, walking near the front of the Florida contingent. Denny was too nervous to go by himself, so the officials let Paulie walk with him.

“Look at them, Mom.”

Her mom nodded. “No Super Dad in sight,” Sharon said. “If it was Paulie, you know he’d be here.”

“My baby’s growing up, Mom.”

“Get used to it. It doesn’t get any easier.” She said it kindly.

Kelly watched Denny wheeling in with the other athletes, Paulie behind him. “I think Paulie’s really happy for Denny.”

“He is. At the weightlifting seminar, he was trying to get Denny to try some of the things they had set up for littler kids.”

Kelly felt a stab of regret. “I should have been there, dammit.”

Her mom put a hand on Kelly’s leg. “No. Stop that. You’re usually with them every day except for school. You need down time, Kelly. They’re old enough, they need to explore on their own. You’re not a bad mom for not going.”

They fell silent as the National Anthem played and the ceremony started.

From her spot in the stands, Kelly watched Mart, relatively unobserved. Her mom was right. Mart wasn’t David. He deserved a chance. She was adult enough she could handle this, right?

But what if it was a mistake?

If she dated Mart and it didn’t work out, could she still be adult enough to handle him coaching Denny? Would it be weird and awkward?

That was a huge if.

What if it did work out between them?

She admitted it—she was scared. Terrified.

* * * *

They saw Mart in passing at breakfast early Monday morning. He was rolling out the door behind a group of officials when he spotted them and wheeled over.

“Hey,” he said.

Kelly’s heart sped up. “Morning.”

“I was going to call you.” He pulled a sheaf of papers from his backpack. “Here’s Denny’s heat sheets for this morning. I’ll try to get there as soon as I can, but I might miss some of it.”

Denny flapped, frowning. “You’re going to miss swimming?”

“Not all of it, buddy. I have to do some things. I’ll get to see some of your events, but I don’t know if I’ll make it for the first one. You’ll do great, just listen to the officials.”

That soothed Denny. “Okay. But you’ll see some of it?”

Mart nodded. “I promise.”

Another official called to him. “Marty, can John ride with you? He had to run to his room to get something.”

Mart nodded. “Yeah, that’s fine.” He looked at Kelly. “I’ll see you at swimming.”

She nodded, wishing she’d made it downstairs earlier for breakfast to spend more time with him. “Okay.”

Mart rolled down the hall. Kelly fought the urge to turn and watch him until he disappeared.

* * * *

Mart had looked up Denny’s competitors’ qualifying times. If Denny swam his best and didn’t DQ, he could possibly go home with all gold in swimming.

The twenty-five meter freestyle was Denny’s first event. Kelly helped him find the staging area.

“Am I swimming against other kids?” he asked.

“This time you are. But all you have to do is swim hard like in practice. If you don’t pull on the ropes, you won’t get a DQ.”

“Is drowning a DQ?” he asked with a playful grin.

She laughed. “Yes, drowning is a DQ.” She kissed him. “Good luck. Listen to the officials, and swim hard.”

The volunteers pointed Kelly where to go. They would take Denny’s chair to the other end of the pool.

Kelly turned and caught sight of Mart charging through the crowd. He rolled to a stop next to Denny, and the boy smiled.

“You made it!”

He high-fived Denny. “Go fast, bud.”

“I will.”

Mart followed Kelly to the spectator area. Her mother had the video camera ready.

“He looks like he’s feeling pretty good,” Mart said.

“He’s warmed up and ready to go,” she said. “I’m so nervous. My baby’s at Nationals!”

He patted her, comforting, and left his hand on the small of her back. “He’ll do fine.”

Instinctively she moved closer, hoping he wouldn’t move his hand and enjoying the contact. It distracted her so much she nearly missed taking pictures of Denny’s start.

Denny won by several seconds over his closest competitor. Kelly headed for the exit gate to meet him, Mart on her heels. When they were out of earshot of Paulie and her mom, Mart caught her hand.

“Kelly, got a sec?”

“Yeah, sure.”

His eyes met hers, and her stomach fluttered. God, this was torture. Why couldn’t she spit it out, admit she was attracted to him?

“Before I get pulled away again, and while we’re alone—our dinner date. How about tonight?”

It took a second for her brain to register what he’d asked. She smiled. “Sounds great.”

He held her hand and made no move to let go. She risked gripping his fingers a little tighter.

“Great. I’ve been wanting to ask you ever since you got here. We’ll talk later about all of us going out. I wanted to lock in our dinner before you made other plans.”

“It’s not like I have a full social calendar.”

Did his smile get even bigger?

“Maybe I can take care of that for you.” He squeezed her hand. “I’ll meet you at six.”

“Come by my room. I’ll be enjoying the peace and quiet.”

He looked like he wanted to say something else when Denny flew through the gate. “Did you see me, Mom?”

“Yes, honey.” Kelly laughed and hugged him, handing him a towel. “We all saw you. You did great.”

“Did I win?”

“I think you did, buddy,” Mart said, “but we have to wait for results to be posted. I’ll show your mom where. Swim that hard in your other races, you’ll do fine.” He had four more swim events that morning.

“Thanks, Mart. I’m going to find Grandma.” Off he flew.

Mart looked at Kelly. “He’s at such a fun age.”

“Yes. I dread the teenage years.”

“And driving.”

“Oh please, I don’t want to think about that. It’s bad enough Paulie’s already looking at car magazines.”

“So six, right?”

Kelly had to think for a second—he’d changed the subject back. “Yes, six. Nothing fancy?”

“Slacks or jeans. We’ll walk. It’ll be cool out, so you might want to bring a jacket.”

“Okay.”

She followed Mart to the pool deck, and he showed her where the results were posted and how to interpret them.

“See this column here?” He pointed to a results sheet. “That’s what you look for. Do me a favor, write his results for me on the heat sheets, okay?”

She nodded. “Okay.” She was leaning over, her head level with his. When she looked at him, she found him smiling, his face inches from hers.

“Six,” he whispered, and her heart nearly stopped.

Swallowing hard, she managed to find her voice. “Can’t get here soon enough.”

Chapter Fifteen

Kelly felt guilty about dumping the boys on her mom.

“Stop it,” Sharon scolded her. “You’ve earned this. Go out and have fun.”

“Thanks, Mom. I appreciate it.”

Sharon smiled. “Hey, he’s nice, he’s handsome—”

“All right, Mom.”

“Just saying.” Her mom and the boys left at five. The IMAX theater was a few blocks away. They would walk and have dinner after the movie.

Once they were gone, Kelly enjoyed the quiet. She took her time in the shower, relishing the thought that she didn’t have to hurry so someone else could get into the bathroom. Being cooped up with her family for over a week was taking its toll, and she still had nearly two weeks to go.

Never again would she complain her house was too small.

She realized she had no lipstick when she heard his knock.

Shave and a haircut, two bits.

Crap. ChapStick it is.

Mart looked nice in a pair of khakis and a long-sleeved chambray shirt and tie.

Nice! She felt rumpled and un-ironed next to him.

“Ready?” he asked.

She smiled. “Definitely.” She grabbed her purse and jacket and walked with him to the elevator.

“Do you mind a short walk? I guess I should have asked before I made plans.”

“No, I don’t mind. I’m sick of being in a car.”

“I bet.”

The evening air was damp but comfortably cool, surprisingly so considering how hot the day had been. Kelly took a moment to slip on her jacket. The sidewalk angled downhill, and she resisted the urge to grab the back of his wheelchair like she would Denny’s.

He’s an adult.

The walk was short. “I was here a few months ago when I came out for a business trip. Their food is fantastic,” he explained as they settled into a cozy table in a dim corner. The Italian restaurant was quiet and upscale, not a run-of-the-mill, mass-market chain.

Twenty minutes into dinner, Kelly was laughing and enjoying herself. Mart wasn’t a man in a wheelchair—he was her date.

She looked at her plate.

“What?” he asked.

He was nothing like her ex-husband. He was interested in what she had to say. He was funny, and fun to talk with.

She shook her head. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been out like this.”

He sipped his wine. “Really?”

“Not many men want to go out with me when they find out I have two sons, and one’s in a wheelchair.”

“Their loss.” Mart reached out and touched the back of her hand. “I like having you all to myself. I don’t share well.” He smiled.

The food was excellent, and Kelly enjoyed herself.

“So how’s the novel going?” he asked.

“Been too busy to do much with it lately. I’ve played with some poetry, haven’t done that in years.” She finally felt comfortable admitting that, sensing he wouldn’t ridicule her.

Sure enough, his eyes lit up. “I love poetry.”

“Now you’re just BS-ing me.”

He shook his head. “No. I took a couple of classes in college.” He thought for a minute, then quoted Robert Frost. “‘Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by—’”

She finished, “‘And that has made all the difference.’” She smiled and took his hand.

He met her eyes and nodded. “Yes, it has.” The waiter brought their check. Mart’s eyes didn’t leave Kelly’s face. “It’s made a big difference,” he whispered.

He paid their bill, and they left, hand in hand.

Next to the restaurant was a jewelry store. They hadn’t closed yet, their window displays still in place. A ring caught Kelly’s eye, and she paused to look.

“What is it?” Mart asked, stretching up to see.

She pointed. “The ring in the middle. I love amethyst.” The small diamond, surrounded by smaller amethyst stones, sparkled under the display lights. With a price tag of more than three mortgage payments, it wasn’t something she’d buy for herself when there were too many things to get for the boys.

“One day, when I hit the bestseller list, I’m buying myself a ring like that.” Kelly stepped back from the window. “Then I’ll wave it in David’s face and show him what a ‘waste of time’ writing fiction is.” She looked at her bare left hand. “Sorry. I guess I’m still bitter.”

Mart smiled. “It would look beautiful on you.”

They took the long way back to the hotel, walking through the park and along the river to look at the falls. He stopped next to a bench and took her hand.

“This has been a wonderful evening. I really appreciate you going out with me,” he said.

She sat on the bench. “Thank you for asking me out. You’re a great guy. You’re handsome, and funny, and so sweet.”

“But.” His face hardened and he pulled his hand away.

“Huh?”

“Usually, when I hear a combinations of traits phrased like that, it’s followed by, ‘but,’ and a litany of reasons why it was a one-time date,” he said bitterly.

Kelly shook her head. “No! That’s not what I meant at all.” God, could she screw this up any worse? She took the leap, hoping she wouldn’t hit the ground. “I like you. A lot.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She took his hand. “I hope this isn’t a last date, because that would be a shame. That day in the park, when you were showing me how to throw?” She swallowed hard and forced the words out. “I really wanted to kiss you.”

He smiled. “Me too.” He leaned in and kissed her.

She closed her eyes and savored it, touching his cheek. He was soft and gentle, but she felt his passion beneath the surface.

“I’d say the feeling is mutual,” he said softly. “You don’t know what you did to me that day.” He stroked her cheek. “You are a special woman.”

“I played the cards I was dealt. I had no choice.”

“I didn’t mean Denny. I meant you.”

Her stomach flipped in a good way as he leaned in for another kiss. With his arms around her, she lost herself in the feeling. He was tender and passionate and damn, he smelled good! She wanted to—

She sat back, gasping for breath. “I have two kids, you know.”

His eyes searched her face, still holding her hand. “I know. Two great kids.”

“My mother is nuts.”

“No nuttier than mine.”

She stared at him, fighting her fear. She didn’t want to be hurt again, not this soon.

As if reading her thoughts, he said, “I’m not going to rush you. But I’d like to go out with you again, when we get home.”

She nodded and leaned in for another kiss.

They reluctantly returned to the hotel. He walked her to her room. At her door, he looked up and took her hands in his.

“You okay?” he asked. “Not weirded out or anything?”

“I’m good. Better than I’ve been in a long time.”

He kissed her hands. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

She nodded. Before he let go, she kissed him good night, and he pulled her to him.

Eventually she stepped back, smiling, and watched him wheel down the hall.

He had a room to himself. She could follow him, knock, and…

She closed her eyes. No. Too soon. Way too soon.

As if sensing her thoughts, he turned and smiled.

Was that a wink?

She unlocked her door. Oh God, he was a fantastic kisser! David was never that good. How did she end up with two kids with that jerk when he couldn’t even kiss worth a damn?

Memories of the evening flowed through her. She smelled hints of Mart’s cologne on her clothes, remembered the taste of his lips. Kelly was reliving their date when the boys burst in, followed by her mom, shattering Kelly’s quiet reverie.

But later that evening, once everyone was settled and the lights were off, Kelly rolled onto her side and closed her eyes and relived the feel of Mart’s lips on hers.

* * * *

Mart almost invited her back to his room for a nightcap. Not that he had anything to offer except water, but he had a feeling if he’d offered, she might have accepted.

Her ex cheated on her? What a moron.

Mart closed his eyes and conjured her face. He already hated her ex-husband, sight unseen. Mart was sure eventually his path would cross with David Alexander, and the jerk better watch out.

And Mart knew what he wanted to do but would have to wait until morning.

* * * *

The next morning, Mart met them downstairs for breakfast. As he handed Kelly a sheaf of papers, he caught her gaze and held it. A warm tingle spread through her when he didn’t release the papers immediately, his fingers caressing hers. He smiled.

“Here’s the field pit assignments,” he said. “They’ll be numbered, so you won’t have any trouble finding where you need to be.”

She trapped his fingers between hers and the papers, returned his smile, then winked.

He winked back. Her stomach twisted in a pleasant somersault.

“I don’t know how to hook up the throwing chair,” she said.

“I can do it, Mom,” Paulie said. “Mart showed me.”

“There will be volunteers at each pit to help,” Mart added. “I’ll be around. I’m not running a pit, but I’ll swing by when he’s up.”

“Are you going to watch me throw?” Denny asked.

“I’m going to try my best, buddy. Your mom and grandma are going to tape it for me so I can watch it again later. You all set?”

Denny nodded, flapping his arms. “I’m going to warm up.”

They all laughed. “The most important thing is remember to take the practice throws,” Mart reminded him.

Denny nodded. “Got it.”

Mart glanced at his watch. “I have an officials meeting. I’ll see you out there.” He wheeled off, and Sharon leaned over to whisper in Kelly’s ear.

“He’s handsome.”

“Knock it off, Mom.”

“I’m just saying.” She smiled.

Kelly couldn’t help but smile back.

* * * *

Paulie helped Kelly unload the throwing chair and drag it across the soccer field to the throwing pits. Sharon pulled the wheeled cooler and helped Denny negotiate the wide expanse of grass when he bogged down.

Kelly consulted the sheaf of papers and found Denny’s assigned pit. Their pit official was an older man with a reddish beard and hair and an unmistakable Louisiana accent.

Kelly looked around and didn’t see Mart. She knew that didn’t mean anything, because it was easy to miss him in the crowd with the hundreds of other people in wheelchairs.

She glanced at her watch. They were scheduled to start soon. She walked over to the pit official, who was in conversation with another official.

He looked up. “Yes, ma’am?”

“Hi, I’m sorry, this is our first big meet, and my son’s coach isn’t here yet. Is there any way he can go last?”

He smiled, putting her at ease. “Yes, ma’am, we can do that. Not real sure how to set up the throwing chair?”

She shook her head, relieved.

“Who’s his coach?”

“Martin Rawlings.”

The man laughed. “Well, don’t worry, we can’t start anyway. There’s a problem with the computer over at Weights and Measures, and we need Marty to fix it. No one can find him.”

“Oh. Okay.”

The man looked over her head. “Ah, there’s the lost one himself.”

Mart quickly wheeled across the grass toward them. “Hi, Kelly, John.”

Denny flapped in aggravation. “You’re late!”

“I know, buddy. I’m sorry.”

“You’d better get yourself over to the trailer,” John said. “Karen’s having a cow. The computer’s down. Where’d you disappear to, son?”

Did Mart glance at her?

“I had to make a quick stop. Sorry, my phone was off.”

John handed him his radio. “Take this. Go get one of your own and bring it back. Call Karen and tell her you’re here.”

“Thanks.” To Kelly, “I’ll be right back.” Mart’s eyes lingered on hers, sending another warm shiver through her. Then he winked.

She couldn’t help but wink back.

True to his word, Mart made it back in time to watch Denny’s first implement, the shot put. Paulie and the volunteers helped strap the chair down and get Denny positioned. Mart moved in for a quiet last pep talk, then backed out of the way.

John offered the implement. “You want to take the practice throws?”

Denny nodded and took the shot put.

“This one doesn’t count,” John said to the volunteers ready to move in and mark the results.

Denny took his time positioning the shot put, held onto the throwing chair with his free hand, and then let it fly.

Mart smiled and moved in. “Good, that was perfect.”

Denny nodded and took his second, then final practice puts.

“These count, folks,” John said. The volunteers prepared.

It was a little shorter than his practice puts, but it landed squarely inside the vector lines.

Mart moved in and talked to Denny before the next put.

“Good job, buddy. Relax and take your time. You’re doing fine.”

Denny nodded, his face a mask of serious concentration. His next put was longer and in bounds. By the time Denny finished his five puts, he didn’t have a record, but his two longest were longer than his closest competitor’s qualifying distance.

When Denny signed the results sheet after getting out of the throwing chair, Mart rolled with him to Kelly and flashed her a thumbs-up.

“How’d he do?” she whispered in Mart’s ear.

“I glanced at the sheet. It looks like Denny might have this event nailed, but don’t say anything yet.”

She nodded, watching Paulie high-five Denny.

“How’d I do, Mart?” Denny asked.

“Pretty good, I think. We need to wait for the results. Stretch before your next throw.”

Kelly survived the stress of discus and javelin. Mart almost missed discus, but was there in plenty of time for the javelin.

Denny had trouble keeping the discus inside the vector lines, but he won by six inches. And he did great with the Turbo Jav. Mart flashed her another thumbs-up.

“I have a meeting, then I’m free for lunch,” Mart said.

Kelly nodded. “We’ll see you back at the hotel.”

He winked at her before saying good-bye to the others and wheeling across the field. As Kelly watched him go, Sharon stepped over to her.

“So, how was your date?”

“Shut up, Mother!”

* * * *

They met up with Mart at the hotel. The boys followed him to the buffet line. Kelly and Sharon snagged a free table and waited to get their food until the boys returned to hold the table. They heard a loud crash, and then applause rippled through the dining room. Kelly turned to see Denny leaning over an upside down plate of food. He looked close to tears.

She stood, but Sharon grabbed her arm.

“No, hon. Wait a minute.”

Kelly wasn’t close enough to hear, but Mart leaned in and spoke to Denny. In a moment, Denny was laughing, as was Paulie. Mart gave both boys a high-five.

As one of the wait staff walked over to help clean up the mess, Denny wheeled back to the stack of clean plates to get another.

“See, hon, it’s okay,” Sharon said. “They’re okay. He’s okay.”

Kelly nodded and sat, watching.

When Denny returned, slowly wheeling to the table with his plate precariously balanced on his lap, he was all smiles.

“Did you see me, Mom?” Denny grinned.

She nodded. “Are you okay?”

He laughed. “Mart said you’re not a real racer until you dump a plate of food in front of everyone at a meet.”

She glanced at Mart, who shrugged. Then he winked.

She smiled and winked back.

As much as Kelly wanted to spend the afternoon with Mart, they had a ton of laundry to wash. She left the boys in Mart’s care and headed out with Sharon to find a laundromat. It didn’t take long to find a complex with a laundry and an oil change shop.

They spent nearly two hours at the laundromat. Kelly daydreamed about her date with Mart while folding clothes.

“You still with me?” Sharon joked.

“What?”

“You look like you’re lost in space.”

Kelly looked at the growing pile of folded clothes in front of her. “I feel like it.”

“So. How was the date?”

“Mom, don’t do this.”

“Do what? I’m asking a simple question.”

Kelly considered her answer and couldn’t conceal her smile.

Sharon let her off the hook. “You really like him, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do. Please don’t talk about this in front of the boys. I don’t know where this will lead, and I don’t want them upset if it doesn’t go anywhere.”

“They love Mart.”

“I know they do. That’s why I have to be careful.”

* * * *

Back at the hotel, Kelly sat by the pool with Mart and watched the boys splash around with other kids. Her mom had volunteered to take the laundry upstairs.

“They give you any trouble?” she asked.

“No. I took them to a couple of seminars and introduced them to some of the other teams.” He glanced at his watch. “Dinner tonight?”

He caught her by surprise. “What?”

“Dinner. All of us. Tonight?”

She grinned. “Sure. Sounds great.”

“Good.” Mart glanced at the boys, who were busy playing with other kids. He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss, leaving her smiling and breathless. “See you later.”

She nodded, incapable of speech, and watched him wheel off. Her mom noticed when she walked up a few minutes later.

“What’s up with you?” Sharon asked.

“Huh?”

Sharon smiled. “Did David die?”

“What?”

“Either David died, or you found out you won the Lotto.”

Kelly laughed and shook her head, leaned back in her chair. “No, Mom.”

Sharon sat. “I passed Mart on my way out here. So if it’s not David, or millions of dollars…” She didn’t finish.

Kelly reddened but couldn’t stop smiling.

Chapter Sixteen

They met downstairs in the lobby. Paulie asked to ride with Mart, and of course, so did Denny. Kelly agreed and held Denny’s chair while he climbed into the backseat of Mart’s rental car. She loaded the wheelchair into the trailer and followed Mart.

Sharon smiled. “About your date…”

“Mother, I’ve told you, that is not up for discussion.”

“Kelly, he’s sweet. He’s great with the boys. He looks at you in a way I never saw David look at you.”

Kelly chewed on that. As annoying as her mother was, it was nice to hear from someone else. “It’s way too soon to plan a wedding.”

“Who said anything about a wedding? Give him a chance. I haven’t seen you look this happy in years.”

“We’re three thousand miles and over a week from home. How can you say I look happy?”

“You should have seen your face at Yellowstone when you got off the phone with him.”

The restaurant, a Mongolian barbeque, wasn’t far from the hotel. The boys loved the selection. Kelly smiled as she watched Mart coach Denny on how to carry his plate in his lap without dumping it.

Kelly sat next to Mart. While they waited for the boys to decide on dessert, Mart reached under the table and took Kelly’s hand, squeezed it. She squeezed back and met his gaze, smiling.

If Sharon noticed, she said nothing.

The boys rode back with Mart. At the hotel, he hesitated outside their room. Kelly sent the boys inside. “I’ll be back in a few minutes,” she told her mom, letting the door swing shut.

She walked with Mart to his room.

“Would you like to come in for a few minutes?”

“I’d love to. I just don’t know if I should. You’ll have to call hotel security to pry me out of your bathroom if I get five minutes alone. I won’t want to leave.”

He took her hand. “This has been rough on you, hasn’t it?”

“Not that, it’s just—” She tried to collect her thoughts. “I love my kids and my mom, don’t get me wrong. I’m not used to forced togetherness. I can’t lock myself in the bedroom. I can’t send them off to school or Mom’s or Patty’s or day camp, and then have the house to myself. At home, I put on my headphones and they know I’m working and to leave me alone unless the house is on fire or someone’s lost a finger.”

Mart brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I wish I could make this easier for you.”

“You have. You gave me a few hours of sanity.”

“You sure you don’t want to come inside for a little while, to decompress?”

It was tempting. Sooo tempting. She was afraid if she did, she’d spend the night.

That wasn’t a bad thing, but not with her mom and kids a few doors down. When she barely knew him. Even though she wanted to know him better.

“As much as I really want to say yes—”

“I understand. Can I coax you downstairs, buy you a drink, at least?”

“Get me liquored up so I say yes?”

He laughed and pulled her in for a kiss. “Not a bad idea. Wish I’d thought of that. How about one drink and a few more minutes of sanity?”

“I can’t say no to that.” He followed her to her room. She stuck her head inside. “I’m going downstairs for a while. Don’t wait up.”

Sharon tried to see around her into the hallway, but Kelly blocked her view. “Sure. What’s going on?”

“Nothing. I just want to go talk. If you need me, I’ll be downstairs.”

Mart waited by the elevators. Inside, he reached for her hand. They rode down in companionable silence. The hotel lounge was dim, and they got a table in a far corner where they had a little privacy.

“So, what have you learned on this trip so far?” Mart asked with a playful smile.

“Let’s see. That jazz music knocks my mother out faster than chloroform. To always order food before she does. That one day, Yellowstone will be a smoking hole in the ground.” She looked pointedly at him. “And that I wasted a lot of time by not asking you out on a date.”

He leaned forward. “I’ll see that last one, and raise you a, ‘Why was I so scared to ask her out sooner?’”

“I can’t believe you thought I was going to blow you off.”

“You’re not the only one with a bad track record. Not to mention I’m not the easiest guy to live with.”

“Why?”

“I travel a lot. And when I’m working, I tend to close myself off so I can focus.”

“That sounds like me. Without the traveling.”

“And I’m not a social creature. I like going out, but if I’m back from a trip, the last thing I want to do is socialize. I want to vegetate.”

“That’s reasonable.”

“I like to work out, but it doesn’t rule my life. I have to stay in shape, obviously, but I’m not obsessive. I have a routine.”

“Maybe you’ll be a good influence on me. Help me get in shape.”

He reached for her hand again. “Your shape is perfect the way it is.” He left his hand on hers. She made no attempt to move it.

“So far, you haven’t said anything that sends up red flags.”

“I forgot the twenty bodies in my garage.”

“You are kidding, right?”

He nodded. “Yeah, it’s only twelve at last count.”

She grinned. “Something else we have in common, we’re both ball-busters.”

He met her eyes, and that started her heart thundering again. “You can bust my balls any time you want, Kel.”

“Ooh, you tease. Promise?”

He nodded. “Promise.”

“You might regret that promise.”

“Sticks and stones might break my bones—”

“But whips and chains excite me,” she completed, grinning.

He laughed. “Not many women find my sense of humor amusing.”

“They weren’t married to my ex-husband.” Their drinks arrived. Kelly sat back, stirred hers, composed her thoughts. “Why aren’t you scared of me, is what I should ask.”

“Why would I be scared of you?”

“Single mom with two kids, one in a wheelchair. Hello? Did you not get that memo?”

He smiled. “Maybe we were supposed to meet.”

Kelly closed her eyes and willed time to slow, stop. She didn’t want the evening to end. “I don’t want to go back to my room.”

Mart was quiet for a moment. “You don’t have to.”

She studied him. He wasn’t trying to push. It was so tempting.

“If I didn’t have the boys and my mom…” She didn’t finish the thought. “You’re too good-looking to be alone with right now.”

He looked around. “Who? Where?” She laughed. “Dinner when we get back?” he asked.

“Yes. If you haven’t come to your senses by then and realized what a madhouse I run.”

* * * *

Mart was dying to say it. He just couldn’t muster the balls to spit it out. Would you like to date? God, didn’t that sound like high school? He worried if he confessed exactly how much he was attracted to her, it might freak her out. But he knew, deep down inside, she was the one.

If she’ll have me.

He’d never believed in love at first sight before. Yet he’d spent the past several months on pins and needles like a hopeless dweeb. At least before, if he didn’t say anything, he could coach Denny and still see her. Better than nothing.

But she was interested. He forced himself not to push too hard, too fast. He’d never felt this before. Not even…

No. He didn’t want to ruin tonight thinking about Brenda. She was the past, a bad chapter of history, closed and sealed.

He paid their tab, and they took their time crossing the lobby to the elevator. Inside, he pulled Kelly to him for one last kiss. “Thank you, again, for a great evening.”

“Thank you. I wish I could tell you yes tonight.”

“It’s okay. I understand.”

Chapter Seventeen

At the track, Mart gave Denny a pep talk before his first race. He sent Denny to line up in staging and rolled over to watch from the fence with Kelly.

“He’ll be fine,” he reassured her.

They watched as Denny lined up with others in his heat. When the starter pistol fired, Denny took off, pumping his arms.

They cheered as he streaked neck and neck to the finish. They met up with him at the end.

“Did I win?”

“Don’t know buddy,” Mart said. “We’ll have to wait for the results.”

He did, barely.

“Now make sure you focus, push hard, stay in your lane. Okay?”

Denny nodded and lined up in staging for his second race.

By lunch time, Denny had two gold and a silver in track. Mart helped him put the second place finish into perspective. “Considering that kid’s been racing for two years and you were less than a second behind him, that’s good.”

“Really?”

Mart nodded. “Really. You won’t win every time. Just try your hardest, that’s all.”

* * * *

The boys wanted to watch the other track events. Kelly and Sharon were comfortably settled in the shade when Mart wheeled up. “I need to borrow Denny for a moment.”

“Sure. What’s going on?”

“I want to show him something. C’mon, buddy.”

“Can I come?” Paulie asked.

“Sure.” Mart took off, the boys in tow.

Sharon watched them go. “What’s that about?”

Kelly shrugged and returned to her book. “I don’t know. But if Mart’s got them, they’re fine. I want Denny to get as much of the experience as he can.” Kelly was tired and didn’t want to move.

“You don’t care where they’re going?”

“If I had to worry, I’m sure Mart would tell me.”

“How do you know?”

“Do you really think they’d let an axe murderer be an official?” she joked.

Sharon watched the boys’ disappearing backs. “You’re not worried.”

“I’d be more worried if David took them. They’re fine.”

Sharon smiled. “You not only like him, you trust him.”

Kelly glared at her. “Drop it, Mom.”

“Just saying.” But she couldn’t drop it. A moment later, she started in on Kelly again. “You trust him. Kelly, that’s great, it’s like—”

“Mother!”

“Fine.”

Denny and Paulie returned thirty minutes later, excited. Denny flapped a color catalog for hand-pedal bikes and told her about his test ride. Kelly took the brochure from him and looked at it before safely stashing it in her bag. Mart had taken them to a vendor’s booth. Denny had tried several models and found one he really liked. Kelly liked it, too, but knew the price tag was too steep for her budget.

“I’ll have to ask your dad to help pay for it, honey.” But after forcing him to shell out money for a racer, she wasn’t sure how realistic that prospect was.

Denny flapped. “It’s soooo cool, Mom. It’s the neatest thing ever!” He spied some other kids he’d made friends with and took off after them, Paulie in tow.

Sharon looked at Kelly. “How much?”

“I’ll figure it out somehow.”

“How much?”

Kelly glared at Sharon. Sharon shook her head. “Miss Stubborn Independence. Fine. But if you can’t afford it by November, let me know so I can get it for him for Christmas. Okay?”

Kelly reluctantly nodded. “Deal.”

* * * *

Kelly was almost sorry to see the week end. It meant no more time with Mart until she returned home. Her secret fear was Mart would come to his senses and not want to see her again.

At the banquet Saturday night, Mart had to sit with the other officials, but Kelly frequently caught him smiling at her from across the room.

Sharon went upstairs after the banquet. “I’m tired, and tomorrow’s going to be a long day on the road.”

Kelly nodded. “I’ll be up after a while. She’d spent the afternoon packing so she could—hopefully—spend time with Mart tonight.

Mart wheeled over to their table, catching Kelly’s eye. “Staying for the dance, I hope?”

Denny and Paulie nodded, Kelly shrugged. “For a little while.”

Mart’s eyes didn’t drift from hers. The wait staff was transforming the banquet room into a dance hall by removing tables and chairs, and the DJ was warming up the kids.

“I was hoping I could talk you into dancing with me,” Mart said.

“I’m not much of a dancer.”

“Neither am I.”

“If you don’t mind me tripping all over myself.” She looked at the boys. “When you’re tired, go straight upstairs, all right? Paulie, stay with your brother.”

They nodded before eagerly disappearing into a group of kids. Mart took Kelly’s hand and led her to the back of the room, where it was darker and less crowded.

“I have to admit I lied,” Mart said.

“What?”

“I didn’t want to dance.”

Kelly’s heart throbbed. “What?”

“I wanted to do this.” He pulled her to him and kissed her. “I’ve wanted to do that all evening.”

She had trouble catching her breath. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Denny was the lead in a centipede of ten kids in chairs, and Paulie was talking to a girl around his age. The music pounded, making it difficult to hear anything. Kelly spied the door leading to the pool area.

“Want to go somewhere quiet?”

Mart took her hand and led the way. Outside, they laid in one of the lounges next to the pool, talking and holding hands for nearly an hour.

He glanced at his watch. “I hate to end this, but I have to catch a flight tomorrow morning.”

She leaned over and kissed him one last time. “Thank you.”

“Don’t forget—dinner when you get home.”

“Try to stop me.”

Chapter Eighteen

Mart knocked on his way out the next morning and said good-bye to Sharon and the boys. Kelly walked him to the elevator. They had the hallway to themselves, and he pulled her in for one last hug and kiss.

“Please drive safely.”

“I will.”

He rolled inside the elevator and turned. “I’m taking you out when you get home.”

“Absolutely.”

He smiled and waved. Kelly waited until the door slid shut to return to her room, wiping her eyes before the boys and her mom saw. She knew she’d see Mart in a week, but she hadn’t expected saying good-bye to hurt this much.

They were packed and on the road by ten, later than she wanted, but at least they were moving again. She tried to push thoughts of Mart to the back of her mind and focus on the rest of their trip.

Whatever Kelly expected of western Washington, this wasn’t it. Besides Spokane being hotter and drier than she’d imagined, most of the land between there and where they picked up I-82 south was as open and rocky and desolate as South Dakota and sections of Montana.

“I thought this was the EvergreenState?” Sharon said.

“So did I.”

“Where’s the rain forest?” Denny asked.

“I don’t know, sweetheart.”

The wind ripped through the valley in Ellensburg where they stopped for gas and lunch. Kelly slowed and tightly gripped the steering wheel as winds buffeted the Element and trailer.

Leaving the lush valley behind them, the boys were fascinated by the mountains ringing the area. They took I-82 south, winding through more arid foothills. Then the boys cheered when they spotted Rainier’s snow-covered peak in the distance.

Kelly found the Highway 12 turn-off in Yakima and headed for Mt.Rainier. She was nearly past the sign when she saw it, a blinking DOT warning sign.

Road closed, White Pass. Rock slide.

“Crap.” She got off at the next exit. This was not a problem she was used to. Sea fog? Yes. Sudden, blinding thunderstorms? Check.

Rock slides? You don’t have them in Florida.

“What’s wrong?” Sharon asked.

“You didn’t see that sign? The road’s closed. I need to stop for information.”

She pulled into a convenience store gas station. It wouldn’t hurt to top it off, and Denny needed to use the bathroom anyway. While Sharon took the boys inside, Kelly pumped gas and then fired up her computer. Thank you, air card. She found the Washington state DOT website.

Rock slide. Road closed until tomorrow, at the earliest.

Kelly groaned and dropped her head to the steering wheel. She repacked the computer and walked into the store.

The clerk was an older, balding man with three earrings in one ear and both arms covered with biker tattoos.

“Are you familiar with the area?” she asked.

He nodded. “Yep.”

“The road west, here—”

“You can’t get there from here.”

“Rainier?”

He shook his head. “Not until they clear the slide. Unless you’ve got four-wheel drive?”

She shook her head and pointed out the window at the Element. “I’m pulling a trailer, too. I have to stick to main roads.”

He shook his head. “Then you can’t get there from here. 410’s closed because of the flood damage. Road’s out.”

“How do I get to Rainier?”

“You can go down south, to Oregon on 97, follow the river over to Portland and up through Vancouver, come in the west side. Or go back up 82 to 90, go through Seattle, and come down 5.”

Kelly groaned. That was a day, either way. But she didn’t get this far to not see the mountains up close and personal.

“You can make Vancouver by tonight,” he offered.

“Really? We want to see Mount St. Helens, too.”

“It’s not a bad drive.”

Her mom walked up. “How bad?”

“We get to see Oregon.”

The boys cheered.

Kelly went to the bathroom while her mom loaded the boys. At least she wasn’t chanting “load and unload.” Yet.

Kelly tried Mart but got his voicemail. She wasn’t even sure if he was home yet because she didn’t know his flight schedule.

“Change of plans, we get to see a little of Oregon. Road’s closed into Rainier from the west, so we have to go south and around to Vancouver. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

They wound through fertile valleys and hilly woods, working their way south to the Columbia River. Kelly had a heart-chilling moment driving down what felt like a vertical cliff to the bridge across the river, but all four were delighted by the sight of the lush forests on the other side, as if driving from one world into another.

They spent the night in Vancouver and were on the road early Monday morning. At some point, Mart had called and left a voicemail.

“Sorry I missed your call. Have fun and take lots of pictures for me. Talk to you later. Call me.” She saved the message so she could listen to it again.

She finally realized David had yet to call and see how the boys were. And they hadn’t asked to call him.

The boys found yet another site in their passport books, Ft.Vancouver, so they had to stop there before they could continue to Mount St. Helens.

They didn’t have time to go all the way to the Johnston Ridge Observatory. Fortunately, Mount St. Helens was clearly visible from the SilverLakeVisitorCenter, a lucky break for them. At the visitor center, the boys enjoyed the movie, exhibits, and the walk-through model of the mountain.

Although Denny had to get out of his wheelchair and crawl on his hands and knees to see the last one, because it wasn’t wheelchair accessible.

They made it to Mt.Rainier later that afternoon, carefully winding their way from the west up to the ParadiseVisitorCenter. The drive was beautiful, with lush forests fulfilling their expectations of what the Pacific Northwest looked like.

Kelly stepped away from the boys and her mom as they studied the plaque outside the visitor center. She slipped her BlackBerry out of its holster. One bar.

Worth a shot.

She dialed Mart’s cell, hoping it would go through. After a moment, and with some crackling static, she heard his voicemail message.

“Hi, it’s Kelly. We’re at Mt.Rainier.” She swallowed, her mouth dry. Was it the cold mountain air or her nerves? “Feel free to call me, but we’re in the mountains and I don’t know if I’ll have reception.” She paused again. “I’m looking forward to dinner with you when we get home. I wanted to let you know.”

She heard a beep and looked at her screen.

Call dropped.

So how much would he hear?

They spent an hour at the visitor center, looking at the exhibits and 3D model of the mountain, buying more souvenirs. The boys were fascinated by the glacier on the mountain summit, which was clearly visible from the parking lot.

Leaving Rainier was like traveling into another country. Sharon closed her eyes during the worst of the steep switchbacks. Kelly tried to ignore it when her mother stomped the passenger floorboard as if looking for an invisible brake pedal.

The lush forests on the west side of the range that typified their imagined view of the Pacific Northwest gave way to arid, desert-like scrub. It was hard to believe this was the same state. She was used to the logical variety of the Florida landscape, beach dunes and palmetto scrub and pine prairie, with oak woods not too far behind, or hard to find. Like the weather, if you waited five minutes, the overlapping landscape changed.

Just not this drastically.

The vastness unsettled her too, truth be told. In Florida, you could have breakfast on St. Pete Beach while watching dolphins playing in the Gulf, and then have lunch on the Intracoastal while staring at the Atlantic.

This was so…big.

When they settled into their motel room at Yakima late that evening, Kelly snuck her phone into the bathroom and played her voicemail from Mart.

“Hi, Kelly. I’m sorry I missed you. I was on a plane when you called. Your message cut off toward the end. I heard, ‘Looking forward to dinner.’” He paused. “I’m looking forward to dinner when you get back.” Another long pause. “Please call when you can. I’d love to talk to you. Even if it’s late.” One last pause. “Voicemail tag. You’re it.” She heard his soft laugh as the message ended.

She saved it and replayed it. Several times, with her eyes closed and remembering how his lips felt on hers as they kissed by the river after their date. Just kissing him made her feel…

Oh yeah.

There wouldn’t be a question of him accepting Denny. But did she want a relationship right now?

She thought about it. Why not? Didn’t she deserve a chance to be happy? Now that she knew he was interested, she entertained the possibility of taking things further.

Slowly, of course.

It was too late to call him back. She thought she’d fall asleep immediately, but Mart’s voice playing in her mind kept her wide awake. That, and memories of kissing him.

Chapter Nineteen

The boys were enjoying the trip. Now heading home, they spent their hours pouring over books and visitor’s guides of their stops, reliving the sights.

Trip of a lifetime. And the boys were already hinting at coming back next summer.

They spent the next night at a small motel in Big Timber, Montana, and reached the Little Bighorn National Park the following morning.

“That’s a graveyard?” Denny asked after they unloaded him.

Kelly looked where he pointed and nodded. “That’s part of it. That’s the NationalCemetery. This whole place is a graveyard. You need to act very respectfully here. This isn’t like the other parks we’ve visited.”

“What do you mean?”

They walked into the museum and took the tour of the exhibits. Kelly and Sharon explained the battle as best they could to the boys. When they finished, they watched an interpretive talk given by one of the rangers, who was of Lakota descent. The boys listened raptly as he related what had happened.

They were sitting on a covered patio at the back of the museum with a breathtaking view of the battleground and Last Stand Hill. Try as she might, Kelly couldn’t help but wish Mart were there with them.

After the talk, Paulie helped Denny make it all the way up to the monument at Last Stand Hill, then around to the Indian Memorial. Both boys were quiet, thoughtful, and when they saw a headstone along the pathway, they stopped to read it.

They spent over two hours at the park. As they headed to the parking lot, four motorcycles pulled in. One, a custom trike, pulled into a designated handicapped accessible spot.

Kelly saw the driver, an older man with a leather biker jacket, had a folding wheelchair strapped to a rack on the side.

Denny’s eyes bugged out. Before she could stop him, he raced over.

“Wow! That is so cool! You can drive a motorcycle?” Denny flapped in excitement.

The man laughed. Kelly watched as he put the wheelchair on the ground next to his trike, then lifted his paralyzed legs into position with his arms and smoothly slid into the chair. “Yep. You want to get on?”

Kelly must have looked embarrassed, because the guy smiled. “It’s okay, he can’t hurt anything.”

“All right. As long as you don’t mind.”

The man’s three friends had gathered around by this time and helped Denny get on board. He could barely reach the handlebars but looked like he’d died and gone to Heaven.

“Mom, can I have a motorcycle when I’m older?”

The bikers laughed, and Kelly smiled. “When you can pay for one, you can drive whatever you want, sweetheart.”

* * * *

As with nearly every other place they’d visited, their drive from Moorcroft to DevilsTower wasn’t anything like Kelly had expected. She’d envisioned a tall rock in the middle of nothing. Like Mt.Rushmore, it played hide and seek with the hilly country around the Belle FourcheRiver.

They arrived an hour before the visitor center closed. The boys watched Close Encounters of the Third Kind before the trip and were in awe of the real-life site.

“This is really cool, Mom,” Paulie said, staring up at the monolith dwarfing the visitor center. “I’m glad you brought us out here. This is way better than camping.”

She put her arm around him. “So am I, sweetheart.”

“Where’s the aliens?” Denny asked.

Paulie rolled his eyes. “Squirt, it was a movie.”

“Was he the same guy in the shark movie?” Denny asked.

Kelly glared at Paulie. “You let your little brother watch Jaws? When was this? Where was I?”

Paulie reddened. “It was the TV version, Mom. Grandma said it was okay.”

She turned on her mother, who took a step back.

Sharon held up her hands defensively. “Honey, I watched it with them. They loved it. Hey, it’s a classic.”

Kelly closed her eyes and fought the urge to scream.

She eventually calmed down. On their way out, they stopped at the prairie dog town, and the boys were fascinated by the chirping animals. Paulie climbed out to videotape them while Kelly took pictures.

Kelly left the suicide door open on the passenger side so Denny could watch. Truthfully, Kelly didn’t want him close enough to worry about him going after one to pet it.

“Why don’t we have prairie dogs in Florida, Mom?” Denny asked.

She shrugged. “I have no idea, sweetheart.”

“Because the snowbirds ran them all over,” Sharon whispered. Kelly struggled not to laugh. Either she was more tired than she thought, or her mother’s sense of humor was improving with exhaustion.

* * * *

They spent the night at a vintage fifties motor court in Sundance, Wyoming. From there they went to the Crazy Horse monument and revisited Mt.Rushmore. By the time they returned to Rapid City for dinner, gas, and picked up I-90, it was three hours before sunset. Despite the time, Kelly took the Badlands loop, wanting to see a little of it before dark.

The drive was beautiful, but Kelly gripped the wheel hard enough she wondered if she’d leave marks. It was all she could do not to lash out at her mother and the boys. She knew part of it was PMS, but she’d tied a knot at the end of her last nerve and was hanging onto it for dear life, praying she didn’t lose her grip.

Her mother had spent the entire day finding fault with everything except her and the boys. The hotel beds were horrible. The road was bad. The weather was hot. The food was awful. The traffic was terrible…

She knew her mother’s exhaustion mirrored her own, and getting into it with her wasn’t an option.

But it was tempting.

Kelly wanted to be home. Her home. In her bed. With the covers pulled over her head and the door locked and a set of earplugs glued in place and music turned up as loud as possible.

Her mom stared out over one vista. “I don’t understand why they can’t four lane this road and make it better. It’s like being in a third-world country or something. This is America, a national park. Can’t they do better?”

Yes, let’s pave over a piece of wild America. Great idea, Mom. Instead, she said, “It’s the Badlands, Mom. That would ruin the landscape and endanger the wildlife.”

“It’s horrible. All these tourists come over here from other countries and think we’re a bunch of bumpkins.”

They came upon a scenic turn-off with a trail. Kelly pulled in, unable to take it anymore.

“Why are we stopping?” Sharon asked.

Kelly put it in park, left it running, and grabbed her BlackBerry. “I need to stretch. I’ll be right back.

A boardwalk curled around the rock outcroppings. She walked far enough they couldn’t see her and called Patty. Her phone went to voicemail.

It was amazing she could even get a cell connection, but two bars were enough. She thought for a moment, then found Mart’s number. There was a long silence as the call connected. Finally, he answered.

“Hi,” she said. “I’m sorry to call you like this, I know it’s late.” What could she say? “I feel like I’m going to lose my mind. I need to talk to someone sane for a few minutes.”

He laughed. She closed her eyes and pictured his face. “Then you’ve called the wrong person. I’m as nutty as they come, I’ve been told.”

She laughed, crouched on the boardwalk, out of sight of the car. “I want to go home.”

“They’re driving you that nuts?”

“Yes. I love my boys. But between them and my mom, I feel like I’m going to turn into an America’s Most Wanted special segment.”

“Where are you?”

“South Dakota. The Badlands.”

“Really? Good place for dumping bodies. What’s it like out there?”

“Warm. It’s close to sunset, so it’s not unbearably hot, and there’s a breeze.”

“I’ve never been out there before. Tell me about it.” His calm voice helped soothe her frayed nerves.

She took a moment to glance around her at the outcroppings. “It’s beautiful. In a desolate, you-might-die-without-water kind of way. The colors are gorgeous, in the rocks and the sky. There’s a lot of grassland too, which I didn’t know. I always thought it was just a desert.”

“When do you get home?”

“I don’t know. I want to be there as soon as possible. I’ll probably drive all night, make St. Louis tomorrow. The boys want to go through the Arch again.”

She heard something in the background. “Hold on a second.” As the volume increased, she realized it was his TV. “I have the Weather Channel on. Be careful when you head south. There’s supposed to be bad thunderstorms in Iowa and Nebraska tonight. Don’t get caught in them.”

“Thanks.” She felt stupid, calling him like this. “I’m sorry if I’m bothering you,” she apologized.

“Stop that,” he firmly said. “I wouldn’t have answered if you were bothering me. By the way, I’m holding you to that date. You pick where we go.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“Where are the kids?”

“In the car with my mom.”

“Feeling a little better?”

She closed her eyes. Actually, she was. “Yes. Thank you.”

“Anytime.” He paused. “Seriously. If you need me, even if it’s in the middle of the night, call. I’ll keep my cell by the bed. I have a flight tomorrow morning, but leave me a voicemail if I don’t answer.”

“Thank you.”

“Be safe. Please don’t push yourself too hard.”

“I want to get home.”

“Get home in one piece. Stop if you need to.”

“I don’t know if I can handle another night in a motel without peace and quiet. I’m used to having the house to myself during the day. I haven’t had a moment to think since we left. Going out alone with you was a vacation from this ‘vacation.’”

“Just think what you have to look forward to when you get home.”

Her heart skipped. “I’m looking forward to seeing you again.”

He hesitated. “Kelly, I really like you. I’m not a serial killer, and I’m not seeing anyone else. Haven’t in over a year. If you’re open to it, I’d like to spend more time with you. I don’t mean a just a dinner date, either. I would like to see where this leads.”

Kelly thought she’d crush the phone. “Yes. I’d like that.”

Was that a sigh of relief on his end? “Good. I know that’s chickenshit on my part, to keep waiting until we’re a country apart to ask you things like that over the phone. I know you don’t need me hovering, but please drive safely. Stop if you need to. I want you back here in one piece. And the boys too, obviously.”

“I will.”

He paused again. “You are a beautiful, wonderful woman. I was attracted to you from the moment we met.”

Was she going to pass out? Could a heart race this fast and not kill you? “Me too. Just—” She hunted for the words. “Don’t take it personally if I need time to adjust.”

“Kelly, I’ll give you all the time in the world if it means I have a chance with you.”

She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to breathe. “This means you want to have a relationship, right?”

“If you want to, yes.”

She let out a deep breath. “Yes. I’d like that. A lot.” She didn’t know it was possible to feel this way as an adult. She’d never gotten this far with anyone since David. Hell, she’d never gotten past dinner. And David never made her feel like this—pulse racing, short of breath, anxious and eager to see him.

How sad was that?

Kelly said good-bye and returned on shaky legs to the Element.

“Where’d you go, Mom?” Denny asked.

“I needed a little break.”

Her mother looked at her. “Who’d you talk to?”

“I tried to call Patty.” Kelly set her BlackBerry on the dash. Sharon grabbed it, then smiled as she held it up. The call log was displayed.

“Uh huh.”

“I did try to call Patty.”

Her mom smiled and put the BlackBerry on the dash. “Uh huh.”

Kelly didn’t say anything as she drove. Eventually her mom broke the silence.

“There are far worse men.”

“Mom!” Kelly shushed her, glancing toward the backseat. The boys were engrossed in a book about the Badlands.

“I’m just saying.” She tried again a few minutes later. “He’s nice.”

“Mother, this is not up for discussion!” Kelly hissed.

“Fine.” She smiled, annoying Kelly.

Deep inside, Kelly still felt the warm tingle, her pulse skipping as she replayed Mart’s words. He liked her!

Despite her hesitation, not wanting to get her heart broken, she couldn’t help but hope.

* * * *

Kelly prayed the boys would forget her promise, but by the time they left the St. Louis Arch the next day, they were already waving the cherished Cooter’s Place brochures and checking the map.

What the hell? She had promised. How long could it take? But she had to stop for the night. One missed night’s sleep on the road took too much out of her. They spent the night north of Nashville, and Cooter’s Place was their first stop after breakfast Saturday morning. It took Kelly three hours and purchasing nearly one hundred dollars worth of memorabilia to get on the road again.

“You are the coolest mom ever!” Denny crowed as he pawed though his bag of souvenirs.

She looked in the rearview mirror. “Ever?”

Paulie’s grin matched Denny’s. “Ever, Mom. Really. The coolest.”

Kelly grinned. Sharon looked at her. “We drive across the country and back, and this is what they’ll remember most.”

Kelly shook her head and laughed, not caring. Her boys thought she was a cool mom.

The coolest mom ever.

Chapter Twenty

Home never looked so good. It was almost five a.m. Sunday morning when Kelly pulled into her driveway. She made Paulie sleep on the couch so her mom could have his bed. Kelly didn’t get any further than unloading the boys. She grabbed her purse and Denny’s backpack and unlocked the house. Then she walked into her bedroom, locked the door behind her, and fell onto the bed.

Oh God, it’s good to be home!

Kelly awoke around nine, rolled over and listened for sounds of life. Nothing. She smiled, enjoying the silence. She peeled her clothes off, dropped them onto the floor, and crawled under the sheet, entertaining herself with thoughts about Mart’s voice and the feel of his lips on hers…

She heard a noise and opened her eyes. It was after one.

Paulie’s voice, then Denny’s.

The troops were alive.

And was that…coffee?

She threw back the covers and took a shower. Her mom, awake but looking a little worse for wear, sat at the kitchen table with the Sunday paper. She pointed at the coffee pot.

It was already half-empty.

“Thanks, Mom.” Kelly poured a cup and sat. “You okay?”

Sharon nodded. “My chiropractor will have a field day with me for the next few weeks, but I’ll live. You?”

“I’m glad to be home.”

“That makes two of us. The boys are outside. They woke up around ten, and I made breakfast. I didn’t want them waking you.”

“Thank you.” Kelly sensed something else. “What?”

Sharon smiled. “Mart called, left you a voicemail.” Sharon pushed the BlackBerry across the table. Kelly snatched it.

“You played my voicemails?”

“No. He called, and I looked at the screen. Then the voicemail message popped up.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“He’s nice. I really like him.”

Kelly carried her coffee into the living room while she dialed into her voicemail.

“Hi, Kelly, it’s Mart. I wanted to make sure you got home all right. Give me a call, let me know you’re okay.” There was a pause. “And let me know when you want to go out. Bye.”

She smiled, played it several times, then saved it. She wanted to call him back, but not with her radar-eared mother in close proximity. Her mom said good-bye to the boys.

“Don’t forget to call Mart.”

“I won’t. Thanks.” Kelly put her mom’s bags in the trunk of her car.

“I’d be proud to call him my son-in-law.”

“Good-BYE, Mother!”

“I’m just saying.”

Kelly watched her leave before returning to the kitchen. Denny and Paulie played in the backyard. She watched them from the window and dialed Mart’s number.

Her heart jumped with each ring. He picked up on the third, sounding slightly out of breath. “Hey!”

“Hi. We’re home, safe and sound.”

“Oh, good. What time?”

“About five this morning. Sorry I didn’t call you earlier, but I didn’t wake up until a little while ago.”

“No, that’s okay, I understand.”

“Did I interrupt anything?”

“No, I was just working out. I have a home gym machine.”

The thought of his strong arms made her heart skip. “So that’s how you keep your girlish figure?”

She loved his laugh. “I see your snark survived the trip.”

“Barely.” The boys were still playing. “I think it was talking to you the other night that gave me something to live for.”

“Really?” Did his voice change tone?

“Yeah.”

He paused. “I don’t want to scare you off.”

“I think you’ve got that backwards. I’m a single mom of two boys and have serious trust issues. Sure you want to deal with me?”

“Ooh, the ‘I’m more unlucky in love than you are,’ game. I usually win that.”

She laughed, then watched the boys for a moment through the window. “What are we doing, Mart?”

“I hope we’re having dinner in the next few days.”

“I mean, what are we doing? I have two boys who’ve been hurt. I won’t put them in the middle of something just to turn their world upside down again.”

As much as she was attracted to Mart and wanted a relationship with him, she’d had time to think about the flip side of the coin, the repercussions if it didn’t work out.

How much it would hurt the boys if it didn’t work out. She would rather be alone than put them through hell a second time.

Mart’s tone sounded serious when he spoke. “Kelly, I meant it when I said I’m willing to take our time, as long as it takes. I’m not looking for a one-night stand or a few weeks of fun. I’m tired of being alone. I want someone who’s not afraid to be in a relationship with me.”

“I’m terrified to be in a relationship with anyone.”

“Let me rephrase that.” He paused, and she didn’t interrupt. “I want a woman who’s not afraid of my wheelchair.”

“Why would I be afraid?”

“Exactly. I can understand and respect you have a lot going on right now, after what you’ve been through. I want the same chance you’d give any other man, no more, no less. I’m not looking for special treatment. I’m looking for a chance to see where this goes. That’s all I’m asking.”

The boys were playing catch now, Denny trying to get the ball into Paulie’s glove. Paulie was giving him pointers on how to throw. “I don’t want to make a mistake.”

“You can’t make a mistake if you don’t try.” Not a hint of sarcasm or bitterness.

She closed her eyes. “I missed you. When can I see you again?”

* * * *

Mart breathed a sigh of relief. For a minute, he was afraid of the, “It’s been fun, but…” conversation. “I have to fly to Las Vegas tomorrow on business. I’ll be back Wednesday afternoon.”

He hoped Denny’s surprise wouldn’t arrive until after he returned.

“Their father is taking them out for dinner Tuesday instead of Wednesday, so we’ll be home. What time?”

“As long as there aren’t any delays, my plane lands in Tampa around four.”

“Call me when you get in. If you feel up to it, come over for pizza.”

“That sounds good.”

“You won’t be too tired?”

“This is an easy trip, I go there a lot. We’ve got three clients out there.”

“Oh.”

She didn’t sound okay. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m just tired.”

They said good-bye, and he hung up. He’d been afraid she’d change her mind once she got home, but apparently she was still willing to let him in.

All he had to do was prove to her she could trust him.

* * * *

Kelly watched the boys through the window. David spent lots of “business trips” in Las Vegas.

Mart’s nothing like David.

How do you know? You don’t know him. What would he possibly see in you?

What did Mart see in her?

Kelly tried to quiet the nagging voice. Mart wasn’t like David. And he wasn’t like the few other guys she’d tried to date.

Chapter Twenty-One

Wednesday morning, Kelly was about to put her headphones on when she heard the distinct sound of a loud truck and a quick beep-beep.

She wasn’t expecting any deliveries. What the hell? A FedEx Ground truck had backed into her driveway. The rear door opened, and the driver unloaded a large box.

“Hi. Uh, what is this?”

The guy looked at his electronic clipboard. “I have a delivery for Martin Rawlings.” He handed her the device and pointed. “Sign there, please.”

“But there must be a mistake. He doesn’t live here.”

“Are you refusing delivery?”

She looked at the box. “No, I’ll accept it.” She signed and directed him to put the large carton on the front porch. She looked at it, then found her phone. Mart’s voicemail picked up.

“Hi, it’s Kelly. A huge box arrived for you. It’s on my front porch. I’m not upset, just curious. Give me a call when you get this, okay? Thanks.”

She hung up and looked at the label, didn’t recognize the manufacturer’s name although it looked vaguely familiar. Whatever it was, it would have to wait until Mart called.

When the boys got home, they wanted to open it.

“No,” she ordered. “Do not touch it, do you hear me? It’s Mart’s. If he wants us to know what it is, he’ll tell us. You put a finger on that box and you’ll be grounded for a week, understand?”

The boys nodded, but it didn’t stop them from looking.

Mart called her a few hours later. “I’m sorry, I was on the plane. What’s up?”

“You didn’t play your messages?”

“I have a ton of them, figured it was faster to call you.”

“There’s a huge box sitting on my front porch, and it’s addressed to you. Care to tell me what it is?”

“It’s there? Great! I’ll be over as soon as I get out of the airport. It’ll take me about ninety minutes to get there. See you soon.”

She stared at the phone. Whatever it was, he was happy about it. She’d have to wait to find out. He pulled into the driveway around six-thirty, minutes after the pizza arrived. Her heart raced when she saw his van.

Kelly met him on the porch and tried to read his smile. “There’s pizza inside.” She leaned over for a kiss and fought the urge to crawl into his lap. “I missed you,” she whispered.

He met and held her eyes, touched her cheek. “I missed you, too.” He kissed her again, longer, and she stood up when she heard the boys at the door.

She cleared her throat. “Uh, what’s in the box?”

“After dinner.”

“What is it?”

He winked. “A surprise. A good one, I promise.”

Kelly eyed him but let it rest. The boys were happy to see Mart and tried to pester him about the box throughout dinner, but he didn’t tell. After they finished, Mart called them outside and let the boys open the box.

It was a new hand-crank bike for Denny.

Stunned, Kelly sat in one of the porch chairs and watched while the boys helped Mart assemble it. Denny climbed into it, trying it out while Paulie ran to get his own bike.

Mart wheeled over. “You okay?”

She nodded and hugged him. “Thank you. I’ll pay you back, I promise.”

“No, you won’t. This is my present to Denny.”

She searched his eyes and kissed him. “You’re something else, you know that?”

“Problem is, no one’s been able to tell me what,” he quipped. “Hey, put your helmet on,” Mart called after Denny. Paulie raced into the house to get it for him.

“Is that the one he tried out at Nationals?”

Mart nodded.

She laid her head against Mart’s shoulder. He put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “I don’t have kids of my own. Now he can go riding with Paulie and his friends. The good news is the bike should last him longer than a race chair. It’s adjustable.”

“Good. I can’t afford to plunk that kind of money down every year. How much was it anyway?”

“At least five home-cooked meals worth. After that, we can negotiate.”

She loved the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled. It amazed her how comfortable she felt with him. “Deal. The first one this Saturday night?”

“Excellent. And I still owe you a date.”

They watched the boys play, Denny quickly getting used to the bike. Even though it was close to dark, she let them take one turn around the block.

“Stay together,” she warned. When they were out of sight, Mart turned to her.

“Ah, well worth the investment.”

“You mean time ourselves?”

“How do you read my mind like that?”

She kissed him, wishing she could freeze the moment in time.

After a few minutes, he pulled away. “They’ll be back any minute.”

“Yeah.” She pulled him to her for one last kiss. With perfect timing, the boys rounded the corner.

“Don’t forget, I’m still taking you out.”

Her heart skipped. “I won’t let you welch, don’t worry.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Kelly fussed over her cookbook, deciding on something she could prepare with minimal problems. Denny and Paulie ran out to meet Mart when he pulled into the driveway. She dried her hands and tried to quash the nervous butterflies threatening to upend her stomach as she went to greet him.

“Hi.” She smiled.

“Hi, yourself.” He smiled back, pulling her in for a kiss. “Smells great.”

“I hope it tastes okay.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

After dinner, they gathered in the living room to watch TV. Mart easily transferred from his chair to the sofa while Denny watched him in awe.

“How’d you do that?”

“What, this?” Mart reversed the procedure, swinging back into his chair.

He spent a few minutes teaching Denny the technique. “You have to build up your arm strength. And make sure your chair has good brakes, or you’ll land on your butt.”

“Have you done that?”

“More times than I can count. Better on my butt than on my head. My head’s so hard, it might dent the floor.”

Kelly sat on the couch. Her heart fluttered again when Mart patted the cushion next to him. She scooched closer, and he winked. “The DVD’s in my van, Paulie. Can you get it? It’s on the passenger seat.”

“Sure.” He flew out the door.

“Did you really race in the Olympics?” Denny asked him from his place on the floor.

Mart nodded. “I sure did.”

“Did you go fast?”

“Not fast enough. A guy from Australia went faster than I did.”

“Oh, man.”

Paulie returned with the DVD, and they watched the documentary. “My roommate in college was a film major,” Mart explained. “This was his project. He spent almost a year working on it.”

Mart put his arm on the back of the couch, and Kelly cuddled closer.

Life is good.

The documentary was a little under an hour long, about adult adaptive sports. It followed several athletes, including Mart. At the end, she sent the boys to get ready for bed.

When they were alone, Mart asked, “Do you want me to go?”

She looked into his eyes. “No. Can you stay?”

“For a while. I have to work tomorrow. I fly out Monday and need to prepare the client’s presentation.”

Kelly wanted him to stay all night but knew that was unrealistic with the boys around. Not to mention way too soon. Kelly got the boys put to bed and returned to the living room.

“Thank you for coming over.”

“I enjoy spending time with you. And the boys, of course.”

She settled next to him on the couch, turning so she lay across his lap. “It’s been a long time since I could relax with someone like this.”

“Me, too.” He leaned forward and kissed her, responding when she put her arms around him. After a few minutes, he sat up and brushed the hair from her face. “We keep this up, I won’t be able to leave.”

“Who says I want you to?” Screw taking things slow. She was a big girl, right?

“That would be nice, but I don’t think it should happen this soon. Not with the boys home.”

She closed her eyes and snuggled against him. He was so warm, so comfortable. “You’re right.”

“And there’s no reason to rush. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I hope not.”

“Besides, I’m a moaner.”

She looked at his serious expression. Then he winked, which made her laugh.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, fingers twined. Finally, he asked, “Are you okay with this?”

“I’m scared.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “I’ll be honest with you, I’m scared to death.”

“I’m sorry, I—”

“No, I didn’t mean scared of you. This is my first relationship since David. Considering how that ended, I’m nervous.”

“I meant it when I said we’d take this as slow as you want. I’m not going anywhere, as long as you want me around.”

“Thank you.” She enjoyed cuddling with him. David was never a cuddler. It had to lead to sex, or he didn’t want any part of it.

Mart trailed his hand up and down her arm. Kelly shivered under his feather-light touch. She instinctively sensed he’d be good in bed. She turned her face, pressed it against his stomach, and deeply inhaled. He smelled good. Cologne, just a little, not overwhelming. She liked his detergent—

God, she was such a mom.

He continued stroking her arm. She wondered how difficult it’d be to unbutton his shirt and kiss his firm abdomen…

As if sensing her thoughts, he whispered, “Kel, we can’t do this tonight. Not like this.”

She shifted a little, felt a firm bulge in his lap that wasn’t there a few minutes earlier. There was no denying his interest. “I know.”

His hand slid from her arm to her belly, rested there, made no attempt to move north or south into more tempting territory. She covered it with hers and looked up at him.

He kissed her again, long, lingering. “I want this to be right,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be tonight.”

It wasn’t that she couldn’t be alone. But now with Mart so comfortable to be with, his absence brought the ache to the front of her mind. She didn’t want to let him go, didn’t want to face sleeping alone. Wanted to feel his arms around her all night long. Wanted to wake up in the middle of the night and listen to him breathing beside her.

“When can I see you again?” she asked, trying to delay the inevitable.

“I have to fly out to Portland—Oregon—Monday morning. I’ll be back Friday.”

Her heart sank. “Oh.”

“You can email and text me, you know. And call.”

“With two pairs of radar ears in the house? Good luck with that.”

“How about next Friday night? I leave Portland that morning, so I should be home by four. I’ll take you out. Can Sharon watch the boys?”

“Yes.”

* * * *

Kelly arranged for her mom to keep the boys overnight Friday at her house. This was really happening. Really, really happening. She was going out with a guy she really liked, who really liked her, and who really liked her kids.

Really.

The days slowed to a crawl. Despite how long each afternoon felt, Kelly didn’t get any work done. Constantly distracted by memories of Spokane, sitting on the couch at home with Mart, her phone call with him from the Badlands.

And then there were the text messages.

Monday afternoon, he sent the first.

Got here ok. Friday yet?

She laughed and responded.

Not yet. I wish.

Later that evening, he sent another.

Miss u.

This was worse than any high school crush, the way she felt. She replied.

Miss you too.

Then one more from him, before she went to bed.

Sweet dreams.

More like hot, steamy, sexy dreams. If she could even get to sleep.

Thinking about you, I will.

The next morning, she opened her email to find a short message from him.

Thank you for letting me into your life.—M.

Kelly stared at the message. Fortunately, she’d waited after the boys went to her mom’s for the day before checking her email. She didn’t know if she could explain the grin plastered to her face.

Patty answered on the second ring. “This better be good news this early in the morning, girlfriend.”

“It’s not early, it’s almost eight.”

“That’s early, for me.” Patty was a night owl. Also a writer, she usually stayed up late working and slept in late.

“What do you think about a guy sending an email that says, ‘Thank you for letting me into your life?’”

Patty sounded more awake. “Mart?”

“Yeah.”

“I’d say you damn sure better not let him get away. Not every guy is a cheating scumwad like David.”

They talked a few minutes more, and Kelly hit reply.

Before she chickened out, she typed:

Thank you for wanting to be here.—Kelly.

Send.

Oh God, that was so lame! She dropped her head to the desk. I’m a writer, I could have come up with something better than that!

Chapter Twenty-Three

They text-messaged back and forth all week and talked several times on the phone. By the time Mart picked Kelly up Friday, she knew how she wanted to spend the night—in his arms.

He took her to an upscale restaurant in downtown Sarasota.

“Have you ever been married?” she asked.

He nodded, taking a sip of his tea. “Once. Just out of college. It didn’t work out. We divorced after a year.”

“I’m sorry.”

He shrugged. “I was traveling a lot with the team. I think she was more in love with the idea of being a caretaker than being my partner. Once we were married, she realized I didn’t need her as much as she thought I would. I think it was a blow to her ego. She couldn’t understand I wanted her to be my wife, not my nurse.”

“Really?”

“I didn’t know it then, but there are people who have to take care of someone to feel important about themselves. And there are people attracted to people in chairs because they’re in chairs, like some people prefer blondes or breasts or whatever.”

“That’s creepy.”

“Tell me about it. That’s one of the things I loved about you from the minute I met you. You don’t pity me or feel sorry for me for being in a chair.”

“Should I?”

He met her gaze. “No. That’s my point.” He was quiet for a moment. “It shocked her on our wedding night when I wanted to have sex.”

Kelly choked and held her napkin to her mouth to keep from spraying iced tea all over the table.

Mart laughed. “You okay?”

She nodded. “You caught me off guard.”

“Which part?”

“The whole comment. It wasn’t a conversation you had before the wedding?”

“I wasn’t a virgin. She made it clear she didn’t believe in premarital sex, and I respected that. I think her problem was she didn’t believe in sex at all, and that was one reason she wanted to be with me. She didn’t think I could have sex. I assumed we would.”

“Again, this wasn’t a subject you discussed before you got married?” Kelly had been curious. Well, more than curious. Especially after what she’d felt in his lap the other night.

And considering how she hoped they’d spend the night together.

“I was young. I don’t think she realized I was serious. Am I freaking you out?”

She shook her head and took a sip of water to clear her throat. “No. I’ll admit, I was wondering.”

“Think about Denny’s level of function.”

Just because some functions were impaired didn’t mean others were. Denny’s urologist already warned her she’d have normal motherly concerns when Denny hit his teen years. The common misconception was everything from the level of defect or injury down was completely dead. In reality, unless the spinal cord was severed, that was rarely the case.

“I’m nearly the same way,” Mart continued, “an incomplete paraplegic. Only when I was injured, it was almost forty years ago. I might have walked with the bracing and technology we have today. But they assumed since I couldn’t feel or move my legs, that was it. My spinal cord wasn’t severed in the accident. There was a lot of nerve damage, mostly on one side. The damage was limited to motor control and skin sensation from upper thigh down. Any higher, or a more complete injury, I wouldn’t have anything. I have no illusions how damned lucky I am. Fortunately, all my plumbing works.” He winked.

“Is there a polite way to ask, ‘By the way, what can I expect from you in bed tonight?’” she said.

He laughed. “You’re the first woman I’ve met in a long time I feel I can have an honest conversation with.”

“Honesty is something I didn’t get a lot of in my marriage.”

“Okay, so that’s the wrong word. I mean I don’t have to worry about shocking you. There’s always that first awkward dancing around the issue. I tried talking about it on the first date once.”

“How’d that work out?”

“It didn’t. I think she thought I was a sex fiend. But the women I dated before her, they steered clear of the topic like it was radioactive until I brought it up.”

“My ex stopped sleeping with me when he started sleeping with a bunch of other women. He claimed I didn’t pay him enough attention. His problem was I didn’t wait on him hand and foot after Denny was born.”

“He sounds like a stupid man.”

“I didn’t used to think so. My opinion has changed a lot over the years.”

“Did you ever want to have more kids?”

She shook her head. “Not with David.” She paused. “I wouldn’t have minded having another. Before I found out about him. You?”

He looked down. “I’ve always wanted to have kids. Up till now, I hadn’t found the right woman.” He looked at her.

She didn’t know how to respond, so she didn’t try to fill the silence.

“What are your feelings?” he finally asked.

“I don’t know. I hadn’t thought about it. After David, I was more worried about being a single mom than a mother-to-be.”

“Is that something you might want?”

The room closed in around her, stifling. Not in a bad way, but she was afraid to let her heart get too far ahead of reality. “I don’t know. We’d have to discuss it.” She talked to the elephant sitting in the corner instead of pretending it wasn’t there.

“Is it something you might consider?”

“I can’t promise you I’d agree to it.” She didn’t want to ask but had to know. “Is it a deal-breaker?”

“No. It’s just…” He searched for the right words. “I always wanted kids. But that means having a relationship. I’m tired of being alone.”

“You might not want to have a relationship with me when you get to know me better.”

“I can’t imagine that. You’re a wonderful woman.”

“You haven’t seen me first thing in the morning before I’ve had a cup of coffee.”

“See, something else we have in common.”

She smiled.

Mart signaled the waiter. “This has been a wonderful evening Kelly. I can’t tell you how much fun this was. I really hate to see it end.”

“Who says it has to end?”

He studied her for a moment before handing his credit card to the waiter without looking at the check. “I don’t want to rush you into anything.”

She held Mart’s gaze and leaned forward. “So,” she whispered, her eyes locked on his, “what can I expect from you tonight?”

He signed the check. They returned to his van in silence. Before he started the engine, he leaned in and kissed her. Something about his kiss was more intense than before, more passionate, barely contained. She returned it, the heat building inside her. It had been a long time since she’d been with anyone.

Too long.

“Where do you want to go?” he gasped as he broke their kiss.

“Let’s go back to my place. The boys are at my mom’s until tomorrow morning.” She took the chance. “You can spend the night.”

He nodded. “Okay.”

They were halfway to her house when he groaned. “I just remembered something.”

“What?”

“I need to stop.” He changed lanes and made a turn away from her house.

“What?” she asked again.

He looked at her. “I’m not prepared. Unless you are?”

Something about the look on his face started her giggling. This wasn’t a problem she was used to having. “No. I haven’t been on the Pill in years.”

He found an open drugstore and pulled in.

“Want me to go in?” she asked.

She loved the playful glint in his eyes. “No, I can do it.”

“Insert double entendre here.”

He paused, then laughed and kissed her again. “Insert something.”

Mart was on the lift and out of the van before she could reply. Kelly tried not to let her mind wander too much. So far, he was everything she’d ever wanted in a partner.

Then again, she’d thought that about David.

He was back a few minutes later. She noticed the plastic bag tucked under his chair. He smiled. “You know, I never get tired of that.”

“What’s that?”

“The clerk was obviously curious and trying not to be obvious about it. You should have seen the look on her face. I was tempted to buy a half-dozen boxes just to see her reaction.”

“You’re the kind who puts on dark glasses and drives up to a fast food window and asks for a Braille menu, aren’t you?”

His smile broadened. “Guilty. It was even funnier when I used to have a German Shepherd, and he’d sit in the passenger seat.”

* * * *

She poured them wine while he picked a Thelonius Monk CD from her collection.

“I love this album,” he said, taking a glass from her.

She sat on the sofa. “It’s one of my favorites.”

He turned to her, gently clinked his glass against hers. “Should I quote Bogart?”

“The beginning of a beautiful friendship?”

“Yes.”

“I’m hoping it’s the beginning of more than that,” she admitted.

He took a sip and set the glass on the coffee table before deftly swinging onto the sofa next to her. “Me, too.” He took her glass from her and gathered her into his arms. She let him set the pace.

If it was up to her, they’d already be in bed. Take it slow? Hell with that, she wanted him. She could hate herself in the morning.

He held back, and she sensed it. Halfway through the CD, she said, “Let’s go somewhere more comfortable.”

“Are you sure?”

“You ask me that now?”

“I don’t want to screw this up—don’t say it,” he playfully warned before she could utter a comment.

She led the way, glad she’d made her bed that morning.

Not that it would stay made for long.

He easily transferred to her bed and patted the mattress. “Come here, beautiful.” She sat next to him. He gently stroked her cheek. “You okay?”

“I’m out of practice.”

He kissed her. “You could have fooled me.”

He took his time, tenderly caressing her, making her feel cherished and secure—something David never did.

She cut off that line of thinking. She wanted to focus on Mart and be there with him, not make comparisons to her ex.

Their passion took over. She worked on his shirt buttons while he covered the side of her neck with kisses, melting her. She moaned softly, allowing him to gently push her to the bed while he shrugged his shirt off.

A tattoo encircled his left bicep. “What’s that?” Her fingers traced the entwined vines.

“When our sled hockey team made it to the world finals two years ago, we all got them.”

Something about it made him seem a little naughty, a hidden bad-boy side. She shivered with anticipation. She closed her eyes, ran her hands over him, felt the firm muscles in his arms as his hands worked under her shirt. Eventually she pulled it off, his bare skin warm against hers.

She held him tightly, not wanting to let go for fear he wouldn’t be there when she opened her eyes. He propped himself on one elbow while his other hand worked on her waistband. When his fingers found their way inside, she moaned, loudly, muffled by his mouth on hers.

He sat up and, with her help, removed her pants and underwear. She heard his sharp intake of breath, and he leaned over and trailed kisses down her belly. “You’re beautiful.”

She twined her fingers in his hair. As he worked his way lower, she closed her eyes and moaned.

Mart took his time, sweet torture, using his lips and tongue on her until she shuddered and cried out at her release. He looked up and smiled.

“No fair going to sleep on me.”

She shook her head. “Not on your life.”

He shimmied out of his pants. When he tried to reach across her to the bedside table, she intercepted him. “No so fast, buster. I want to have some fun.”

It was his turn to enjoy it while she teased him. He hadn’t lied—his reaction was normal. She eventually let him push her away.

He kissed her. “You’re absolutely amazing, you know that?”

“You’re not so bad yourself.”

He reached across her for a condom. She nuzzled his neck while he rolled it on.

“What do you want me to do?” she asked.

He kissed her and rolled her on top of him. “Whatever you want.”

She took her time lowering herself onto him, gasping at the feel of him inside her as they soon found a natural rhythm. He rested his hands on her hips as they moved together.

God, he felt good!

She watched his face. His eyes closed, lips parted, and he tensed beneath her. Taking her cue, she increased the tempo. He moaned, pulling her hips tight against him as he climaxed. She leaned over and kissed him. His hands trailed across her back, pulling her to him.

Kelly could have laid there all night but she remembered the condom. She quickly got a towel and then curled next to him, cradled in his arms as he kissed the top of her head and twined his fingers with hers.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Better than okay.” She tried to snuggle closer. Any more and they’d share the same skin. “Your ex is an idiot.”

He chuckled. “Something else we have in common.”

Before long, his hands and lips were on her again. By two a.m., they were spent and fell asleep, entwined like spoons with his arm curled protectively around her.

Kelly’s last thought as she drifted to sleep was that she was in love.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Kelly awoke alone in bed to the smell of coffee. She laid back and closed her eyes, unable to wipe the smile off her face.

Wow.

David had never made her feel like that during their entire relationship, and she’d thought David was pretty good in bed.

Then again, she hadn’t had many partners to judge David against before they were together. One, to be exact.

Mart wasn’t just in bed with her physically. He was there with her emotionally. David always gave her the impression his mind was elsewhere when having sex.

Mart knew how to make love.

He appeared in the doorway. “You’re awake.” He wheeled over and kissed her. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.” She kissed him again, trying to coax him back into bed.

He pulled away. “Want some breakfast?” She started to reply when he grinned. “I mean food.”

“That’s scary.”

“What?”

“That you can tell what I’m going to say.”

“Your sense of humor is as twisted as mine.” He brushed the hair out of her face and left his fingers on her chin. “You’re amazing.”

She took his hand in hers. “You’re not so bad yourself, mister.”

“Yeah, I kind of got the impression you enjoyed yourself.”

“The claw marks on your back should heal soon.”

They both laughed. He kissed her again. “How are the boys going to react to me being around?”

“They’ll love it.” She sat up and reached for her robe. “I guess I do need coffee and a shower.”

“Coffee’s ready. As for the shower—” He caught her hand and pulled her into his lap, kissed her. “Maybe we can take care of that after breakfast.”

She put her arms around his shoulders. “I’m not too heavy, am I?”

“The wheels didn’t go flat, so I guess not.” He laughed as she tickled him.

He cooked her breakfast. After, they ended up in bed again. They took a shower and were dressed by ten.

Mart pulled her to him, put his arms around her waist, and pressed his face against her stomach. “Are you okay?” he asked.

She stroked his hair. “Yeah. More than okay.”

A lot more.

His voice sounded slightly muffled, and she wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly. “I know I said I’d take it slow, but will it weird you out if I tell you I’m in love with you?”

She sat on the bed, her legs suddenly shaky. He’d said it.

He caught her hands on the way down. “Hey, are you okay?”

She nodded. “I’m okay.”

“I hope I didn’t—”

She pulled him to her and kissed him. After a long minute, she let him go. “I’m in love with you, too,” she said before she lost her nerve.

“Whew! For a minute there, I was afraid I’d scared you.”

“No, you didn’t scare me. I’m scared, but not of you.”

“Kelly, I don’t want to pressure you. If I’m coming on too strong, tell me to back off.”

She grabbed him again and kissed him. “Does that answer your question?”

“You keep this up, we’ll be back in bed.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

He was going to respond when her phone rang the Addams Family theme. She sighed. “Reality calling. That’s Mom.”

Fortunately, she held the phone away from her ear. “Mom?” Denny screamed. “Grandma wants to know if it’s safe to bring us home.”

Kelly had told her mom she needed a child-free evening but didn’t elaborate. She knew her mom assumed she spent the evening and morning writing.

“Sure, honey. Whenever she wants to bring you.”

“She has to go shopping, she said she’d bring us by in a little bit.”

“Okay, see you soon.” She turned to Mart. “The troops will invade shortly.”

“How about I take everyone to lunch?”

“We just finished breakfast.”

“I was thinking about surprising the boys with something.”

“What?”

“It’s a surprise for you, too.”

She had an idea it was a good surprise. “Okay.”

“Dress warmly.”

“What?”

He winked. “You’ll see.”

* * * *

Kelly helped her mom unload the boys’ things. Mart appeared a moment later. Sharon smiled when she saw him.

Kelly turned to her but Sharon shook her head. “Don’t say a word.” Sharon hugged her and whispered, “Don’t you dare let him get away, you hear me?”

“Mart!” Denny flew into Mart’s arms. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

Even Paulie seemed glad to see him.

“Hey guys, I have a surprise for you and your mom.”

“What is it?”

“Do you like hockey?”

Paulie’s eyes lit up, but he tried to play it cool. “Yeah, I like it.”

“I have tickets for the pre-season game today.”

“Oh boy,” Denny flapped. “Mom, can we go?”

“We’re all going.”

Sharon looked at her watch. “I wish I could stay, but I have a lot to do today.” She hugged Kelly and the boys, then hugged Mart. Surprise registered on Mart’s face when her mom hesitated before moving away. Obviously, she’d said something. He met Kelly’s eyes and winked.

All was well. Whatever was said, she’d have to get him alone to hear it.

Kelly told the boys to change clothes. They were ready to leave when David’s car pulled into the drive.

Mart sensed Kelly’s tension and moved close, touching her arm.

“Dad!” Denny flew off the porch to greet him. David looked obviously uncomfortable and turned his attention to Paulie. Paulie didn’t leave the porch, Kelly noted.

“How are you boys doing?” David asked Paulie.

“What do you want?” Paulie stood with his arms crossed, glaring at David. For the first time, Kelly saw a preview of the man Paulie would become.

“I thought I’d see if you wanted to go to the park and practice or something.”

“We can’t. We’re going to a hockey game. Mart got us tickets.” Kelly watched Paulie step closer to Mart, whom David finally noticed.

Even Denny pulled away from David. “Mart’s my coach.” David walked up to the porch.

“David Alexander. The boys’ father.”

Mart smiled and shook David’s hand.

“Martin Rawlings.”

David winced. Mart probably squeezed harder than David anticipated. David was a “power shaker,” using a handshake as a test of authority, and it wasn’t uncommon for him to go overboard.

Kelly thought he’d met his match.

Paulie broke the uncomfortable silence. “You’re not supposed to get us until next weekend.”

David looked a little nervous. “Well, yes, that’s something I want to talk to you about.”

“You’re going on a trip, aren’t you?” Denny asked, his face clouding.

“Yes, I have to go out of town. I thought we could get together this weekend.”

“You should have called first, Dad.” This was the first time Paulie ever stood up to his father.

“It just sort of came up. I didn’t think it would be a problem.”

Denny looked like he wanted to say something. Paulie put a hand on his shoulder. “Mart is taking us to the hockey game. Denny and I want to go.”

David looked from the boys to Kelly, who remained silent, to Mart. “Well, I thought the boys would want to spend time with me.”

“They’re old enough to tell us what they want, David,” Kelly said.

He cleared his throat. “I know I haven’t spent much time with you this summer.”

Paulie’s anger spilled over. “Much? Try none, Dad.”

“Paulie—”

“No, Mom, I’m sick of this.” He turned on his father. “I called you from Yellowstone, and you were too busy to talk to us, you blew us off. You don’t get to spend time with us only when you want to.”

“Now you listen, young man, I’m your father.”

“You sure haven’t acted like it.” Paulie ran into the house, slamming the door behind him.

Denny, tears rolling down his face, looked at his father. “Mart was happy to see us at Yellowstone, and he’s not even my dad.” He followed Paulie into the house.

David’s face reddened. He turned to Kelly. “I don’t know what you’ve been saying to them—”

She held up a hand. “Stop. This is all on you. I’ve begged you to spend more time with them. They need you on their terms, not yours.”

“I told you, it’s hard for me to do things with Denny.”

“Maybe you aren’t trying hard enough.” Mart’s quiet voice startled Kelly and David.

David glared. “Listen, maybe it’s easier for you to relate to him because you’re a—”

“A what?” Mart rolled down the ramp to face him. “A what? Say it. I’m a cripple in a wheelchair. That’s what you want to say, isn’t it?”

David dropped all pretense of politeness. “Yeah. That’s exactly it.”

Kelly gripped the porch railing and remained silent. If Mart wanted to be in her life, she couldn’t manage his relationship with her ex-husband.

“I’ve worked with plenty of parents who deal with their kids being in a chair,” Mart said. “Do you even know Denny’s results from Nationals?”

“What, his little Special Olympics trip?” David sneered.

“Dude, you are clueless. It wasn’t Special Olympics, it was wheelchair sports. Denny’s not mentally disabled, unlike you. I’m a medaled Paralympian. I went to Barcelona and Sydney and Athens and a lot of other places to compete, asshole. Denny’s good enough, maybe he’ll make it to the Olympics, too. But you don’t care about that, do you?”

For once, David didn’t have a snappy comeback.

Mart continued. “The kids want a father who loves them the way they are, not the way he wants them to be.”

“What would you know about being a father?” Kelly knew David thought that was zinger.

Mart leaned in and said something she couldn’t hear. David’s face went white, then red. Without another word, David stormed to his car and left.

Mart didn’t move until David’s car turned the corner. Kelly noted his satisfied look as he rolled back to the porch.

“What did you say?”

“I told him according to you, in that department, I was at least twice the man he was.”

“You didn’t?”

He smirked. “Not in those exact words. I know how to hit below the belt. I’m sure the next time he and Bernice get together, he’s going to think about what I said, and how he fails to ‘measure up.’”

“Beatrice.”

“Whatever.”

“What did Mom say to you earlier?”

“She said I’d better not screw this up by acting like David.” He threw open the front door. “Come on guys. Hockey waits for no man.”

* * * *

“I have to stop by my place on the way,” Mart said as they buckled in. He distracted the boys by discussing sports and other boy-friendly topics. Before long, Paulie and Denny were in a good mood again.

Mart pulled into his driveway and disappeared inside. A few minutes later, he returned wearing different clothes, with a small bag on his lap and towing a large, rolling equipment bag.

“Want some help?” Kelly asked.

“Nope, I’ve got it.” The back door opened. Mart grunted as he hefted the larger bag inside. Her mind involuntarily went to the night before, how strong his arms and hands were—

No, can’t think of that now.

But the heat built inside her.

He was in the driver’s seat a moment later and reached out, squeezed her hand. “You okay?”

She smiled. “I am now.”

Paulie studied the arena parking lot when they arrived. “There’s no one here.”

“I know. I have an extra surprise for you. The game doesn’t start until seven.”

Kelly looked at her watch. “That’s five hours.”

Mart grinned. “Just wait.”

He showed the parking attendant a special pass and pulled into a high-walled compound where players normally parked next to the arena. They unloaded. Paulie took the large bag while Mart led the way through a back entrance.

A security guard shook hands with him.

“I have some guests today, Earl.”

The older man nodded. “Let me get them some passes.” They waited while Earl produced special passes on lanyards. Kelly saw Paulie looked impressed while Denny nearly flapped out of his seat with excitement.

Mart led them through back passages to a small locker room. He stuck his head inside, then waved the rest of them in. Several other men in wheelchairs were in various stages of donning hockey gear, a couple already fully suited except for gloves and helmets.

Mart led Denny over. “Guys, this is my buddy, Denny. Denny, these guys are on my sled hockey team.” He made the introductions, including Paulie and Kelly.

Denny flapped with joy. “You play hockey? I love hockey! How do you play in a chair? I didn’t know you could play in a chair.”

The men laughed, and Kelly’s knees gave way. She sat on a bench and watched as Mart explained the equipment to Denny and Paulie. She brushed away her tears. In a few short months, Mart was already more of a father to the boys than their real father ever tried to be.

Mart donned his gear while Paulie pulled the sled out of his bag. The team moved from the locker room to the corridor leading to the ice. Several arena employees and other sled hockey players and their families were already gathered.

Mart crooked his finger at Kelly. She left the boys and walked over to him, where he made a pretense of handing her his watch for safekeeping.

“You okay?”

She nodded, tears threatening again. “More than okay.” When she took his watch, Mart pulled her to him for a brief kiss. Denny was busy looking at the zamboni and asking the driver questions about it. If Paulie noticed, he didn’t react.

She smiled as Mart pulled his helmet on and climbed into his sled. She moved his chair out of the way and watched while two of the arena employees helped him onto the ice.

When all the players and the coach were on the ice, they closed the rink door. Kelly sat in Mart’s chair, Denny beside her, while Paulie perched on a seat in the stands nearby.

Kelly remembered reading about sled hockey, saw a brief clip of it on the DVD they watched, but didn’t know anything about it. Instead of one long stick they used two short ones with metal picks on one end. They dug the picks into the ice to propel them and deftly flipped them around to slap the puck. They hit hard and moved fast, just like the NHL players. Kelly cringed when Mart went flying sideways after getting checked, but he quickly righted his sled and took off after the puck, eventually scoring the first goal of the scrimmage.

During the break they opened the rink door. Denny got close to the ice while Mart took a bottle of water from one of the volunteers.

“Wow, that was great! You guys are awesome,” Denny squealed, flapping.

Some of the other players heard him and laughed. “You want to play?” one of them asked.

Kelly blanched. The thought of her baby on the ice with the rough-hitting adults was nearly more than she could handle.

“Yeah! Mom, can I?”

“You don’t have equipment, honey.”

Mart spoke up. “We’ve got a spare sled and sticks in the equipment room, and I have an extra helmet and gloves. They’ll be big on him, but at least he can get on the ice.”

“I don’t know, Mart.”

He laughed. “I don’t mean turn him loose with us while we play, hon. I meant while we’re on break, to try it out.”

“Oh. Sure.”

One of the volunteers brought the extra sled and sticks. Mart sent Paulie to the locker room for the extra helmet and gloves. They had the boy outfitted and on the ice in five minutes. Mart stayed with him while he learned how to maneuver the sled. He wasn’t as fast as the adults, and he fell over several times before getting the hang of it. By the time the other players were ready to resume the scrimmage, Denny was exhausted and grinning ear to ear.

“Mom, did you see me?” he squealed as two volunteers carried his sled off the ice and out of the way so the scrimmage could continue.

“Yes, honey, I saw you.”

“Can I play hockey?”

Paulie helped his brother remove his helmet. “Of course you can, Squirt. I’m going to love shooting pucks at you.”

Kelly spent the rest of the practice in a daze. Denny talked with the zamboni driver, who was preparing to resurface the ice after practice. Paulie watched from his perch in the stands. Kelly took the opportunity to speak with him.

“You okay?”

“What?”

“About your dad. Do you want to talk about it?”

He shook his head. “No. He sucks.”

“Don’t talk about your father like that.”

“Why not? It’s the truth. He doesn’t want to deal with Denny. All he wants to do is parade me around when he has the time so he can look good. If he was a good dad, he’d try to spend time with Denny. Like Mart does.”

“Your dad does the best he can.”

“Quit defending him, Mom. He’s a jerk, and you know it. He likes showing off at my games. Denny embarrasses him. Don’t think I don’t see it.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything. I don’t want to talk about him. I’m having fun here with Mart.” He looked at her. “Is he your boyfriend?”

“Paulie! That’s not something you ask.”

“Why not?”

She chose her words carefully. “Look, whatever happens, happens.”

“Well, I like him. I hope you marry him.”

This conversation wasn’t going the way she thought it would. “That’s not any of your business.”

“Mom, it is my business. And Denny’s. We like him. He’s a great guy, and he really likes you and wants to spend time with all of us. He doesn’t try to leave me out of stuff like Dad does with Denny. Grandma really likes him, too.”

Kelly fought a burst of anger. “Your grandmother has no right discussing this with you.”

“Denny already told Grandma he hopes you marry Mart, because he doesn’t want a stepfather he doesn’t like.”

Kelly took a deep breath to collect her thoughts and calm herself. “Look, you boys have a right to know certain things that will affect you. But whatever does or doesn’t happen in the future regarding Mart isn’t one of those things we need to discuss now. If you enjoy spending time with him, great. Just take everything at face value.”

“I saw him kiss you.”

Argh! “Paulie. I know you think you’re twelve going on twenty, but I have news for you, you need to drop this.”

He smiled. “Okay, Mom.”

She knew that wasn’t the last she’d hear on the subject.

By the time practice ended and Mart showered and changed, a few early arrivals had filtered into the arena.

“We’ll eat upstairs.” He led the way to the elevators, Paulie and Denny right behind, Kelly in the rear.

The hostess knew Mart and had a reserved table waiting. “Right this way.”

Kelly nearly choked when she saw the prices. Mart took her hand. “My treat, remember?”

“You’re doing it again.”

“Reading your mind?”

She nodded.

“Your eyes nearly exploded. I didn’t need ESP for that.”

After eating, they made their way to their seats, an accessible box near center ice. Kelly knew the tickets must have cost a fortune.

It was a good game, and the Bolts won. They stopped for a late dinner before Mart took them home. She sent the boys inside and sat on the porch with him.

“I can’t thank you enough for a wonderful day.” The boys hadn’t mentioned their father since practice.

He took her hand. “I can’t thank you enough for a wonderful night last night.”

“I wish you could spend tonight, too.”

He smiled. “That makes two of us, but I think it’s too soon.”

She nodded. “Especially after this afternoon. I don’t want to do anything David could try to use against me later.”

“You think he would?”

“I don’t know. I hope not.”

“I hope he’s not that stupid.” He leaned over and kissed her. “I love you, Kelly.”

Her throat hitched. “I love you, too.” Now that it was out in the open it was easier to say, but still stopped her heart every time he said it. He loved her! Her! “Can you come over tomorrow? I’ll cook dinner.”

“I’d like that.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Kelly was prepping supper when Paulie yelled for her from the front door.

“Mom, we need you!”

“What’s wrong?”

“Denny’s tires are flat.”

Tires? Plural?

Crap. She wiped her hands and went outside. Denny sat on the front porch, out of his chair, examining his rear wheels. She knelt down and looked at the tires.

“What did you do?” Both were flat, with a huge thorn stuck in one.

“Mom, I told him to stay out of that vacant lot, but he wanted to explore. I think he got thorns in them. There was a bunch of cut brush around.”

Denny glowered at his big brother. “You’re a fink, Paulie.”

She looked at Denny. “You know, sometimes you should listen to your brother. Those were brand new, and I don’t have any spares. I know the bike shop’s closed already. And they’re closed Mondays. What am I supposed to do for you for day camp tomorrow?”

“Sorry, Mom.”

“Well, you’re obviously not going anywhere for the rest of the day unless you do it on your bike. You’ll have to be late to camp tomorrow so we can find a bike shop that has wheelchair tires. And you’d better stay out of that lot from now on!”

“Yes, Mom.”

She returned to the kitchen, wishing school started tomorrow instead of the week after next, trying to remember where she was in her dinner preparations when the phone rang.

Argh! She grabbed it. “Alexander Asylum. Two-for-one special on rubber rooms today.”

“Kel?”

“Mart, I’m sorry. It’s been an afternoon. Hi.”

He chuckled. “That’s okay. Do you need me to stop and get anything?”

“No.” Then she said, joking, “Not unless you’ve got two sets of twenty-four inch wheelchair tires and tubes hanging around.”

“Sure.”

She thought he was teasing. “What?” she asked.

“What?”

“Back up. I was joking.”

“You don’t need tubes and tires?”

“No—I mean yes, Denny does. Wait. You’ve really got some?”

He laughed. “Let’s handle one question at a time. Do you need anything from the store for dinner?”

“No.”

“Okay. Now, what happened to Denny’s tires?” Kelly related the events, and Mart laughed. “So you do need two tires and tubes?”

“You’ve got some?”

“Yeah. I use the same ones. Do you have tire spoons, or should I bring those too?”

“What?”

“You don’t know how to change his tires, do you?”

“I usually run them by the bike shop. Patty’s husband has done it, but I don’t have any spares. I was going to get some, but I just had those put on last week.”

“The bike shop probably makes a fortune off you. I’ll hook you up with the vendor I use. Much cheaper. I’ll bring my tools and change them.”

She hesitated. David didn’t change Denny’s tires. In fact, more than once he’d brought Denny home with flats or low from slow leaks. “Really?”

“He can’t run around on flats.”

“No, but—really?”

“Well, running on flats isn’t good for the rims and—”

“No, I mean really, you’ll bring tires and tubes and change them for him?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“Why?”

Mart was quiet for a moment. Then his tone softened, grew serious. “Kelly, he needs them, I have them, and I can do it. It’s not a problem.”

“I don’t want to bother you—”

“Stop,” he said firmly. “You’re not a bother. The boys are not a bother. I don’t volunteer to do things I don’t want to do. If I didn’t mean it, I wouldn’t have said it. You can take me at face value.”

She realized she was gripping the phone tightly and loosened her hold on it. “Thanks.”

His voice softened. “No problem. I’ll see you soon. Love you.”

“Love you, too.” She hung up and stared at the phone. True to his word, Mart was there in less than an hour. The boys were playing Uno on the front porch when he arrived. He called Paulie to his van. “Bring that toolbox for me, please.”

“Okay.” He did while Mart grabbed a small cardboard box and an air pump and put them in his lap, then wheeled onto the porch. “I hear we’ve got an explorer.”

Denny sat on the small wicker divan. “Yeah. Mom’s mad.”

“I’m not mad,” Kelly said. “I’m aggravated. I know you didn’t do it on purpose.”

Paulie had the toolbox. “Where do you want it?”

“Set it here.” Mart looked at Denny. “I think you’re old enough to learn how to change your tires, don’t you?”

Denny looked at him. “Really?”

“Yep.” He turned to Kelly. “Can you get us an old blanket or something to sit on?”

“Sure.” She brought one and spread it out for them. Mart got out of his chair and had Denny pop the wheels off his own chair.

“Paulie, you need to learn this, too. He could have trouble, and you might have to help him, so you need to know how to do it…”

She wanted to watch but couldn’t leave the stove unattended. A half-hour later, they had one tire changed and were working on the other. Denny and Paulie tag-teamed it while Mart looked on and offered advice and encouragement.

She leaned over Mart, a hand on his shoulder, and whispered in his ear so the boys couldn’t hear. “If this is your version of foreplay, it’s working.”

He turned. “Yeah?” She nodded. “Hell, if I’d known you were that easy,” he whispered, “I would have flattened his tires myself.”

She stifled her laughter and returned to the kitchen. When she went to call them for dinner, she found the three of them shooting hoops in the driveway. She stood in the doorway watching them, enjoying the scene.

Yet she couldn’t silence the disquiet within. Nothing Mart did or said, but her own deeply ingrained fears.

And David’s voice floating back. Why would he want to be with you? Why would anyone want to be with a self-centered bitch like you?

She had to quit giving David rent-free space in her head.

But could it really be this…easy? Was it possible to have a great guy drop into her lap, fall in love, and have these kinds of feelings for him without there being some horrible secret waiting to pop out and ruin it?

Kelly enjoyed watching Mart build a relationship with the boys. They liked him, and their playful “man talk” back and forth throughout dinner on a variety of topics amused her. She thought back to when she was married to David. Even on the nights he was home, he never had the kind of relationship with the boys that Mart already had.

She sent the boys to get their baths while Mart helped her with the dishes.

“It really shocked you I offered to change his tires, didn’t it?”

She looked away and nodded. “Yeah.”

“Why?”

She shrugged, not meeting his eyes. “I’m not used to it, that’s all.”

“What, someone offering to do something for you?”

“Not without strings attached.”

“Kelly, he needed tires.”

“Mart, it’s not you, okay, it’s me.”

“That didn’t sound good.”

She closed her eyes and composed her thoughts. “I didn’t mean it like that. That came out totally wrong.” She looked at him. “You’re going to need a lot of patience with me. I hope you’ll stick around long enough until I get my head on straight.”

He pulled her to him and put his arms around her waist. “Patience is something I have an abundance of.”

** * * *

They gathered in the living room to watch a movie. Kelly sat on the couch next to Mart, his arm around her, her head resting against his shoulder. When it was over, she put the boys to bed and collapsed on the couch next to Mart. He patted his lap. “Put your feet up.”

She did, and he massaged them. “That feels so good,” she moaned.

“It’s supposed to.”

“Talk about magic fingers.”

“Babe, you have no idea.”

She laughed. “You are a naughty man.”

He waggled his eyebrows at her. “Want to punish me?”

She laughed again. “Don’t tempt me any more than you already are.” He fell quiet for a long moment. “What?” she asked.

“I know I can come on pretty strong. Don’t let me push you, okay?”

“Now who’s talking crazy?”

“I don’t want to scare you away.”

She sat up and kissed him. “If you can put up with me, I’m damn sure not going to run away.”

They reluctantly ended the evening. She helped him get his toolbox into the van. “What’s your schedule like this week?”

“I fly out Tuesday morning. I’ll be back late Friday.”

“Oh.” She felt a sharp stab of disappointment. He had a life, a job. She knew he couldn’t spend every waking moment with her.

“Do the boys have swimming tomorrow?”

“Yeah.”

“Maybe I can drop by for practice. I should get back into it. I’ve been slacking the past couple of months.”

The thought of seeing him in a swimsuit was nearly as good as seeing him naked. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. I’ll try to get over there.” He leaned in for a good night kiss. “If I can’t make it, I’ll call.”

She reluctantly let him go. “I love you.”

His broad smile lit the night. “I love you, too.”

She tried to quiet the voice inside. It didn’t want to shut up, tenaciously ticking off all the possible reasons it shouldn’t work between them. Always in David’s rough, growling tone. She hated it and hoped she could eventually silence it.

Her greatest fear was the boys getting hurt if it didn’t work out. She was a grown-up—she could handle it. Her boys had been through enough. Especially Denny. They didn’t need extra heartache on their plate.

But why couldn’t it work? Nothing Mart said or did gave her any reason to believe he was anything but what he appeared to be—a genuinely nice, sweet, generous, handsome guy who wanted someone in his life as much as she did.

Why was she so scared?

She fell asleep holding the pillow Mart had used during their night together, wishing it was him.

* * * *

Kelly saved Patty a lounge chair at swim practice the next afternoon. She hustled up, out of breath. “Thanks. Traffic was a killer.” She started to say something, looked at Kelly, and smiled. “Spill it.”

“What?”

She sat. “You guys had your date this weekend. Tell me!”

Kelly fought a losing battle against her ear-to-ear grin. Patty let out a low whistle. “Girl got game!”

“Girl got more than game.”

Patty scooched her lounge chair closer. “Well?”

“Well, what?”

“Tell me, dammit! How was he?”

“Do you really expect me to kiss and tell?”

“Duh!” Kelly feigned indignation. Patty shook her head. “I don’t expect the Penthouse Letters version, but as your best friend, you owe me.”

“Let’s just say David never had me making the kinds of noises I made the other night.”

Patty gasped, then giggled. “He’s that good?”

“He stayed Friday night. My mom kept the boys.”

“Hallelujah, she’s alive. What’s next?”

Kelly shrugged. “I don’t know. We’re going to see where it goes.”

“Does your mom like him?”

“We’d already be married if it was up to my mom.”

“That’s a good sign.”

“I need to take my time.”

“Don’t let what David did to you screw up your chance with Mart.”

“I’m not going to rush into something and have Mart turn out to be someone he’s not and then the boys get hurt.”

“You mean you get hurt.”

“The boys love him already, Patty. I need to take my time. He said he’s willing to take this as slow as I want.”

“You slept with him.”

“I am a big girl. I can sleep with a guy.”

“You haven’t slept with anyone since David, and that’s been over two years.”

“There hasn’t been anyone I wanted to sleep with.” Left unsaid, no one who wanted to get seriously involved with a woman with a kid in a wheelchair. To her, that was a deal-breaker.

Not a problem with Mart. Obviously.

“Don’t push him away, Kel. I have a good feeling about him.”

“You’ve only met him a couple of times.”

“Yeah, but I saw the way he looked at you at the swim meet. He’s in love with you. I haven’t seen puppy dog eyes like that since Dan found out when we were dating that I liked to fish and knew what stink bait was.”

Kelly turned toward the pool. “He said he’s in love with me,” she whispered.

Patty threw her arms up in the air. “Yes! What did you tell him?”

“I told him I’m falling in love with him.”

“Bullshit. You’re head over heels already. So what happened?”

“Saturday, he took us all to watch his sled hockey practice, surprised us with tickets to the Lightning game.”

“Really? Neat. Bet the boys liked that.”

“It was fun.” Kelly paused. “He came over yesterday afternoon, I cooked dinner. He even changed Denny’s wheelchair tires and played with the boys.”

“Did momma get some play time, too?”

“Patty!”

“Oh, please. You’re not shocked.”

Kelly grinned. No, she wasn’t. “He may stop by practice today.”

“Really?”

Kelly nodded. A few minutes later, Mart’s van pulled into the lot. He hesitated at the pool gate, scanned the deck. Kelly waved, and he wheeled over. He was bare-chested, a towel draped around his neck. His Speedo swim shorts were skintight and came to mid-thigh.

Patty fanned herself. “Jeezus pleezus, he’s a god!”

“Hush, you.”

Mart rolled up and kissed Kelly. “Hey.”

“Hey, yourself.” She admitted the sight of him conjured wonderful memories. Especially running her hands over his back while he was—

“Where’s the boys?” he asked.

Kelly pointed to the lane. Greg saw them and waved from across the pool. Mart lifted a hand in reply and handed his bag to Kelly after getting his goggles. “I’d better get in there and cool off before I embarrass myself,” he whispered, smiling.

Kelly put a hand on his thigh and leaned in. “You’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about, mister.”

He kissed her and rolled over to the lane Denny was swimming in. He locked his brakes and quickly dove in.

Patty leaned over. “If I wasn’t married, girlfriend, I’d do him in a heartbeat.”

“Shut. Up.”

“I would! Did you see the abs on him? And those arms. Rrrrowr!”

“I didn’t have to see them, I got to run my hands all over them. And yes, they’re as good as they look.” The two women dissolved in a fit of giggles.

Patty watched Mart’s swim practice as intently as Kelly. His arms cut through the water, smoothly pulling him along. His flip-turns looked nearly flawless considering he couldn’t use his legs. His inability to kick didn’t slow him down much. Kelly knew he lapped the pool much faster than she ever could on her best day. Her throat tightened as she watched his back and shoulder muscles ripple under the water, his strokes fast and steady.

Then again, they weren’t really critiquing his form as much as they were panting over his body.

Patty leaned in close. “Honey, if you don’t marry him, I’m liable to divorce Dan and chase him down myself.”

“He’s a wheelchair racer. He’s fast. You couldn’t catch him.”

“Girl, I’d grow wheels out my ass to chase him down.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Kelly was thankful the school year started. Mart came over several times for dinner, but they’d yet to have another night alone. Kelly had to run errands in Sarasota one morning and realized she’d be within twenty minutes of Mart’s house.

Why not? The thought of even just a few minutes alone with him thrilled her.

She turned onto University Parkway and worked her way east toward his house.

Better call, make sure he’s home.

Kelly waited for a red light and dialed his home number. It rang twice, and then a woman answered.

“Hello?”

Kelly’s heart dropped. She glanced at the screen. She’d dialed the right number.

“Who is this?” Kelly asked, hoping she kept the fear out of her voice.

“This is Carole.”

“Can I speak to Mart?”

“He’s in the shower. Can I take a message?”

The car behind her honked. Kelly glanced at the green light and hit the accelerator. “Shower?”

“Yes. Can I take a message?”

“No. No message.” Kelly punched end and threw the phone onto the passenger seat. She pulled into a parking lot until her hands quit shaking.

How could I have been so wrong about him! I will not cry. I will not cry—

But she did—long and hard. And when her phone rang a few minutes later, it was Mart. She punched end, sending it straight to voicemail.

* * * *

Mart looked at Carole. “Did she say anything?”

Carole rooted under the sink for her feather duster. “No, just said no message, and hung up. Where the hell—oh, here it is.” She stood with the duster in hand, grabbed her dust rags and polish from the counter.

“I’m going to start charging you more for those bookshelves, I don’t care how many years I’ve been cleaning your house. I’m getting too old for that dang ladder. My knees can’t take it. You can’t even reach them. Why don’t you get some shelves built, move them down lower so you can enjoy them?”

Mart was about to respond when her husband walked in from the garage. “What did you say was wrong with the sprinklers, Marty?”

Mart was still distracted by Kelly’s call. Why didn’t she leave a message? “Uh, the rain sensor’s not working. I had to shut the system off manually the other night when we had that storm.”

“Bob, come here and help me dust real quick, please?”

“Honey, I’m filthy. I’m sure Mart doesn’t want me tracking dirt through his house.”

“Carole, it’s okay. Leave the shelves. You did them last week, they’ll be fine until next week,” Mart said.

“Thank you. I promise I’ll get them next week.”

Mart tried Kelly’s phone again.

* * * *

Kelly looked at her ringing phone and punched end.

Dammit, I’m not going through this again! She knew it was too soon for a relationship, and look what happened.

Oh, he’s a nice guy, everyone said.Oh, he luuuvs me. Then what the fuck was he doing with a woman at his house? And he was in the shower?

Screw that. I am a friggin’ IDIOT!

Go home? She considered it.

No, goddammit, she was going to let him have it. She’d tell him to go screw himself in person right now and end it. This time, the satisfaction was hers. She’d decide how to tell the boys later.

And she wanted a look at this Carole bimbo.

Kelly worked herself into a rage. Her anger overflowed, seething by the time she reached Mart’s. Every conceivable scenario played out in her mind, including snatching the woman bald and castrating Mart with her bare hands.

An SUV with an empty lawnmower trailer was parked on the street in front of his house. A sign on the side read CB’s Complete Home Care.

Good, an audience.

Kelly wheeled into the driveway behind Mart’s van and slammed the Element into park, shut it off, and jumped out. She stormed through the front door.

Mart was in the kitchen with a man and a woman, both older, probably in their early sixties. Kelly startled them when she slammed the door hard enough to rattle the front windows.

“Martin Rawlings, I have a few words for you, you son of a bitch! Who the hell was that answering—” Kelly realized the man and woman wore identical work shirts, with the same logo as on the SUV sign. And name tags.

The woman was Carole. The man was Bob.

Mart looked shocked. “Kel, what’s wrong?” He wheeled over to her, his hair still damp from the shower.

Kelly froze mid-rant, realizing for the first time she might have made a huge error in judgment. “Uh, um…”

Carole smiled kindly. “You must be Kelly. Mart’s been raving to us about you.”

Kelly’s face reddened. She stepped back and leaned against the counter, still trying to process this new information. “Uh, I…”

Mart took Kelly’s hand. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

She looked from him to the couple and back again, then at the floor. “Oh boy.” Then she cried, embarrassed.

And relieved.

“Kelly, please, what’s wrong?” Mart sounded frantic, but all Kelly could do was sob and fall into his arms.

Carole made the connection first and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Kelly. I should have identified myself as his housekeeper. I didn’t mean to scare you. I thought you knew who I was.”

Kelly cried harder. Mart hugged her. “Kelly, are you okay?”

Her tears turned to laughter, and she nodded, sniffling. “Yeah, once I get this foot out of my mouth, I’ll be fine.”

“Would you please tell me what’s wrong?”

“I’m an idiot, that’s what’s wrong.”

He hugged her to him, tightly. “No, you’re not. What happened?”

“I thought…never mind. It doesn’t matter what I thought.”

“Yes, it does.”

She looked at Carole. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“The revenge fantasies I had on the way over here.”

Carole laughed. “Honey, if I called home and some strange woman answered my phone and said Bob was in the shower, I’d want to rip her head off, too.”

That sent Kelly into another round of tearful laughter.

Mart gave up trying to talk to her. He held Kelly until she recovered and sat up.

“I’m okay.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I think so.” Kelly grabbed a paper towel and blew her nose. “I freaked out. I’m sorry.”

“Kelly, I’m sorry,” Mart apologized. “I didn’t realize—”

She held up a hand. “Mart, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. It’s just too many years of bullshit.” She met his gaze. “Are you sure you want to date a crazy woman?”

“I think it’s sweet.” He smiled. “In a creepy, boiled bunny kind of way.”

“I was in the area and wanted to surprise you. Surprise!”

Carole laughed. “I’ll finish my dusting and get out of your way.”

Bob exited through the garage, leaving them alone in the kitchen. Kelly looked at the floor and took a deep breath. “I am such an idiot.”

“Stop that.” The harshness of Mart’s voice startled her. “Kelly, quit putting yourself down. It’s okay, it was an honest mistake.” His face softened. “I’m sorry I scared you.”

“Is there anyone else who might answer your phone I should know about?”

“Carole and Bob have worked for me for at least ten years. Every week. If it wasn’t for them, I’d live in a pigpen.”

“You got that right,” Carole hollered from the living room.

“Quiet, you,” he shouted back, laughing. He turned to Kelly, pulling her to him. “I love you. There’s no one else in my life but you. I’ll do whatever it takes to earn your trust.”

Mart led her to his bedroom and closed the door. He transferred from his chair to sit with her on the bed.

“Come here, beautiful,” he said, pulling her into his arms. “You’re the only woman I want.” He kissed her, and she melted against him.

They came up for air a few minutes later. “I’m sorry I didn’t trust you.”

“It’s okay. You went through hell—those fears don’t disappear overnight.”

They laid on the bed, his arms around her. Kelly didn’t want to move, wanted to spend her life in that moment with him. “I should have known better.”

“I’m glad you came over. I can only imagine what would have happened if you hadn’t.”

Kelly groaned and rolled onto her back, covered her face with her hands. She knew exactly what would have happened—she would have ignored him, deleted his voicemails unplayed, forbid the boys to talk to him, totally cut him out of her life. “I don’t want to think about that.”

“Kelly, please don’t shut me out. If you get mad at me, have it out with me. I’d rather go through a thousand false alarms than not have a chance to show you how much I love you.” He kissed her, and she rolled over on top of him.

“I wish we had more time.”

“That makes two of us.”

“What were you doing in the shower?”

“I got hung up in a conference call this morning, couldn’t get to my workout until a little while ago. What are you doing up here?”

“I had to run some errands, hit the post office, get some printer cartridges. I was already up here, figured I’d come all the way over.” She saw the look on his face and laughed. “Go ahead, say it.”

He kissed her. “I’d rather do it, but—” he looked at his watch, “the boys will be home too soon to really do you justice. And I think I owe you after that scare.”

“No, I owe you. Dinner?”

He smiled. “Six o’clock. My treat.”

It stunned her she could go from insanely happy to insane and back again in such a short span of time. Zero to psycho bitch in three-point-two flat. Must be a record.

Must be love. “Why do you want to be in my life? I’m obviously crazy.”

He reached up and brushed the hair out of her eyes. “Because I’m crazy about you.”

* * * *

Mart picked them up a little after six. The boys chose a local pizza parlor with a game room. After dinner, Mart gave the boys ten dollars for the change machine and told them to have fun. Denny snatched the bill from his hands and raced away with Paulie close behind.

They watched the boys horsing around. Mart leaned close. “What are you doing this weekend?”

She shrugged. “Same ole same ole. Why?”

“Are the boys going to their dad’s?”

She shook her head. “He canceled. Again.”

“Oh.” Mart watched them.

She realized there was something more. “What?”

“I was hoping we could have another night together. Alone.”

Her heart flew as heat built between her legs and spread through her body.

So this was desire.

“I could ask my mom to take them,” she whispered.

“It’s not that I don’t want to spend time with them.”

She leaned over and kissed him. “I know what you mean. Adults need playtime, too.”

“It’s scary you can read my mind like that.”

“Hey, you’re the one turning me into a sex fiend.”

He laughed. “I’ve created a monster?”

“It’s just I never knew it could be so good.”

“If it’s not good, we’re not doing it right.”

“Too bad my ex never got that memo.”

“I’m glad he didn’t. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Kelly called her mom the next morning. “Would you mind if the boys spent Friday and Saturday at your house?”

“Nights?”

“Yeah.”

Kelly closed her eyes, hoping the question wouldn’t come, but it did. “Why?”

“Does it matter?”

There was a pause. “Are you seeing Martin?”

“Not a topic for discussion.”

“But you won’t be home.”

“Mom—”

“Relax, honey. Yes, you’re an adult. No, I’m not judging. When’s the wedding?”

“Mom!”

“The boys love him, and he is a very nice man.”

Kelly tried counting backwards from ten. Nope, didn’t work. “Mom, my love life is no one’s business but mine.”

“All right, fine. Yes, I’ll take the boys. If you’re not going to be home, at least give me some numbers where I can reach you.”

Kelly hesitated to answer. Sharon filled the silence. “You’ll be with Martin, won’t you?” Kelly could hear her grin.

“Yes, all right. Happy?”

“Have fun.”

* * * *

With her arms full of groceries, Kelly didn’t bother knocking.

“I’m here,” she called out.

Mart’s voice came from the hall. “Be out in a minute.”

She dumped everything onto the counter and looked down the hall. She heard a metallic, clanging noise from the one open door. She found him exercising, stretched on his back and strapped to the home gym bench, his muscles standing out in his chest and arms as he worked against the weights.

“Mmm, nice.” He wore a pair of clingy, cotton shorts, and nothing else.

He grinned. “Like what you see?”

“I’d like it more if I saw more,” she teased. She sat in his wheelchair and ran her hand up his leg. She didn’t see them very often. He usually wore jeans or pants. His legs were thin, barely muscled, an afterthought in stark contrast to the rest of his body. As she reached the inside of his thigh, he jumped and smiled.

“You felt that?”

He nodded. “I have patchy sensation in various places.”

“Oooh, gives me something to look forward to.”

“What’s that?”

She leaned over. He gasped as she ran her tongue over the spot on his thigh. “Finding every little nook and cranny I can kiss you.”

“This isn’t helping me finish my workout.”

She brushed her hand against the front of his shorts, which no longer laid flat. “At least I have your interest.”

“You always have that, Kel.” He crooked his finger at her, and she leaned in for a long, lingering kiss. “I’ll be about ten minutes.”

“Don’t wear yourself out.”

“Just getting warmed up.”

She goosed him between the legs, and he grinned. “Don’t keep me waiting too long, big boy.”

Kelly brought in the rest of the groceries and her overnight bag. She found a skillet and was browning the chicken strips when Mart wheeled into the kitchen, still shirtless. He put his arms around her waist and ran them up under her shirt to her breasts, pulling her against him.

“Whoa, tiger, hot stuff on the stove.”

“Hot stuff right here.” He lifted her shirt and kissed her back.

“Don’t make me swat you.”

“How do you know I wouldn’t like it?” She turned and threw her arms around his neck, careful not to hit him with the spatula.

“I can think of a lot of things I bet you’d like, mister.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, girl, are you going to tease me or show me?”

“After dinner.”

He let her go. “Do I have time to take a shower?”

“Why don’t you hold off.”

“Why?”

“Maybe I want to take one with you.” She winked.

“It’s times like this I wish I had a hot tub.”

He put on some music, helped with the salad and side dishes. They spent most of dinner flirting. When they finished, he took her dishes and put them in the sink.

“Leave them. We’ll do them later.” He led her to the bedroom, crooked his finger at her, and patted his lap. She sat, and he ran his hands under her shirt, kissing her, her arms around his shoulders.

“You don’t know what you do to me,” he whispered as he nuzzled her ear.

Her hand slipped inside his shorts. “I have an idea.”

After their shower, they ended up in bed. It was after ten when they curled up together, spent.

He kissed her shoulder, wrapped his arms around her. “I love you so much, Kelly, you have no idea.”

Hearing him say those words made her lightheaded in a good way. “I love you, too.” She did. Despite her fears the other shoe would drop, she loved him.

Part of that fueled her fear, that she loved him so deeply so soon.

As if reading her thoughts, he said, “As long as it takes. I mean it. As long as it takes for me to earn your trust, whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it. Anything.”

She rolled over to face him. “Just love me.”

He did.

The next morning, he wasn’t in bed when she awoke, but she smelled coffee.

If Mart wasn’t the perfect man, he was damn close.

Stretching, Kelly went into the bathroom. One of his button-up work shirts hung on the doorknob. She slipped it on. It was large on her, fell mid-thigh. She left it unbuttoned and strolled into the kitchen wearing it and nothing else.

Mart was at the stove cooking scrambled eggs. He smiled when he saw her.

“Good morning, beautiful.” He moved the skillet off the burner and reached for Kelly, kissing her stomach, pulling her into his lap. “God, you’re a wonderful sight.”

She put her arms around him. “Like what you see?”

He nuzzled her neck. “You better believe it.”

“Hope you don’t mind I borrowed your shirt.”

“If you want to walk around all weekend dressed like that, no complaints from me.”

“I bet.”

He patted her thigh. “Let me finish breakfast.” She reluctantly stood after one more kiss.

“Can I help?” She reached over to the back of the stove and took a piece of cooked bacon off a plate.

“I’ve got it.”

She poured coffee and sat at the table, watched him cook. Hopefully Denny could learn more than a few life skills from him.

Okay, that’s putting the cart before the horse. Right now they had nothing more than a steamy romance. Who said anything about marriage?

But he’d be a great role model for Denny, she couldn’t deny that. And Paulie too.

Mart was bare-chested, wearing only a pair of shorts. She couldn’t get over how the sight of his body made her tingle in places she wasn’t used to tingling. He looked over and caught her watching him.

“What?”

She rested her elbow on the table and propped her chin in her hand. “I’m still trying to get it through my head that you haven’t run away yet.”

“Why would I run?”

“You’re the first man who hasn’t.”

“I’m not your average man.”

“I’d say you’re above-average. In a bunch of ways.” This last she said with what she hoped was a salacious wink.

He grinned. “You ain’t seen nothing yet.”

“Really?”

He set her plate on the table and leaned in for a kiss. One hand playfully sneaked under her shirt, making her gasp.

“Really,” he whispered. “And I’m all yours.”

He went to get his plate, leaving her breathless.

How the hell did he do that?

“Did you want to go out tonight?” he asked.

“Huh?”

He smiled. “Tonight. Want to go out somewhere? Or—” he stroked the back of her hand, “would you rather stay here?”

“Honestly?”

He nodded.

She leaned over and kissed him. “I don’t want to go anywhere except back to bed.”

Mart brought the newspaper inside. They took it to his bedroom. Eventually, she rolled over and brushed her fingers across his chest.

He looked at her. “Yes?”

“Am I disturbing you?”

“I’m already disturbed, but you are more than welcomed to disturb me any time you want.” He dropped the paper to the floor and took her into his arms. “Just be prepared when you do.”

“For what?”

“For this.” He kissed her and rolled on top of her. She wrapped her arms around him, enjoying the feel of his body against hers. They fit together perfectly. He was a little taller than she was, and although she knew he couldn’t feel it, she stretched her feet, pressing her toes against his. She wanted every inch of his body against her.

When they came up for air, she said, “Roll over.”

“What?”

“I want to give you a back rub.”

He needed no additional prompting. He stretched out on his stomach, and she straddled him. As soon as her fingers kneaded his shoulders, he moaned.

“Oh, God, that’s fantastic.”

“Haven’t you ever had a back rub?”

“I’ve never had a beautiful naked woman give me one before. Somehow it adds to the sensation—oh!”

She smiled, taking her time, working down his back to his waist. She noted the pale twist of scars around his spine, just above his hips. She leaned over and ran her lips down his skin.

He shivered. “Oh, Kel,” he whispered, “that’s fantastic.”

“And I’m just getting started.” She worked her way lower and slipped her fingers inside the waistband of his shorts, slowly tugged them down. He lifted his hips to help, and she continued her downward journey over the backs of his legs. She kissed them, stroking him with her fingers.

“Tell me when you feel me,” she whispered. When she reached one spot, he gasped.

“I’m guessing that’s a yes?”

“Yes,” he replied, muffled by the pillow. She noticed he was squirming a little against the bed.

She spent another half-hour slowly teasing him, discovering every place he could feel her touch. Unable to contain himself, he rolled over and pulled her to him. She let him take her, closing her eyes and hoping when she opened them she wouldn’t wake up from this fantastic dream.

She awoke to find him propped on one elbow and smiling down at her. “How long was I asleep?” she asked.

“A little bit. I think I wore you out.”

She shook her head. “Not even close. Just recharging my batteries.” She realized too late how that sounded. Sure enough, he smirked.

“I won’t say it.” But he grinned.

“You thought it.”

“You open the door like that, you expect me to not at least think it?”

“I love your sense of humor.”

“It’s the only way to get through life. If I didn’t have a sense of humor, I’d be a pretty miserable person.”

She laughed. “Oh, the war stories we could share.”

“Like what?”

“Well, for starters, I crawled under a bathroom door at a Georgia rest stop on the way out to Spokane because I thought Denny dropped his only cath in a self-flushing toilet.”

Mart looked blank for a second, snorted, then fell back, laughing, on the bed.

“Wasn’t funny.”

He laughed harder. “Yes, it is.”

“Okay, now it’s funny. But it wasn’t funny then.”

“What else?”

“Really?”

He propped himself on one arm. “Yeah, really.”

“This could take all weekend.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

She thought about it. “We used to get the IV team to put them in Denny’s feet if they could, because he couldn’t feel it. So one time a couple of years ago, I think it was for a shunt revision, the IV team nurse is trying to find a vein in his foot. He’s sitting in bed watching her. She gets the IV needle and starts to poke his foot.”

Mart waited for the punchline. “And?”

“Denny yelled, ‘Ouch!’ and the poor nurse nearly had a heart attack.”

Mart roared with laughter. “He didn’t?”

“He did. Little stinker laughed and said, ‘Ha ha, got you.’ I thought she was going to strangle him.”

Mart laughed harder, and she watched his face. Then her tears flowed, unbidden. When he realized she was crying, he pulled her to him. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

She shook her head and cried harder. “You’re the first guy I’ve ever been able to tell these stories to who thinks they’re funny, and gets why they’re funny.”

He kissed the top of her head. “Yeah, well, I warned you, not many women enjoy my sense of humor. And I have my own stories, too.”

“Yeah?”

“I’ve quit counting the number of religious fanatics who’ve walked up to me and told me if I prayed hard enough, I could walk again.”

She’d heard that one a few times herself. “Or the ones who say, ‘I’m so sorry your son is in a chair—’”

He finished. “And I ask them, ‘Why? Is it your fault?’”

She exploded with laughter. Finally—someone who understood. “I hate when someone says he’s ‘suffering’ from the ‘illness’ spina bifida. He’s not suffering, and it’s not a disease.”

“I’ve gotten stuck in more bathroom stalls than I care to admit.”

She laughed. “I’ve done the toilet tango a time or two myself trying to get Denny cathed. I’m so glad he caths himself now. What else?”

“When I was ten, my two oldest brothers dared me to jump off the roof into the pool.”

“What? But how would you get onto the roof?”

He nodded. “That’s what they thought. They were cleaning the gutters and left the ladder propped against the house. They went inside for lunch. They’d just been picking on me, right? Little brother torture. I managed to climb the ladder and waited for them to come out so they could see me do it.”

“Oh, no.”

“Ben, my oldest brother, had a cow. He’s screaming, ‘Marty, no!’ and he gets under me to catch me. I landed on him, he broke his leg. I rolled away without a scratch.”

She laughed harder. “What did your parents do?”

“Grounded all three of us. Them for betting me, me for jumping off the roof.”

“You didn’t get grounded for climbing the ladder?”

“No, worse. My dad made me help clean the gutters. He said if I could climb the ladder, I could damn well help do it. He bought a safety harness, rigged it so one of them held it when I went up and down the ladder. I learned to be more careful what I let my dad know I could do.”

“Your parents are still alive?”

He nodded. “I can’t wait for you to meet my crazy family. They’re going to love you and the boys.”

Kelly tried not to think about her own dad. David’s parents were both dead when they’d married. “They’ve never really known a grandpa.”

“Well,” he said, nuzzling her neck again, “they’d better get used to it. My mom and dad have been dying for more grandkids to spoil.”

Her breath caught in her throat. Were they talking marriage?

Sensing her disquiet, Mart added, “Even if we’re not married, they’re going to love spoiling them.”

“You did it again.”

“You looked scared.”

She shook her head. “Not scared.” She smiled. “Hopeful.”

“Yeah?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

He hugged her to him. “I don’t want to rush you.”

She kissed him. “I’m not going anywhere.”

* * * *

They picked the boys up from her mom’s house Sunday morning and had brunch before heading to Tampa. Sharon smiled but didn’t make any comments. Kelly could tell from her look she was pleased.

For once, Kelly didn’t mind.

Kelly watched the scrimmage, trying not to cringe when Mart went flying sideways or collided with the boards or another player.

That’s why they wear lots of padding.

At the break, they outfitted Denny and turned him loose. Kelly stood by the rink doorway and watched him scoot down the ice and swat at a puck, laughing.

“Hey, Kel,” Mart hollered, “why don’t you try it? Ray’s not here. You can use his sled.”

Kelly shook her head. “No, I’m okay.”

The coach looked at her. “Sure, we can get you on the ice. Just to try it.”

The other players, and even Paulie, encouraged her. She held up her hands in defeat. “All right. I’ll do it.”

One of the assistants retrieved the gear, and they helped her into the sled. Like Denny, they only put a helmet and gloves on her. Mart skated over, his smile beaming through his face mask.

She tightened the bucket straps and pulled the gloves on, fumbling the sticks until Mart told her to switch them around. When she was ready to move, she dug the picks into the ice.

It was hard. How the players made it look so effortless was beyond her.

Mart stayed with her, encouraging her, giving her pointers on stick technique. She tried to turn and promptly fell on her side.

Denny laughed, and Mart smiled, talking her through righting herself. One of the able-bodied assistants skated over to help, but Mart held up a hand.

“No, she can do it. Give her a minute.”

The ice was slick. Kelly had a hard time throwing her weight in the opposite direction as she pushed back into a seated position. It took her over a minute to do it, and she was worn out, but she made it.

Mart’s proud smile was worth it. “That’s my girl,” he said, low enough only she could hear. His words sent a warm, glowing tingle through her. David never talked to her like that, made her feel like he was proud of her.

Denny skated up. “Good job, Mom.”

She turned to say something and promptly fell over the other way. Even Mart laughed, although she could see he was trying not to.

It was easier to right herself the second time now that she knew the tipping point. They coaxed her down the ice to the far goal, and Mart brought a puck over. He made it look easy. After ten minutes, she was ready to quit and started unhooking the bucket straps. They were still at the far end of the ice.

“What are you doing?” Mart asked.

“I’m going to get out.”

He grinned and shook his head, pointing at the doorway. “Off the ice first, hon.”

She looked down the ice at the doorway. “You’re not serious?”

“You can do it. Come on.”

Reluctantly, knowing she’d pay for it in the morning, Kelly dug in her picks and followed him. Halfway down the ice, she made the mistake of looking over her shoulder at Denny and promptly overturned.

Mart saw her plight and returned to her side. “Tired, babe?”

She lay there like a stranded turtle and nodded. “Yeah.”

He laughed and waved one of the able-bodied assistants over, who used his hockey stick to help pry her upright. Then Mart leaned in close, his helmet touching hers.

“You’re a sexy hockey mom, you know that?” he said.

“You have a very twisted sense of humor, Rawlings.”

“I warned you.”

“Yes, you did.”

He dropped his voice even lower. “I love you, Kel. I know Denny got a kick out of this. And so did I.”

“I’ll be too sore to move tomorrow, won’t I?”

“Probably. But I sure do love you for being a good sport.”

That was enough to get her moving again. The warm feeling rushing through her helped her make the last few yards to the doorway. Once out of the sled, she stretched her arms and rubbed her sore muscles.

Mart flipped up his face mask and grinned. “You okay?”

She nodded. “I’ll live, but I’m sure I won’t enjoy it for a couple of days.”

“That was so cool, Mom,” Denny said, now back in his regular chair.

Even Paulie smiled. “That was neat, Mom.”

Okay, so maybe she could be a cool hockey mom.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Wednesday morning, Kelly sat at her computer after Paulie and Denny caught the school bus. It had been days since she’d had time to write. She was about to plug in her MP3 player when the phone rang.

She considered letting it go to voicemail, then looked at the screen.

“Hi, handsome.”

“Hi, yourself,” Mart said. “How are you?”

“I’m okay. Still a little sore. I’m not getting into a sled again any time soon.”

“Yeah, it’s something you have to learn how to do.”

“What’s up?”

“You ask me that?”

She groaned. “You’re incorrigible.”

“You love it, and you know it. Dinner tonight?”

“David is supposed to get the boys at five and have them back by nine.”

“I know. Paulie told me on Sunday.”

“What else did he tell you?”

“Just guy stuff.”

“I’m not up to watching David butt heads with you tonight.” The men had crossed paths several times since their initial meeting. Every time, David invariably made a snide remark.

Mart always put him in his place.

“Let me cook you dinner,” Mart offered. “I’ll be over by five.”

She considered it. It was great he wanted to spend time with the boys, but she needed time alone with him. At least she’d made it to the doctor; they could do away with the condoms.

“Sometimes David brings them back early.”

“I wasn’t planning a marathon sex session.”

“Okay, all right. I’ll see you tonight. Until then, I need to work. I have an article due by the end of the week.”

“Great. I’ll see you tonight.”

Kelly smiled and put on her headphones. While she didn’t want to witness another confrontation, she enjoyed the sick look David got on his face every time the boys mentioned Mart.

The boys got home from school and prepared to go with their dad. Paulie was in a funk but wouldn’t talk about it. Kelly mentioned Mart was coming over for dinner. Denny got upset, but Paulie brightened.

“Why can’t I stay here and have dinner with Mart?” Denny whined.

“Because, Squirt, we need to eat dinner with Dad.”

“He doesn’t want me there. He wants to show you off to whatshername.”

Kelly knelt in front of him. “Honey, I’m sure that’s not true.” She looked to Paulie for help, but there was none. He was finished defending his father.

“Go have fun with your dad. I’m sure Mart will have plans with us this weekend.”

Mart arrived before David. Denny greeted him, and Paulie helped him bring in groceries.

David walked into the living room without knocking while Denny was showing Mart something he drew in school.

“Don’t you ever knock?” Mart asked.

“Don’t you have a home of your own?” David shot back.

“Paulie, your dad’s here,” Kelly called, interrupting their exchange. Denny hesitated. Kelly sent him to his room for his backpack. When he left, she turned to David. “Mart’s right. You don’t live here, David. Knock. Do not walk in like you own the place.”

David looked like he wanted to say something but thought better of it as Mart took up a defensive position next to Kelly. The boys appeared, hugged Kelly and Mart, and left with their father.

Mart watched them drive off. “God, he’s an asshole.” He put his arms around her and pulled her into his lap. “Now, about dinner…” He kissed her.

“You said you were going to cook for me.”

“That I did.” He patted her on the leg. She stood and followed him into the kitchen.

“We could always skip dinner and go right to dessert,” she said seductively.

He started unpacking the bags. “That we could. But I don’t like to be rushed.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes, really.” He pulled her to him for another quick kiss. “Besides, there’s plenty of time for that.” He looked into her eyes. “I mean it.”

Her feet practically floated above the floor. Dinner was excellent. He turned out to be a great cook.

“Leave the dishes,” she said, looking at her watch. They had at least an hour before David brought the boys back, she hoped. They returned to the living room. Instead of curling up on the couch, Mart pulled her into his lap.

“I want to talk to you about something.”

“This sounds serious.”

“It is.”

Her heart jumped. She couldn’t tell if this was good or bad.

“I know we’ve only known each other six months,” he continued, “and we’ve only been dating for a little while.” Her stomach tightened at his words.

He reached behind him for something, keeping it out of sight. “I’m not trying to pressure you. I’m afraid if I don’t say something soon, I’m going to screw this up. Our false alarm the other day was a wake-up call. I need to quit being a chicken and put my cards on the table.” He turned her face to his and looked into her eyes. “I love you. I think I’ve loved you ever since the day I met you. And I don’t want to spend my life with anyone but you.”

He took her left hand in his and slipped a ring on her finger. “Will you marry me?”

Kelly felt lightheaded. David never proposed to her, not in a romantic, tell your kids kind of way. He’d simply said in the car one day, “Let’s get married before the end of the year so we can take the tax deduction.”

Her vision doubled, tripled as the tears came. She nodded frantically and threw her arms around him.

Mart tentatively put his arms around her. “Is that a yes?”

She nodded even harder, and squeaked, “God, yes!”

“When you’re ready to get married, let me know and we’ll do it.”

“Tomorrow?” she choked.

He laughed and gently pushed her back so he could see her face, brushed the tears from her cheeks. “No, not tomorrow. I want to do this right. I want the boys to be comfortable with me as their stepfather.”

“If we leave it up to them, we’ll be married by tomorrow night.” She looked at the ring. It was gorgeous. A small diamond surrounded by amethyst. He’d remembered.

More than she could ever say about David.

“Wait…”

She studied the ring, then looked at him. “This is the ring from Spokane!”

He smiled. “Guilty.”

“But—” She thought back to their date in Spokane. “You bought it?”

“Call it a feeling. I was already in love with you. I wanted to buy it for you right then, but I was afraid you might think I was a weirdo.”

“When did you get it?”

“Remember I was late to field the next morning after our date?”

She remembered how he’d smiled at her, his great mood despite getting chewed out for being late.

“You didn’t?”

“I was waiting for them when they unlocked the door the next morning.”

“I can’t promise you I’ll want to have more kids.”

“I don’t care. I told you, that’s not a deal-breaker. If you do, great. If not, okay.”

“You’re sure?”

“I’ve waited all my life to meet someone who makes me feel the way you do, and I’m not about to let you go.”

Mart was still there when the boys returned. They raced inside, eager to see him.

Denny was the first to see the ring. “What’s this?” He grabbed Kelly’s hand before she could hide it.

Paulie looked at it, then grinned at Mart. “You asked her?”

Kelly sensed she’d missed something when Mart smiled and nodded.

“You said yes, right?” Paulie asked her.

“What is it?” Denny asked again, frustrated no one answered his question.

Paulie flew into Mart’s arms, surprising Kelly and Mart. “Thank you!”

“What’s going on?” Denny asked again, flapping.

Kelly knelt in front of him. “Honey, Mart asked me to marry him.”

Denny looked from her to Mart and back. “He’s going to be our stepdad?”

Kelly and Mart exchanged glances. “Yes.”

“All right!” Denny spun in a happy victory circle. “Yes yes yes!”

“Well, that went better than I expected,” she said.

She got the boys settled and in bed. When they were alone again, she eyed Mart. “What have you and Paulie been talking about?”

“He asked me last weekend if I was going to marry you, and I told him I wanted to. I asked if he was okay with that, and he said yes, they wanted me to be their stepdad.”

“He’s going to be a hell of a handful when he’s older.”

“I’d say he’s a hell of a handful now. Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m just…overwhelmed. In a good way.” She looked at him. “You sure you want to marry into this madhouse?”

“Your mom said if I didn’t, she’d hunt me down.”

“God, does everyone know about this besides me?”

He moved to the sofa. “I wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to cause you any problems. You’ve got enough stress in your life without me adding to it.”

She studied him. “So when does the other shoe drop? Are you a serial killer or something?”

“No. I’m grouchy in the morning when I don’t have my coffee, I’m not the world’s best housekeeper, and I can be pushy and stubborn and I’m very opinionated. I have other faults too, if you’d like me to list them. You want them alphabetically, or in order of severity?”

She laughed. “At least you’re willing to put up with me.”

“I think you have that the wrong way around.” He kissed her. “You’re willing to put up with me.”

She cuddled against him. “What’s next?”

“I could think of a few things, but they involve having the house to ourselves.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“You tell me. I want you to set the pace. And I’m not kidding when I say I’m not always easy to live with. I need space to work. Plus I do a lot of traveling, sometimes at a moment’s notice. Are you willing to put up with me?”

“As long as ‘business trip’ isn’t a euphemism for screwing around on me, yes, I can put up with that. I need space, too.”

He kissed her. “I can’t quit thinking about you.”

She closed her eyes and relaxed against him. “I never felt about David the way I feel about you.”

“That’s good, right?”

“Oh yeah.”

They sat like that for a while longer, and then he looked at his watch. “I hate to say this, but I have to go. I have a seven o’clock flight.”

“Where?”

“Las Vegas. I’ll be back by midnight tomorrow.” He looked at her. “Want to go? Have a Vegas wedding?”

She smiled. “What happened to letting me set the pace?”

“It was worth a shot. Can’t blame a guy for trying.”

She kissed him. “I think the boys would kill us if they couldn’t be there.”

“You’re right.” He returned to his chair. “Sure you don’t want help with the dishes?”

“No. You go home and get some sleep.”

When he left, she stared at the ring and tried out the name.

Kelly Rawlings.

She liked the sound of it.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

They settled into a comfortable routine. When Mart wasn’t out of town, he was with Kelly and the boys. And she was coming to terms with the reality that Mart seemed to be the real deal.

One morning, Kelly had just started working when her phone rang. Wasn’t that always the way? Her heart lifted when she saw it was Mart.

“Hey, you,” she said.

“Hi. Honey, I have to cancel tomorrow night.”

Her heart sunk. “Why?”

“I have to catch a flight out of TIA this afternoon. We’ve got a client having some major problems. Corporate wants me out there personally.”

“Out where?”

He hesitated. “Tokyo.”

“Japan?”

His voice was unusually quiet. “Yeah.”

“How long?”

Another long pause. “Two weeks, probably three.”

“Oh.” She was a big girl. She could handle this. Most of Mart’s trips were only two or three days. This was the longest he’d be away.

“Come with me,” he said.

“What?”

“Come with me, I’ll buy your ticket. You’d have to take a later flight, but I’ll pay all your expenses.”

“Mart, I can’t leave the boys for three weeks.”

“Your mom would take them.”

She would. It was tempting. So tempting.

Then reality hit.

“Mart, I can’t go.”

“Kelly, please. At least come for a week. It’d be great—”

“Mart, I can’t go. I mean, I really can’t. I don’t have a passport.”

“Oh.” He was quiet for a moment. “I guess that is a problem.”

“Yeah.” She tried to swallow back her disappointment. This was her new reality. If she was going to marry him, she had to accept there were times he might leave on a moment’s notice and be gone for days—weeks—on end.

But he wasn’t David.

“I’m sorry. I hoped you’d be able to go.”

“Can I come by before you leave?”

“I won’t have time. I just got off the phone with corporate. I’m packing now. I’m going to be pushed to make the flight to L.A. as it is, and the connection there is tight. Susan’s taking me, she’ll be here in about an hour.”

“Susan?”

Who the hell is she?

“Yeah, they’re sending her, too. She helped write the code, we need her there.” When Kelly didn’t reply, he asked, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Kelly wasn’t fine, but she’d be damned if she’d admit it. He had asked her to go.

But had he really expected her to say yes? Maybe he knew she’d say no, and it was a calculated risk…

Stop it. He’s. Not. David.

“Kelly—”

“I’m okay. I understand. I’ll get used to it.”

“I wish I knew you’re okay. I get the feeling you aren’t.”

She covered the receiver and took a deep breath. “It’s all right. Email me when you get there so I know you’re okay. And have a safe trip. I’ll see you when you get back.”

When you and Susan get back.

“Kelly, I’m so sorry. Tell the boys I’ll bring them something from Japan. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

She hung up and stared at the phone, fighting the tension in her gut. After an hour of trying—and failing—to write, she started a load of laundry, cleaned out the fridge, and swept the front porch. She thought about calling Mart, trying to catch him before he got on the plane, but didn’t.

I won’t do this. I won’t stress him out. I can handle this. I’m a big girl. He is not David.

But she couldn’t get rid of the tension in her stomach.

The next afternoon, she received an email.

Got here safe. I miss you. I wish you were here. I love you.—Mart.

She was glad the boys were at school because she choked back a sob, then quit fighting it and cried. He was halfway across the world with Susan, whoever she was.

But he asked you to go. That was the voice of reason, the one that, lately, was gaining traction and worked to counteract the voice that sounded like David and spoke her every doubt and fear.

She hit reply.

I miss you, too. Any idea when you’ll be home?—Love, Kelly.

Send.

* * * *

Kelly fought the urge to check her email every five minutes. She managed to write a few hundred words for her article. Before bed, she checked her email and found his reply.

Three weeks, everything’s screwed up here. I’m sorry. Are you okay? I love you.—Mart.

Kelly closed her eyes. She should have waited until morning to check her email. Now she’d spend the night sleepless, thinking about him.

I’m fine. Be safe. The boys and I miss you. Love, K.

* * * *

The next morning, she waited until the boys were off to school and she’d finished her morning chores and errands before turning on her computer and phone. She was feeling a little more levelheaded and didn’t want a note from Mart to send her into a breakdown in front of them.

As if on cue, her phone rang. She almost didn’t answer because the number wasn’t familiar.

“Hello?”

There was an echo on the line. “Hi.”

She gripped the phone. It was almost midnight there, a thirteen hour difference. “Mart?”

“How are you?”

“I’m okay. I miss you.”

“I miss you too, babe. I’m so sorry I had to leave.”

“It’s okay, really. I understand.”

“Did you get my email?”

“Which one?”

“I sent you some pictures.”

“I just got home. I need to download my email. Shouldn’t you be in bed?”

“I’m going. I’ve been trying to call you for a couple of hours. I didn’t want to go to bed until I talked to you.”

She closed her eyes, pictured his face. “I’m sorry. I had the phone off.”

“I love you, Kelly. I miss you so much.”

If she didn’t get off the phone quickly, she was going to cry. “I love you, too. Stay safe, okay?”

“I will, I promise. Say hi to the boys for me.”

“I will. Go to bed. Sweet dreams.”

“Now that I’ve talked to you, I can. I will.”

She checked her email and found his message. Pictures of the airport, the hotel, various local landmarks. A group picture of him and another American woman with several Japanese men and woman—the local tech team, according to the message. And the American woman was Susan.

She was a petite blonde, trim, hair styled in a boyish flip, a little shorter than her. Not gorgeous, but not ugly either. Definitely younger, probably in her twenties.

Kelly stifled her jealousy. There was nothing in the woman’s body language to suggest she was remotely interested in Mart. She wasn’t leaning into him or touching him or anything.

Still, Kelly seethed.

Remember Carole, she thought. Don’t jump to conclusions. He’s done nothing to make you doubt him. He’s never lied to you…

That you know about. And there was David’s voice, back with a vengeance. You never knew David was lying until too late.

Why the hell couldn’t it shut up and leave her alone?

For a change, David didn’t cancel his weekend with the boys. Kelly did everything possible to keep busy and off her computer. It was almost harder to read Mart’s messages, missing him, wanting him home. She’d rather bury herself in other things, keep busy and not think about his absence.

Or Susan.

Chapter Thirty

Patty sensed her disquiet at practice on Monday. “What’s wrong?”

“Mart’s in Japan for another two weeks.”

“What? When did he leave?”

“Wednesday afternoon. Last-minute business trip.”

“I know you miss him, but what’s up your ass? You look like you’re ready to rip someone’s head off.”

Kelly burst into tears. Patty moved to her lounge and put an arm around her. “It’s okay. Talk to me. Did you have a fight?”

Kelly spilled her guts, admitting her jealousy and nerves and fears. When she was done, Patty handed her a towel. “You know he loves you.”

“I’m a moron. I know he’s not doing anything.”

“But.”

“How many times did I sit there like an idiot while David kissed me good-bye, only to find out later he was banging someone?”

“I don’t think Mart’s like that.”

“I didn’t think David was like that, either.”

Patty looked at her over her sunglasses. “You were the only one. I hated him. I only tolerated David because he was your husband. Mart is a great guy. I don’t get any cheating slimebag scumwad vibes from him.”

“So tell me I’m a stupid idiot.”

“I’m not going to tell you that. But I think you should send Mart an email and tell him you miss him. Admit you’re having flashbacks and need some reassurance. He loves you. He’ll understand.”

“I feel like a moron.”

“You’re not a moron. You were stuck with a bad apple for a lot of years. Now you’ve got the pick of the litter.”

Kelly glowered at her. Patty shrugged. “Sorry. You know I do my best writing at night. What do you want from me?”

* * * *

Kelly put the boys to bed. It was after nine, meaning it was after ten in the morning in Tokyo. Mart was working, most likely, but at least he’d get her email. Before she wrote him, she checked hers and found a new message from him, a short note, including more pictures.

Kelly, I miss you so much. Here’s some more pics of the trip. I wish you were here! Love you.—Mart.

The first few pictures were of local landmarks. The last was taken by someone else, of Mart and Susan, in front of a fountain, with a temple behind them. He sat in his chair, with Susan sitting on a low wall next to him. She leaned in slightly but not intimately so, both smiling for the camera.

Not touching.

But something about her smile set Kelly off.

She closed her eyes. It was innocent.

Totally innocent.

Yeah, right.

Patty answered on the third ring.

“What’s wrong?”

“How did you know something’s wrong?”

“You only call me this time of night if someone’s died or Denny’s got a problem.”

“No, not that bad. Can I send you something, email, you tell me what it looks like?”

“What?”

Kelly copied the two pictures that included Susan into a blank message and sent it. “It’s coming now.”

“Hold on a minute.” Patty put the phone down. Kelly heard her fingers tapping on her keyboard. A moment later, she picked up the phone. “Okay, it’s Mart in Japan. Who’s the girl?”

“Susan. The one I told you about.”

“So? What’s the problem?”

Kelly took a deep breath. “What do you make of them in those pictures?”

Patty fell quiet. Kelly almost checked if the call ended when her friend moaned. “Oh. My. God! I see it now.” Kelly’s heart dropped while Patty ranted. “The secret, meaningful non-embrace, the symbolic lack of contact meaning the exact opposite, that they’re passionate lovers. The fact that they’re looking into the camera and not at each other means they’re so much in love they can’t bear the power of the others’ glance!”

Kelly closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “All right, I get it. I’m overreacting.”

“Uh, yeah, ya think? Whoever took the pictures probably said, ‘Lean in.’ Jesus, Kel, it’s not like she’s got her tongue down his throat. Do you really think he’d send you pictures of him with someone if they were having an affair?”

“No. I guess you’re right.”

Patty’s voice softened. “Kel, I’m going to say it again. I think you need to talk to someone. You know you’ve got PTSD.”

Patty was right, but Kelly couldn’t do it. She was on David’s insurance for another six months. He’d see if she went to a shrink. She’d researched it and, yes, she did have a lot of the symptoms. But she wasn’t nearly as bad as she once was.

And now she had Mart. If she didn’t run him off by acting crazy.

“I can’t.”

“Go find someone who will take cash on a sliding scale.”

“If it gets back to David that I saw a shrink, he’ll try to use it against me.”

“You know damn well your lawyer said he can’t use that against you. Send Mart an email. Tell him you need some reassurance. Hell, he’ll probably call you.”

More guilt. Kelly didn’t want Mart running up a huge phone bill over her neurosis. “Thanks, Patty. I’ll let you get back to work.”

“Seriously, think about calling someone. And tell Mart.”

Kelly hung up and looked at her email. She didn’t want to pile guilt onto Mart. The last thing she wanted was to worry him. She wanted to be tough, rational, strong.

Dependable.

They could have a conversation about it when he returned.

Staring at the ring on her finger, she thought about Spokane, their first date together. And even before then, in hindsight, she could see how he looked at her, touched her. Mart was the polar opposite of David in every way.

Mart loved her. Her heart knew it. But her stubborn brain didn’t want to accept the memo.

She opened a new email.

Thanks for the pictures. I miss you. Hurry home, and stay safe. I love you.—K.

Before she could chicken out or add anything, she hit send and shut down the computer.

Chapter Thirty-One

David asked to trade weekends. Since Mart was gone, Kelly agreed. Why not? At least he was spending time with the boys.

Finally.

True to form, David had a snide remark about the ring Friday night when the boys were out of earshot.

“What kind of costume jewelry is that?”

She smiled and flipped him a left-handed bird, showcasing the ring. “Better than I ever got from you.”

He turned red and shut up. The boys were ready to go, and she hugged them. “See you Sunday.”

Despite David’s relationships, she suspected he preferred her alone and single. One of the things he accused her of was being a royal bitch no one would want.

Kelly secretly relished rubbing his face in her relationship with Mart, even if it wasn’t the healthiest thing to do.

* * * *

Mart had been gone over two weeks when he emailed happy news.

I fly home at nine Monday night. Can you pick me up? Love you—M.

That was in forty-eight hours. Kelly seriously considered saying no. It would mean meeting Susan, and she didn’t know if she was ready for it.

What the hell? Mart was her fiancé. And she trusted him. Right?

Deep breath.

Of course I’ll pick you up—

She hesitated, then decided to send the finished poem to him.

You quiet the fire within me.

The embers burned low and cool, dying in the ash.

Your gentle breath stirred the air

brought me new life

and once again the flame lived.

Afraid to tell you how I felt,

I concealed behind the stones how hot I burned.

And when I thought it would consume me,

you quieted the fire within me

with your cooling touch.

How can a soul burn so hot?

How can one survive

with a fire so deep inside?

How can your touch cool me,

release me,

from this raging inferno?

From the ashes anew,

reborn, newly freed,

you quiet the fire within me.

Kelly called her mom and explained the situation. Sharon volunteered to watch the boys. “Am I staying at your place or are you bringing them here?”

“Could you stay here? They have school. It’d be easier for them.”

“And where will you be?”

“Does it matter?”

“You’re a big girl. Leave your phone on in case I need to call.”

Kelly sighed. “I’ll be with Mart. His flight gets in late, and it’s easier for me to stay there.”

“I like him, Kelly. He’s a nice guy.”

“Mom.”

“All right. I’ll take care of the boys.”

Kelly spent her child-free weekend trying to write. Before Mart left Japan, he replied to her email with his flight details and a message.

Kelly, I can’t wait to see you again. The poem was beautiful.

And he included his own.

There was a darkness upon my soul,

bleak, and cold, and draining.

Stones across the landscape raining,

And then I felt your warmth within

and searched for light to make me whole.

I feared to lose this fragile ember

pulled from the ashes, cold and dark.

But upon my soul you make a mark

and forever am I changed, and warmed

and cold I can no longer remember.

She wanted to cry. He couldn’t be cheating on her and write her something that beautiful.

Could he?

Monday night, Kelly nervously waited in the main terminal. Nearly thirty minutes after his flight arrived, she saw Mart debark from an airside terminal shuttle, balancing his computer bag on his lap as he pushed.

Susan walked with him, towing his rolling carry-on suitcase along with hers.

Mart’s smile lit the terminal, but Kelly’s eyes were on Susan. Susan seemed to be looking for someone and paid no attention to Kelly or Mart.

Mart put his arms around Kelly and kissed her. For a moment, Kelly forgot about the other woman.

“God, I missed you,” he said.

“I missed you, too.”

He took Kelly’s hand. “Susan, this is Kelly. Kelly, Susan Jones, one of the programmers.”

Susan smiled and stuck out her hand. “Marty’s told me all about you and the boys. Congratulations.”

Kelly shook hands, listening for any hint of sarcasm or wishful thinking in the woman’s voice. She found none.

“Oh, this is his.” She handed the rolling bag to Kelly. “I don’t see Kate anywhere. Let me call her.” She turned and pulled out her cell.

“I asked Susan if she wanted to grab a bite to eat with us,” Mart said. “We’re starving. The flight from L.A. didn’t have a meal, and we didn’t have time to eat between flights. You don’t mind, do you?”

Kelly swallowed her disappointment. She was hoping for time alone with him. Then again, she ate just three hours earlier. “Of course not.”

Susan hung up. “She’s on her way, she’ll meet us in the restaurant. She brought us to the airport so she could use my car while we were gone,” she explained to Kelly.

Mart didn’t want to let go of Kelly’s hand, but she helped him with his smaller rolling bag so he could push his chair. They found their luggage in baggage claim, then went to a restaurant in the main terminal and found a large table with plenty of room.

He kissed Kelly. “I’ll be right back.” He rolled toward the bathrooms and left Kelly awkwardly staring at Susan.

She looked young, probably right out of college. “How long have you worked with Mart?”

“I’ve been with the company for a year now, but I usually don’t work with him. We happened to be on the same project team this time.”

“Oh.” Kelly tried to find ways of making polite conversation without the question, “Are you fucking my fiancé?” popping out at an inopportune time. She was going to ask Susan a little more when another woman walked in. Susan brightened, raised her hand and waved, and the woman walked over.

“There you are!” Susan stood, hugged her. And kissed her.

On the lips.

Kelly checked—her jaw wasn’t on the table. Susan turned, holding the woman’s hand.

“Kelly, this is my girlfriend, Kate. Kate, this is Mart’s fiancée, Kelly.”

Kelly held out her hand. “Pleased to meet you.” You have no idea how much.

Susan and Kate sat across the table. Susan looked at Kelly. “Are you okay? I’m sorry, that didn’t freak you out, did it?”

Kelly shook her head, smiling, then laughing, and finally crying. She dropped her head to the table. She’d done it.

Again.

“What’s wrong?” Susan asked, concerned. Kelly held up a hand, fumbling for a napkin to wipe her eyes.

“I’m sorry.” She looked at Susan and Kate. “I’m not a moron, honestly. No, it doesn’t bother me. It’s just that my ex-husband was a cheating, lying asshole who used business trips as an excuse—”

“And Marty didn’t tell you about me?”

“Oh, he told me you were going. But he neglected to mention one little fact that would have made the last three weeks a lot more bearable.”

Susan shook her head. “This is one of the reasons I don’t date guys.”

Kate smiled. “You poor thing, I’m so sorry. And here I was, enjoying three weeks of not sharing a bathroom.”

“Hey,” Susan exclaimed. Kate patted her arm.

Kelly laughed, liking both women. But when Mart returned from the bathroom, all three turned and glared at him.

Realizing he’d done something, and that Kelly had been crying, he hesitated. “What’s wrong?”

Susan spoke first. “You’re an asshole, that’s what’s wrong.”

“What’d I do?”

Kelly let Susan take him on. “It’s what you didn’t do. You go overseas for three weeks with another woman, and you didn’t tell your fiancée I was gay?”

Mart looked from Susan to Kelly, and he closed his eyes and swore. “You’re right, I’m an idiot.” He took Kelly’s hands. “Sweetheart, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

He put his arms around her. “Kelly, why do you put up with me? I’m so stupid.”

“Stop that. Yes, I was a wreck. That’s my problem, not yours. You didn’t give me any reason to doubt you.” The relief washing over her threatened to bring another round of tears. She fought it off, able to relax and hold up her end of the conversation while they waited for their food.

After dinner, Susan left with Kate. Kelly brought her Element around to arrivals and steadied Mart’s chair while he pulled himself into the passenger seat. She was surprised by how much lighter his chair was than Denny’s. It weighed maybe fifteen pounds with the wheels on. Denny’s chair was at least thirty.

“Why is it so light?”

“Titanium frame, and composite rims.”

“Oh. Expensive?”

“Yeah. Worth every penny.” He leaned over and kissed her. “Let’s go before they bust us for making out in the loading zone.”

She smiled. “Home, Jeeves?”

“Wherever you’re going.”

They pulled into his driveway a little after one in the morning. She steadied his chair for him. Once he was unloaded, she brought his bags in from the Element. Inside the house, he motioned her to come hither.

He pulled into his lap and put his arms around her. “Kel, I’m sorry. I don’t know her that well, and I—”

She kissed him, cutting him off. “I don’t care. You’re home. That’s all that matters. I loved the poem—it was beautiful.”

He studied her. “I love you, Kel. I mean it. I don’t want anyone but you.”

“We should get to bed. I bet you’re tired.”

“Not too tired.” He smiled, leading her to the bedroom.

They both quickly undressed. Minutes later, she was in his arms. He nuzzled her neck, running his lips from her shoulder to her ear lobe, where he playfully, gently nipped her.

She gasped, pressing harder against him. He whispered, “You like that?”

She mumbled something she hoped passed for yes and writhed against him. His fingers slowly trailed between her legs. She moaned. He didn’t stop. In a few minutes, she was gasping, arching toward him.

He kissed her, and when he reached over her to the bedside table, she wiggled beneath him, trapping him. Before he could stop her, he was inside her.

It was his turn to gasp. He didn’t thrust and tried to pull out, but she wrapped her legs around him.

“Kelly,” he whispered, “we can’t.”

“Yes, we can. I went to the doctor.”

“Are you sure?”

“Have you been with anyone to put me at risk?”

He shook his head. “It’s been over a year. The vet gave me all my shots and tags and dewormed me.”

“Me too.” She kissed him. “So if you don’t have a problem with this,” she did a seductive bump and grind against him, making him moan, “and you aren’t sleeping with anyone else—which you’d better not be—we’re okay. As long as you’re okay with it.”

In response, he kissed her hard and thrust, making her gasp. “Does that answer your question?” He smiled and thrust again.

She wrapped her legs around his hips and arched to meet him, kissing him, enjoying the feel of him inside her. He took his time, played with her, taunted her until she rolled him over and got her revenge, making him gasp and thrust against her. Suddenly, he flipped her on her back, surprising her with his strength. He playfully pinned her arms over her head while he kissed her and seductively shifted his hips.

Something gave way inside her. She enjoying letting him have her like this, even in play. She closed her eyes, losing herself in the sensation. Then she realized what it was.

Trust.

She tried to kiss him, but he kept his lips just out of reach. She wanted him—all of him. “Do it,” she whispered, “make me yours.”

His eyes widened. He kissed her, moving his hands and using them as leverage to thrust. When he came, he moaned, calling her name, tensing against her. She wrapped her arms and legs around him.

“I love you,” she whispered in his ear.

He kissed her, nuzzled her nose with his. “I love you, too.”

They stayed in bed until noon. Kelly made him coffee and breakfast. He blearily wheeled into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“I’m going to tell them not to do that anymore.”

“What? Who?”

“The office. No more long trips like that. Not for a while. Not unless they want to fly me home on weekends. I didn’t care when I was alone.”

Her heart danced, and she hugged him tightly to her. “It’s your job. It’s okay, I understand.”

He pulled her into his lap. “No, it’s not okay.” He caressed her cheek. “I was miserable. I kept thinking, ‘It’s six o’clock at home, Kelly and the boys are having dinner. Or it’s seven o’clock, she’s getting them ready for school.’”

He looked into her eyes. “It’s never mattered before, because I didn’t have someone waiting for me. I know I’m not with you twenty-four/seven, but there’s a huge difference between a forty-minute drive and thirteen time zones. I couldn’t hop in the car and come over for dinner, or pick up the phone and call without doing calculus in my head to figure the time.”

“Thirteen hours. Half a day plus one hour.”

He smiled. “See?” He pressed his face against her neck. “The worst part was not being able to share the trip with you. We’d go places and I’d think, ‘God, I wish Kelly was here to see this.’”

She cried, remembering how much she’d missed Mart during her trek across the country. “I missed you so much. I knew you weren’t doing anything, but…” When she could talk again, she said, “It’s that stupid little niggling voice of doubt, you know? It’s not you. It’s something I have to work through.”

He kissed her again. “As long as it takes, no matter what it takes. I want you to be able to trust me.”

She would have to get through this. It wasn’t fair to saddle Mart with her issues. Especially when he’d done nothing to deserve her mistrust.

“Oh, wait here.” He opened his carry-on and produced a few small packages. “These are for the boys.” He laid two bags on the counter. “And this is for their beautiful mother.” He handed her a small jewelry box.

She opened it, her heart thumping. It was a small, delicate gold pendant, inscribed with characters she didn’t recognize.

“What does it say?”

He took the box from her, helped her put the necklace on. He kissed the back of her neck. “Kanji characters. ‘Saiai no hito,’ if I didn’t butcher it. It means ‘beloved.’ My Japanese sucks, by the way, so don’t be too impressed. I can order food and find a bathroom and that’s about it. I told them what I wanted. Fortunately, their English was better than my Japanese.”

She put her arms around him and kissed him. “It’s beautiful, thank you.”

“You are my beloved. I want to spend my life with you.”

How could she have ever doubted him? And how could she have wasted so many years on David? This was what passion and love were supposed to feel like.

“I want to spend my life with you, too.” She took the plunge. “I know we’ve got a lot going on with Denny’s meet next month, and then your races. I was thinking maybe we could get married after we get back from the Boston trip.”

He studied her face. “Are you sure?”

“Don’t give me time to think twice, Rawlings.”

“I don’t want you rushing into something because I want it.”

“I do want it. I want you.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “I want you with me every night when you’re home. I don’t want to be alone anymore. Nothing fancy; I just want you and me, the kids, family, a few friends. Patty’s sister is a notary, she’ll marry us.”

“You don’t want a church wedding?”

“I had one the first time, and look what happened.”

“Good point, so did I.” He paused. “You really want to do this?”

She nodded. “Absolutely. I have a big backyard. We can have everyone there.”

He caressed her face. “You name the date, I’ll be there,” he whispered.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Mart frequently ate dinner with Kelly and the boys, only spending the night when they were with their father or at Sharon’s.

Mart called shortly after David left with the boys one Friday evening. “Is the coast clear?”

“They’re off with their father.”

“Still want me to come over?”

“Do you even have to ask?”

“I guess I still can’t believe you want to be with me,” he admitted.

“I can’t believe you’d think that.”

They came up for air Saturday afternoon, going to a late lunch and a movie before returning to her house. They stretched out on her couch and watched the evening news while he massaged her feet. Kelly threw her head back and moaned. “God, that feels fantastic!”

“And that’s with our clothes on.”

She laughed and looked at him. “You don’t get serious very often, do you?”

“Life’s too short to be a grouch. I have my moments.”

She watched him knead her feet. She felt a little guilty that, in this area at least, she couldn’t truly reciprocate where he could enjoy it. “Do you ever get mad you’re in a chair?”

He shrugged. “I can’t change it. I’d be lying if I said I’m glad I’m in a chair.” He thought about it. “I’m lucky. Like Denny, I don’t know anything else. I can’t imagine spending your life walking and then suddenly having that taken away from you.”

“That’s a good attitude.”

“Oh, geez, we’re not going to have a Jerry’s Kids moment here, are we?”

She laughed. “No. I was just wondering.”

He changed feet, drawing more contented moans from her. “I get more upset about the stupidity of other people dealing with me, I guess, rather than my situation. I don’t have anything to bitch about. It could always be worse. I have a beautiful woman who, for some reason, has lost her mind and agreed to marry me.” Kelly laughed, and Mart continued. “I don’t have to worry about cathing or anything like that. I have a great life and a supportive family. I’d be wasting it if I sat and bitched and moaned about what might have been. I was the lucky one.” He looked down and his voice grew sad. “My twin sister died in the wreck.”

“What?”

“I don’t like to talk about it.” He looked at her. “I’m sorry, I should have told you sooner. It was sheer luck I lived.”

She wanted to ask him more, but her house phone rang. Mart was closer, glanced at the handset. He scowled and handed it to her. “Is that David’s number?”

She answered. “Hello?”

“Mom, can you come get us? Right now?”

She sat up. “Paulie, what’s wrong?”

“Dad’s being a jerk.”

“What’s going on?” In the background, Kelly heard Denny yelling and David’s angry voice. A woman, probably Beatrice, trying to calm them down.

Paulie kept his voice low. “Dad said something about Mart. I told him he couldn’t talk about him like that because he’s going to be our stepdad. Then Dad called Mart a cripple, and Denny started crying. I started yelling at Dad and he sent me to my room. Denny started yelling at Dad not to talk like that about Mart, and they’re still yelling at each other. Dad’s been drinking.”

“I’ll be right there. You hang tight. Call my cell if it gets too bad, and call 911 if he tries to lay a hand you guys.”

She hung up and looked at Mart. “I’m sorry. I have to go get the boys.” She got up, but he caught her arm.

“We.”

“What?”

“I’m in this too. I’ll drive. You’re too upset.”

He was right—she wasn’t alone anymore. Considering the fight was about Mart to start with, he had a right to go.

She nodded. “Okay.”

She found her purse and pulled on jeans and sneakers, her hands shaking as she tried to tie them. In the van, she repeated what Paulie told her.

Mart set his jaw, his face an angry mask. “Oh, David said that, did he?”

“Please, Mart, you’re a bigger man than he is. Don’t get into it with him in front of the boys.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t.”

She gave him directions. The drive only took fifteen minutes. Yet another thing that angered her—David lived so close and made little effort to see the boys more often.

Paulie and Denny waited on the front walk with their backpacks. Paulie grabbed Denny’s and headed to the van. Mart unloaded to help Denny. David lumbered outside, Beatrice trying to calm him.

“Let them go, David. They’re upset,” Beatrice pleaded.

“I’ll be damned if I’m going to let them think he,” he pointed to Mart, “is a better man than I am.”

He’s really drunk, Kelly thought.

Kelly walked up to Beatrice, Mart right behind her. “How much has he had to drink?”

Beatrice paled. “Too much.”

She nodded. “Boys, let’s go home.”

Kelly turned. David broke free of Beatrice’s grip and staggered after her.

“They’re not going anywhere until tomorrow,” David roared. He clamped his hand on Kelly’s shoulder, roughly pulling her backwards. She stumbled and fell to the ground.

Suddenly, David was flat on his back, Mart’s hand on his throat.

“If you ever lay a hand on her or the boys again, you son of a bitch,” Mart growled, low enough the boys couldn’t hear, “I’ll fucking kill you.”

Shocked, Kelly tried to process what had happened. She didn’t know how Mart put David on the ground without coming out of his wheelchair.

David’s eyes widened in surprise and shock.

After a moment, Mart removed his hand from David’s throat, leaving him coughing and gasping for air. Mart took Kelly’s hand, helped her to her feet, and led her back to the van.

“You boys buckled in?” he asked.

Dazed, Kelly didn’t know how much the boys saw, afraid the police would come after Mart for assault.

* * * *

Mart’s hands stopped shaking a few minutes after leaving David’s. He’d never tell Kelly how close came to beating the crap out of David. The only thing that stopped him was boys. Otherwise, he’d be in jail for assault.

And it would have been well worth it.

He couldn’t let the jerk think he could get away with that kind of stuff. Especially not in front of the boys. Maybe now David would back off, show Kelly some respect, and not just see him as her “crip boyfriend.”

Mart glanced in the rearview mirror. The boys were quiet, obviously upset. He didn’t think David would retaliate, as drunk as he was, but Mart didn’t want to return to Kelly’s yet.

Mart made a wrong turn. “Home’s the other way,” Kelly said.

“We’re not going home.” He drove for a few minutes and pulled into a Cold Stone Creamery. “Who wants ice cream?”

The boys, temporarily distracted, raced into the store ahead them. She pulled Mart aside. “What happened?”

“I was behind him. When he grabbed you, I rammed into the back of his legs and caught his throat on the way down. It’s an old trick I learned in college.” He smiled. “Sure you still want to marry me?”

She kissed him. “My hero. I’d be stupid to say no.”

* * * *

Kelly was afraid deputies would be waiting at her house, but her driveway was empty except for the Element. Beatrice had left a voicemail on the house phone.

“Kelly? Look, I’m sorry. David’s passed out now. He’s not going to try anything else. Whatever happens, I’ll back you up. David had no right to go after you. Please tell the boys I’m sorry. Thanks.”

Kelly saved the message and hit replay, then handed the phone to Mart. He listened and hung up. “Well, answers that question.”

The situation finally hit Denny. He sat on the living room floor, channel surfing, tears rolling down his face.

Kelly started to go to him when Mart put a hand on hers, shaking his head. “Paulie, can you go help your mom?”

Mart wheeled over to Denny and joined him on the floor while Kelly led Paulie into the kitchen.

She sat him at the table and made him a mug of hot chocolate. “Want to tell me what happened?”

He took a sip. “Dad had no right to talk to us like that. I wanted to hit him.”

She looked at the table. David didn’t drink a lot when they were married. The few times he did drink excessively, he was a mean drunk. Not physically violent, but she didn’t let him hang around long enough to find out if he could be.

“I’m sorry this happened.”

“I’m not. Maybe now Denny will see what a jerk he is. I hate going over there. I don’t want to spend time with him. The only reason I go is because Denny wants to go. I don’t want Denny going by himself.”

“Are you afraid he’ll hurt Denny?”

“Not hit him. Just say mean stuff like he did tonight.”

“Does he do that a lot?”

He shook his head. “Not usually. I overheard him talking to Beatrice about Mart, calling him a ‘crip’ and all sorts of garbage. I hate my father. He doesn’t care about us.”

She reached over and touched his arm. “You’re a good brother. I don’t tell you that enough, but I am so proud of you for sticking up for him.”

Paulie took a sip of his cocoa, his tears welling. “Dad doesn’t care about Denny. He doesn’t even care about me. He tries to impress people. He only cares about how many points I scored in a game. That’s all he asks me. He doesn’t care about school or Denny’s sports or anything. Why can’t he be like Mart?”

They sat in silence for a while. “If you don’t want to go over there any more, we might have to get the lawyer involved.”

“I don’t want to go, but I need to talk Denny into not going.”

“Wait here.” Kelly peeked out the kitchen door. Mart sat on the floor, Denny curled in his arms. Mart nodded to her, and she sat next to them, stroking Denny’s hair.

“Honey? Are you okay?”

Denny sat up and sniffled. When he saw her, he started crying again, reaching for her. She held him as Mart put his arms around both of them.

“He was so mean, Mom. Why’d he have to be so mean?” the boy sobbed.

“I don’t know, sweetie.” She rocked him, leaning against Mart for support.

Finally, Denny sat up and wiped his face. “Do I have to go back?”

She shook her head. “Not if you don’t want to.”

Paulie walked in from the kitchen. “I’ll tell him. I don’t want to see him again. He’s a jerk.” He sat in front of them. “Listen, Squirt, we’re too good for him. We don’t need anyone but Mom and Mart.”

Denny looked at them and quietly asked, “Why doesn’t he want us?”

Kelly hunted for appropriate words. “It’s not your fault, honey. It’s not that he doesn’t want you. Your father has… issues.”

Mart snorted. “He doesn’t have issues—he has a whole subscription.” He looked at his watch. “God, I didn’t realize what time it is.”

“You’re not leaving,” Kelly said.

“Kel, I—”

“Mart, please stay,” Denny piped up. “Please don’t leave.”

Mart looked at the boys and back to Kelly. “Guys, I need to talk to your mom. It’s been a long day. Why don’t you get ready for bed?” They left. “Kel, I thought we were going to wait. I mean, we’re going to be married soon.”

“I don’t want to be here alone in case David shows up.”

“I think I should sleep on the couch.”

“At this point, it doesn’t matter. David has Betty Boop living over at his house.”

“Beatrice.”

“Whatever. The boys know we’re getting married. It doesn’t matter.”

“You’re sure?”

She nodded. “I’m sure.” After the evening’s events, she’d never been more sure of anything in her entire life.

Mart followed Kelly into Denny’s room. “You’re going to stay, right?” Denny asked him.

“Yes, buddy, I’ll spend the night.”

“I don’t want Dad to hurt Mom.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t let him hurt anybody.” He patted Denny’s shoulder. “Get some sleep. We’ll practice tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay. Good night, Mom.”

She kissed him. “‘Night, honey.”

Mart followed Kelly into Paulie’s room. She sat on the edge of his bed. “Are you okay?” she asked.

“Mart, promise me you’ll never be a jerk like my dad.”

“Paulie, please don’t be bitter,” Kelly said.

“Mom, he’s a jerk. I’m not going to quit saying it until he quits acting like it.” He shook his head. “He’s just a big jerk.”

She kissed him. “Go to sleep.”

Mart patted him on the shoulder. “See you in the morning.”

With the living room to themselves, they resumed their positions on the couch. Mart motioned for Kelly to put her feet in his lap.

“I didn’t get to finish this. I think you need it now more than ever.”

“You’ve got that right.” She closed her eyes and tried to relax. “I hope David isn’t stupid enough to show up.”

“If he’s passed out in his living room, he probably won’t be going anywhere until morning.”

They waited another half-hour before going to bed. After all the stress, they curled up together and she quickly fell asleep in his arms, feeling safe and protected. He fell asleep listening to her deep, slow breathing.

The next morning, Kelly awoke with Mart beside her. He was still asleep, and she studied him in the early morning light. Every muscle of his upper body was lean and defined. He wasn’t bulky, but he was solid. With the sun struggling for purchase through the blinds, Kelly saw how he could put David on the ground. David was a large man, but he didn’t work out, and he was soft, slow. Mart’s hands were large and powerful, with long fingers that…

A pleasant tingle ran through her at the thought of what those fingers could do to her body. He was so strong, and yet tender and gentle.

As if sensing her attention, he opened his eyes. “Morning, beautiful.” He kissed her. “How long have you been awake?”

“Just a few minutes.” She traced his tattoo with her fingers. She could make out the shape and color of the entwined vines, with a stylized USA worked into the design.

“I can’t believe I get to wake up next to you,” he said. “Do you have any idea how much I love you?”

She smiled, kissing him. “That makes two of us.”

He grinned. “You love you, too?”

She gently shoved him. “You know what I meant.”

“And I get to tease you like that.”

“Well, I get to tease you like this,” she said, reaching down and showing him.

He responded instantly. “That’s hitting below the belt,” he whispered.

“No, this is.”

He closed his eyes and laid back, letting her have her way. He tried to be quiet, but at the end he moaned softly as his hands tensed and clutched at her shoulders and he wrapped his fingers in her hair. Finally, he relaxed and drew her up into his arms.

“God, you are amazing,” he whispered, still breathless.

“You’re not so bad yourself.”

“You have no idea.” He kissed her neck, working his way down to her breasts, her belly, further. She pulled a pillow over her face, not trusting herself to be quiet as he teased her, giving her release when he didn’t think she could take any more. She was still trembling when he gathered her into his arms and curled around her.

Kelly must have drifted back to sleep, because the next thing she knew, Denny knocked on her bedroom door.

Thank God I locked it. “What, honey?”

“Can we go out to breakfast?”

She glanced at Mart. “Okay with you?” she whispered.

He nodded.

“That’s fine. Let me have some time to wake up and get dressed, okay?”

“Okay.” Pause. “Mart, can you help me adjust my brakes before we go? They’re messed up. I think my dad bumped them getting my chair in his car.”

Kelly and Mart giggled, feeling like a couple of high school kids.

“I’ll look at them for you before we go,” he called out.

“Okay. Thanks.”

“We’re busted,” he whispered, sending her into yet another fit of giggles.

“Well, they have to get used to it sooner or later. Maybe I should thank David for acting like a jerk and speeding things up.”

“Does Hallmark make a card for that? ‘To my asshole ex-husband, thank you for royally screwing up so my fiancé and I can spend the night together in the house with the kids.’ Sounds like a winner to me.”

She laughed, unable to hold it in. “You’re terrible.”

“That’s not what you were moaning a few minutes ago.”

“I wasn’t capable of coherent speech a few minutes ago.”

He lightly traced her jaw with his fingers, making her shiver with anticipation. “I plan on spending many long, wonderful nights keeping you speechless,” he whispered.

Heat exploded deep within her. She kissed him, pressing against him. She rolled on top of him. He was ready, and so was she. They tried to be quiet. Before long, they were slowly rocking together, muffling their moans with each others’ lips. He tensed inside her, but she wasn’t there yet.

She whispered in his ear, “It’s okay—go ahead,” and he moaned against her neck.

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. “I’m sorry—I owe you one.”

“I’ll hold you to it,” she teased.

“That’s a promise I can’t wait to keep.”

Mart pulled on a pair of shorts and went to make coffee while Kelly started the shower. Denny sat in the kitchen and watched him.

“What’s up, buddy?” Mart asked.

“Do you love my mom?”

Mart turned to him. “Yes I do. Very much.”

The boy looked at the floor. “Do you love me and Paulie?”

“You’d better believe it.”

He looked at him. “Really?”

Mart nodded. “Absolutely. I think it’s great I’ll get to be with all of you every day. Are you okay with that?”

Denny nodded but looked sad.

“What’s wrong?”

“You can still be my coach, right?”

“Yes, of course I’ll still be your coach. Is that what’s bugging you?”

“I was worried when you married Mom you couldn’t be my coach anymore.”

Mart laughed. “Naw. In fact, you’ll have to work even harder because I’ll be around all the time.”

Denny grinned. “I don’t mind.”

Mart relayed the conversation to Kelly. She laughed, then cried. “He was worried you couldn’t be his coach?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s so sweet. Here I was worried they might not want a stepdad.”

“I think it’s safe to say we’re well past that point.”

* * * *

Late Tuesday afternoon, Denny streaked down the hall past Kelly’s office toward the front door. She couldn’t make out what he shouted. Paulie was close on his heels, and she removed her headphones. “What’s up?”

“Mart’s here.”

“What?” She wasn’t expecting him until tomorrow. He’d flown out early Monday morning for Seattle and must have returned that afternoon. He wanted to cancel his trip after the weekend’s events, but she assured him they’d be fine until his return.

David made no attempt to contact the boys.

Mart was unloading his van, a huge grin on his face.

She walked over. “Hey you. What’s up?”

He winked, and she laughed. “Pervert,” she whispered.

“You love it.” He pulled her in for a quick kiss. Then to the boys, “I have a surprise for you.”

He wheeled to the back and pulled out a huge box. “Paulie, help me out here, buddy.”

Paulie helped him unload it. “This is for Denny,” Mart said. “And

this—” he reached inside, pulled out two more boxes, “is for both of you. Let’s take them inside so you can open them.”

The boys helped carry the boxes. Inside, Mart got out of his chair and helped Denny and Paulie open them. Denny bounced and flapped when he found the hockey sled.

“Oh boy! Mom, look at this!”

She leaned against the doorway, wondering how she’d managed to hit the jackpot with Mart. “I see it.”

Paulie ripped into the other boxes and found a full set of equipment for Denny, including sticks. And a helmet, gloves, and skates for himself.

“I got the size from your shoes,” Mart said. “If they don’t fit, we can exchange them. We’ll get you a stick in town—you need to find one that fits your height. This way you can help with practice. If you decide to join a team, we’ll get you a full set of pads to go with it.”

“Thanks, Mart.” Paulie threw his arms around Mart. Kelly put a hand to her mouth, trying to hold back the tears.

Denny hugged Mart too. “Thank you so much. This is awesome. Can I try it on?”

“Sure.”

Kelly watched as Mart and Paulie helped Denny into the various pads and properly adjust the helmet so it fit.

Paulie tried on his skates. They fit, as did his helmet and gloves.

She sat and watched them, without interrupting, not wanting the moment to end.

Mart looked up and returned to his chair. He rolled over to her. “You okay, babe?”

She nodded, hugging him. She whispered in his ear, “Do you know how much I absolutely love you right now?”

He grinned and whispered, “If I’d known that, I would have bought hockey gear for them instead of the ring. It’s cheaper.” He winked.

She laughed, and he pulled her in for a kiss. “Hey, they’re my boys too,” he said. “My boys want to play hockey, so they need the right equipment.”

* * * *

“He got them both hockey gear?” Patty asked the next afternoon at swim practice.

Kelly nodded, watching the boys working with Greg. “Both of them. He didn’t get Paulie a full set of pads, just what he needs to get on the ice to help with sled hockey practice.”

Patty shook her head. “And you’re not married to him yet, why?”

Kelly watched the boys swim and didn’t answer.

“Okay, spill it,” Patty said.

Kelly fingered the pendant around her neck. She always wore it, her lucky talisman. “I need to talk to your sister.”

“Why?” Kelly met Patty’s eyes. Patty grinned. “When?”

Kelly shrugged. She looked at the pool and smiled. “We don’t know exactly. That’s why I want to talk to your sister to set the date. We have Denny’s meet in Birmingham, and then two weeks later, Mart and I have his races in Boston. Within a few weeks after that. I want to do it before Thanksgiving.”

“Church?”

“Hell, no. Didn’t work the first time for either of us. We’ll do it at my house.”

“Congratulations. Kelly, I know he’s the one for you, he’s so sweet, and Ben said the boys love him.”

“Really?”

“Paulie told Ben what happened at David’s. He said, ‘You should have seen the way Mart protected my mom. It was awesome.’”

She nodded. “It was, but I wish David hadn’t shown his ass in front of the boys.”

“It was bound to happen sooner or later.”

Kelly watched the boys. “I never wanted them to lose their dad.”

“That’s not your fault. You were more than fair considering what that asshole did to you. This is all on David’s head, so don’t you go feeling bad about it. At least they have Mart they can rely on. Besides you, duh.”

Kelly forced a smile. Then Mart appeared at the gate to join the swim session, and Kelly’s smile transformed into a wide grin.

Patty noticed. She leaned closer and dropped her voice. “You both light up when you see each other. You know that?”

“Yeah. I feel it.”

“That’s what love’s supposed to feel like. Not dread.”

Toward the end of her marriage, Kelly had dreaded David being home, even before she discovered his affairs. “I know, Patty. I love him.” She turned to her friend. “I’m happy.”

Patty reached out and squeezed Kelly’s hand. “I know. I don’t think I’ve seen you this happy except when the boys were born.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

Kelly worried she’d have to call David to get him to respond to her email about Denny’s meet. Either parent needed the other’s written agreement to take the boys out of state. Finally, two days before their scheduled departure for Birmingham, David responded with a one-word reply: Whatever.

She took that as a yes.

The boys missed two days of school, not that they were complaining. Mart drove while Kelly relaxed in the passenger seat.

Mart was nothing like her father on trips. He was prepared, calm, and joked with her and the boys. He was scheduled to work the meet as an official, but he taught Kelly how to set up the throwing chair in case he missed any of the field events.

Denny won all three of his track and all four of his swim events. Field was last, on Saturday afternoon.

Kelly sat in a folding chair under an oak tree and tried to work on her laptop. Mart rolled up and leaned in for a kiss.

“How are you doing?” he asked.

“Tired. But I think they’re having fun.”

“I checked the prelims. It looks like Denny’s holding onto first.”

“Really? He’ll be happy.”

“There’s still a couple of kids to go, but from their qualifying throws, I don’t think they can beat him. Don’t say anything until I know for sure.”

“How much longer until we’re done?”

He glanced at his clipboard. “Probably two hours, then we can get dinner. Where are they?”

She looked at the field, scanned, found them. “Over there.” She pointed to where Denny and Paulie sat under a staging tent, talking to a couple of boys from the Georgia team.

“I see them.” He leaned in for another kiss, long, lingering, and touched her chin. “Weekend after next, you’re all mine.”

She smiled, trying to ignore the pleasant tingle stirring inside her. “You better believe it,” she whispered, pausing to nibble on his ear before pulling away.

He beamed. “God I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Their moment was short-lived. Mart’s radio squawked, and a woman’s voice cut through their bubble. “I need an official on Pit Three for a record, please.”

“I’ll be back,” he said with a fake Terminator accent, making Kelly laugh. He wheeled away across the field.

Kelly squinted at her laptop, trying to make out the screen. A few minutes later, Paulie ran up, out of breath.

“Mom, Denny’s sick.”

“What? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know. He was doing okay, then he said he had a headache and felt kind of sick.”

“Did he throw up?”

“No, but he hasn’t been drinking any water. I yelled at him, but he didn’t do it.”

She closed the laptop and slipped it into its case. “Let’s see.”

Denny sat under the tent, looking mopey. “You’re a fink, Paulie.”

“Shut up, Squirt,” he said as Kelly knelt in front of Denny.

“How you feeling, honey?”

He frowned and shifted in his chair. “I’m okay.”

“You haven’t had any water?”

He shook his head. Hopefully he was only dehydrated. That was the irony of spina bifida—you hoped something was “only” the flu or “only” dehydration, as opposed to a shunt failure.

There was a cooler nearby with bottled water for the athletes. Kelly grabbed a bottle and opened it. “Drink this. Now.”

He did, and a few minutes later, he nodded. “My headache’s better.”

She sighed, relieved. She handed him another bottle. “I want to see this one empty in the next fifteen minutes.”

He nodded.

“Do you still feel sick to your stomach?”

He shook his head.

“It’s hot out here. If you get dehydrated, you’ll have to go to the hospital and they’ll put in an IV.”

“No.”

He hated IVs, and she hated using the threat. “Then drink.”

He enthusiastically nodded and took a few swallows from the new bottle.

“Don’t make yourself sick. Just keep drinking all afternoon, okay?”

He nodded again.

She walked back to her chair and sat, unable to work. Mart returned twenty minutes later. “What’s wrong?”

She told him. He frowned. “Are you sure that’s all it was?”

Kelly tried to ignore the nagging in her gut. “Don’t say it. Don’t you dare say it.”

“There’s a great children’s hospital right here on campus.”

“Don’t say it.”

“Kelly, how do you know it’s not his shunt?”

She closed her eyes. “Don’t jinx this. I don’t know. But he felt better after he drank some water, and his headache went away. If I haul him to the ER every time he gets a headache, he’ll get to the point where he won’t tell me if he has one. And it is hot.”

Mart looked and found Denny under the tent. “I trust your judgment, but I’m saying there’s an easy option.”

“I know. I appreciate it. If he gets sick again, we’ll take him. Right now let’s let him be, see how he does.”

Mart nodded. “Okay.”

Every time Kelly looked at Denny, he either had water or a sports drink in hand. She relaxed, confident she’d made the right choice. Dehydration was common and could happen to anyone, disabled or not.

Early Sunday morning, Kelly went across the hall to wake the boys. They had a twelve hour drive ahead of them, and Mart wanted to get on the road after breakfast. Paulie woke immediately, but Denny was slower to respond.

“What?” he mumbled.

She gently shook him. “Come on, honey. Time to get up.”

“I don’t want to.” He sounded grumpier than normal.

“Tired?”

“I have a headache. I want to go back to sleep.”

Her stomach dropped. “You need to get up.”

He did, and Kelly waited until he was in the bathroom to return to her room.

“What’s wrong?” Mart asked. She told him, and he frowned. “Well?”

She shook her head. “Let’s give him until breakfast—”

Paulie pounded on their door. “Mom!”

She flung it open. “What?”

She knew from Paulie’s face there was a problem. “Denny just puked. Bad.”

Kelly raced across the hall and found Denny crying and leaning over the tub. “I’m sorry, Mommy.”

“Shh.” She grabbed a washcloth and wiped his face. “It’s okay.”

“I don’t want a shunt, Mommy!”

Her stomach tightened. She heard Mart crowd into the bathroom doorway. “It’s okay,” she told Denny. “You might be sick from yesterday. But we need to get you a CT scan.”

“I’ll call the front desk,” Mart said, “and tell them we aren’t checking out. Paulie, get dressed and get what your mom needs for your brother.”

The older boy nodded and jumped to it. Mart was already dressed. He met Kelly’s eyes. “It’s okay, Kel. I’ll stay with him. Go get dressed.”

Mart moved out of the doorway and grabbed her hand as she walked past. “This’ll be okay.”

She nodded, fighting her nervous tears. This was her baby. It didn’t get any easier no matter how many times it happened.

When she returned, Mart had Denny and the worst of the mess cleaned up.

If she didn’t marry him for that alone, she was nuts. David didn’t do puke clean-up unless practically forced at gunpoint.

“Let’s get him over there right now,” Mart said.

They headed for the elevator. Denny let her push his chair. He sat, slumped over, his eyes closed.

Mart helped them load and drove them to the pediatric ER entrance. After filling out paperwork, they were taken to an exam room. Denny quietly sat while the nurse took his vital signs and asked him questions.

“You’re in luck,” the nurse said. “There’s a PA on duty today for one of the pediatric neuro-surgeons. We’ve already called him, and he’s ordering a CT scan.

“Thank you,” Kelly said. Mart’s arm encircled her waist, and she struggled not to cry. She had to stay strong.

Paulie sat in a chair in the corner next to Denny’s bed, watching cartoons with him.

“I have to call David,” Kelly whispered in Mart’s ear.

Mart held out his hand for her phone. “I’ll do it.”

“But—”

“Kelly, I don’t have a problem dealing with the guy. You’ve got enough stress.”

She handed him the phone. He wheeled out and returned a few minutes later.

“Well?”

Mart’s face was a thinly disguised mask of anger. He leaned over and whispered, “He bitched I woke him up. When I told him we thought Denny’s shunt might be bad, he said to call him later.”

“That’s it?” How could even David be that callous?

Mart nodded. He leaned in closer, his mouth next to her ear. “I told him it was possible Denny would need surgery, and he said, ‘Whatever. Call me after it’s over.’”

She fought a wave of fury and reached for the phone. “Give it.”

He shook his head. “No. Getting into a fight with him won’t help.”

“I’m going to call Beatrice.”

Mart hesitated, then handed her the phone. Kelly went to Denny. “I’ll be right back, honey.”

He nodded. She walked to the lobby, fighting her angry shakes. Beatrice answered on the second ring. “Hello?”

“It’s Kelly.”

“Oh, thank God! What’s going on?”

“What the hell is wrong with David?”

Beatrice was silent for a long moment. “He’s drunk.”

“What? It’s—” she looked at the clock on the waiting room wall and did the math, “eight o’clock in the morning there.”

“I’m sorry, Kelly. I tried to get the phone away from him when Martin called, but I wasn’t fast enough. David hung up on him before I could find out what’s wrong.”

“We’re waiting for a CT scan. If David sobers up enough to care, tell him they might have to do a shunt revision. I don’t like having it done away from home, but it’s not like we’re only a short drive away.”

“I know. I’m so sorry.” It sounded like Beatrice was struggling not to cry. When she spoke again, she kept her voice low. “I may not be around here much longer. I’m looking for an apartment. David doesn’t know. I wouldn’t let the boys come over here after I go. His drinking is out of control. If you want, I’ll testify for you, I promise. I’ll sign an affidavit or whatever you need, but until David gets into rehab, the boys shouldn’t be alone with him.”

Kelly’s gut clenched. This was too much, too soon. “Thank you for your honesty.”

“I love the boys, I think they’re great. I really do. But David—” Beatrice sounded like she was trying not to cry. “He loves the boys. Really. I know he doesn’t act like it, but he does. He needs help. He’s gone downhill the past couple of months. Please tell Denny I hope he feels better and give him a hug for me. I’ll keep my cell phone on me all day. Please, call as soon as you know something.”

Of all possible emotions, Kelly didn’t expect to feel sympathy for Beatrice. “I will. It might be a few hours.”

“Thank you.”

Kelly returned to the room. Mart raised his eyebrow, but before she could talk, a white-coated young man walked in and introduced himself. “I’m Steve Davis, Dr. Arslowe’s PA. You’re Mom and Dad?”

Mart was closer and held out his hand. “Yes.”

Neither Kelly nor the boys corrected him.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Thirty minutes later, Kelly stood in radiology, a heavy lead apron wrapped around her while Denny “rode the doughnut,” as they had nicknamed the CT machine. Mart took Paulie to the cafeteria to eat. Kelly would eat later. Denny couldn’t eat in case he needed surgery, so neither would she.

Kelly knew from the technician’s face it wasn’t good. She walked into the control room to look at the screen. Kelly wasn’t an expert, but even she could see the ventricles in Denny’s brain were enlarged. When the shunt malfunctioned, it allowed excess spinal fluid pressure to build up in the brain, hydrocephalus—“water on the brain.” And that caused symptoms like headaches and vomiting. Left untreated, it could cause brain damage.

“What’s next?”

“We need to do a shunt series x-ray, too. Then the doctor will talk to you.”

Kelly knew the drill. Radiology techs wouldn’t give her an answer, only the doctor could do that. But it was easy enough to guess the outcome.

They transferred Denny to a regular room on the floor and waited for the physician’s assistant to return. Paulie and Mart were back from breakfast when the PA walked in.

“I talked to Dr. Arslowe. He agrees Denny needs a new shunt.”

Mart said nothing and put a comforting arm around Kelly’s waist.

Denny teared up. “I want to go home.”

“I know you do, buddy,” the PA said, “but don’t you want your head to feel better?”

Denny nodded. The PA continued. “Look, Dr. Arslowe is good, and he’s fast. Quicker than lightning. You’ll be pounding back a cheeseburger by tonight, you wait and see.”

Denny looked suspicious but nodded. “I’m hungry.”

The PA patted him on the hand. “I know you are. We’ll take care of that after you wake up.”

Denny nodded again and rolled over. They’d already started an IV and put him on antibiotics.

The PA looked at Kelly, gave her a reassuring smile. “Dr. Arslowe is one of the best in the country. He’s in good hands.”

“When?”

“He’s on his way in now. They’ll come take Denny to pre-op in a little while. You’ve been through this before, I’m sure. I’ll have the nurse give him a little something to make him happy and calm him down. As long as all goes well, he’ll be out of here tomorrow morning.”

Kelly nodded. “Thank you.”

“You hear that, buddy?” the PA said to Denny. “The nurse will put something in your IV so you’ll feel really good. Hopefully, tomorrow morning, you’ll be out of here.”

“Thank you.”

He patted Denny on the shoulder and left the room. The nurse walked in shortly after and pushed the meds into Denny’s IV. Within ten minutes, Denny was smiling, chatting, without a care in the world.

Mart teased him. “You’re going to get a funny haircut in a little while.”

Denny grinned, the medicine in full effect. “Yep. You want one?”

Mart smiled. “No, thank you. I don’t need one.”

“What’s the doctor’s name?”

“Arslowe.”

“I wish he was Ar-fast.” Denny giggled maniacally.

Mart, Kelly, and Paulie exchanged looks and laughed. Yes, Denny was feeling no pain.

A doctor walked in, an older man with a hefty build and kind face. He carried Denny’s chart. “Are you Daniel?”

Danny grinned. “Only when I’m in a lot of trouble.”

The doctor laughed. “I see someone’s had their happy juice. Who are you normally?”

“Denny.”

“Nice to meet you, Denny. I’m Dr. Arslowe,” he said, shaking Denny’s hand.

Denny grinned. “I know you are slow, but I wish you are fast!”

Everyone groaned except Dr. Arslowe, who laughed. “That’s a good one. Haven’t heard that one before.”

Denny laughed. “I like you.”

“I like you too, kid. You ready to feel better?”

Denny nodded. “I want to eat.”

“I know you do, champ. We’ll take care of that after you wake up.”

A nurse walked in. Dr. Arslowe handed her the chart, gave her instructions, then turned to Kelly. “He’ll be fine. I don’t know if it’s the tube or valve that’s the problem, but if we have to, we’ll replace the whole thing. He’s not running a fever, so I doubt it’s infected, and the shunt tap looked normal. I don’t expect it to take more than an hour. I talked to his regular doctor’s PA. He gave me a chart overview on the phone. I don’t think there will be any problems.”

Kelly nodded. Mart took her hand, sensing she was close to breaking.

They followed Denny to pre-op. Normally, Kelly waited with Denny in holding, but the nurse reassured her. “He’s only going to be here long enough for us to get his monitors hooked up, then he’s going straight through to the OR. Less than five minutes at the most, I promise. Have you had anything to eat today?”

Kelly shook her head. The nurse turned to Mart. “Take her to the cafeteria. Stop at the desk, they’ll get you a beeper. It’ll take them at least a half-hour for the OR to prep him. Once they start, someone will call the waiting room. If they can’t get you there, they’ll beep.”

Mart nodded. “Thank you.”

Kelly gave Denny a hug. The medicine first made him goofy, now he was sleepy. “Love you, honey. See you in a little bit.”

“Love you too, Mom.”

Paulie hugged him. “Love you, Squirt. Thanks for getting me out of school tomorrow.”

Denny brightened. “We miss school.”

Paulie laughed. “You just now realized that?”

“Cool.”

Mart wheeled over. He stretched up and hugged Denny. “Love you, buddy.”

Denny hugged him back. “Love you too, Dad.”

That nearly finished Kelly. She watched as the door closed behind them, then let Mart pull her into his lap. He hugged her as she cried. She felt Paulie’s arms around her too, and she cried even harder as she realized they already were a family.

Kelly let Mart take charge and realized this was how normal families worked. She wouldn’t have to bear the brunt of the responsibility alone anymore—she had Mart.

Mart got a beeper and, holding Kelly’s hand, led her to the cafeteria. She didn’t feel like eating but picked at her food at Mart’s insistence.

“Oh, no,” she said. “I need to call Mom.”

“Done. I told her I’d call her back as soon as we know anything.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll call Beatrice, too. Later.”

She looked at Paulie. “Are you okay?”

He nodded. “I know Squirt will be fine, but I want to punch my father.”

“Paulie—”

Mart, seated next to her, put a hand on her leg under the table. “Paulie, I’m sure your father loves you guys the best he knows how.”

“Well, he’s a jerk.”

Kelly’s phone vibrated. She looked at it and handed it to Mart to answer.

“Hi, Beatrice,” he said, wheeling away from them. He returned a few minutes later. “She’s a good person.” He handed the phone back to Kelly.

“Too bad my dad sucks.”

“Pau—”

Mart interrupted her. “Paulie, some people can’t handle differences. That doesn’t make them bad people, it just makes them not as strong as we are.”

“He’s a drunk. And after what he did to Mom and us—”

“He’s still your father. Don’t compare him to me. You can still love him and not like or agree with the things he does.”

Paulie chewed that one. After a few minutes, he asked, “Do you mind if I call you my dad?”

Mart and Kelly exchanged a quick glance. “I don’t mind at all,” he said.

Mart coaxed enough food into Kelly to make him quit worrying. Then they went to the waiting room. A few minutes later, a nurse came in asking for Kelly. She held up her hand. The nurse walked over and smiled.

“He’s doing fine. There’s no sign of infection. It looks like the valve was blocked. Dr. Arslowe’s replacing that, and he’ll replace the bottom too, just to be sure.”

Kelly nodded, her eyes tearing again. Mart took Kelly’s hand and squeezed it.

“Thank you,” Kelly said.

“Dr. Arslowe said he’ll talk to you personally when he’s finished.”

Mart nodded. “Thanks.” He looked at Kelly. “He’ll be fine.”

Kelly nodded, wiping her eyes.

True to his word, the doctor walked in about an hour later, smiling. “He’s doing great. I replaced the whole shunt. We’ll do a CT scan early tomorrow morning. As long as everything looks okay, he can go home tomorrow. He’s in recovery. They’ll bring him back to his room as soon as he’s awake. You can wait up there for him.”

The weight lifted from Kelly’s shoulders. “Thank you.” One-night stays were the norm.

“Call his regular surgeon when you get home, get an appointment. I’ll leave orders for you to get copies of all the films and reports at discharge.”

“Thanks, Doc,” Mart said.

They made their way back to Denny’s room to wait. Kelly left Mart with Paulie while she took the phone, making a stop in the bathroom. Locking herself in a stall, she let the tears come, trying to be quiet, wanting to get it out of her system. When she’d recovered, she washed her face and went downstairs where she’d have reception to make the calls.

Her mom first. “He’s okay. He’ll be back in his room in a little while.”

Sharon sighed. “Thank God. Tell him I love him.”

“I will.”

Kelly called Beatrice next.

“Is he okay?”

“He’s in recovery.”

“Oh, good.”

“Where’s David?”

Beatrice hesitated, and Kelly almost checked to see if the call had dropped when Beatrice said, “I don’t know. He left about an hour ago. He’s not answering his cell.”

“Oh.”

“Kelly, I meant what I said. Whatever you need, let me know, I’ll do it. I’ll sign it or testify or whatever.”

“Thank you.” She hesitated. “Look, I’ve never had anything personal against you. I know you care about my sons, and I appreciate it. I hope everything works out for you.”

Beatrice sounded choked up. “Thank you, Kelly. I know I was hostile to you in the beginning, but I was going by what David said. I didn’t know—”

“It’s okay, really. I understand.”

Boy, did she.

“They’re good kids. Denny is so cute.” There was another pause. “Martin seems to love them. The boys told me they like him a lot. I think David is jealous about that.”

“That’s David’s problem.”

“I know. Please tell Denny I’m glad he’s okay.”

“I will.”

Kelly tried to call David and got his voicemail. Taking a deep breath, she carefully measured her words. “David, it’s Kelly. Denny is out of surgery. They replaced the shunt. He might be discharged in the morning. You can call my cell. Good-bye.”

That took a lot of self-restraint.

Denny wasn’t in his room when she returned. Mart looked up from his book, and she forced a smile. He put his book down and handed Paulie some money.

“Can you go downstairs and bring us some coffee? Get yourself something, too.”

Paulie nodded.

Mart pulled Kelly into his lap, put his arms around her. “You okay?”

“I want to go home.”

“I know you do, babe.” He rubbed her back. “I think we need to have a talk.”

“What?”

“We need to call your attorney when we get back, get David’s visitation revoked.”

“I can’t afford that. David will drag it out—”

“Stop.” His firm tone immediately cut off her protest. “We can afford it. The boys can’t afford not to have it changed.”

“But—” She realized what he said. “We?”

“You call your attorney. Whatever it is, I’ll make sure it’s taken care of.”

“I can’t ask you to do that.”

“You didn’t have to ask. Kel, you’re going to be my wife. I’m not Bill Gates, but I can afford this.”

She didn’t like the idea of taking his money. “They’re my sons. I need to—”

“Kelly. They’re our sons,” he said quietly. “You will let me do it, I’m not backing down on this. You’re not alone anymore. I’m not going anywhere.” He hesitated. “Paulie asked if I would adopt them.”

“What?”

“You need to talk to him. I doubt David will allow it without a fight, but if you agree, I’ll do it. In a heartbeat.”

She studied him. “You’re serious?”

He nodded. “I’m not just marrying you. I’m marrying you and the boys. And your mom. Who, by the way, offered to take David out.”

“My mother is just so helpful.”

“I told her I thought we’d try the legal route first, but I’d keep her offer in mind.”

“She must really love you.” Kelly rested her head against Mart’s shoulder and closed her eyes. “I know I do.”

* * * *

Denny was awake but groggy when they wheeled his gurney into the room.

“Hey honey, you okay?” Kelly asked, taking his hand.

Denny looked at her. “Can I eat now?” A dressing covered the shaved spot on his head where the shunt was replaced.

Mart reached through the bed rails and touched Denny’s shoulder. “As soon as they say you can, I’ll go get you a cheeseburger.”

Denny smiled weakly. “Mart. You’re here.”

“Well, yeah. Where’d you think I’d be?”

“I don’t know. My dad’s never here when I wake up.”

“Like I told your mom, I’m not going anywhere.”

Denny slept most of the morning. When the PA checked on him later, he cleared him to eat. “Clear stuff first, Jell-O, applesauce, broth. He keeps that down, then in a few hours he can have solid food.”

Denny inhaled what they brought him and asked for more. He sat up in bed while watching TV with Paulie. “You said I could have a cheeseburger,” he said to Mart.

Mart nodded. “Once they okay it, I’ll get it.”

Kelly looked at her watch. “I need to run to the hotel and get my stuff.”

Mart put a hand on her arm. “I’ll go. Tell me what you need.”

She looked at him, lost in his eyes. She truly loved him—deeper than she’d ever felt about David. And having him there when she needed him the most only cemented her feelings, erased the few lingering shadows of doubt. “Okay.”

Paulie went with him. They returned a while later with her overnight bag. Paulie carried a fast-food sack. “Look what I have, Squirt.” He dangled it in front of Denny.

Denny grabbed for it. Paulie played keep-away, laughing. “Give it to me,” Denny yelled. “Mom!”

Kelly smiled. “Go ahead, Paulie. Give it to him.”

Denny snatched the bag from his brother and ripped into the burger. Plain, with cheese only. The only way Denny would eat them.

Mart remembered.

She took Mart’s hand in hers. “You’re a good dad, you know that?”

He kissed her. “You’re a good mom.”

* * * *

Denny slept through his three a.m. CT scan while Kelly stood, yawning, in her SpongeBob SquarePants pajamas, and wrapped in a Halloween-themed lead apron. She was used to hospitals scheduling in-patient scans for the middle of the night. It didn’t matter to her, because she couldn’t get more than short naps in the bedside reclining torture chair anyway.

Dr. Arslowe made his morning rounds a little after six-thirty and met her with a smile. “Our racer can go home today.”

Denny smiled around his mouthful of pancakes. “I’m okay?” He woke up starving.

“Yep. Your ventricles are already smaller.” He looked at Kelly. “Did you fly or drive?”

“We drove. I’ll call his regular neuro-surgeon as soon as we get home.”

Dr. Arslowe nodded and scribbled some notes in Denny’s chart. “I’ll have them copy everything for you. I think he’s going to be fine. Except for the funny haircut.”

Denny laughed. “I’m used to those.”

“Good. No extra charge for that, by the way,” he joked.

They discharged Denny before noon. Mart didn’t want to push all the way home and make Denny uncomfortable. When they stopped early near Tallahassee, Kelly called Beatrice with an update. She didn’t ask where David was, but Beatrice assured Kelly she would tell him.

They pulled into Kelly’s driveway late Tuesday afternoon. Mart helped her unload. He wanted to spend the night but had to catch an early flight out of Tampa the next morning. He was already a day late leaving for a business trip to L.A..

Kelly wrapped her arms around him. “I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate you right now,” she said.

“It’s what I’m supposed to do.”

“I’ve spent too much time doing it myself.”

“Not anymore.” He kissed her one last time. “You okay? You sure you don’t want me to cancel? I can reschedule.”

She shook her head. “I’ll live. I’ve put you behind enough already. Call me when you get there.”

“I will. And I’ll be home next Tuesday, all right? Don’t forget, weekend after, you’re all mine.”

“Boston.”

“You forgot,” he teased.

She smiled. “Guilty.”

“I already have our tickets. And I’ll have you all to myself. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” She waited until he loaded and waved as he drove off. Home felt lonely without him there, she was so used to having him around. But she was more than consoled by the peace she felt knowing he would return to her.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Kelly took Denny to his regular neuro-surgeon the next day, and they did another CT scan. The doctor reviewed the charts from Dr. Arslowe.

“Everything looks okay, as far as I can tell. We’ll see you back in a week to get those stitches out, and you’ll be all set.”

It was nearly five o’clock when she returned home after picking up Paulie from her mom’s to find a strange car parked in the driveway. When Kelly pulled in, a woman got out and walked up to her.

“Are you Kelly Alexander?”

“Yes?”

The woman handed her an envelope. “This is a process service.” The woman left before Kelly could ask for details.

“What is it, Mom?” Paulie asked.

Kelly ripped the envelope open and found a court summons for an emergency hearing on Friday morning at ten. David was challenging custody, making accusations that she put Denny’s health at risk by having surgery done out of state, along with several other bogus charges.

“Help your brother,” she said, racing to the house. Her hands fumbled the keys in the lock.

She had to call her lawyer. Fortunately, Michelle was still in the office. They’d gone to college together, and Kelly had her private cell number. Kelly locked her bedroom door and kept her voice low. Her tears flowed and her hands shook as she tried to read the paper to Michelle.

Michelle heard her out. “Calm down, Kel. It’s bullshit and you know it. We’ll get it thrown out, and I’ll go after fees. This will be okay.”

Kelly sobbed. “Why can’t he leave us alone? Why is he doing this? I called him when Denny was in the hospital, and he was too frigging drunk to even care!”

“Kelly.” Michelle’s stern tone was comforting. “You have to stay calm. I’ll write up a response and a countermotion and file it tomorrow afternoon. This will be okay. Who’s the judge?”

Kelly’s hands trembled so badly she had to lay the paper on the bed to read it. “Donaldson.”

“Good. He’s a no-bullshit kind of guy. He doesn’t like it when people pull this kind of crap. This will be fine, I promise. Be here at my office tomorrow morning at eight. I added you to my calendar. I’ll shuffle a few things around. You have to stay calm.”

“That’s easy for you to say!” Kelly hung up and collapsed on her bed. David was accusing her of taking the boys out of state without permission, refusing to allow him his rightful visitation, jeopardizing Denny’s health, and oh yes, providing an unstable moral environment.

Was that even a legitimate charge? She looked at the paper again and realized he was filing pro se—as his own attorney.

And he was going after full custody.

She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. This would be okay. Even though she’d successfully beat his past allegations—all false—this was the most serious. Before, it was penny ante bullshit, like not giving him the right insurance paperwork for Denny’s medical bills. Motions he’d lose, but Kelly still had to pay Michelle to defend her. And it was all within a few months of the divorce, when David was still trying to yank her chain because he was pissed she’d kicked him out.

David had never challenged her fitness as a mother before. Or the custody arrangement.

One of the boys knocked on her door. “Mom? Are you okay?” Paulie.

“Yeah, honey. I’ll be out in a minute.”

“What’s going on?”

“Don’t worry, it’s okay.”

Kelly washed her face and shoved the papers in her purse. She didn’t want the boys to know about it yet.

After dinner, Kelly made them sit at the table to do their homework while she went to her bedroom and called her mom. She broke down during the story.

“Honey, it’s okay. Where’s Mart? Is he there with you?”

“No, he had to fly out early this morning to L.A. and won’t be back until Tuesday.” She started sobbing again. “Mom, what am I going to do? I can’t lose my boys.”

“Michelle won’t let that happen. She’s right, this is bullshit. Especially if he’s representing himself. You go through this every time he pulls crap, and every time you’ve won. Don’t let him get inside your head. Why don’t I come over and spend the night?”

Kelly thought about saying no, then relented. “Okay. Thank you.”

“Have you told the boys yet?”

“No. What do I tell them?”

“Tell them it’s something minor. They don’t need to know the truth.”

“You’re right.”

Her next call was to Patty. Kelly didn’t want to bother Mart. She knew he’d be in meetings until after eight her time, and his work schedule was already messed up enough because of her problems.

Kelly told her the story.

Patty was quiet for a moment. “Call Mart.”

“No. Patty, there’s nothing he can do.”

“If you don’t, he’ll be pissed you didn’t call.”

“No, he won’t. Mom’s coming over, and I’m meeting with Michelle tomorrow at eight.”

“I’ll pick you up.”

“Mom can go with me.”

“She needs to be home for the boys. Dan has the day off, he can watch Ben. I’ll take you.”

Kelly closed her eyes and tried not to cry again. She could do this. She had to do this. If she couldn’t stand up to David now, it would only get worse.

“Okay. Meet me here at seven-thirty.”

Kelly washed her face, went to the kitchen, and sat at the table.

“What’s wrong, Mom?” Paulie asked.

She took a deep breath. “Apparently your father is upset about us taking the trip to Birmingham. He’s filed a motion with the judge for a hearing on Friday.”

“But that’s not fair,” Denny yelled. “He said we could go.”

“I know, sweetheart. And that’s what Miss Michelle will tell the judge.”

“I hate him,” Paulie said.

“No. Don’t be like that.”

“Why not? He doesn’t like you. He tells us all the time. He’s mad you’re marrying Mart.”

Another deep breath. Don’t say anything she’d regret later. “What exactly did he say?” She didn’t normally ask them what their father said about her, but this time, she’d make an exception.

“He hates Mart. He’s mad Mart spends so much time with us.”

“What else has he said?”

Paulie looked at Denny. He obviously didn’t want to repeat it in front of his little brother. “Lots of garbage like that.”

She touched Paulie’s hand. “You might have to talk to the judge and tell him. Can you do that?”

Paulie nodded. “I sure will.” He looked at Denny. “You will too, right, Squirt?”

Denny looked sad but nodded. “Yeah.”

“Guys, I know this is hard for you. I’m so sorry.”

Denny’s eyes filled with tears. “Why can’t he get along with people? Why does he have to be jealous of Mart? Why can’t he be happy Mart loves us?”

It nearly broke her heart. “I don’t know, sweetheart. I have to talk to Miss Michelle tomorrow morning. Grandma will spend the night so she can help you get ready for school, and be here in case I’m not home after school. Are you done with your homework?” They nodded. “Go get ready for bed. You can watch TV after your baths.” She hugged them. When they left the kitchen, she put her head down on her arms and cried.

Kelly jumped when Paulie touched her shoulder. She quickly wiped her eyes. “What is it, honey?”

“Does Mart know?”

She shook her head. “He’s supposed to be in L.A. until Tuesday. I don’t want to worry him.”

“He should know. He’d want to come back.”

“Honey, there’s nothing he can do. Miss Michelle will take care of it. I don’t want him to miss more work. It’s all right.” Paulie frowned but went to get his bath.

Sharon showed up an hour later. She hugged Kelly and took her into the kitchen. “What did Mart say?”

“I’m not telling him.”

“Why?”

“Because he’ll worry.”

“Well, duh. You have to tell him.”

Kelly glanced toward the living room and shushed her mother. “Mom, I can handle this.”

Sharon shook her head. “Look at you. You’re a wreck. I’m not saying you can’t handle this, but that’s the point of having someone in your life. You lean on them when you need them.”

“He was there when Denny had surgery. That’s what matters. This is a legal matter. I can handle it. I can’t ask him to fix every problem that crops up in my life. That’s not fair to him.”

“Who says you have to ask him to fix it? He’ll want to be there for you.”

“No. I am not going to worry him.”

Sharon left her alone and watched TV with the boys. Kelly was wiped out. “You boys be in bed by eight-thirty, okay?” She hugged them and looked at her mom. “I need to go to sleep.”

Sharon nodded. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Kelly locked the door behind her and looked at her BlackBerry. She sent Mart a text message.

Going to bed, really tired. Talk to you tomorrow. I love you.

Kelly turned off the phone and hoped he wouldn’t call the house. Knowing the boys had school tomorrow, he probably wouldn’t. Tossing and turning, Kelly drifted to sleep and woke around three. She lay there for two more hours, then got up at five and turned her phone on. She read Mart’s reply.

I love you 2. I miss you. R you ok? Love 2 the boys.

Kelly knew she’d get a double-barreled ration of hell from her mother and Patty for not telling him. She wasn’t going to ruin his career because of her ex-husband. She’d tell Mart tomorrow, after the hearing. Yes, he’d be upset, but it was better this way.

Michelle was right. This was bullshit, and the judge would throw it out. Or at the very least he’d issue a continuance, and she’d have time to prepare a bullet-proof case against David, as well as a counter-claim to bury him under the courthouse in paperwork. With the initial shock out of the way, Kelly felt calmer, steadier.

Before, she’d never wanted to fight back. She chose to get it over with, defend herself and not file her own legitimate counter-claims despite everyone’s encouragement. She didn’t want to look vindictive, and she didn’t want the boys dragged through a nasty battle if she could avoid it.

Even if it meant she had to swallow her pride and not nail David’s balls to the wall. He was still their father. Kelly wanted to preserve that relationship, if at all possible. Unfortunately, David seemed determined to drive a wedge between himself and the boys despite Kelly’s best efforts.

Kelly thought about the thick notebook of paperwork locked in the bottom drawer of her file cabinet. The binder with all the evidence, emails, pictures, things she found out about David before the divorce and her documentation since. Calendar sheets noting David’s visitation record—and frequent cancellations. Journal entries about his comments, snide remarks, notations about the confrontation with Mart. A cassette tape of Beatrice’s voicemail message.

She’d have to remember to take it with her in case Michelle needed it.

Kelly replied to Mart’s text message.

Miss you too. I’m fine. I’ll talk to you later, have to run errands this morning. Love you.

Her BlackBerry rang a minute later. Mart’s sleepy voice sent her heart hammering in her chest. “Good morning, gorgeous.”

“What are you doing up at—” she did the math, “two a.m.?”

“I left the phone by the bed in case you called. Your text message woke me. Why are you up this early?”

I can’t lie to him. “I couldn’t sleep.” That was the truth.

Technically. She fingered the pendant around her neck, feeling guilty.

“Are you okay?” he asked. “You don’t sound good.”

“I’m okay. Just a lot of things to do today. I’m sorry I woke you up.”

“Is Denny okay?”

“He’s fine. You need to go back to sleep. You’ll be a wreck today if you don’t get some sleep.”

“I can’t argue with that, sweetheart. I’ll be in meetings this morning until noon, so text me if you need me. I’ll try calling you at lunch. Then I’m in meetings from two until six.”

“I will. Thank you for being there for me with Denny.”

“Hey, that’s why I’m here. Well, you know, there when I’m there.” He chuckled, and she smiled.

“I love you. I can’t wait for you to get home.”

“I love you, too. I’m going to see if I can cut out of here sooner, maybe get home Monday night, but I can’t promise.”

“Okay. I’ll keep my fingers crossed.”

They said good-bye. She hung up and cried, knowing she hadn’t exactly lied but still feeling horrible. He’d be understandably upset when she told him. Better that than ruin his work trip over something he couldn’t do anything about.

Kelly heard her mom moving in the living room and went to the kitchen, laid her BlackBerry on the table. “Why are you up?”

“Denny snores. And kicks.” She put a pot of coffee on.

“You should have made Paulie sleep on the couch and taken his bed.”

“Did I hear you talking to someone?”

“Mart. I replied to a text message he sent last night, and he called me.”

“What’s he doing up?”

“The phone woke him.”

“That’s sweet of him to call. Did you tell him?”

“No, and I’m not going to. Besides, he has meetings today. I don’t want to worry him. I’ll tell him tomorrow once we know something.”

Sharon handed her an empty mug. “He’s going to be upset, and I won’t blame him. You’re so stubborn. Why won’t you let him help you?”

“Mom, he was there when I really needed him, when it counted. I can do this.” Kelly poured her coffee and checked the time. “I’m going to get my shower. The boys need to be up by six-thirty.”

“I know. Go on.”

Kelly left her phone on the table.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Patty looked a little bleary but had a Starbucks cup in hand. “I don’t remember how to get there.”

“It’s easy.” Kelly pointed Patty in the right direction and sat back, nursing a travel mug full of coffee.

“Did you tell Mart?” Patty asked.

“I swear, you and my mother. For the last time, no, not until it’s over.”

Patty tried again a few minutes later. “This isn’t fair to him. He’s your fiancé. You should tell him.”

“Goddammit, no!”

The force of her anger startled Patty. She looked at Kelly. “Jesus, all right already. But you’re going to hurt his feelings.”

“He’ll understand.” Kelly fingered the pendant, hoping she was right.

Hoping he’d forgive her.

Patty shook her head. “You are too friggin’ stubborn for your own good, you know that?”

They reached Michelle’s office at ten till eight. “Let me see Asswipe’s motion,” Michelle said.

Kelly handed it over. She watched Michelle’s face as she read it.

Michelle snorted. “God, this guy has a set of balls, doesn’t he?” She looked from Patty back to Kelly. “What’s with the ‘unstable moral environment’ crap? Doesn’t he have Barbie living with him?”

“Bernice,” Kelly said.

“Beatrice,” Patty corrected, and Kelly sighed.

“Right, Beatrice. I’m guessing it has to do with my fiancé.”

“Fiancé? Congrats. I’d think Asswipe would be happy you’re getting married. It means the alimony stops, saves him five hundred a month.”

“Asswipe” was only one of Michelle’s many colorful monikers for David Alexander over the years, but it was her current favorite.

“He’s jealous of Mart,” Kelly said.

“Really? Not hard to marry someone better than Asswipe. Sorry, but it’s the truth.”

Kelly nodded and forced a smile. “I know. The boys love Mart. And he’s Denny’s coach.”

“Coach? What sport?”

Kelly told her the short version, and Michelle’s eyes widened. “He’s in a chair too? Wow. I mean—wow.”

Patty nudged Kelly. “Tell her about the attack.”

Michelle frowned. “What attack?”

Kelly told her the story of David’s drunken rage. “I have the tape of Beatrice’s voicemail message.”

“Mart put Asswipe on the ground?” Michelle leaned back in her chair and smiled. “I can’t wait to meet this guy.”

Patty grinned. “Wait’ll you see him. He’s a hunk.”

“Yeah?”

“Guys, can we focus?” Kelly knew her friends meant well, but she was on her last nerve.

“Sorry, Kel,” Michelle apologized. “We’ll work something out, get it typed up so I can file it. The worst that will happen is we get a continuance. The best is the judge sees it as Asswipe’s toilet paper and throws it all out.”

“No, the worst is David gets custody of my kids.”

Michelle’s voice hardened. “Kelly, that will not happen. Where is your fiancé anyway? We might be able to use him to testify.”

Patty glared at Kelly. “He’s in L.A. on a business trip,” she said. “Kelly won’t tell him about the hearing.”

“Why not?”

Kelly kicked Michelle’s desk. “I’m tired of explaining myself. I don’t want to mess up his job. He was with me last weekend when Denny got sick. I don’t need to bother him with this.”

“Easy on the furniture, girlfriend.” Michelle studied Kelly. “You’re stubborn. You’ve been stubborn as long as I’ve known you, but this takes the cake. What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Not up for discussion. Let’s get this done, all right?”

Michelle sighed. “Fine.”

* * * *

The boys were unusually quiet. Sharon made them breakfast and tried to keep them on schedule. When Denny went to the bathroom one last time before catching the bus, Paulie cornered her.

“Is Dad trying to get custody?”

Sharon hedged her answer. “Honey, you can talk to your mom about that this afternoon.”

“I won’t live with him. I’ll run away before I live with him.”

Sharon sat down. “I’m sure it won’t get to that point. Don’t scare Denny.”

“When is Mart coming home? Mom told him, right?”

Sharon looked at the doorway to make sure Denny wasn’t coming. “Your mother doesn’t want to worry Mart.”

“He’d want to know. He should know.”

Sharon nodded. “I know.”

She put a piece of paper with Mart’s cell number on the table and slid it toward Paulie. She’d pulled it from the BlackBerry while Kelly was in the shower. “If I call Mart, your mom will get very upset with me.”

Paulie looked at the paper, then took it. “I don’t have a cell phone.”

Sharon studied Paulie. “There’s a three hour time difference between here and L.A. You can’t call him right now, it’s too early. Don’t get in trouble with your teachers for calling him.”

“I’ll try to call him before lunch. We’re supposed to go to the library during English. I can go to the bathroom and call him.”

Sharon nodded. “Your mom will be upset we did this.”

“She won’t be upset at you, because I won’t tell her.”

Sharon smiled, felt a little guilty. But only a little. “You’re a smart kid.” She set her cell phone to vibrate and handed it to him. “Don’t answer it unless it’s Mart, or me calling from here.”

He nodded and slipped it into his pocket with the paper.

She knew Kelly would be mad, but better that than have Mart upset because he didn’t know.

* * * *

Mart sensed something was wrong. He’d sent Kelly an email the night before, and there was no reply this morning when he got up. And she was never up that early. That was weird. She did say she had errands to run, but something felt wrong.

He grabbed breakfast with the staff and checked his phone before the meeting. He put it on vibrate and slipped it into his shirt pocket, afraid he wouldn’t feel it if he clipped it to his belt.

Shortly after the meeting started, Mart was answering a question from one of the attendees when his phone vibrated. He paused, glanced at the number and didn’t recognize it even though it looked vaguely familiar. Probably someone at the Sarasota office. They could leave a message. Everyone knew if there was an important question, they had to text him if they needed an immediate reply when he was in a meeting.

Mart slipped it into his pocket and continued. Besides, it wasn’t Kelly. And if it was urgent, they would text him.

An hour later, Mart looked again. Another missed call from the same number, but he couldn’t stop to check his voicemail. It would have to wait for the first break.

Mart called a five-minute break at ten and checked his voicemail. The first one from the strange number sounded like the caller was going to leave a message. There was a little background noise. Was that a school bell? Then they hung up. The second was Paulie. He sounded like he was trying to keep his voice low.

“Mart? It’s Paulie. I have Grandma’s phone. I’m at school. Call me, okay? Don’t call Mom or tell her I called. I have to talk to you, it’s really important. But don’t call Mom, call me on this phone. I’m at lunch right now then I’m in class and can’t talk. Bye.”

Mart hung up. What the hell? Why couldn’t he call Kelly? And why did Paulie have Sharon’s cell?

That’s why the number looked familiar. He didn’t have it plugged into his phone yet. He’d called it from Kelly’s phone last weekend in Birmingham.

He tried the number and got Sharon’s voicemail. “Paulie? This is Mart. What’s wrong? If you can’t call me, text me. I can’t answer my phone during the meeting.”

The vague unease he’d awoken with returned with a vengeance. What was going on?

He tried Kelly’s cell and got her voicemail. “Hi, hon, it’s me. Just checking in, making sure everything’s okay. Give me a call or send me a text message. Love you.”

He hung up and looked at the phone, willing it to ring. He was going to try Kelly’s house when he realized the break was over and everyone was waiting on him.

“Damn.” He put the phone in his pocket and rolled into the conference room.

* * * *

Michelle handed Kelly the finished papers. “We’ll throw everything at him, including the kitchen sink. Before we go in, I’ll offer Asswipe the chance to drop it, see if he’ll back down. If he does, I have the order to dismiss ready.”

Kelly looked at Michelle. “You don’t honestly think he’ll do that?”

“No, but who knows?”

“What next?”

“Meet me tomorrow morning at eight at the courthouse, in the snack bar. We’ll go over last-minute stuff. I wish your boyfriend could be there. The sympathy factor of having a guy in a wheelchair—”

“No.” The edge in Kelly’s voice surprised them. “I won’t use Mart like that. He deserves better than that from me.”

“Kelly,” Patty said, “I’m sure Mart would be more than happy to be used like that if it meant you could nail David’s balls to the wall. I don’t claim to know him nearly as well as you do, but he loves those boys and would do anything to help you keep them.”

Kelly glared at her friend. “He’s my fiancé. He’s not a puppet I can flash around to get sympathy. ‘Oh, look at the poor woman with the kid and the boyfriend in wheelchairs, isn’t she pitiful?’ I will not do that to them!”

Michelle and Patty exchanged puzzled glances. Patty spoke first. “Kelly, you’re taking this independence stuff a little too far. Mart would be the first to offer to testify. He doesn’t need sympathy to come off looking a hell of a lot better than David right out of the chute.”

Kelly signed the papers and threw the pen on Michelle’s desk. “I have to go to the bathroom.” She held her tears until she locked the door behind her, then turned the sink on, hiding the sound of her sobs.

She wanted to be strong, wanted to do this on her own. It was bad enough she’d taken money from her mother and sister for the trip. Mart had already done so much for her, spent so much money on the kids.

Yes, he loved her and the boys. Yes, she was going to be his wife. Until then, she hated feeling indebted to others, even him.

Every disparaging remark David had ever said roared through her head.

You can’t get along without me. What the hell are you going to do—a woman with two kids, one of them in a wheelchair?

Who will want you besides me? You’ll regret leaving me. No one will love you like I do.

You’ll come crawling back to me one of these days. The boys will want to be with me, and you’ll be alone.

I’ll take away everything you love.

She knew they were all lies. But at times like this—and this was the worst in a long time—they flowed through her as loud and harsh as when David first uttered them. She felt helpless to purge herself.

Patty was right. She needed help, from a shrink. Having Mart at the hospital was the only thing that kept her sane last weekend, kept the flashbacks that usually accompanied the worst stress at bay. After this was over, she’d have to bite the bullet and see someone and pray David never found out and tried to use it against her.

Ten minutes later, Kelly washed and dried her face, took a few deep breaths, and returned to Michelle’s office.

Patty and Michelle stared at her. Patty spoke first. “I hope you flushed the stick that’s up your ass?”

Kelly’s face went blank, but then she laughed and burst into tears.

Patty hugged her. “It’s going to be okay, girlfriend. David won’t win.”

Michelle handed Kelly a box of tissues, her voice kind. “I wish you’d reconsider calling your fiancé.”

Kelly looked at them, but Patty spoke first. “Kelly, we’ve talked about this. It’s the PTSD. And you have to talk to someone.”

“Asswipe cannot use it against you, Kelly,” Michelle chimed in. “I’ve told you that. Hell, we have enough proof that he’s the cause. Lots of women I’ve represented in divorces against guys like Asswipe, or worse, end up with it in some form or another. Yours is in the low-range of the scale, but stress like this triggers you.”

Michelle walked around the desk to stand in front of Kelly. “Please, as your attorney, I’m advising you to call your fiancé. I’m not saying ask him to fly a redeye home. I’m saying talk to him and get this off your chest. The extra stress is not helping.”

Kelly nodded. “Okay. But not now. I can’t anyway. He’s in meetings all day.”

“Call him tonight and talk to him.”

Patty hugged Kelly again. “It’s the right thing to do. He loves you.”

* * * *

Paulie slipped the vibrating phone out of his pocket under the desk so the teacher couldn’t see. If she saw it, she’d confiscate it. Mrs. No-Cell Sawyer must have a drawer full of them.

It was Mart.

Paulie hid the phone in his pocket and held up his hand.

“Yes, Paulie?”

He walked to her desk, his hand on his stomach. He kept his voice low. “Mrs. Sawyer, can I go to the bathroom? I don’t feel good.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I think it’s something I ate at lunch.”

“Do you want to see the nurse?”

“Can I go to the bathroom first? I had the chili mac.”

She frowned and quickly wrote him a hall pass. “I had that, too. Frankly, I don’t feel so good either. If you need to see the nurse, try to come back here first.”

Paulie nodded and hurried out the door to the bathroom. He went to the last stall and locked himself in, grabbed the phone, and played the message.

Did Grandma even have text messaging?

He looked at the time and took a chance calling the house.

Sharon answered. “Paulie?”

“Is Mom home yet?”

“No. Did you talk to Mart?”

“I left him a message but didn’t tell him what’s going on. He called me back, but I was in class and missed it.”

“Where are you now?”

“I’m in the bathroom. I told Mrs. Sawyer I had an upset stomach.”

“I don’t know when your mom will be back, but I don’t want Mart calling here if she’s home. I won’t be able to talk to him.”

“Can I text message with your phone?”

“I don’t know. How do I tell?”

“Do you have text messaging on your phone? Do you pay for it?”

“Honey, I don’t know. I just talk on it. Why?”

“He said to text message him if it’s important.”

“Oh. Call him and leave him a message. Tell him you have to talk to him. Oh no, your mom’s home. Tell Mart not to call the house. He has to try the cell phone. I have to go. Get back to class. Love you.” She hung up.

Paulie looked at the phone and found the text message feature. He tried a test message to Mart’s phone to see if it would go through or bounce back. Within five seconds, the phone buzzed, and a message appeared.

This account is not equipped with text messaging…

“Urgh!”

Paulie dialed Mart’s number, tapping his fingers on the phone, waiting for Mart’s voicemail.

He talked fast. “Mart, it’s Paulie. I’m still at school. Grandma’s phone can’t do text messages. Dad filed papers, I think he wants custody. There’s a hearing tomorrow at ten, but Mom won’t tell you because she’s afraid you’ll get in trouble with your job, and you can’t tell her I told you or she’ll be mad. I have to go back to cl—” BEEP!

Paulie dialed the number again and waited. “I have to go back to class. Grandma said Mom’s home now, it’s nearly one-thirty. Don’t call the house, because Grandma can’t talk with Mom home, and I have Grandma’s cell phone. Please call me right now. I’m in the bathroom and I’ll have to go back to class in a few minutes. Mom doesn’t want to tell you about the hearing because she doesn’t want you to miss more work—” BEEP!

Paulie stared at the phone and watched the minutes tick off. After five minutes, he knew Mart probably wasn’t calling back. He put the phone in his pocket and returned to class.

“Are you feeling better?” Mrs. Sawyer asked.

He shook his head. “Not really.” That was the truth.

“Do you want to see the nurse?”

“Not yet.”

“Keep that pass. If you need to go again, raise your hand and go, okay?”

He nodded and returned to his seat.

* * * *

Mart’s phone vibrated twice, then again a few minutes later as the voicemails came through. He excused himself to look at it, saw it was Paulie. “I’m sorry, I need to step out and take this. My fiancée’s son had emergency surgery last weekend, and I’m worried there’s a problem.”

He went into the corridor. When he played the messages, his blood ran cold. Mart tried dialing the number. It went straight to voicemail. He tried Kelly, and her phone went straight to voicemail, too.

Mart rolled into the conference room. “I’m sorry, I have to go.” He packed his laptop and papers and grabbed one of the L.A. team members. “The stuff you need is on here.” He handed him a flash drive. “I might be able to come back next week, but I have to get home right now.”

Mart caught a cab to the hotel and worried the whole way, impatient with every red light. Why hadn’t Kelly called him? He looked at his phone, ready to call her again. The battery was low, almost dead. He’d forgotten to charge it the night before when he left it on the bedside table. And it was roaming, which drained it even faster.

“Crap!”

He got her voicemail. “Kelly? It’s Mart. Give me a call when you get this, okay? I need to talk to you. Love you.”

His phone beeped. Low battery.

Mart didn’t bother changing out of his suit. He quickly packed, checked out, and caught a cab. It was almost noon, and he knew it would take close to an hour to get to LAX with lunchtime traffic.

The ticket agent was sympathetic but less than helpful. “I don’t have anything available to Tampa this afternoon. The soonest direct flight is late tonight, arriving tomorrow at eight local time.”

He shook his head. “I have to be on the ground in Tampa no later than six tomorrow morning.” He’d calculated the drive time from Tampa International to the courthouse with morning rush hour traffic, and even then that might be pushing it close. He probably wouldn’t have time to go home and change before the hearing.

She looked again. “I’m sorry, Mr. Rawlings, I don’t have anything.”

Mart fought his growing frustration. He’d shut his phone off to save the battery and couldn’t call Kelly. “What about St. Pete/Clearwater? It’s right across the bay.”

“Let me check.” She shook her head. “No, sorry. Not until tomorrow afternoon.”

He took a deep breath. “Orlando. Sarasota/Bradenton. Hell, I’ll even take Jacksonville or Miami or Ft.Myers, if you can get me on the ground by two a.m. local. Tallahassee by midnight. Gainesville? Anything.”

She checked. “The only thing I have is Miami, but it will put you there at five.”

That wouldn’t work. He knew he could make it home from Miami in four hours, but rush hour traffic and one accident on I-75 could make him late. Plus he’d have to rent a car, and that would add at least an extra half-hour or more, if they even had hand controls available. He’d left his at home because he used cabs in L.A. “What about connecting flights? Out of Atlanta or Charlotte? Anything? Please, it’s a family emergency.”

“Let me check.” She tapped a little more, then picked up the phone and made a call. She talked with someone for a moment and said, “Hold on.” To Mart, “I can get you on a flight leaving here in two hours, to DFW. Then a connecting flight to Tampa from there, but it’s a tight connection, not much of a window for error. You’ll get to Tampa around three tomorrow morning local time.” She glanced at his chair. “If you’re more than twenty minutes late getting in to Dallas, you might not—”

“I’ll take it.”

She talked to the person on the phone, tapped some more. “How will you be paying?”

He handed over his AmEx and impatiently tapped his fingers against his leg.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Kelly emerged from the bathroom and found she’d missed Mart’s calls because her phone was still on silent from Michelle’s office. She played his voicemail. He sounded worried. She called, got his voicemail and left a message. He was probably in a meeting, so she typed a text message.

Give me a call when you’re out of your meetings. Everything’s ok. Love you.

She hesitated. Everything wasn’t okay, but why worry him?

She sent it.

* * * *

Mart checked his suitcase and kept his laptop and carry-on. He made it through security without too much hassle. Once he was at the gate, he mentally kicked himself.

His cell charger was in his suitcase.

He risked turning on the phone, saw Kelly’s voicemail and text message but tried Sharon’s phone first.

* * * *

Paulie and Denny sat at the kitchen table and did their homework. The phone vibrated, and Paulie nudged his grandmother under the table with his foot and passed her the phone so Denny couldn’t see. She took it, quickly checked the screen, and answered.

“Hello?” She moved to the living room. Patty and Kelly talked on the couch.

“Sharon? It’s Mart.”

“Oh, hi, Mary.” Kelly looked at her. Sharon whispered to her, “It’s my friend, Mary. I need to talk to her.”

“Sharon? What’s going on? It’s Mart—”

“Yes, Mary, it’s good to talk to you, too. I’m glad you got my message.”

“Paulie said something about a hearing tomorrow?”

“I’m at my daughter’s house.” Sharon walked onto the porch so the boys couldn’t hear, but she was afraid Kelly could. “Her ex-husband filed some sort of bogus emergency motion seeking full custody, a bunch of false allegations.”

“Oh, crap.”

“Yes, the hearing’s at ten tomorrow at the courthouse in Sarasota.”

She heard a beep from his end. “Sharon, I forgot to charge my cell last night, and my phone’s almost dead. I wanted to tell you—”

“She’s okay, but between you and me, she’s very upset. She won’t call her fiancé, doesn’t want to worry him. Patty thinks Kelly has PTSD, and stuff like this really upsets her. She won’t get help, wants to try to do this on her own.”

* * * *

There was another beep, louder, persistent. Mart knew his phone would die any second. “Look, Sharon, I’m trying to—”

“That’s right,” Sharon said, still playing the part, “I know and you know, but try telling her that.”

“You can’t talk, obviously, but I wanted to—” BEEP! He looked at his phone. Dead.

“Dammit!”

Mart tried turning it on, but it immediately shut down again. He fought the urge to throw it against the wall.

Miracle of miracles, the flight was on time. He boarded and tried to calm the knot in his stomach. He felt horrible he wasn’t there for Kelly, and a more than a little angry she didn’t think she could confide in him.

Not angry at her—angry at himself. Obviously he wasn’t doing a good job earning her trust.

It was almost dark when the flight arrived a few minutes early in Dallas, but the connecting flight was late. Mart sat by the window at the gate, watching the luggage carts parked and ready to load in the plane when it arrived. His suitcase was on top, easily identifiable from the large, round neon orange ID tag on the handle. Twenty minutes after their scheduled departure time, the plane still wasn’t there. Mart grew more nervous. Every minute the plane was late arriving was another minute later getting into Tampa.

After an hour of generic excuses, Mart rolled up to the gate agent. He smiled and forced himself to remain calm.

“Hi. Look, I have a family emergency in Florida. I have to be in Tampa by six in the morning. What’s going on?”

“It’s coming from O’Hare, but it hasn’t left yet. There’s some really bad thunderstorms in the area. They’re holding traffic for a little while longer.”

“It hasn’t left O’Hare yet?”

She shook her head. “No, I’m sorry. We’re trying to get another plane, but it’s going to be at least an hour before we have a terminating flight here that we can prep to send to Tampa.”

“So, we’re at least two more hours before we’re in the air again?”

She nodded. “I’m so sorry.”

He did the math. “No guarantees either.”

“I’m afraid not. It’s possible they might cancel the flight.”

“I can’t spend the night here. Can you get me on something? Anything?”

“There aren’t any more flights to Tampa tonight.”

He repeated the back and forth he’d had with the LAX agent. Anything to anywhere in Florida tonight? Nope. Any connecting flights to Florida?

She looked it up. “There’s a flight to Raleigh-Durham, the connector lands at TIA a little after six in the morning. But it leaves here in a half-hour.”

“Get me on it, please. I have to get home. My fiancée’s son had surgery, she needs me. Please.”

The agent started to argue, but then she looked at him and changed her mind. “Hold on.” She got on the phone, tapped her computer. “Okay, but your bag might not make it—”

He pointed to the window. “It’s on top of the cart. I can see it from here. If one of your ground crew can grab it, it’s the only one I checked. They could stow it in the hold with my chair at the other gate.”

She nodded and talked to someone on a radio. “Okay, show me.”

He went to the window and pointed it out. A ground crewman with a radio went to the luggage cart, looked, pointed.

“Yeah, that one,” Mart confirmed.

She spoke into the radio again, and the crewman grabbed his bag. “That’s the right one,” she said. A moment later, he brought it up to the gate counter for him.

“Thanks,” Mart said, shaking his hand.

“No problem, man. Thanks for your service to our country.”

Mart smiled but didn’t say anything. It wasn’t the first time someone erroneously assumed he was a disabled vet. This time, he didn’t bother correcting them.

As long as it got him to Kelly in time.

The agent finished the ticket and asked one of her co-workers to take over. She grabbed his suitcase and carry-on. “We have to run.”

He wryly smiled. “No problem, I’m a racer.”

They made the gate with five minutes to spare. Mart profusely thanked the agent for her help. Settled on the flight, Mart had time to worry how Kelly was doing. It was already after ten at home, too late to call even if his phone wasn’t dead.

* * * *

Kelly lay in bed. She’d tried Mart again, left another voicemail an hour earlier, still no answer. And no reply to her text messages, either. He wasn’t mad at her for calling him so much, was he?

She closed her eyes and fought the tears. They were right—her mom, Patty, Michelle. She needed him. She should have called him immediately and told him what was going on. She wasn’t strong enough to do this alone.

Giving in, she left him a voicemail. “Mart, it’s Kelly. Everything isn’t okay. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but David filed paperwork on Wednesday trying to get custody of the boys. The hearing’s tomorrow at ten. I should have told you, but I didn’t want you to worry because there isn’t anything you can do. Please don’t be mad. I didn’t want you to miss more work because of me. Give me a call when you get this. I love you.”

She ended the call and stared at the phone. She’d said it, couldn’t take it back. She just prayed he didn’t hate her.

* * * *

They landed in Raleigh on schedule. Mart had plenty of time to get to the bathroom and grab a sandwich at a snack bar before catching the connecting flight. Again he smacked himself. The cell charger. He could have grabbed it before his case was loaded in DFW and totally forgot. Wouldn’t have been much, but a few minutes of charge would allow him to send a text message.

God, Rawlings, you’re too stupid for words.

Without his phone, he had no way of looking up Sharon’s number, or even sending Kelly a text message. He hoped Kelly wasn’t too worried. At least now he was on the way home, would be there for her at the hearing.

He went to the gate for his flight and found it delayed. He groaned and approached the agent. “How late?”

She looked at her screen. “It’s en route, but it had to divert around some storms.”

“How late will we get to Tampa?”

“At least an hour.”

He swore under his breath, out of options. There was nothing to do but wait.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Kelly awoke at five and checked her phone. No messages, no calls, no voicemails.

That wasn’t like Mart.

Maybe he was really mad?

She didn’t want to think about that. Today, she had to focus on getting through the hearing. Kelly fingered the pendant and prayed she hadn’t ruined her relationship with Mart.

Her mom was already up, had coffee brewing. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”

She sat at the table. “I hope so.”

“Did you talk to Mart last night?”

Kelly tried to fight the tears. “I couldn’t reach him. I sent him text messages and left him a voicemail, but he hasn’t replied.”

“Did you tell him?”

Kelly nodded. “I left it on the last voicemail.” She looked at her mom. “You don’t think he’s mad, do you?”

Sharon shook her head. “I’m sure he’s not. Do you have his hotel info? You could call him there.”

“I meant to get that from him and forgot with everything that happened.”

“Oh.” Sharon looked at the table. “Well, I’m sure he’s not mad.”

“What if he is? Oh, Mom, what if I’ve royally screwed up and he’s so angry he won’t talk to me?”

“Kelly,” she said firmly, “I can’t believe after all Mart has been through with you that he’d be like that. I’m sure he’ll be hurt you didn’t tell him sooner, but I refuse to believe he’d do something drastic.”

The coffee finished, and Sharon poured Kelly a mug. “Go get a shower. Once the boys are off to school, I’ll come to the courthouse. I’m sure everything will be fine. Michelle would have demanded a continuation if she had any doubts. Right?”

Kelly sniffled and took a sip of her coffee. “You’re right.”

“Go on.”

She did.

Sharon tried Mart’s phone—straight to voicemail.

“Mart, it’s Sharon. Please call Kelly. She’s worried you’re mad, and she’s a wreck. We don’t have your hotel information, and it’s almost five-thirty here. Call her before the hearing, please. It would put her mind at ease.”

That was all she could do.

There was no reply from Mart by the time Patty arrived at seven to get Kelly. It was too early, but Kelly wanted to make sure they weren’t running late with traffic.

They arrived at the courthouse at a quarter till eight and even had time to drive through Starbucks on the way. Patty didn’t try to pull conversation out of Kelly. Sharon had privately told Patty of her brief talk with Mart the day before.

Michelle was on time and smiling. “This will be fine, really.”

Kelly nodded, still unconvinced. She needed Mart. Why had she been so stupid? At least talk to him. Now he was probably so mad he didn’t want to talk to her. Why else wouldn’t he call? Unless something had happened to him…

Kelly closed her eyes and fought her threatening tears. That was both unrealistic and unproductive. There could be lots of reasons why he hadn’t called back yet.

Unfortunately, none of them good or comforting.

Kelly nodded while Michelle spoke, unable to focus.

Michelle’s harsh tone cut through her haze. “Kelly, dammit, I need you pissed off in there. I need you awake and aware and ready to fight for your boys.”

“I’m worried.”

“That’s fine. This dirtbag isn’t getting your kids, but I need you looking like a momma bear, not a limp dishrag, all right?”

Kelly tried to smile. “Okay.”

“And we’re going to slap him with revocation of visitation. The judge probably won’t hear that today. He’ll set another hearing and want witnesses, but we can subpoena Asswipe’s girlfriend for that. That should, if nothing else, put enough of a twist in Asswipe’s shorts to make him rethink this and possibly drop it.”

“I don’t want to fight—”

“Kelly, if we don’t end this once and for all, he’ll keep pulling this kind of shit. The only thing a guy like him understands is a show of superior force. Unless you give it to him, he won’t back down. He’ll keep chipping away at you.”

“I don’t want to take the boys away from their father.”

“You aren’t. The judge makes that decision. If I have to, we’ll get an ad litem involved. I have no doubts you’ll win this.”

Kelly nodded and twisted her hands. She’d feel better if she could talk to Mart and know he wasn’t mad.

Sharon arrived a little after nine-thirty. “How are you?”

Kelly shrugged. Still no word from Mart, but she was taking deep breaths and trying to focus. Michelle was right. This was a load of garbage, and she could stick up for herself. The worst thing she could do was let David see her upset.

They hadn’t seen David yet. Michelle left them in the snack bar to look for him and make the offer of dropping it. She returned at ten till, her lips pressed in a tight line. “He won’t dismiss.”

“So what now?” Kelly asked.

“We kick his ass from here to eternity.”

Judge Donaldson was a pleasant, balding, older man, with a thick grey moustache that danced when he talked. His glasses gave him a librarian look, but from the way he eyed David when they were sworn in, Kelly suspected he was already forming his opinion.

Michelle had warned Kelly to let her do all the talking unless the judge directly addressed her. He started by talking to David, asking him a few questions. Then he turned to Michelle. “What’s your client’s version, Counselor?”

Michelle presented Kelly’s evidence, knocking down the various charges one by one, until they were left with the last—the unstable moral environment.

The judge looked at David. “What exactly is your claim? This is pretty vague.”

David swallowed hard. For the first time, Kelly realized he was nervous. That calmed her. She took a deep breath as she touched her necklace.

“Well, she’s been seeing this guy,” David said.

The judge waited for further explanation, and eventually said, “And?”

“Well, sometimes he spends the night there with them. And they were all at the hotel when they went out of town when my son got sick.”

The judge took off his glasses and leaned back in his chair. “And?”

David swallowed again. “I don’t think that’s right. They’re not married.”

Michelle barely concealed her smirk as the judge looked at her. “Counselor?”

“Your Honor, Mr. Alexander has had a woman living with him for over a year now, unmarried, when the boys spend time with him. The boys know Mr. Alexander isn’t married to her. My client’s fiancé, Martin Rawlings, is a medaled Paralympian, a successful computer programmer, and he’s well-respected among his peers. He has no criminal record, and the boys adore him. Mr. Rawlings was even asked by the boys to propose to their mom. They love him. He has been nothing but a good and stable influence on them in the time he’s known them.

“Yes, they were at a hotel together last weekend when Denny got sick, but they were at Denny’s wheelchair sports competition, where Mr. Rawlings was also working as a volunteer official. And they had two rooms—one for the boys, and another for Ms. Alexander and her fiancé, directly across the hall.

“The first time Mr. Rawlings spent the night with my client when the boys were home was just a couple of weeks ago, after a drunken attack by Mr. Alexander. This was witnessed by both boys. And Mr. Rawlings—who is paralyzed and in a wheelchair, mind you—had to intercede on Ms. Alexander’s behalf to protect her from Mr. Alexander’s drunken attack. Mr. Rawlings spent the night at her house at the boys’ request, because they were afraid of their father trying to hurt their mother again. Mr. Alexander is lucky my client didn’t press charges, but she wanted to spare her sons further emotional distress.”

David looked shocked. Did he really expect this wouldn’t be brought up? Or maybe he was too drunk that night to remember.

Judge Donaldson frowned and turned to David. “Well?”

David stammered and sputtered until the judge held up a hand. “Mr. Alexander, I don’t see any proof of your claims.” He looked at Michelle. “You have counter-motions?”

Michelle nodded. She listed their demands and presented their evidence. Kelly listened, her hands twisting in her lap under the table.

David tried to protest. The judge glared at him. “You had your turn, Mr. Alexander. Now it’s their turn. Don’t make me slap you with contempt.”

David shut up and glowered at Kelly.

She refused to meet his gaze, instead watching Michelle and the judge.

The judge looked at Kelly. “Ms. Alexander, I don’t see any basis for the claims against you. I’m dismissing them all. As for your counter-motions, I’m granting all of them temporarily, based on your evidence and statements. I want a full hearing on this, Counselor. Get with my clerk to set up a date, preferably early next week, and no later than the week after, to present your evidence as to why it should be made permanent. And I’m assuming you’ll draw up the order to this effect?”

“You’ll have it this afternoon, your Honor.”

He nodded and looked at David. “Mr. Alexander, I suggest you hire an attorney between now and the hearing. I am granting all of your ex-wife’s motions temporarily, pending the outcome of the next hearing. And I am denying all of your motions. I suggest you prepare better for the next round.” He dropped his gavel and left the conference room. Michelle and Kelly stood.

Kelly tried to talk. Michelle shushed her while she scooped up her paperwork. She propelled Kelly ahead of her out the door before Kelly could ask questions. The hearing had taken less than twenty minutes.

Sharon and Patty sat on a bench outside in the commons waiting area. As they went by, Michelle shushed them and motioned for them to follow. David hadn’t appeared in the hallway yet, and Michelle wanted to be as far away as possible when he did. When they were out of sight in the snack bar, Michelle grinned.

Kelly was still stunned—it hadn’t sunk in. “What happened?”

“We won, girlfriend. I told you so.”

Patty and Sharon both let out relieved sighs. “Oh, thank God!” Sharon said.

“Ditto,” echoed Patty, who hugged Kelly. “We told you this would be okay.”

“What were all the countermotions?” Kelly asked. “I read through them, but honestly, it didn’t stick.”

“Asswipe no longer has unsupervised visitation. Temporarily, at least. And no overnight visitation. He can talk to the boys on the phone, and if you wanted to take them somewhere to meet with him, you could. But he isn’t allowed to take them anymore unsupervised. He’s not allowed to be drinking or intoxicated when he’s visiting them, either. You have the right to take them out of state on trips without his permission. There’s a few other things, minor, but enough to bug him.”

Kelly’s chest tightened as a wave of nausea swept through her. “I don’t want to take the boys away from their father,” she whispered.

Michelle’s face hardened. “Kelly, we have to quit dicking around. David was trying to take the boys away from you, and you know damn well that’s not what’s best for them. You can still let them visit, but only under controlled, safe circumstances.”

Kelly nodded, squeezing her eyes shut and trying to calm her stomach. It was too much. And still no calls or messages from Mart.

* * * *

Mart swore and honked at a slow-moving car that pulled in front of him and poked along. He hadn’t left TIA until after eight, and morning traffic on I-275 through St. Pete was at a stand-still due to a major accident. He headed east instead and jumped off I-275, over to the Crosstown Expressway. He took that east and made up some time. Maybe he could get there before the hearing ended.

Unfortunately, when he merged onto I-75, traffic southbound was also backed up. He found the Tampa XM Radio traffic channel and learned there was another accident a few miles south. Both 301 and 41 southbound were also jammed as a result.

“Dammit!” Mart pounded the steering wheel. Everything conspired to keep him from getting to Kelly. And worse, he realized his cell phone car charger wasn’t in the van. He must have taken it inside the house and left it when he packed for the trip.

It was ten twenty-five when Mart pulled into the courthouse parking lot. He recognized Sharon and Patty’s cars but didn’t see Kelly’s Element. Wheeling through security, he located the information desk to find out where Kelly’s hearing was. Maybe they were still there. He scanned the waiting area but didn’t see Sharon or Patty. Or Kelly, for that matter.

The bailiff found the information. “Judge Donaldson’s chambers, room 115, down that hall.” The bailiff pointed across the large commons waiting area.

Mart thanked him and sped in the direction he’d pointed.

He was about to make the turn into the corridor when David appeared in front of him. Mart slid to a stop to prevent a collision.

Well, at least he was in the right place.

David glared at him. “Get the fuck out of my way, crip.”

“What did you call me?”

David threw his papers to the floor and lunged at Mart. “You heard me,” he snarled. “I’m losing my boys because of you!”

Mart was unprepared for David’s attack. The force of David’s charge knocked him backwards out of his wheelchair. Then David was on top of him, his hands around Mart’s throat, arms pinned. Mart head-butted David, nailing him in the nose, but at least David let go of Mart’s throat so he could breathe.

David howled in pain and grabbed his face. By this time, there were other people yelling, trying to get someone to break it up.

Mart managed to push David off. David lunged again, but this time, Mart was ready. Mart slugged him, landing several hard punches with satisfying accuracy before David’s hands closed around his throat again.

* * * *

Michelle looked up at the sounds of yelling in the waiting area. “What the hell is that?”

Sharon was closest to the door and stepped over to look. “Oh my God! I think it’s David and Mart!”

“What?” Kelly climbed over Patty to get out of the booth and pushed through the crush of spectators gathering at the doorway. Her ex-husband loomed over Mart, choking him.

“No!” Kelly screamed and sprinted across the commons.

Several bailiffs and deputies were peeling David off of Mart. Kelly pushed through the crowd and dropped to her knees next to Mart. He was coughing, trying to sit up. Shocked, Kelly pulled him to her, examining him for injuries.

“Are you okay?”

Mart coughed again and nodded. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me about the hearing?”

She threw her arms around him and sobbed. He held her, trying to soothe her. “It’s okay, Kel, I’m here.”

Two deputies and a bailiff pinned David to the floor, where he still ranted and screamed. Other deputies handcuffed him and dragged him away. Kelly cried in Mart’s arms, and it was a few minutes before she was steady enough to stand so he could get back in his chair.

There were statements to give, reports to file. Mart pressed charges. Deputies interviewed Mart, and he refused to go to the hospital, wanting everything over quickly so he could get back to Kelly. At least ten people had witnessed David’s attack and heard what he said to Mart. There was no doubt as to who was at fault.

“We’ll file a TRO against him,” Michelle said, walking back to Kelly from where she’d sat with Mart while the deputies took his statement. “I don’t think we’ll have any problems at the next hearing.”

It took them over an hour to get out of the courthouse. Michelle told Kelly to keep her phone handy for updates. Mart and Kelly got in his van, and he stared at her, waiting for her to speak.

Kelly couldn’t stand his silent, intense gaze. “What?”

She expected him to yell, but his voice sounded quiet, gentle.

Sad.

“Why didn’t you call me, Kel? Why didn’t you tell me about this as soon as he served you? You should have been on the phone saying, ‘Mart, come home.’” She flinched when he slammed his hand against the steering wheel.

“I didn’t want you getting in trouble. You couldn’t have done anything.”

“Jesus, Kel.” He closed his eyes and rubbed his face with his hands, buying himself time before speaking. “I’m going to be your husband. And the people I work for, they know if I take time off for an emergency, it’s important. You can’t keep stuff like this from me. You have to let me in.”

“Why didn’t you call me back?”

“My phone died because I forgot to charge it Wednesday night, and I was stuck in airports trying to get here. I couldn’t get a direct flight out of LAX. I had to go through Dallas, and that was delayed. Then they put me through Raleigh-Durham, and that was late, too. I’m sorry. I tried to get here for you.”

She took his right hand. His knuckles were raw and bruised from where he’d punched David. “How did you find out?”

“You can’t get mad.”

She closed her eyes. “Mom or Patty?”

“Paulie.”

“What?”

“Sharon gave him her phone. He tried to call me from school. Sharon was afraid you’d be upset if she called me.”

Kelly shook her head and rested it against the back of the seat. “I’m mad at myself.”

“You cannot close me out like this.”

“Are you mad?”

“Yeah, I am. But not at you. I’m mad that you didn’t think you could call me.” He touched her cheek, and she finally opened her eyes. He looked like hell. David hadn’t landed any punches, but Mart’s shirt was ripped, and he had a scratch on his cheek. He’d probably have bruises on his neck by tomorrow. And he needed a shave.

“Even worse, I’m disappointed that you didn’t think you could tell me. I thought I’d proved you can trust me.”

Of all the words he could have chosen, that one cut her deepest.

Disappointed.

His anger—even rage—she’d expected, and could have easily taken and rebuffed.

But worse, she’d disappointed him.

She cried again as he held her. “It’s okay, babe. Don’t you understand? I love you so much, and those boys are my sons, too. What happens with them affects me as much as it does you.”

She sobbed harder, feeling guilty. When she sat back, he handed her a tissue.

“You okay?”

She nodded.

“Now,” he took her hand, “tell me what happened.” She related the events. He smiled. “You won. That’s a good thing.”

She shrugged. “The boys don’t win.”

“That’s not your fault. That’s David’s problem. He shouldn’t have been an asshole.” Mart brushed the hair out of her eyes. “I think we both know it’s time you talk to someone.”

Kelly realized what he meant. “I don’t want to see a shrink.”

“Kelly.” His tone sounded firm. She knew he’d hold his ground. “This is obviously a problem. This isn’t good for you, putting yourself through this. It’s not good for us. David cannot use it against you. Especially now. I’ll make some calls and find someone.”

She shook her head. “No. It’ll go on his insurance—”

Mart forced her to look at him. “I’m paying for it. And we’ll be married soon, so you’ll be on my insurance, and it’ll be covered. I want you to heal. For the boys, for yourself—for us.”

She studied his eyes. “Okay,” she whispered. “If you want me to.”

He managed a smile. “Yes, I do.” He sat back and squeezed her hand. “Let’s go to your house. I’ll get a shower and some sleep and take you out to dinner, okay?”

“Okay.”

Sharon and Patty were already at Kelly’s when they returned. Kelly brought Mart’s suitcase into her bedroom and tidied Denny’s bathroom so he could take a shower. While he did that, she fixed him a sandwich, and the other two women sat at the table and watched her without speaking.

Kelly looked at them and slammed the jar of mayo on the table. “Just say it. Get it over with.”

Patty spoke first. “Are you done trying to shut him out?”

Kelly nodded, fighting her tears.

“Good. He loves you. Any guy who’d go through hell like he did to get here is worth keeping in the loop.” She stood and hugged Kelly. “Call me when you hear something.”

Patty left. Sharon stared at Kelly. “Do the boys have swim practice today?”

“Oh, God, yes. I forgot.”

“I’ll take them. Why don’t I keep them at my house tonight? I think you and Mart need some time alone.”

Kelly nodded. “Thank you.”

“I’ll go pack their bags.”

Kelly cleaned up the kitchen and took the sandwich and a glass of juice to her bedroom. Mart was finished with his shower and sitting in his chair, wearing a pair of shorts, a towel around his shoulders, his hair damp. He’d shaved and looked a lot better but still exhausted.

“I made you lunch.”

“Thank you.” He crooked his finger at her. She put the plate and glass on her dresser and went to him, closing her eyes and enjoying the feel of his arms around her. He didn’t speak, just held her. Eventually she kissed him, stood, and handed him his lunch. She pulled the covers down and stretched out on the bed, still dressed, and tuned the TV to a news channel. She could use a nap herself.

Mart ate in silence, watching her. When he’d finished, he got into bed and pulled her to him, holding her until they both fell asleep.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Mart was still asleep when Kelly woke. He was fighting for her, wanted to be there for her. Why was she so stubbornly trying to keep him out?

Not wanting to wake him, she carefully got out of bed and closed the bedroom door. Her mom was gone, had left a note on the table that she had the boys. It was a miracle she’d managed to keep them quiet enough to not disturb them.

Kelly looked at her phone. No calls. She called Michelle.

“He’s going to bond out, most likely. But I have the TRO filed, and the hearing is set for Monday at eight. Considering the circumstances, there won’t be any problems. And I sent David’s sweet pea a subpoena.”

“Okay.”

“How are the boys?”

“Mom has them. She took them to swimming and then her house. They’ll spend the night there.”

“How’s Mart?”

“Still asleep. He didn’t get any sleep last night.” When she explained his journey to get home, Michelle whistled.

“Impressive. Kelly, hold onto him. He’s special. And Patty’s right, he’s a cutie.”

Kelly smiled. “Keep your hands off him. He’s mine.”

“Hey, no law says we can’t look. I’ll see you Monday at seven at the courthouse, in the snack bar. Bring Mart. I might need his testimony. I’ll have my secretary drop copies of the temporary restraining order by your house tonight on her way home, she lives near you. If Asswipe shows up, call 911 and have him arrested.”

“But he’s still in jail?”

“For the time being, yes, but not for long. He’ll have to get an attorney for this. He can’t pro se his way out of it.”

“Thanks, Michelle.”

“Any time.”

Kelly hung up and sat at the table, her head in her hands. This was too much. This was something out of a novel. If she got through it with her sanity intact, maybe she would write about it. Didn’t they always say to write what you know?

Would that make her legal expenses tax deductible?

Finally, something she could laugh about.

It was nearly four when she heard Mart stir. He looked at her when she opened the bedroom door.

“Hey, you,” he said.

She sat on the edge of the bed. “Hey, yourself.”

He took her hand, kissed it, didn’t let go. “Are we going to have a talk?”

“I thought we already did.”

He stared at her. She looked at the floor, sighed, and curled up next to him in bed.

“Kel, why didn’t you tell me what happened?”

“Because I was afraid.”

“Of me?”

She shook her head. “That David was right. That I couldn’t make it on my own.” Then it spilled out. The fear, the struggle, the years of not wanting to rely on anyone because she couldn’t depend on others, hating to take charity. Above all else, wanting to prove David wrong, that she could make it on her own without help.

She sobbed against Mart. He held her, whispering to her, “Kelly, it’s okay. You did prove him wrong. You have two great kids, and you have been making it. It’s okay.”

He stroked her hair, murmuring to her, trying to soothe her. Eventually she calmed and rolled away from him. “I’m sorry you’re missing work because of me.”

“One, don’t apologize. It’s no big deal, seriously. Two, it’s not your fault. You didn’t cause this. Quit trying to take on blame that’s not yours to take. And three, I know your first husband sucked in this department, but it’s my job to be there for you. Stop trying to take my job away from me.”

At that, she smiled, and he tilted her chin so he could look in her eyes. “There’s my beautiful girl.”

“Why do you put up with me?”

“There’s nothing to ‘put up’ with, sweetheart. I love you. When two people love each other, this is what they do, they support each other, they help out, they are there. Yin and yang and all that.” He studied her face. “Let me in, Kel. That’s all I’m asking. I can’t be there for you if you won’t let me.”

“I’m sorry.”

He pulled her to him. “Don’t apologize. Just quit shutting me out. This is why you’re going to talk to someone. Okay?”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“And Patty was right,” he said. “This is one time I am more than happy to play the crip card.”

She looked at him, surprised. “What?”

“Kel, I’ve hated David since before I met him. I’d do anything to help you keep the boys safe.”

She hugged him. “I’m glad you put up with me.”

“For the last time, there’s nothing to put up with. I love you.” He kissed her. “Where are we going to dinner?”

“Can we stay here?”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I’d rather stay here. If you don’t mind leftovers.”

He smiled. “As long as I’m with you.”

Sharon brought the boys home Saturday afternoon. Mart stayed at Kelly’s, fearing David might retaliate. They didn’t tell the boys about the attack, only that Kelly had David’s motions overturned and that the boys didn’t have to visit their father.

Kelly let Mart play entertainment director, keeping the boys busy all afternoon. Fortunately, they had sled hockey practice Sunday morning, and Mart scored them tickets to the Lightning game that afternoon.

Michelle called Kelly during sled hockey practice, while she was watching “her boys” on the ice.

“How you doing, Kel?”

“I’m okay. We’re up in Tampa, at sled hockey.”

“Good. Stay distracted. You ready for tomorrow?”

She watched Denny slap a puck at Mart. He dove for it, tipped sideways, and quickly righted himself. “Yeah, Mart’s bringing me.”

“Get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Thanks, Michelle.”

Kelly hung up and watched them on the ice. This wasn’t the way she wanted to build her family. She’d never wanted to take the boys away from David, but there was no denying he was out of control. She couldn’t risk the boys’ safety.

Kelly winced when Denny tipped over. Paulie skated over to him, but Mart held out his hand for him to wait. In a few seconds, Denny righted himself and raced after the puck.

* * * *

Sharon arrived at six Monday morning and hugged Mart. “I love you, mister.”

Kelly’s jaw dropped. “Mom!”

“Well, I do.” She turned to Kelly. “Dammit, look what he went through for you, you stubborn thing.”

Mart smirked at Kelly from behind Sharon. Kelly laughed. “Yes, all right, I’m a doof. I get it.”

Sharon hugged Kelly. “No, you’re not a doof. But if you screw things up with Mart, I’m liable to take his side,” she teased.

“Gee, thanks.”

“I would think you’d be happy I love your fiancé.”

“It takes some getting used to.”

They met Michelle in the courthouse snack bar at seven and went through the paperwork. Patty came as a character witness, and they spotted Beatrice in the waiting area at twenty minutes till eight.

No sign of David.

Mart and Patty had to wait in the judge’s ante-chamber with Beatrice. David showed up at five till, without an attorney, and the extra deputy on duty to prevent trouble escorted him into the chambers.

The judge was not happy. “Mr. Alexander, I understand there was an altercation after Friday’s hearing?”

Mart’s punches had left David with a large shiner on his left eye and a split upper lip. It was a struggle, but Kelly managed to suppress her satisfied smirk.

“Yes,” David mumbled.

“Mind telling me what the hell happened?”

David shrugged. He looked down and didn’t respond.

“Mr. Alexander. Did you not hear me, or did you not understand the question?”

“I don’t want to lose my boys.”

The judge shook his head. “That sure as hell wasn’t the way to go about it.” He turned to Michelle. “Counselor?”

Michelle told the story, then produced the restraining orders and police reports, and their modified petition for full custody with phone visitation only.

“My client is willing to stipulate to a temporary order,” Michelle continued, “revisiting the matter in six months. Provided Mr. Alexander gets into treatment for his alcoholism and into an ongoing anger management course. That’s in addition to ongoing psychological counseling, and that he shows dramatic improvement in his behavior in that time.”

Judge Donaldson looked at David. “Well, Mr. Alexander? Are you willing to agree to this?”

David looked down. “Yes, sir.”

The judge watched him for a moment and shook his head. “So ordered. Counselor, are you preparing the order?”

Michelle handed it to him. “Done, your Honor.”

He signed it. “Set up a hearing in six months. Mr. Alexander, I am hereby ordering you to seek treatment for alcohol abuse, anger management, and psychological counseling—all three. You will provide this court with documentation to that effect, showing that you are currently engaged in ongoing treatment at the next hearing. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And Mr. Alexander, if you even think about violating the terms of the TRO against you, I will have your ass in jail so fast you won’t have time to blink. You are allowed to call your sons to talk to them, not to harass your ex-wife or anyone else listed in the TROs. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

“We’re done.”

Michelle nodded. “Thank you, your Honor.”

The judge gathered his papers and left. Michelle stood, took Kelly’s arm and pulled her to her feet. Michelle grabbed her papers and pushed Kelly out the door ahead of her. Mart and Patty followed. Beatrice remained sitting, looking confused.

“Is that it?” Kelly whispered in the hall.

Michelle nodded. “Let’s get outside. Right now. Go.”

David appeared in the doorway behind them and called out to Kelly. “Why are you taking my boys away from me?”

Mart tried to stop her. “Kel, don’t.”

Kelly turned, shaking Mart’s hand loose. White-hot anger coursed through her. Her voice cut through the air. “How dare you. I spent years begging you to spend time with them. I’m not the one who had a son in the hospital and went and got drunk and couldn’t have cared less. And I’m not the one who went off my nut and attacked their stepfather.”

She’d never yelled at him like this before, especially not in public. David was too stunned by her anger to respond. Kelly ignored the people in the hallway who stopped to watch. Michelle put a hand on Kelly’s shoulder. Kelly ignored her.

“David, I don’t think you’re a bad guy, down deep. But you need help. I gave up trying to fix you a long time ago. You have to do it, not expect others to do it for you, not expect the women in your life to fix you without you putting effort into it. Get help, and maybe you can fix your relationship with your sons. Until then, I have to protect them.”

David stared at her, not responding. That in itself was shocking. Finally he said, “I love the boys.”

“Then show them you give a damn. Get sober. When you can prove you’re getting help and making changes, I’ll be more than happy to come back before the judge and tell him you should get visitation. I didn’t make the choice to take them away. When you attacked Mart, that was the last straw. Even before that, you drove them away, and they decided they didn’t want to be around you. Frankly, I don’t blame them.”

She turned on her heel, aimed for the nearest exit. She needed air. Hopefully Mart was right behind her.

“Kelly—” Something about David’s voice made her pause, and she turned. “I’m sorry.”

He looked beaten, a shell of his former self. For the first time, she realized how much older he looked since their divorce, like he’d aged at least ten years. He’d put on over fifty pounds, and his brown hair was greying, receding.

“Don’t apologize to me, David. You need to apologize to the boys.” She took a step toward him. “You can call them. But get help. Get sober.”

She turned. Mart followed her, as did Michelle and Patty. Outside, Michelle quickly went over a few things with them and let them get on their way.

Mart didn’t break the silence as they loaded and drove off. He looked at her. “Are you okay?”

Kelly nodded, turning toward the window so he couldn’t see her tears.

Chapter Forty

David didn’t call. Kelly considered cancelling the trip to Boston with Mart and staying home with the boys over fear David might do something, but both Mart and Sharon convinced her to go.

“Honey, you and Mart need some downtime. This will be good for you. I’ll take care of the boys, they’ll be fine. David doesn’t know where I live since I moved. He only has my cell number. I doubt he’d show up anyway.”

Mart nodded. “Come with me, please. I don’t want to go without you.”

“All right. I just have a bad feeling I shouldn’t.”

Mart still had to return to L.A. to finish his interrupted business trip. He wanted to cancel, but Kelly made him go. “David isn’t that stupid,” she said. “I’ll call 911 if he shows up.”

Kelly dropped the boys off at her mom’s Thursday night and handed her a sheet of paper with contact information, Mart’s phones, the hotel address and number.

“Why can’t we go?” Denny whined. “I want to see Mart race, too.”

“We won’t be getting back until really late Sunday night, and you have school Monday. You can go with us to another one.”

Denny nodded, still obviously upset. He’d been practicing 5ks with Mart and wanted to race in one with him.

Kelly returned home and packed. Mart was flying in late that night from L.A., and she’d meet him at his house in the morning. Her bed felt empty without him, but she knew it wouldn’t be much longer before they’d be together all the time.

The next morning, Kelly arrived at Mart’s ten minutes early and found the front door already unlocked. His bags were in the entry, and she heard him in the bedroom.

“It’s me,” she called out.

“I figured.” He was zipping a small carry-on bag in the bedroom. She sat on his unmade bed and, for a moment, considered tempting him into it.

As if reading her mind, he smiled. “We don’t have time, sweetheart.”

“You sure?”

He saw the look on her face and grinned. “When we check in, be prepared. But for now…” He kissed her, leaving her breathless. “Come on. Let’s get moving.”

She moved her bags from the Element to his van and helped load his race chair and luggage. They were on the road in twenty minutes and made the airport with plenty of time to spare.

“Benefits of being in a chair,” he said as he handed their boarding passes to the gate attendant, “is we get to board first.”

Kelly was not a good flyer. She held his hand tightly as the plane took off.

“We’re up. It’s okay.” He flexed his hand after she released it.

“I’m sorry. I should have warned you. I’d rather drive than fly.”

“Next time, we will. I wouldn’t mind spending a few nights alone in hotels with you.”

She laughed and kissed him.

They took a shuttle van from Logan to the hotel. When they got to their room, Kelly went to the bathroom to freshen up. She found Mart stretched out on the bed, still dressed, watching TV.

She laid down next to him. “So. What next?”

He glanced at his watch. “Dinner is in three hours. I can think of a few things to do until then.”

“So can I.”

“Oh really?” She nodded, and he grinned. “Show me, girl.”

She did.

* * * *

They emerged in the lobby with ten minutes to spare. A group of about fifteen men and women in wheelchairs had gathered to one side. Kelly followed Mart. He greeted the wheelers and took Kelly’s hand.

“My fiancée, Kelly Alexander.” She shook hands as he introduced everyone. A little self-conscious as the only person standing, she sat on a coffee table next to Mart.

They talked for a few minutes, then moved as a group to the dining room. She listened to their war stories of races and heard a side of Mart she wasn’t familiar with, his life before her.

A man wheeled up. “Hey, someone was asking me about Big Clem. I realized I haven’t seen him around in a few years. What happened to him?”

Mart and Bill Parker, one of Mart’s friends, fell quiet. “He died three years ago,” Bill said.

The guy’s jaw dropped. “No! Big Clem? What happened?”

Mart nodded. “Renal failure. He had a bad kidney infection. By the time he got to the doctor, too much damage had been done.”

“Shit.” They were all quiet for a moment.

Bill smiled. “Man, I remember Clem popped Marty’s cherry more than once.”

Mart, Bill, and several others laughed. Kelly wondered if this was another inside disability joke she wasn’t privileged to understand.

Mart saw her discomfort and took her hand. “Clem was a hell of a jokester.”

Bill grinned. “Kelly, you’ll love this. You were, what, you hadn’t graduated yet, Marty. Twenty-one, twenty-two? We’re all in Atlanta for a race. Marty smoked Clem, beat him by at least five minutes. Later, Marty was working on this little cutie in a bar. He’s talking to her all night. Clem’s just sitting back, watching—”

Mart interrupted. “Clem was a Nebraska farm boy, hurt in an accident a few years earlier. He was a T-4 or something. Huge shoulders and chest like he’d just walked in from a corn field. Blond hair down to his shoulders, big blue eyes. Girls loved him.”

Bill nodded. “So Marty’s about to close the deal with this girl. Clem rolls over to them without saying a word, pulls the maraschino cherry out of the girl’s drink. Looks at her, holds it up by the stem, pops the whole thing in his mouth.

“He wiggles it around for a few seconds, pulls out the stem twisted into a knot, hands it to her, and says in this really deep, soft voice—”

Mart struck a pose, apparently imitating Clem, “If my tongue can do that, imagine what it can do to you.”

Everyone at the table roared with laughter.

Kelly gasped, grinning. “No!”

Mart nodded. “Yep. She followed him out the door without another word to me, leaving me with a serious case of blue balls. I could have killed him. It was his payback for me busting his chops after the race.”

“Poor Marty threatened to replace his catheter lube with Super Glue,” Bill added.

“He did that to me two more times that summer before I got even.”

“What’d you do?” Kelly asked. Bill and a few others who already knew the story laughed.

Mart turned to her. “He used to room with me on the road. Before our next trip together, I bought a bottle of blue dye. When he was asleep, I dumped it on him and dyed his crotch so he looked like a freaking Smurf. He couldn’t feel me do it, slept right through it. Not my fault the dumbass slept naked.” Mart took a drink, hiding his grin.

Kelly joined the others laughing.

Mart continued. “You should have heard him scream in the bathroom the next morning. I figured if he was going to let me go around with blue balls all summer, I’d repay the favor.”

Bill laughed and pointed at Mart. “Kelly, this boy of yours was a wild man. He was crazy. I remember the time when you and Brenda—”

“Bill, not tonight.” Mart’s face tightened. “Please.”

Bill stopped in mid-sentence, apparently sensing he’d stepped over a line. “Sorry, man.”

Kelly, still smiling, looked between them. “What? What happened?”

Mart shook his head and patted her hand. “Ancient history. I’ll tell you later.” He met her eyes. “Really ancient history.”

After dinner, they congregated in one of the downstairs meeting rooms. Mart introduced Kelly to more people, and she was sure she wouldn’t remember them all. There was one more meeting scheduled for nine, nearly an hour away.

She sat in the lobby with Mart. “So, who’s Brenda?”

The tight look returned to his face. Whatever happened, he wasn’t happy to talk about it. “She’s a closed book, seriously. Long time ago, in a galaxy far away, that sort of thing.” He looked down. “I loved her, but she wasn’t ready for a relationship. Haven’t seen or talked to her for a while.”

“Is she here?”

He hesitated. “I saw her name on the list of entries.”

Kelly’s gut tightened. “Oh. Well, no big deal, right?”

He nodded, squeezing her hand tighter. “You’re my fiancée. I love you. I’m marrying you.” He kissed her.

The tightness eased in her stomach. Of course he was. He loved her, was with her, had fought to get to her from the other end of the country.

And he wasn’t David.

She looked at the time. “I need to check on the boys.”

“I’ll be in the lounge with the gang. Come on down when you’re finished.”

“Okay.”

She went upstairs and called, took a few minutes to relax. Downstairs, none of the wheelers were in the lobby. Kelly made her way to the lounge and found them in the far corner. Mart sat with his back to the door. Next to him was a woman in a wheelchair. Thin, with long, blonde hair. Kelly hadn’t met her yet. Her first assumption was she must be Brenda.

Kelly swallowed back her jealousy—and fear. She started to step forward when the woman put her arm around Mart’s shoulder and hugged him, then kept it there.

Kelly tried to force her feet to move when the woman leaned over and kissed Mart on the cheek. He didn’t return it, but he didn’t pull away, either.

Flashbacks from her discoveries about David flowed through her mind, unbidden, unstoppable. His voice, all his lies, all his excuses.

Just a friend. You’re imagining things. Don’t make so much of it. Quit being paranoid.

Kelly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She envisioned Mart standing up to David, fighting for her, then ordered her feet to move. She walked over to the table. Mart brightened when he saw her.

“Here she is!”

The woman looked Kelly up and down, her face a mask. She didn’t move her arm from around Mart’s shoulders.

“Hi,” Kelly said, staring the woman down. “Kelly Alexander, Mart’s fiancée.”

The woman blinked and finally moved her arm. “Brenda Cayce, nice to meet you.”

But the look on her face said it was anything but.

Mart extricated himself and grabbed a chair from a nearby table for Kelly. His face was flushed, and he looked nervous. He took Kelly’s hand and didn’t let go until it was time for the meeting. Kelly followed the conversations but watched Brenda out of the corner of her eye. The woman eyed Mart, stealing looks at him, hardly talking to others.

If this was a reunion, it apparently wasn’t the one Brenda envisioned.

Brenda sat through the meeting on the other side of the room. She looked lithe and in shape, obviously a serious competitor. Mart paid her no attention, and Kelly tried to ignore the nasty feeling in her gut. He was here with her, not his ex. The man fought his way back across the country to try to make it to the hearing, for crying out loud—he was the real deal.

Mart sensed her disquiet. When the elevator door closed behind them, he turned. “Kelly, what’s wrong?”

She shook her head, forced a smile. “Nothing. I’m okay.”

“Kelly—”

“I saw her kiss you in the lounge.”

He closed his eyes and swore as the elevator door opened. Kelly stepped out, Mart close on her heels. “She was saying hello. You also saw me not kiss her back, right?”

“I noticed you didn’t make her move her arm.” Now that her jealousy was out in the open, it came fast and furious. Kelly’s hands shook as she tried to put the key card in backwards, then got it and pushed the door open.

“Kelly,” Mart followed her into the room. “Please, talk to me.” He tried to take her hand, but she moved away, kicking off her shoes.

“Look, it’s okay. It’s my problem, all right?” Her tone sounded harsher than she meant, but she couldn’t help it. No, he didn’t do anything wrong. But too many years of David’s lies took their toll, on top of all the emotion of the past two weeks.

“No, it’s not your problem, it’s my problem.” He caught her hand and made her look at him. “I love you. Only you.”

“I watched her while we were down there. She wants another chance.”

“What?”

“I could tell, the way she looked at you. She may be in your past, but she’s not happy you brought me.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

She pulled on a T-shirt and threw back the covers. “Does to her. Look, you need to get up early for the race. Let’s get some sleep.”

He looked at her for a long moment. Sleep was obviously not what he’d had in mind. He went to the bathroom. When he returned, she was on her side facing away from him, as close as she could get to the bed’s edge and still be on the mattress.

He tried to talk to her. She pretended she was asleep. He gave up and kissed her cheek.

“I love you, Kelly,” he whispered. “Only you.”

She squeezed back her tears, tried not to let on she heard him. He turned off the bedside lamp and rolled over, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

Chapter Forty-One

Kelly suffered a mostly sleepless night. When she did drift off, she was haunted by bad dreams of David and his lies, with David morphing into Mart before her eyes. This was ridiculous—Mart was not David. She knew it in her soul, but some deeply ingrained emotions and reactions were hard to erase.

She gave up and rose before the alarm went off. She showered and dressed in the bathroom. Mart was still sound asleep when she finished.

Might as well let him sleep.

There were still thirty minutes before he had to get up, so Kelly went downstairs in search of coffee. They were supposed to ride a shuttle bus to the staging tent with the other wheelers, and she knew a light breakfast was set up in the meeting room. She found it, tried to calm her nerves.

Bill rolled in. “Where’s Marty?”

“He’s still asleep. He should be down soon.”

“I’m sorry about last night. I hope I didn’t cause any trouble.”

She forced a smile. “No, it’s fine, really.”

“Brenda can come on hard sometimes. Marty’s madly in love with you. I don’t care what that crazy bitch says, don’t let her play head games with you.”

Kelly’s gut tightened again. “Why? What did she say?”

“I just know her. She’s regretted blowing Marty off for years now. I heard her swear she’d get him back. Hopefully she’ll back off now that he’s taken. He’s here with you. If he wanted to get back together with her, he wouldn’t have brought you, right?”

Kelly studied her coffee cup. Right. Bill was right. Mart wouldn’t have brought her if he wanted a shot with his old flame. And when she’d tried to stay home, Mart practically begged her to come. Kelly glanced at her watch. The alarm would have gone off by now. She should talk to him before the race, apologize for being jealous.

Kelly finished her coffee. “Thanks, Bill. I need to check on him, make sure he’s awake.”

“Seriously, he’s crazy about you. I’ve known him for years, and he can’t quit talking about you and your boys. He loves you.”

Kelly caught the elevator. She paused at their door, thinking she heard voices.

Must be the TV. She let herself in.

Brenda was dressed for racing. Mart had his race shorts on but was shirtless. Brenda turned and scowled at Kelly.

Kelly’s stomach hit her feet. Before Mart could say anything, Kelly bolted out the door. She couldn’t do this. Not right now. She wasn’t ready.

“Shit—Kelly!”

Kelly ran to the elevators, punching the button, willing one of the three doors to open.

Their room opened behind her, and Mart called her name. The stairwell was right there, and Kelly ran for it, trying to fight her tears. She charged down three flights before stopping and leaning against the wall, sliding to the floor as she gave in and cried.

It was nothing. They were only talking. That’s all.

But the look on Brenda’s face when she’d walked in—maybe Mart had written Brenda off as his past, but Brenda was trying to write a new chapter as his future.

Kelly looked at her watch. The shuttle would leave in twenty minutes. If she wasn’t on it, she’d have to find her own way to the staging area. And she had no idea how to get there.

Did she want to go?

There was nothing going on between Brenda and Mart. Kelly knew it, instinctively, deep in her heart. After all they’d been through the past few weeks, she knew Mart loved her, was faithful, and would do anything to be with her.

It was her mind screaming for her to run, trying to protect her from a repeat of David.

She wanted to see Mart’s race. She didn’t fly here to hole up bawling in a hotel stairwell.

Kelly took a deep breath, returned to their floor, and stuck her head out the doorway.

The hall was deserted. She returned to their room and found it empty. Mart’s gear bag and race chair were gone, and he’d left her a note.

Kelly, please, when you find this, call me! Nothing happened! She stopped by on her way down, I thought it was you knocking when I opened the door. She was only here for a minute. I’m sorry, I know it looked bad. I love you, please, I’m worried about you.—Love, M.

That triggered a fresh round of tears. Of course he loved her.

She grabbed her backpack and phone. There was a missed call from Mart and a voice message. She didn’t play it.

She caught the elevator downstairs. Outside the lobby, through the front windows, she saw the crowd of wheelers by the shuttle. A rental box truck parked behind it held gear and daily chairs, and half the race chairs were already loaded. She didn’t see Mart or Brenda, but watched his green racer go into the truck.

Steeling her nerves, Kelly started across the lobby when a woman’s voice caught her ear as she passed the meeting room.

“Give me one day with him. I’ll get him back, make him see how much he missed me. He thinks he loves her. What’s he going to do with her? He’s in a chair, she’s not. The fun will wear off, and he’ll want what he knows. I’ll have him back by the end of the weekend.”

Brenda.

Brenda sat with her back to the doorway, talking to another woman in a chair.

Kelly thought her heart would stop. She should go confront the bitch, tell her to bring it on, but she froze.

No one will want you, Kelly. You’re a bitch. No one will want to be with you. She couldn’t quiet David’s voice in her head.

Her cell phone vibrated, startling her. Mart.

She couldn’t do it, couldn’t face him. Kelly turned and ran for the elevators and dove into the first that opened. She punched the button for her floor, and as the door closed, she leaned against the wall and cried.

Kelly waited until she was sure the shuttle had left. Her phone rang three more times, each time with a new voicemail. She didn’t play them. Downstairs, she asked the front desk how to get to the staging area. The race wouldn’t start for an hour, and the starting line was twenty blocks away. She could walk that without problem. Maybe it would calm her.

Checking to make sure she had her camera, Kelly followed the map the clerk gave her. Many streets were closed already, and crowds of runners were working their way to the starting line. She knew where the wheelers’ staging tent was supposed to be and hoped she could get there in time. They were handing out access passes to everyone on the shuttle, so she wouldn’t have that. Getting to the tent might be an issue.

Her heart sank. What if she couldn’t get to Mart before the race?

Well, stupid, if you’d acted like an adult instead of a baby, you’d be with him right now. David’s voice in her head again. The sooner she could quiet that, the better.

Kelly found the starting area, and it was difficult to make her way through the crowd. She still had twenty minutes before the wheelchairs started. She found an information booth and asked about the wheelers’ staging area. They had no idea what she was talking about.

She tried to remember what was said at the meeting, and before she could get turned around, the police sealed off the starting area, not letting anyone cross the street in front of the starting line.

“Shit.”

She tried to get behind the starting line, thread her way through the throng, but it was too thick. She heard the final call for the wheelchair racers over the PA system and struggled to get to the fenced starting chute where they lined up. She spotted Mart through the crowd, tried to wave and shout at him, but he couldn’t hear her over the noise. She saw him scanning the crowd, looking, but he was facing away from her. Kelly yelled louder, and Brenda, whose chair was now next to Mart’s, looked at her.

Then Brenda smiled at her, cold, chilling, and turned away.

Brenda made no attempt to get Mart’s attention. In fact, she leaned over to him and said something. He nodded, continuing to scan the wrong side of the street. Kelly spotted Bill in the pack and tried to yell for him, but then the crowd quieted for the National Anthem. Kelly pressed against the fence, frantically waving, the smile on Brenda’s face sickening her.

She was deliberately ignoring her.

Kelly finally got Bill’s attention. He realized who she was, but before he could reach over and tap Mart on the back, the starter’s pistol fired and the wheelchairs took off. Mart’s hands hit the push rims, his powerful strokes shooting him to the head of the pack and around the first corner like a rocket sled on rails.

And then they were gone.

Kelly’s heart sank, the only person in the crowd sobbing instead of cheering.

She reached the staging tent before the runners were released. Jim, one of the organizers, recognized her immediately. “We were wondering what happened to you. Mart was worried sick.”

“I’m sorry. How long until he finishes?”

Jim consulted his papers. “About thirty-five minutes. It’s right over there,” he pointed, and she saw the finish a half-block away, kitty-corner from their location on an odd-angled street, a small set of bleachers set up next to it. “Oh wait, here—” he handed her a pass on a lanyard. “You’ll want this. I’m sorry you missed the start.”

She shook her head. “I saw the start but couldn’t get his attention. Brenda saw me,” she said bitterly, “looked right at me and didn’t tell Mart she saw me.”

Jim nodded. “She’s a vicious bitch, but he loves you. He was worried sick, thought about going back to the hotel on the shuttle to look for you.”

Her heart sank even further. If she’d just swallowed her pride, she could have been there for him. And she’d forgotten to take a picture of the start.

“You can go over there and wait. They’ll let you into the finish chute with that pass,” he said.

Kelly made it to the finish after all the runners started, getting a spot on the first row of the bleachers. She could see down the road to the final turn where the wheelers would come through, well before the first runners finished.

Her heart pounding, she played her voicemails.

“Kel, please, I’m sorry. Look, call me. I want you here with me. Please, I’m worried about you. I love you. Call me—the bus is about to leave, and I don’t want to go without you.” All his messages sounded worried, concerned, the last nearly frantic.

She tried to fight her tears, watched the clock, held the camera ready.

The announcer updated the crowd every few minutes. When the first wheelers made it to the turnaround at the halfway point, Mart was neck and neck in the lead with another guy. Kelly gleefully noted Brenda was not among the top three women wheelers.

Eventually the leaders approached, and Mart’s green racer wasn’t among them. Kelly waited, and more wheelers in ones and twos trailed in ahead of the runners.

She heard a flurry of radio activity at the finish line, something about an ambulance being called.

Still no Mart, and no Brenda either, as more wheelers finished. Then the lead runner finished, followed by three other elite runners. And another wheeler.

Unable to take it anymore, Kelly went to the announcer’s booth where she heard more radio traffic about emergency services. The official was going to ignore her when he saw her pass.

“I’m trying to find my fiancé, Martin Rawlings. He’s a wheelchair racer, he should have finished by now. Is he okay?” The official’s expression changed. Kelly’s stomach dropped. “What happened?”

“Calm down, he’s being transported—”

“What happened?” she demanded.

He swallowed. “There was an accident. They’re taking him to the hospital. They said his girlfriend, another racer, rode with him.”

Brenda. “She’s his EX-girlfriend. I’m his fiancée. Where did they take him?”

“Hold on.” He spoke into his radio. “Come with me—I’ll have someone take you to the hospital.”

They walked a block over, and an official car pulled up. He talked to the driver and opened the door for her. “He’ll take you.”

“Thank you.”

The shakes hit her a few blocks away. She didn’t know whether to be upset or mad or scared or sick to her stomach. By the time they pulled up to the emergency room entrance, her gut was knotted as badly as it had been at Denny’s surgery.

When Mart had been by her side, supporting her.

She ran into the ER and saw a race official standing by the desk. “Martin Rawlings, where is he?”

“Are you Kelly?”

She nodded.

“Come with me, I’ll take you. He’s been asking for you.”

Relief, then guilt washed over her. She should have been there. Did he wreck because his mind was on her and not focused on his race?

She followed the official to a triage room where Mart lay on a gurney. Brenda sat in a regular hospital push chair by his side. She looked up and glared as Kelly walked over to her.

Kelly was done running. “Get away from my fiancé, you bitch.”

Mart looked up. “Kelly—”

“Hold on.” She turned to Brenda. “I heard your conversation at the hotel. ‘Give me one day,’ my ass.” Brenda blanched, but Kelly continued. “Then at the start you heard me, saw me waving and trying to get Mart’s attention, and you didn’t tell him. And then you told the race officials you were his girlfriend.”

Mart glared at Brenda. “Is that true? Is that what you told them? So you haven’t been trying to call Kelly for me?”

Brenda glanced down, stammered. Mart looked at the race official and pointed at Brenda. “Get her the hell out of her.”

“You’d better get her out of here,” Kelly said, “because I’ve never hit a person in a wheelchair, and I don’t want to start now. But so help me God, I will.”

Brenda left. She turned at the doorway. “You’ll want me back. You know you will.”

“Don’t hold your breath,” Mart spat, “you had your chance and you blew it, years ago.”

Brenda left. Kelly went to Mart. “Are you okay?”

He nodded. “I’m fine. Screwed up my arm and shoulder.” She realized his left arm was wrapped in a temporary splint.

“What happened?”

“Oh, damn photographer stepped out in front of me. I didn’t see him at first, and when I looked up I swerved, caught a wheel on a manhole cover and flipped. I landed on my arm wrong, and snap.” He squeezed her hand with his good one. “I was so worried about you, babe. What happened?”

She broke down, sobbing, and told him what she heard Brenda say in the hotel lobby. He squeezed her hand again. “Look at me, Kel,” he said softly. She finally met his eyes.

“You are my fiancée. And you’re going to be my wife. Understand? Not her, not anyone else. You. I love you. I’ve loved you from the moment I met you. I love your sons, and I even love your mom.”

She smiled, but he wasn’t done. “I am not David. I know you love me. Please, learn to trust me.”

She nodded and kissed him. “I’m sorry. I froze when I heard her talking. Then I walked over to the start and tried to get your attention. She saw me. You should have seen the look on her face.” She started crying again. “Bill saw me, but by the time he realized who I was and tried to get your attention, you guys took off.”

He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I’m sorry I didn’t see you.”

Another official walked in. “Mart, we’ll get your stuff from staging and bring it and your chair here, and take your racer back to the hotel for you, okay?”

“How’s my racer?”

The official smiled. “Just a little paint. Nothing major.”

“Good. I put those dang rims on last week. Listen, I want you to tell everyone what Brenda did.”

“Mart, that’s between—”

“No, Dave, she’s a conniving bitch. Everyone knows it, and it’s time someone called her on it. She wants to be that way? She can do her own thing. I know Bill and Shauna will back me up on this.”

Dave paused. For the first time, Kelly realized how much pull Mart had.

Dave nodded. “Okay.”

When they were alone again, Mart looked at Kelly. “I mean it. We’re getting married when we get home. Next week. You won’t have to worry about this bullshit anymore. We’ll go to the courthouse on Monday and get a license and have a clerk do it if we have to.”

“What about a wedding?”

“We can still do a ceremony for everyone else.”

“Okay.” She touched her forehead to his. “I was so worried. I didn’t know what happened to you, and then they said you wrecked…” She started crying again.

“Shh, it’s okay.” He wiped her tears with his good hand. “David really did a number on your head, didn’t he?”

“My gut kept telling me that nothing was going on, but then I heard her and it was like a switch flipped inside me.”

He squeezed her hand again, quieting her. “It’s okay. This is why I want you to talk to someone. I want you to be able to trust me.”

“I do trust you. I don’t trust Brenda.”

“That makes two of us.”

Mart asked the doctors to let Kelly stay while they set his arm. There wasn’t much they could do for his shoulder except give him a sling and tell him to take it easy. Fortunately his arm only needed a cast, not surgery. Kelly sat next to the bed, her forehead touching his, holding his right hand. A few times he winced, squeezing her hand tighter from the pain. When they were done, he laid back and closed his eyes.

“Oh man, that brings back bad memories.”

“What?”

“Haven’t had anything set in a while.”

“You okay?”

He nodded. “Mostly the shoulder. The arm’s not too bad.”

The doctor looked at him. “You can’t put any weight on that shoulder and arm for at least a couple of weeks. Do you have anyone to help you at home?”

“I’ll be with him,” Kelly said.

Mart looked at her. “Yeah?”

She nodded and brushed the hair out of his eyes. “Yeah.”

Chapter Forty-Two

Two orderlies helped Mart into his chair. The doctor gave Kelly Mart’s prescriptions and discharge paperwork. “Get him to his regular doctor—”

“Hey, sitting right here.” Mart waved his good hand.

“Hush, you,” Kelly said. “I get to play nurse.”

“Naughty nurse, I hope?”

The doctor cleared his throat but smiled. “These might make him loopy. Don’t let him drive or operate heavy machinery,” he joked.

“Don’t worry. I’ll take him back to the hotel and put him to bed.”

“Whoo-hoo, yeah, baby!” Mart crowed.

Kelly and the doctor both laughed. “We gave him a shot of painkillers too, by the way,” the doctor said.

Kelly smiled. “I could tell.”

Bill and a couple of Mart’s teammates met them in the waiting room. “Hey, you okay?” Bill asked.

He patted Kelly’s hand. “I’ll be fine.”

They got Mart back to the hotel and into bed. The concierge called the courtesy van to take Kelly to the drugstore, and she got his prescriptions filled. When she returned, Brenda was waiting outside the hotel lobby with her luggage and race chair.

Kelly walked up to her. “Aw, leaving so soon?”

“It’s been made perfectly clear my presence isn’t welcome.”

“Well, if you weren’t trying to steal my fiancé and then lie and tell people you’re his girlfriend, maybe everyone wouldn’t be pissed.”

“What does he see in you?” Brenda snarled. “Look at you. You’re fat, and—”

Kelly laughed, cutting her off. “What, my momma dresses me funny?” She’d been afraid of this bimbo?

Kelly leaned in, dropping her voice. “I’ve had two kids, hon. Just because I actually have boobs, unlike you, doesn’t make me fat. I was married to the king of the assholes. You can’t say anything to me that he probably hasn’t already said.”

Brenda tried to speak, but Kelly steamrolled her. “You want to know what Mart loves about me? He loves making me beg him to fuck me. He loves hearing me scream his name when I come. And by the way, he never mentioned you, so you obviously didn’t leave much of an impression.”

Brenda’s jaw dropped. Kelly straightened and walked into the lobby. Yes, it was a below the belt hit.

Way below the belt. There was probably an unspoken law of womanhood she broke by getting that personal, but…

Now she understood the satisfied smirk on Mart’s face the night he zinged David.

Oh, it was probably bad karma, but day-umm, it felt good. Brenda was one of those people who used her disability as permission to walk all over people. Instead of being a normal person, she’d spent too much time being told she was “special” and “different” and treated like a princess. Naturally she grew up a spoiled brat bitch. Not many people were willing to look like a bad guy by putting her in her place.

Kelly turned for one last look and saw Bill sitting a few feet away, laughing. Kelly blushed. She hadn’t realized anyone was close enough to hear. She hurried upstairs to Mart.

Later, Kelly went downstairs for dinner at Mart’s insistence. He was in pain and asked her to bring him something back. She went to the meeting room where they were serving a buffet and saw Bill. He wheeled over, grinning.

Motioning her to lean over, he whispered, “That was awesome! I’ve never heard anyone stand up to Brenda the way you did. No wonder Marty’s in love with you. That was hysterical.”

Kelly’s face reddened again. “I didn’t know anyone could hear.”

“Don’t worry. I haven’t repeated everything you said. But I’m telling people how you nailed her. That’s too good a story to hold back.”

Kelly laughed despite her embarrassment. “Thanks.”

She filled her plate and sat with Bill and a few other wheelers, getting a second round of introductions since she couldn’t remember most of their names. By this time, the story of what happened that morning with Brenda—and the afternoon retribution—had made its way through the racers, and Kelly was welcomed by everyone. She finished eating and filled a plate for Mart, taking it upstairs along with a couple of bottles of water.

Mart was sitting up in bed, watching TV. “Hey, babe. What did you bring me?”

She got a towel from the bathroom and spread it out on his lap, setting everything on it. “I tried to get stuff easy to eat one-handed and high on painkillers. Dig in.”

He laughed and winced. “Thank you. You know how much I love you?”

She smiled. From what she’d heard from the others at dinner, how frantic he was that morning, how he wouldn’t talk to Brenda on the ride over, even refusing to sit next to her on the shuttle, all doubts had fled.

“I love you too. I’m sorry about this morning. I’m sorry I caused you a distraction when you should have been focused on racing.”

“It’s not your fault. I should have told Brenda to bug off, but I was trying to be polite. I saw how well you always handled David and thought I could be big about it. I can’t. She walks all over me. She’s like that with everyone. I should have told her to stay the hell away from me when she showed up.”

Kelly laughed, and he looked at her. “What?”

“Bill will tell you if I don’t.”

“What?”

She related her confrontation with Brenda. Word for word.

His jaw dropped. “You didn’t?”

She nodded.

Mart grinned. “Come here, you.” He grabbed the front of her shirt with his good hand and pulled her to him, kissing her hard on the lips. “Make you moan, hmm?” She nodded, and he kissed her again. “Lucky for you I’m in pain, or you’d be moaning my name all night.”

She gasped, his words setting off a warm explosion inside her. “Promise?”

“You just wait. I’ll be more than happy to make you beg.” He had a playful gleam in his eyes, and she kissed him one more time, noticing the bulge in his lap. She brushed her fingers against him, and he smiled.

“Maybe I won’t be the only one begging,” she teased.

“I hope not.”

When Mart finished dinner, Kelly helped him into the bathroom. The hotel provided them a shower chair so he could manage the tub with his bad shoulder. When he was ready, with his good arm hooked around Kelly’s neck, she steadied him so he could get from the toilet to the tub.

“Getting out might be more difficult,” he admitted.

“Well, keep that arm dry.” At least he was facing the right way, his left arm outside the tub. She wrapped a clean trash bag around his cast.

“Hey, where are you going?”

“You want help?”

“Well, yeah. I think I specifically requested a naughty nurse.”

She laughed. “I thought you were joking.”

“My dear, about something like that, I never joke. Now get those clothes off so we can get dirty.”

“Clean.”

“Says you.”

It didn’t take her long to get into the spirit. Mart’s shoulder hurt, but between the painkillers and his mood, he more than compensated. They were both exhausted when she helped him into bed an hour later.

“Oh crap.” He looked at the clock. “I forgot about the meeting.” It was in thirty minutes.

“Let me guess, you want to go?”

“I should.”

“They wouldn’t blame you if you skipped.”

“I know. But I want to be there.” He rolled to his right side and managed to sit up. “You’ll have to help me get dressed.”

“I think getting you undressed wore us out.”

“No, getting undressed was easy. It was what we did later that wore us out.”

She found him a shirt she could pull over his cast and helped him dress. He let her push him to the elevator. They made the meeting with five minutes to spare, and he received a hero’s welcome. He held her hand throughout the meeting, and at the end they spent a few minutes talking to his friends. Kelly positioned herself behind him to prevent anyone from bumping his bad arm.

When they returned to the room, she could tell he hurt even though he tried to smile.

“I’m okay. Just ready to go to sleep.”

“You sure you want to go tomorrow?”

He nodded. “I need to.”

“They won’t blame you if you don’t.”

“I know, but I should go.”

She helped him make the transfer from his chair to the bed, and he grunted in pain.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized.

“It’s okay. I’m sorry I’m dead weight. Please don’t hurt your back.”

“Hey, you think I’m going to let someone else bathe you?”

He laughed, despite the pain it caused. “I wouldn’t trade my naughty nurse for anyone.”

* * * *

Mart was very sore the next morning, which Kelly anticipated. He still insisted on going. She helped him into the bathroom, staying close if he needed her. Luckily he didn’t have bowel and bladder management issues like Denny, but not bearing weight on one arm drastically limited his mobility and made it difficult for him to do normal tasks.

“I hate asking you to help me.”

“Mart, after nearly nine years of dealing with Denny, I don’t think anything you can do will gross me out.”

“Is it stupid for me to say I don’t think I’ve ever loved anyone more than I love you right now?”

“Why, because helping you wipe your ass doesn’t gross me out?”

“Yes.”

“Wait till your shoulder’s better. I’ll expect payback.”

“Foot massages every night?”

“That’s not exactly the body part I want massaged, but we’ll call it a start.”

He laughed, then winced. “Ow.”

“Hey, love hurts, dear.”

Kelly helped Mart to the elevator while he carried her bag in his lap. Downstairs, she noticed his pain pill kicked in. He was more talkative, tried to move himself around. Two volunteers helped him transfer to the shuttle, saving Kelly’s back. She sat on his good side, holding hands, and kept a close watch on him to make sure he didn’t injure himself.

By the end of the morning, he was ready to return to the hotel and take a nap. Their flight home wasn’t until that evening, so they had time.

Kelly worked on Mart’s racer while he slept, getting it ready for the flight, deflated the tires, removed the wheels and secured it in its travel case. At least that was something she could do. It was similar to Denny’s, the same brand, only bigger.

When Mart awoke, ready for a pain pill and lunch, he saw what she’d been up to. “You are the perfect woman, you know that?”

“If I was perfect, I wouldn’t have freaked out and you wouldn’t have wrecked.”

He grabbed her hand. “Listen to me,” he said, his tone firm and serious. “You didn’t cause my wreck. It was a stupid accident. It wasn’t because of you. The guy stepped in front of me when I wasn’t looking. Quit feeling guilty. I’ve wrecked before—it happens. That’s why we wear helmets.”

She nodded, not quite convinced in her heart.

They received plenty of help at the airport and made their flight. While they were waiting at the gate in Tampa for Mart’s chair to be brought up from the hold, Kelly realized another problem. “I have to drive—you can’t.”

“We’re in my van.”

She nodded.

“You can pull the controls off. Takes a few minutes. I have tools.”

“That might be easier than me learning how to drive with hand controls tonight.”

He nodded.

She turned on her BlackBerry at baggage claims. A flurry of missed calls and voicemails came through from her mother. And Beatrice.

Mart saw Kelly’s face. “What is it?”

Her gut tensed, and she shook her head. “I don’t know.” She called her mother first. “What’s wrong?”

“Did you get my messages?”

“We just arrived. We’re at the airport waiting for our stuff. What’s going on?”

Her mother hesitated. “David.”

“What happened?”

“Beatrice called. He’s been in an accident.”

Chapter Forty-Three

Kelly’s hands trembled as she tried to disconnect the levers on the van controls. She dropped the wrench again. “Dammit!”

Mart reached out and took her hand.

“Calm down, Kel, it’s okay.” He struggled with his anger, that she had to deal with this and take care of him, too. “Give me the wrench.”

She shook her head. “No, you’ll hurt yourself. I can do it.” She tried again and got the brake disconnected. Following Mart’s instructions, she disconnected the gas and was able to move everything out of the way so she could drive.

She put the controls in the back of the van with their bags and his racer and lowered the lift. Once he was secured in the passenger seat, she took a moment to compose her thoughts. David was in the ICU at SarasotaRegionalMedicalCenter, and that was their next stop.

They found Beatrice in the waiting room, and Kelly hugged her. “What happened?” Kelly asked.

Beatrice shuddered and took a deep breath. “He’d been drinking, and we got into a fight and he left. I couldn’t stop him. A deputy showed up at the door two hours later, said he’d—” She dissolved into tears, and Kelly put her arm around her. Finally, when she could talk again, she went on, “They say he ran off the road, hit a light pole. One of those concrete ones.”

“How bad?” Mart asked.

Beatrice shook her head. “He’s on life support. He wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. They said—” She sobbed again. “They said he’s got no brain functions.”

Kelly shot Mart a quick look in case he couldn’t help making the joke. His lips were sealed, God love him.

“Is there anything they can do?” Kelly asked.

Beatrice shook her head, then looked at Kelly. “You’re still listed as his power of attorney for this stuff. It’s all in his paperwork. He never changed it.”

Shit.

Beatrice continued. “I can’t do anything. They’ll let me see him, but that’s all. I told them he wouldn’t want to live like this, but I don’t have any authority.”

Kelly swallowed hard. She didn’t want to be the one to pull the plug on her sons’ father, even if she knew that was his wish. How do you explain when they’re older that, surprise, he coincidentally got himself killed with a little help from you, and that caps off a nasty custody battle.

“Can we see him?” Kelly asked.

Beatrice nodded.

They followed her to the nurses’ station. Because it was so late, they let them all in for a few minutes. David was unrecognizable, his head bandaged, face cut and swollen, a cervical brace holding his head steady, a ventilator tube in his mouth and IVs and wires all over the place.

Kelly turned to the nurse. “Can we talk to the doctor?”

“Follow me. I’ll take you to a private room.”

Kelly looked at Mart. She couldn’t read his face, watched him stare at David. What emotions were going on in there? She knew he wasn’t getting any pleasure from this, but beyond that, it was hard to say.

The doctor carried David’s chart. He sat down with them to talk, laid the clipboard on the table. Kelly watched as Mart picked it up and thumbed through it. After the introductions, he took a deep breath. “I need to prepare you for the worst—”

Kelly cut him off. “Don’t sugar-coat this, and don’t use euphemisms. We want straight answers.”

The doctor looked at her, obviously adjusting his approach. “I’m not going to tell you there’s this miraculous hope he’ll get better. He has severe brain damage. When he went through the windshield, it crushed his skull and shattered his cervical vertebrae. It’s a miracle he didn’t die right there. There was a fire station nearby, from what I understand. The EMTs heard the crash. He was intubated in less than five minutes and transported immediately. That’s the only reason he’s alive. To be honest, we’re simply offering supportive care. It is unlikely he will recover from his brain injury.”

“Most likely scenario?” Mart asked.

The doctor shrugged. “There are no guarantees. If he survived he would need a ventilator, G-tube, constant care, bedridden, no cognitive mental activity.”

“A vegetable,” Kelly said.

The doctor nodded. “I know there are miracles, people awaking from comas after severe brain trauma, but they don’t have the type of traumatic brain injury he does, where he has it. It’s serious enough dealing with either a TBI or spinal injury. But both…” He didn’t finish.

“If it was your relative?” Mart asked.

He looked at him. “Honestly?”

They all nodded.

“If I knew his wishes, and if knew he wouldn’t want this… Sometimes the kindest thing is to let someone go.”

Beatrice broke down again, nodding. Kelly put her arm around her. “Beatrice, I want this to be your decision. Whatever you decide, we’ll do.”

She nodded, crying harder, trying to wipe her nose.

The doctor shifted, obviously uncomfortable. “Do you want some time to discuss this?”

Beatrice shook her head and looked at Kelly. “David wouldn’t want to live like that. He wouldn’t want the boys to see him like that.”

Kelly agreed but kept her mouth shut.

Beatrice looked at the doctor. “Will he be in any pain?”

“He’s not in any pain right now. Between the medication and his injuries, he can’t feel anything.”

She gripped Kelly’s hand with superhuman strength and closed her eyes. “Okay. Can we do it now?”

He nodded. “I need to get some paperwork.”

“Doctor, can we talk to you for a moment?” Mart said, indicating him and Kelly.

The doctor nodded. Kelly patted Beatrice’s hand. “Wait here, okay?”

Beatrice nodded, and Kelly and Mart followed the doctor into the hall, closing the door behind them.

Mart motioned the doctor to him so he could keep his voice low. “We have a problem. This is David’s ex-wife. She’s my fiancée. They have two little boys, and we’re involved in a nasty custody battle.”

Kelly let Mart do the talking, not surprised his thinking mirrored hers.

Mart continued. “Is there anything she can sign giving Beatrice permission to do this? Or can she let Beatrice sign the paperwork? Beatrice was David’s girlfriend, they were living together. By all rights, Beatrice should be the one to do this. Kelly and David have been divorced over two years. It’s not Kelly’s fault he was too lazy to change his living will. David doesn’t have any other family. It’s not like someone’s going to object.”

The doctor followed what he was saying. “If I hand the paperwork to you three and tell you where to sign and someone signs it, frankly, it’s not my business who signs it as long as you are in agreement.”

“You understand our position,” Mart said.

“I wouldn’t want my kids thinking I killed their father either. Not that that’s what’s happening,” he quickly added.

Mart nodded. “Thank you.”

They stepped inside the room to wait with Beatrice. Kelly sat beside her. “You’re going to sign the papers. David would want it to be you.”

Beatrice was too overwhelmed to disagree.

While they waited, Kelly called her mom from a phone in the room. Despite the hour, her mom answered on the first ring. “How much do they know, Mom?” Kelly whispered.

“Nothing. I didn’t want to tell them anything until I talked to you. Why? How bad?”

Kelly glanced at Beatrice. Mart was trying to distract her. Kelly pressed the phone to her face. “Beatrice will sign the papers in a few minutes.”

Her mother gasped. “No!”

“Yes.”

“Oh, no.”

“Mom, don’t say anything to the boys.”

“Okay.”

“Mart’s with me. We’ll come over after…after we’re done here.”

“Okay.” Even her mother sounded stunned. All the times they’d joked about wanting David out of the picture, they never seriously meant it. Not like this. The boys might be mad at their father, but Kelly didn’t want them feeling guilty about him dying. And while in a perfect world, she would let them see him first, she didn’t want them remembering him like this. He wouldn’t either.

The doctor returned with paperwork. Kelly put her arm around Beatrice’s shoulder while she signed

“It’s okay, Beatrice,” Mart said. “This is the right thing.”

Beatrice nodded, signing another form. “I know. I think he wanted to kill himself. I really do. His drinking was so bad this week. That’s the only reason I hadn’t left yet. I was afraid he’d hurt himself. I was hoping with the judge’s order I could talk him into rehab, and he’d get better…” She dissolved into tears and leaned against Mart’s good shoulder.

He looked at Kelly over the top of Beatrice’s head and closed his eyes. He didn’t want to be here either, but they had to, for the boys if nothing else.

* * * *

The doctor led them to David’s room. He closed the curtains and glass door for privacy, and several nurses and doctors gathered around the bed.

Beatrice bent over David. “I’m sorry I couldn’t help you. I love you.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek, one of the few places free of wires, tubes, or bandages.

Kelly stepped forward with Mart holding her hand, but she couldn’t bring herself to touch her ex-husband. “I promise we’ll take good care of the boys. We’ll only tell them the good things.”

Mart reached out and touched one of David’s hands. “They’ll remember you’re their father, David. I won’t ever take that away from you.”

They stepped back. With Mart holding one of her hands and Kelly the other, Beatrice nodded to the doctor.

They switched off his ventilator and the alarms on the monitors, leaving them to silently document his decline. Less than a minute later, it was over. Beatrice lowered her head, and Kelly put her arm around her shoulders, led her to the hallway while Mart slowly followed.

They helped Beatrice fill out more paperwork. Dawn painted the sky as they emerged from the hospital.

“What now?” Beatrice asked. Kelly, having been through her father’s funeral, knew the drill.

“Do you want us to help with the arrangements?”

Beatrice nodded.

“I know he wanted to be cremated,” Kelly said, “unless he changed his mind. I’ll help you set up whatever you want.”

She nodded again. Kelly touched her arm. “You go home. I need to go to Mom’s and tell the boys. Try to rest for a few hours. Mart and I need sleep. We’ll be over around two.”

Beatrice nodded again. They watched her walk to her car.

Kelly helped Mart into the van. Before she started the engine, she pounded her fists against the steering wheel and screamed.

“Goddamn bastard! Why the hell did he do this to my boys?”

Mart tried to soothe her. “He made his choices. All we can do is help them through it.”

“He was a jerk, but I didn’t want him dead. I wanted him to behave himself.”

“I know. No one could help him. You made the right decision, letting Beatrice make the call.”

“There wasn’t any call to make. What, have him lying in a bed years from now, unresponsive on a vent and getting pneumonia and bedsores and UTIs? If there was any hope, I would have fought to keep him alive, you know that.”

“I know. He didn’t have a chance. He might not have survived much longer anyway, even on life support. I took a look at his chart. His brain was crushed, Kel. And his spine. All the tests they did repeatedly came back negative for signs of brain activity. Like the doc said, if the EMTs hadn’t got there when they did, he probably would have been DOA.”

She nodded, angrily wiped her eyes, and then started the van.

* * * *

Mart called her mom on the way and told her the news, told her not to send the boys to school. When they arrived, the boys were happy to see them at first, but Paulie immediately knew something was wrong.

“Mom, what happened? Why are you crying? And what happened to you, Mart?”

“I’m okay. I wrecked during my race.”

“Boys,” Kelly said, “we need to talk.”

“You guys are still getting married, right?” Denny asked.

Kelly stifled her nervous laugh. Barely. “Yes, honey, we’re still getting married.”

Kelly sat on the sofa with the boys and tried to compose her thoughts. Mart reached over and touched her leg. She realized what he wanted and nodded. He looked at the boys.

“Boys,” he said in a gentle tone, “there isn’t any easy way to say this. Your father was in a bad car accident yesterday.”

Paulie interrupted. “How bad is he?”

Mart met his eyes and shook his head. Paulie looked down and worked his hands in his lap.

Denny looked from Mart to Paulie. “What?”

Mart touched Denny’s hand. “Your dad was hurt very, very badly. I’m sorry. He didn’t make it.”

Denny still didn’t understand. “What?”

Paulie put an arm around his brother. “He died, Denny.”

Denny stared at his brother, then Mart, then Kelly. “He died?”

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” Kelly said, trying not to cry.

Denny looked at his lap, his tears falling fast. “What happened?”

Mart took the boy’s hand in his. “He didn’t feel any pain. He hurt his head very badly. He never woke up after the accident.”

Paulie stared at Kelly. She knew he’d grill her later, but he was mature enough not to do it around his little brother.

Denny sobbed. Kelly put her arm around him, and he leaned into her lap. “Dad’s dead?” Kelly stroked his hair.

“I’m so sorry, baby.” She worried about Paulie because he wasn’t crying. She hoped he would let it out, but she couldn’t force him.

An hour later, Kelly and Mart left the boys with her mom and returned to Kelly’s house. She didn’t want to leave the boys, but her mom and Mart assured her they’d be okay. The only reason she relented and left them with her mom was because Kelly felt near collapse. She and Mart desperately needed sleep. Her mom would bring the boys home later and drive Kelly to Mart’s so she could get her car and things he’d need. Fifteen minutes later, they were in bed.

She touched Mart’s arm. “Thank you.”

“It was better coming from me. If they get mad later, they can be mad at me.”

“Did I mention how much I love you?” She kissed the back of his neck.

He squeezed her hand. “Only a woman in love would put up with me.”

They slept until noon. Kelly called her mom to check on the boys.

“They’ll be okay. I called the school and told them what happened.” Her mother lowered her voice. “What did happen?”

“Idiot never changed his paperwork. I told Beatrice to make the decision. The hospital let her sign the paperwork.”

“Was he drunk?”

“Very. Beatrice thinks he was trying to kill himself.”

“Selfish bastard. Didn’t think about his kids. Again.”

“It doesn’t matter. All that matters is I get them to remember the good things about their dad.”

“What good things?”

“Not helping, Mom.”

“Sorry. Let me get back in there. They’re watching cartoons. I let them have ice cream for breakfast.”

Kelly closed her eyes. Maybe not the most healthy thing, but if it helped the boys, it wasn’t worth arguing over. “Thanks, Mom. I’ll call you later when I’m ready for you to bring them home. Mart will stay with them while we get my car.”

Chapter Forty-Four

The next few days were a blur. Kelly helped Beatrice with the arrangements, helped her sort through David’s belongings to find things the boys might want, pictures, family mementoes. David was renting the house, and Kelly helped Beatrice transfer the lease and utilities into her name. Kelly didn’t want any of his furniture, let Beatrice keep it all.

Under different circumstances, Kelly felt she could have been good friends with Beatrice. Frankly, the woman was too much a reminder of painful memories. While Kelly didn’t want to be nasty to the her, she didn’t want Beatrice to get too emotionally attached to her, either.

There weren’t many people at David’s service, mostly co-workers. They interred his ashes at the same cemetery as his parents, and the boys could visit if and when they wanted. Kelly let the boys miss three days of school, then made them go, knowing the routine would help them through their grief.

Mart slowly wheeled himself into the kitchen after the boys were on the bus. He was still very sore but trying to move around by himself more. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, then broke down crying and collapsed in a chair at the table. He put his good arm around her.

“You’re a good mom, you know that?”

“I don’t feel like one. As many times as I wished David dead, you’d think I’d be happy.”

Mart shook his head. “You like to take on a lot of blame, don’t you? My wreck, David’s death. Like you think you have special powers or something.”

She started to yell when she saw his playful smile. “Okay. Point made.”

He kissed her. “I’m sort of pissed at the guy for screwing up my plans. Even I’m not callous enough to have a wedding this week.”

“We’ll do it right. And now there’s no reason you can’t adopt the boys.”

Kelly planned to set Mart up in her office when she caught him eyeing the workshop out back. A small pre-fab building complete with a window-mounted air conditioner. It held boxes of Christmas ornaments, the lawn mower, the boys’ bikes, and some other things.

“What about out there?”

“There’s no desk.”

“I can use one of those TV tables for now. I want to be out of your hair.”

“Mart, I can work in the living room, really.”

He looked at her. “Kelly, I don’t want to interfere with your work. And I have my own way of working. I like my music loud, and it’ll bother you. Trust me.”

She realized for the first time there were things about him she didn’t know. And he was right—she needed to be alone.

“I’ll have to clean it out.”

“Why? All I need is a corner. Can I fit through the doorway?”

“Yes, but—” He was out the kitchen door and down the back ramp before she could answer. She followed him, grabbing the key off the hook next to the door.

“I’ll have to move things around.” She unlocked the door and plugged in the A/C, turning it to high. “You sure you want to work in here?”

He nodded, stopping inside the door. “I’ll have the boys come in after school and help me rearrange it.”

“I can do it.”

“Kelly, as it is I’m already keeping you from your work. It’ll give the boys something to do to distract them. If you can bring me my laptop, my MP3 player, and one of those TV tables, I’ll leave you alone.”

“I won’t win this, will I?”

“Nope.”

She got what he needed, still worried about leaving him out there. “I have my cell. If I need something, I’ll call.” He looked at her. “I’ll be fine, really.”

Later, after lunch, Kelly watched Mart gingerly make his way back out to the workshop. In another week or so, he’d be healed enough to go home. With the wedding postponed because of David’s death…

The thought filled her with fear.

She didn’t want him to leave. What if he never wanted to come back?

Stop that. He loves you and the boys.

True. He hadn’t fled screaming into the night yet. And he wasn’t being held captive.

Kelly didn’t want him to leave. Before the shit hit the fan he’d spent more nights, usually on the weekends, but she dreaded the emptiness when he was gone. She enjoyed waking up and hearing him breathing next to her, reaching out and touching him, ensuring he was real.

She loved him. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. The saddest thought, as she looked back, was she’d never felt about David the way she felt about Mart. But she couldn’t complain because she had two great kids.

Kelly followed Mart out to the workshop before he could immerse himself in his work. He looked up from his computer. “What’s up?”

She sat. “We need to talk.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.” Kelly composed her thoughts. “I don’t want you to leave.”

Mart took her hand. “What do I need to do to convince you? I won’t leave you, Kel. I love you.”

“That’s not what I mean. I don’t want you to leave here. I want you to stay here, from now on.”

“The shed?”

“Here. My house.”

He studied her. “You want me to move in permanently?”

She nodded. “It’s got to happen. Hell, you’re almost moved in now. I don’t want to be married to someone who lives in a different house. And we can get the master bathroom redone. You can use Denny’s while it’s under construction.”

“Or, we could build a new house.”

“I can’t afford—”

“Kelly, I can. You need to quit worrying about what you can and can’t afford. I can sell mine, use that to build a new one and then sell this one. If you want.”

This was really happening. “We could have separate offices.”

“And a custom kitchen and bathrooms.”

“Wide halls.”

“Soundproofed bedroom walls.”

She laughed, then thought for a moment. “Maybe an extra bedroom.”

“Guest room?”

She shrugged. “Maybe a nursery.”

He stared at her and found his voice. “Seriously?”

“I’m not saying next week. I’m saying when the time is right. I’ve been thinking about it. You’re a good dad. And yes, at some point, I think I want to have a—”

She couldn’t finish, because he pulled her to him with his good arm and kissed her. And when he let her go, there were tears in his eyes. “You name it. Whatever you want, we’ll do it.”

Chapter Forty-Five

Christmas Eve

It took them a while, but they got the boys to bed. Paulie didn’t believe in Santa anymore, but Denny did. Probably the last year he would, and Paulie helped keep his brother’s faith alive. Once the kids were in bed, Kelly poured Mart a glass of wine and made herself a cup of tea while he got the presents out of the van. There wasn’t much to assemble, fortunately, but she was clueless about hooking up the Wii game console.

Mart sat on the floor, and Kelly helped him pull the entertainment center out so he could reach the back. She sat next to him, watching him work. Finally he had everything connected, and she figured out how to put batteries in the controllers.

“I still can’t believe you got your hands on this. They are going to love it.”

He smiled. “Not when I hog it. Did I forget to tell you I love video games?” He read the instructions and looked at the wiring. “I think that’s all. Let’s try it.”

She had the mute button ready on the remote control, and he turned everything on. The opening game screen appeared. He looked at her and grinned. “Shall we play a game?”

She kissed him. “I know what game I want to play.”

He pulled her into his lap. “Bad Santa?”

She grinned, playfully swatting him. “Later, gator.”

Kelly checked on the boys. They were both asleep. She turned off all the lights, the living room bathed in soft shadowy colors from the Christmas tree. Mart turned the TV and Wii off, put on a CD, then sat on the floor against the couch and sipped his wine. She joined him, his arm around her shoulders.

“This is nice,” she whispered. “I love this.”

He kissed the top of her head. “Me too. I love you, Kelly. You have no idea how happy I am.”

“This was definitely a year to remember. And ended a lot better than it started.”

“Eventually.” He smiled, holding his left hand to hers. Their matching wedding bands glowed in the soft light. They’d had their wedding three weeks earlier, at the house.

“We had some ups and downs, didn’t we?”

“Do you think the boys are okay?” he asked.

She looked toward the hall. They were already planning their new home, with the kids’ rooms on the opposite end of the house from their bedroom and offices.

“I’m hoping we can distract them, keep their spirits up.”

He lifted his glass. “We can keep ours up, if nothing else,” he joked. He took a sip and set it on the coffee table.

“Mom and Leanne will be here at ten to help with dinner. Your family’s supposed to be here around noon, everyone else will arrive at one. So once the day gets going, we’ll be busy.” She looked at him. “I hope you’re up to it.”

He grinned and took her mug from her. “I’m up for a lot more than that.” He pulled her to him, kissing her, and they ended up on the floor. She was about to suggest they move to the bedroom when he sat up. “I want to give you one of your presents early.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I want to.” He reached under the tree for a small box she hadn’t noticed before, tucked close to the tree stand. “I wanted our first Christmas together to be really special.”

Her hands trembled as she unwrapped the box. It was a beautiful ring, small emeralds and rubies set in a twining, gold band. He slipped it on her right hand.

“It’s beautiful, thank you.” This was as good a time as any. “One of your gifts, I can’t wrap. I was going to wait to tell you until tomorrow morning, but I guess fair’s fair.”

He raised his eyebrow. “Really?”

“Really.”

“Do I have to guess, or do I get a hint?” His tone sounded playful, teasing.

“Why don’t we go to bed, and I’ll tell you?”

She didn’t have to ask twice.

* * * *

Christmas morning, Kelly awoke to find Mart staring at her, a silly grin on his face.

“Good morning,” he said.

“What’s with you?”

He shook his head. “I can’t help it. I didn’t think life could get any more perfect, and you proved me wrong.”

She was about to respond when they were startled by pounding on their door. Paulie yelled, “Mom, Dad, we’re up.”

“So was I,” Mart whispered.

“All right, tiger. We can have more fun tonight. Time to open your other presents.”

Before she could move, he grabbed her, pulling her to him. “I have the only present I want right here.” He kissed her, leaving her breathless and ready to stay in bed when Denny yelled from the living room, “Mom, Dad, are you coming?”

They looked at each other and laughed. “I won’t say it,” he promised, but his grin belied his thoughts.

“I guess we should get out there,” she said, throwing back the covers.

He caught her hand and pulled her to him, kissed her one last time. “This is what you want, right? Not just because of me?”

“I wouldn’t have said so if I didn’t mean it.”

He searched her eyes, then nodded and released her. “You’re okay with it?”

“For the last time, yes.” She felt a twinge of apprehension, thinking of the past. “But don’t say anything to anyone. Not right now.”

“I understand.”

“Whatever happens, happens.”

“Do we need to talk about—”

She put a finger to his lips, knowing where he wanted to go with the conversation. “Here’s the cart, and the horse is waaaay back there. That’s a discussion we don’t need to have right now. Might be a month, might be a year. Who knows? Once we get to that point, we’ll handle anything that gets thrown at us. Together. Right?”

He nodded. “Right.”

They joined their boys in the living room.

Chapter Forty-Six

May

Kelly left Mart unloading the van and went to check them into the hotel. There were quite a few wheelers already there, some gathered in the lobby. She spotted Bill and waved to him. He rolled over as she laid her jacket on the counter.

“Congratulations,” he said, giving her a hug and patting her. “You look great. How are you?” Mart frequently saw Bill at races, but she hadn’t seen him in three months, even though he and Mart talked nearly every week on the phone.

She smiled. “Wonderful. Everything’s great.”

“Where’s big daddy?” The paperwork finalizing Mart’s adoption of the boys came through a few weeks earlier. He hadn’t wasted any time spreading the good news.

“He’s unloading. Wouldn’t let me help.”

“Such a gentleman.” Bill laughed. “Hey, we’re all set for the rehab center demonstration on Monday. I have the directions, it’s not far from here. I really appreciate you guys doing this.” He looked hesitant and motioned her close. She leaned in. “Brenda’s here.”

Kelly thought that might make her nervous, but it didn’t. “Good. Living well is the best revenge, they say.”

“I will never, ever forget how you slammed her last year. That was so freaking awesome how you put her in her place. You really took her down a few pegs. I thought my wife was going to wet her pants laughing when I told her.”

“I didn’t like doing it. But she deserved it after what she tried.”

The clerk finished the check-in and handed Kelly the room keys. Kelly grabbed her jacket from the counter and folded it over her arm. “Is Brenda around?”

Bill pointed. Kelly saw her holding court in a far corner of the lobby with a couple of younger men and women in wheelchairs gathered around her.

“I think I’ll say hello.” Kelly heard through the racing grapevine that Brenda still made noises about Mart, was still convinced she could win him back and had plans to try again this weekend.

Apparently, Brenda hadn’t received the latest memo.

“This’ll be good.” Bill trailed Kelly, not wanting to miss the action.

Brenda didn’t see Kelly at first, but then her eyes narrowed. Kelly smiled sweetly. “Well hello, Brenda. How are you?”

Brenda hesitated. “I’m fine. How are you?”

“Doing great. Mart’s unloading the gear.” Bill hung around, anxious for more blood, as did a few other racers.

Brenda looked like she was going to say something else when Kelly lowered her arm so her jacket no longer concealed her front.

Brenda’s eyes popped. Kelly put a hand on her belly and smiled. “Yes, I’ve gained a few pounds since last we met. But that’s what happens when you’re four months pregnant.” Her Christmas present to Mart was the news she was off the Pill.

He wasted no time.

Mart chose that moment to wheel up. He put one arm around Kelly’s waist, his other hand on her belly. “Hi, Brenda. I guess Kelly told you the good news—we’re having a baby.”

Brenda’s lips pressed into tight, narrow lines. “Congratulations.”

Mart looked up at Kelly. “We’re due in October. Isn’t that great?”

Brenda nodded, looking considerably paler. “Yes. That’s wonderful.”

“Sweetheart, I have our stuff. Are we checked in?” Mart asked.

Kelly nodded and handed him a room key. “Well, Brenda,” Kelly purred in a honey-sweet voice, “we’ll see you around.” She turned and followed Mart. As she passed Bill, he held up his hand, and Kelly low-fived him in passing.

By the time the evening was over, Kelly had been pulled aside by four people and told of Brenda’s plans.

Of course, Brenda’s plans were made before she knew Kelly was pregnant.

The next morning, Brenda wasn’t on the shuttle to the staging tent. Mart sat next to Kelly, one arm around her shoulder, his other hand on her belly. He was still waiting to feel the baby kick for the first time. She’d already felt her, but Mart kept missing it. He leaned over to kiss her before he got off the shuttle when she grabbed his hand, pressed it to her abdomen under her shirt.

He froze, his eyes wide.

“Feel that?” she asked, and he nodded, an ear-to-ear grin spreading across his face.

“That’s her?”

She nodded. He kissed her again. When he sat back, she noticed he wiped his eyes, but he couldn’t erase his grin. He didn’t want to move his hand, but he was the last racer on the shuttle and had to get off.

He came in first in his race. Brenda dropped out. They didn’t see her the rest of the weekend.

Later, they lay in bed resting after lunch, Mart’s head on her chest, one hand on her belly. She’d enjoyed being pregnant with the boys, but it was a lone celebration. David’s interest in her pregnancies ended at conception, and he was minimally involved from delivery on.

Mart, on the other hand, overhauled his entire schedule around doctor appointments and Lamaze sessions, insisting on being there for everything. Including sitting with her in the doctor’s office, clutching her hand, anxiously awaiting test results.

There was nothing to worry about. The baby was fine, perfectly healthy.

Normal.

Normal was subjective, Kelly thought, considering her parents. And the boys were excited to have a little sister on the way.

Mart kissed her belly. “I think Bill was disappointed he didn’t see fur fly.”

“I have to admit I loved the look on her face.”

He grinned. “I swore Bill to secrecy. I didn’t want it getting back to her before we got here. I didn’t think you’d track her down that soon. I almost missed it.”

“You stinker!”

“Hey, she deserved it, the way she acted last year. Putting you through that.” He pulled Kelly back to him and kissed her belly. “Our little girl will have her mom’s spirit, for sure.”

“And her dad’s sense of humor.”

“I know what we won’t name her.”

They laughed.

* * * *

Monday morning, they drove to the rehab center. Bill met them at the front desk and led them to the gym where the first demonstration would take place.

By the time they started, there were over fifty patients gathered, plus family and rehab center staff. The patients—all men—ranged from amputees to full tetraplegics, as well as traumatic brain injuries. Kelly once again said a silent prayer of thanks, similar to all the ones she’d breathed over Denny when he was born, that Mart was “only” an L-5.

It could always be worse. And better than anyone, she damn well knew it.

Bill introduced them and gave a brief talk. Then he turned the floor over to Mart, who showed his PowerPoint presentation. Kelly watched the patients. She noted some of them gained a lot of interest while Mart talked, especially when he showed pictures of him in his race chair and playing sled hockey with his team and practices with Denny.

When they took a break, a young woman walked up to Kelly and asked if she could speak to her privately. They stepped off to the side, and the woman blushed.

“Can I ask you a personal question, Mrs. Rawlings?”

“Kelly. And yes.”

“Jennifer.” The woman looked at one of the patients, now watching Mart demonstrate how his racer worked. “My husband and I wanted to have children before he was injured.”

“Yes?”

The woman turned a deeper shade of crimson. “The doctors said he shouldn’t have any problems with it physically, but I don’t even know where to begin talking to him about it.”

Kelly sat down, motioned for her to sit. “You haven’t talked with your husband about this?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know what to say. And I saw…” She pointed to Kelly’s stomach.

Kelly didn’t know a person could maintain that level of redness and not be sunburned. “You’re going to have to talk to him. To answer your question,” she patted her belly, “yes, I got her the old-fashioned way. My husband’s ‘plumbing works,’ as he likes to say.”

The girl leaned in closer. “So, how do I talk to him?”

“Tell him you want to sleep with him. You might not be able to do the same exact things you did before, but if you love each other, you’ll figure out the logistics.”

The girl watched her husband. “I love him so much. I was afraid to talk to him, that he’d be embarrassed.”

Kelly shook her head. “Trust me. The worst thing you can do is not talk about it. Just suck it up—sorry, bad choice of words. I mean, if you can ask me about it, and I’m a stranger, you can talk to your husband.”

The girl smiled. “Thank you. It’s one thing to talk to the doctors, but to talk to someone who’s been there…”

Kelly nodded, smiled, recalling her first conversation with Mart on the topic. “I was lucky Mart was injured young. He’d figured out that end of things long before I met him.”

Bill, Kelly, and Mart were eating lunch in the cafeteria when one of the doctors walked up.

“Mr. and Mrs. Rawlings, I’m Dr. Browne. Would you mind if I talk with you for a moment?”

“Sure,” Mart said. “What’s up? And you can call us Mart and Kelly.”

“Thanks. Kelly, you had a talk with Jennifer Parson this morning.”

Kelly’s gut clenched. Maybe she’d overstepped her boundaries. “Yes?”

He smiled. “Thank you for that. Bless her heart, she was so happy, she pulled me aside and talked to me a few minutes ago. I’ve been working with her and her husband. She said that after they left the demonstration this morning they had a talk and it really helped them.”

Kelly let out a sigh of relief. “Oh, good. I was afraid I was going to get chewed out.”

He laughed again. “No, no. But I did want to ask you if you wouldn’t mind hosting an impromptu question and answer session for some of the other women this afternoon?”

Kelly looked at Mart. He shrugged. No help there. “I’m not a shrink,” she said.

“Which is even better,” the doctor said. “They need to hear from someone who’s dealing with these issues in real life, not just me spouting theory at them.”

“Why not, Kel?” Mart said.

“I won’t be much help to the ones dealing with a lot more than we are.”

“I was hoping you could help them get over the fear of talking about it with their partners. And you too, Mart. They might want to ask for the man’s point of view.”

“Looking up from on bottom always works for me.”

Kelly nearly choked on her cottage cheese. Bill roared with laughter, and the doctor joined him while Mart innocently smiled.

“He’s a smart-ass, I’ll warn you now,” Kelly said when she recovered.

“All the better. Some of these couples are lacking humor in this department.”

“You guys should do it—uh, talk to them,” Bill suggested, and Mart snickered. “We already know you ‘did it.’”

Kelly shook her head and looked at the doctor. “See what I have to put up with?”

He nodded. “And that’s the kind of humor I’m hoping will help them.”

Kelly looked at Mart again. He nodded, and she turned to the doctor. “Okay, sure. Why not?”

* * * *

There were ten women already gathered in the conference room. Kelly fought her nerves as she walked to the front of the room and sat next to Mart. Dr. Browne introduced them.

Kelly tried to relax. She wasn’t used to speaking in front of a group of people, unlike Mart. “Feel free to fire away. We don’t bite.”

“Usually,” Mart quipped. Kelly gently backhanded his arm. Most of the women laughed.

“He has a very peculiar sense of humor,” she explained.

He pointed at Kelly. “Pot, meet Kettle. Kettle, this is Pot.” The women laughed again, a little louder.

She looked at Mart. He smiled, took her hand, and addressed the women. “I’ll go first,” he said. “Yes, Kelly and I have a pretty active personal life, as you can see.” This time, it was a round of nervous giggles. “She had it easy—”

“Easy?” Kelly said, arching an eyebrow at him. He grinned.

“I didn’t say you were easy, dear.”

“Ah. Okay.”

And the women laughed again. Their timing was perfect. Kelly felt lucky to have this level of rapport with him.

“As I was saying,” Mart continued, “she had it easy because I was injured when I was young, so I had everything figured out and had been in relationships by the time we met.”

“I didn’t have to break him in.”

He laughed as loud as the women did.

“And she gives it back as good as she takes it.” They talked with the women, asked for questions, and Kelly noted Dr. Browne smiling from the back of the room. Kelly and Mart took turns fielding questions, offering advice, sometimes turning to Dr. Browne for answers. The women eventually opened up. Kelly was surprised at the frankness of the conversation.

And again gave silent thanks for her good fortune.

It could always be worse.

By the time they finished an hour later, Kelly felt they’d made a positive impact on the attendees. Dr. Browne waited until everyone filed out to come up and shake their hands. “Thank you. I think you should take that act on the road.”

“We’re here all week, try the veal,” Kelly quipped, and Dr. Browne laughed.

“I’m serious. You should write a book or do tours or something. You could do a lot of good talking about this, breaking the ice.”

“Breaking my balls is more like it.” Mart smiled, and Kelly gently elbowed him.

“Quiet, you.”

“Would you be interested in putting together a program, to come back and give regular seminars?”

Kelly looked at Mart, realizing for the first time this was a serious offer. “I don’t know. What do you think?”

Mart pulled her into his lap. “You mean go around with my wife talking about our sex life?” He grinned. “Hmm. Might make career day at the kids’ school interesting.”

“That’s the last time you get a triple shot espresso for breakfast, Rawlings.”

Dr. Browne handed Mart his card. “Seriously. This is exactly the kind of thing I’d love to offer on a regular basis. And one for the men, too.”

Finally getting serious, Mart looked at Kelly. “We’ll talk about it and get back to you.”

At dinner, they asked Bill’s opinion.

“I think it’s a darn good idea,” Bill said. “I remember how I felt after my accident. There’s a lot of people who think sex and wheelchairs are mutually exclusive.”

“As opposed to sex in wheelchairs?” Kelly chimed in.

Mart looked at her. “Okay, now who’s being a smartass?”

“Hey, I’m not the one all hot to trot to make para porn about our sex life,” she said with a wicked smile.

Mart and Bill’s jaws dropped, then they roared with laughter.

Mart caught Kelly’s hand and pulled her to him. “I think I’ve been a bad influence on you, sweetheart.”

“No, I was always this twisted. You just bring out the beast in me.”

Bill groaned. “You two are too much. Nothing like a couple of horny newlyweds.”

Later that night, Mart held Kelly, his hand lightly resting on her belly. “Can you believe he called us horny newlyweds?”

“I think a baby before our first anniversary puts us in that category, dear.”

“You think?”

She traced the vine on his bicep. “Maybe you should get another tattoo.”

“What?”

“Property of Kelly Rawlings.”

He laughed, rolled her over and kissed her. “Maybe you should get one.”

“What?”

“Marty’s Missus.” He looked at his arm. “I’ll admit, I was a little on the tipsy side when I got this.”

“You regret it?”

He shook his head. “No, but I don’t think I’ll be adding to the collection.” He kissed her belly, talked to it. “If this little girl comes home with one before she’s eighteen, I’ll chain her in her room, you hear me in there?”

“Way to go, Rawlings. Give her a complex before she’s even born.”

He curled up next to her. “She has two great big brothers, you know that?”

“Yeah.” She caressed her belly. “Maybe later we can talk about more.”

“Yeah?”

“Maybe. No promises.”

“Do you have any idea how perfect this moment is right now?” he whispered.

She smiled. “I think I have a clue.”

He kissed her, ready to go to sleep. “If I’m dreaming, don’t wake me up.”

It was a thought she’d had many times over the past months. “Don’t wake me up either.”

“Remind me to thank Patty for showing you that article last year.”

She smiled. “I think she got the memo.”

Kelly was drifting to sleep when the baby kicked again. She reached for Mart’s hand and placed it on her stomach. He nuzzled her neck. “God, I love you,” he whispered.

She fell asleep with Mart’s hand cupped under hers, resting on her belly, his breath warm and steady on her neck.

And knew she’d finally put David’s voice out of her head for good.

THE END

WWW.LESLIRICHARDSON.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lesli (no “e” on the end) Richardson is a stubborn, snarky, caffeine-addicted Taurus and native Floridian who lives in southwest Florida with her husband, son, and a houseful of neurotic, misfit animals of various species. As of this writing, she has never seen “real” snow.

She has dozens of software tutorials to her credit, and has in the past been a freelance writer and newspaper columnist, among other things. (She’s also been rumored to write bestselling novels under the pen name, Tymber Dalton.) Her life-long dream of writing fiction for a living (and getting paid to do it) has finally come true, so she’s forbidden anyone to pinch her and wake her up. Feel free to read more about her assorted scribblings at her website, or drop her a line.

Please visit Lesli at

www.leslirichardson.com

myspace.com/madmumbler

leslirichardson.blogspot.com

www.BookStrand.com

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