Page 29 of Silent Deception
But that was as unlikely as a Central Texas ice storm in July.
He enjoyed being with women and enjoyed treating them well. But none of them had even come close to making him feel like settling down. None of them since Kristin, and he knew what a big mistakethathad been.
A single male voice, rife with irritation, rose above the others. Ryan shifted his weight against the pickup and scanned the crowd, wishing the jerk would just shut up or leave. What did that do to a kid, hearing his dad berate him in front of everyone else? What kid would even want to try?
He surveyed the crowd again and then picked the jackass out of the crowd. He was a tall, slender guy standing off by himself, dressed in some sort of corporate getup. The whole nine yards—a well-cut jacket, crisply pressed slacks, perfect hair with every strand in place.
From the back, Ryan could see that his ears were red with anger as he turned...
Teddy Peters. He hadn’t changed that much since college. He still had the pale complexion, splotched now with red patches on his cheeks, the thin, disapproving mouth.
Ryan turned away in disgust, wondering again how Kristin could’ve ever married someone like Teddy. Of course, she’d given money her highest priority. But how could that have outweighed everything else about someone who’d been such a supercilious fraternity jock in college?
He and Ryan had never been friends. Seeing the guy in action on campus had been more than enough basis to avoid him.
Ryan jerked his truck keys out of his pocket, but something made him turn back and search the playing field.
Hayden was still out there, of course, bursting with energy and having the time of his life.
But Cody...
Frowning, Ryan scanned the field again. Even with the same oversize uniforms on, he’d picked out the boy right away, and now...
At the far end of the field, he finally saw Kristin kneeling next to the boy, who stood with his head bowed and his hands hanging loose at his side.
He knew in an instant that she was trying to repair the damage...and that this was probably his own fault. He’d pushed her to get the poor kid’s father here today.
He ignored the increasing pain in his knee as he strode across the grass and drew to a stop within inches of Ted. The man was oblivious, still glaring at his son instead of trying to console or praise him.
“Ted,” Ryan growled. He lowered his voice another notch. “I see you’ve come out here to make your son’s day.”
Startled, Ted jerked away. “Who—” Recognition dawned on his face as he surveyed Ryan from head to toe, and his smug expression turned to contempt. “Well, look who’s here.”
“The question is, why you’re here, if all you want to do is belittle your son.”
“The kid doesn’t even try.” Ted sneered, clearly irritated. “But that’s hardly your concern, is it?”
Ryan eased farther into the man’s space, crowding him back a step. “It’s the concern of every decent adult here. How do you think you make Cody feel? Special? Loved? Or maybe the issue is how it makesyoufeel. Give you a sense of power, maybe? Make you feel like a big man?”
“Look, Gallagher, back off. I hardly think threatening me in front of all these people is wise. Lay a hand on me, and I have a hundred witnesses.”
Ryan sensed someone come up behind him, and glanced over his shoulder. An older woman and her husband stood glaring at Ted.
“Frankly, I think you’re pathetic,” the woman said, her voice hard. “I’ve listened to you for the past fifteen minutes, and I think you should be reported to the county hotline for the way you treat that boy.” Her husband touched her arm, but she shook him off. “I don’t care, Frank. Verbal abuse is every bit as painful as being hit.”
“I’m not sure all the ‘witnesses’ are on your side,Teddy.” Ryan nodded toward Cody and Kristin. “You’re going over there to apologize to Cody. You’re going to explain that you didn’t mean it, and you’re going to tell him that he’s a super kid. Make himbelieveit...or I’ll report you myself.”
Ted stared back at Ryan, then his eyes veered toward the older couple and another nosy woman who’d come to listen. He lifted his chin. “I would’ve talked to him anyway. Stay out of my business.”
His anger simmering, Ryan held Ted’s gaze until the other man finally broke eye contact and took a faltering step back. “Now, Ted. Undo the damage you did to that poor kid.”
“It was ridiculous of Kristin to insist I come for this little recess activity, anyway. I left clients. An important meeting. And for what?” Ted stalked toward his son, his back rigid. He lingered for just a few minutes, dropped an awkward pat on Cody’s shoulder, then he got into a gleaming black BMW and drove off.
It wasn’t enough. Ryan could see that in the boy’s slumped shoulders and the way Kristin was glaring at Ted’s car as he disappeared down the street.
Kristin had made bad choices.Everyonehad made some bad ones all those years ago, but it was clear she’d paid dearly for marrying Ted.
Squaring his shoulders, Ryan sauntered over to join her, and hoped he could help make things right for her little boy.
