Page 69 of No Kind of Hero
“My mother talking up my suitability as a potential mate for a discerning man such as yourself,” Beth said. She could do “dry” with the best of them.
“Yep.” Brett took a few more curves, then said, “Of course, that’s before I took a good look at your boyfriend and backed right off. Did I mention that I’m a smart guy? You got to know when to hold ’em and know when to fold ’em. Least that’s what the man says.”
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Right. And yet I think I’ll still stand over here, well out of the way. With my hands in plain view. Never seen a man who could do that without saying a word,whilehe’s holding a baby in a butterfly outfit. That’s a gift.”
Beth laughed. She was still agitated almost past bearing, but at least her teeth weren’t chattering. She kept the heater on, though. “The Farnsworths aren’t going to be your best friends. Did they mention that he’s president of the bank and she’s the town’s leading realtor?”
“I think you’ll discover that they can find it in their heart to forgive my early exit and let bygones be bygones. Money talks, and big money talks louder.” They hit the city limits, and he asked, “Where to? I’m using my clairvoyant powers and figuring I’m not taking you home, wherever ‘home’ is right now.”
“Your powers would be right. I’ve got some more mad to deal with.” Which she shouldn’t be sharing, but then, she’d done all kinds of things she shouldn’t tonight. “Turn left at the stop sign, then it’s the fourth street on the right.”
Brett was silent for a minute, then said, “Too bad he didn’t stick around for that. Makes me wish I’d recorded it.”
“Oh, man.” Beth scrubbed her face with her hands. “I’m going to hear about this one.”
“Yep. And it was terrific. Where to now?”
“Oh. Two more streets, then right. Terrific how? And it’s the one up here on the left, with the white van in the driveway.” She was having trouble with her breathing. And her heart.
Brett pulled over to the curb and said, “You don’t live here anymore, or if you do—you don’t live here with your parents anymore. Your life. Your rules. Will your mother be upset with you? Maybe. Your dad won’t. You didn’t see him jumping in with an argument. And I’d give your mother more credit than that, personally.”
She stared at him. “Whatareyou?”
He laughed out loud. “I’m a developer. An observer. I make my money by guessing what people will do, and much as it pains me to admit it, I’ve made alotof money. Don’t tell Melody.”
This time, she laughed. Her emotions were still all over the place, her legs still had an alarming tendency to shake, but she laughed. “Your secret is safe with me.” She climbed out, held the door open a moment, and said, “Thanks for the ride. Good luck with your project. Although maybe I shouldn’t say that. I love the lake.”
“But you see,” he said, “so do I.”
She slammed the door and headed up the sidewalk, and he drove away.
Evan was almost to the lake. Gracie had stopped crying at last, and he thought she’d fallen asleep in the jogging stroller. She should be in her crib, but that was too bad, because he hadn’t even been able to take her to Dakota’s. He didn’t want to see anybody. He didn’t want to know anybody. Not even himself. He finally made the lakeside path and increased his pace on the level ground until he was flying, until all he could hear was his own harsh breathing.
When the phone rang, he didn’t answer it. He didn’t care. He just kept going through ring after ring until it stopped. But then it started again.
He hesitated, and the ringing stopped. He slowed to a walk and pulled the phone out of his pocket.
Beth
2 missed calls
No.He couldn’t, not now. He wanted to run until the evening was gone. Until he couldn’t hear anything. Until he couldn’t hear his own voice. Especially that.
I’ll never run, and I’ll be there as long as you need me.
He hit the button.
She didn’t say hello, and she didn’t sound like Beth. She said, “I’m at your house. Where are you?”
“Running. At the lake.” He wanted to say something else, but he couldn’t think what.
“Then I’m running too,” she said. “Because youaretalking to me.”
“You’re wearing sandals.”
“I didn’t say I was running fast. I said I was running. I’m going to the marina, and you’d better be going there too.”
