Page 65 of Takes Two to Tango

Thing was, she couldn't think with Brent next door, on the porch, ion the back stoop, smiling that smile, suggesting things like dancing and …taking showers together. Too much temptation, too much acting and not thinking. And she neededto think, get some clarity. Especially before Monday hit and she learned the network’s decision.

Rayne slid into her car, turned the key, and looked back at her son in the rearview mirror.

He caught her eye and gave her a smile. "Mom, do you think you could marry Coach Brent?"

Her foot slipped and hit the accelerator. She nearly took out an overflowing trash can, but managed to brake and mutter a dirty word at the same time.

"Just asking," her son said.

"Why would you ask that?”

"Because I like him. And I can tell he likes you. And you laugh a lot more around him. He'd be a good addition. Or maybe we could go live with him. I like that dog."

Rayne sighed. "You want me to marry because of a dog?"

Henry made a face in the mirror. "No, not just 'cause of a dog. Because Coach is really good at playing ball. I could use a guy like him around. I'm tired of not having a dad."

She put the car in Drive. “Those are not good enough reasons to change everything about our life."

“They are to me,” Henry said.

“Well, a marriage is first and foremost about the two people who say the vows. They have to be in love and willing to make that commitment.”

“But kids count for something, right? I should get a say so, and I say Coach Brent would be a good dad and a good husband. One of my friend said his mom said he was a good kisser. Husbands have to kiss the wives, you know.”

Rayne frowned at the road ahead of her. “Oh, I know.”

Boy, did she.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

THE OAK STAND RECREATION Center had been built five years before. It didn't smell of dirty socks or sweaty leather yet, so the baseball celebration banquet had been held there for the past few years. The tables were covered in white paper tablecloths and the food was potluck. Traditional Texas barbecue, coleslaw, and fries weighed down the large tables to the side. Not to mention there were gallons of sweet tea, Tupperware containers of ambrosia, and pans of decadent browns and gooey cake.

The chef in Rayne Rose recoiled. The country girl in Rayne Rose put extra butter on her corn on the cob.

"Mom, what's this?" Henry asked, pointing to a Jell-O salad.

"Not something anyone should eat, but you can try it if you want," she said, eyeing the head table where Brent sat wearing a sport coat and tie, digging into a plate of ribs. Rayne could have sworn she'd heard out and-out gasps when she and Henry had taken the seats to the left of him. Presently, everyone was content to eyeball her and whisper.

Great.

She added a scoop of ambrosia to her plate and grabbed a tea. When in Oak Stand and all that.

She walked out of her way in order to avoid Brandi and Stacy. She even hurried past Nellie, who was sitting across from Bubba Malone and trying unsuccessfully to wipe her daughter's mouth. Mae Darby, adorable in a hot pink T-ball shirt with matching bows in her pigtails, ducked under her mother's swipes and talked a blue streak. Bubba thoughtfully nodded his bald head to everything the little girl said. He caught Rayne's eye and grinned. She was glad Meg had seen what many in Oak Stand sometimes overlooked when it came to Bubba. He was a gentle giant with a spark of practicality.

Brent's parents, Ross and Donna, had made it back to town for the event and sat with several other members of Oak Stand old guard They were lively and loud the way they'd always been. Good people, but they'd pushed Brent hard to succeed...in something he'd had absolutely no passion for. She waved to them, but didn't stop to chat. She knew they had questions about her and why she was sitting next to their son at the table of honor.

She set her plate next to Brent's and got Henry settled with a napkin in his lap. She cut up the pork loin he'd picked out and realized she needed to teach him how to cut it himself. There was so much she hadn't taught him. His shoes came untied all the time, washing hair was hit or miss, and he still tore the bread when he tried to butter his toast. Her report card for being a parent wouldn't be all As across the board for sure. Raising Henry would have been much easier with a tag team partner.

Her mind flashed back to Brent's admonishments toward Henry earlier that afternoon. And his words.Don't overanalyze. He's a good boy.

Brent was right. She hadn't done such a bad job on her own these past two years. No mother was perfect and she was tryingto put Henry first. If no one came along to tag up with her, she'd be fine. Henry wouldn't go to college unable to tie his shoes or cut his own meat. She needed to give herself a break.

She looked at her son and he smiled. He was an awesome kid.

Brent leaned over. "You okay?"

She nodded, feeling a blip of comfort at his question. It felt nice to have someone who wasn't Meg or Aunt Fran looking out for her. "Everyone's watching us."

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