Except, for a week Candy had been flitting around in the back of his mind. Even though she’d been prickly and difficult, in unguarded moments she’d let a smile slip or say something dry and witty and he’d remember all the reasons he’d fallen for her in the first place. The time he spent with her made him wistful, and that made
him
sound like he’d been listening to Oprah. He didn’t want to date her. He’d never be able to trust her again. But he wanted her for sure. His body remembered lots of things about her body that didn’t require trust or forgiveness. Still, there was a sad, needy part of him that wanted to pretend that she’d never walked away.
His team held their own until the bottom of the eighth when two errors gave the Giants the runs that won them the game. Lee had been distracted at short stop when a tall girl with a long blonde ponytail had jogged by the field. The sun was in his eyes and it took a split second too long to realize it wasn’t Candy running past. By then the ball was coming fast and he didn’t have time to react before it went past him.
After the game, the rest of the guys and their wives and girlfriends all agreed to meet up at their favorite pub. Lee couldn’t think of anything he wanted less than to sit around and pretend to have a good time, unless it was being alone. He offered to take Sidney back with him so Holly and Mark could go have fun. That also meant he was saddled with Milo.
“I told Mom I want a dog for my birthday,” Sidney said from the back seat.
“Really.” Sidney’s birthday was in a month and Lee still had no idea what to get him. “What did she say?”
“You know Mom. She said maybe, but I’m going to keep working on her, though. I told her a dog would be a great idea and that he could protect the house. She didn’t seem very convinced.”
Right, a dog would be great for protection, then Lee could stop worrying about his sister and nephew living alone. “
Maybe
doesn’t mean
no.
”
“Usually it does.”
His sister was probably concerned about the expense of a dog. Based on what that one trip to the vet cost, he could see how that could rack up. Along with food and grooming—jeez. He’d never owned a dog, so this was sheer speculation, but it seemed like a lot. Still, Sidney had lost the use of his legs in the same accident that had killed his father. The kid deserved a great childhood—the Norman Rockwell kind—and that always involved a dog.
“Well, let’s wait and see what happens. You never know what surprises birthdays will bring.”
* * *
When the foreman on the plumbing crew started talking about getting a pet for his daughter’s birthday, Lee’s ears perked up.
“What are you thinking of?” he asked Ray. “Puppy? Kitten?”
“I don’t know. Something small that she can take care of.” Ray took a swig from a gallon jug of water. “My wife was thinking of a guinea pig or something.”
“Uh, yeah.” Lee shook his head as if he had an opinion on guinea pigs. “Make sure you get the animal checked out by a vet to see that it’s healthy.”
Ray motioned with his head at the slab and struts. “This is gonna be a vet’s office, yeah?” When Lee nodded, the other man continued. “Are they any good, do you know?”
Lee had a decidedly dirty thought about one of the many things Candy had been good at. “Yeah, they’re great. I’ve known the family for a long time.”
A week later, Ray approached him again.
“So you’ll never guess what my wife bought my kid for her birthday.”
“A platypus?”
“Yeah, that’s what she got her. Man, you’re weird.” Ray laughed. “No, a rat.”
“A rat?” Lee said in disbelief. “For a little girl?”
Ray shrugged. “Cindy’s actually ten, and we did all kinds of research on the internet. Believe it or not, rats are really popular pets.”
Lee made a face. “But there’s diseases and stuff.” He was having visions of bubonic plague breaking out.
“Nah,
him
sound like he’d been listening to Oprah. He didn’t want to date her. He’d never be able to trust her again. But he wanted her for sure. His body remembered lots of things about her body that didn’t require trust or forgiveness. Still, there was a sad, needy part of him that wanted to pretend that she’d never walked away.
His team held their own until the bottom of the eighth when two errors gave the Giants the runs that won them the game. Lee had been distracted at short stop when a tall girl with a long blonde ponytail had jogged by the field. The sun was in his eyes and it took a split second too long to realize it wasn’t Candy running past. By then the ball was coming fast and he didn’t have time to react before it went past him.
After the game, the rest of the guys and their wives and girlfriends all agreed to meet up at their favorite pub. Lee couldn’t think of anything he wanted less than to sit around and pretend to have a good time, unless it was being alone. He offered to take Sidney back with him so Holly and Mark could go have fun. That also meant he was saddled with Milo.
“I told Mom I want a dog for my birthday,” Sidney said from the back seat.
“Really.” Sidney’s birthday was in a month and Lee still had no idea what to get him. “What did she say?”
“You know Mom. She said maybe, but I’m going to keep working on her, though. I told her a dog would be a great idea and that he could protect the house. She didn’t seem very convinced.”
Right, a dog would be great for protection, then Lee could stop worrying about his sister and nephew living alone. “
Maybe
doesn’t mean
no.
”
“Usually it does.”
His sister was probably concerned about the expense of a dog. Based on what that one trip to the vet cost, he could see how that could rack up. Along with food and grooming—jeez. He’d never owned a dog, so this was sheer speculation, but it seemed like a lot. Still, Sidney had lost the use of his legs in the same accident that had killed his father. The kid deserved a great childhood—the Norman Rockwell kind—and that always involved a dog.
“Well, let’s wait and see what happens. You never know what surprises birthdays will bring.”
* * *
When the foreman on the plumbing crew started talking about getting a pet for his daughter’s birthday, Lee’s ears perked up.
“What are you thinking of?” he asked Ray. “Puppy? Kitten?”
“I don’t know. Something small that she can take care of.” Ray took a swig from a gallon jug of water. “My wife was thinking of a guinea pig or something.”
“Uh, yeah.” Lee shook his head as if he had an opinion on guinea pigs. “Make sure you get the animal checked out by a vet to see that it’s healthy.”
Ray motioned with his head at the slab and struts. “This is gonna be a vet’s office, yeah?” When Lee nodded, the other man continued. “Are they any good, do you know?”
Lee had a decidedly dirty thought about one of the many things Candy had been good at. “Yeah, they’re great. I’ve known the family for a long time.”
A week later, Ray approached him again.
“So you’ll never guess what my wife bought my kid for her birthday.”
“A platypus?”
“Yeah, that’s what she got her. Man, you’re weird.” Ray laughed. “No, a rat.”
“A rat?” Lee said in disbelief. “For a little girl?”
Ray shrugged. “Cindy’s actually ten, and we did all kinds of research on the internet. Believe it or not, rats are really popular pets.”
Lee made a face. “But there’s diseases and stuff.” He was having visions of bubonic plague breaking out.
“Nah,
Similar Books
