A mavericks heart, p.14
A Maverick's Heart, page 14
“Great. He’ll be over the moon. Is he coming back here this afternoon before practice?”
“Could you get him at the Barneses’ home? Mr. Barnes picked up the boys’ uniforms.”
“Give me their address. Since I have extra time I might drop by the high school and speak with Principal Morgan about the coaching job.”
Lila took out her order pad, tore off a sheet and jotted down an address. “The high school is right on your way. I’m probably selfish, but I hope it works out.”
Seth took the paper. “I hope so, too. Can you let Kemper’s mom know I’ll be there at three? And we’ll show up back here for supper.”
Lila ignored her mother, who twice slapped the order bell. She walked to the door with Seth. “It seems I’m always thanking you. But no amount of thanks is enough. Even before Mom got hurt I wasn’t sure how I’d get Rory to practice or games.”
“Stop thanking me and just accept, okay? By the way, how’s your mother doing?”
“Better. The doctor allowed her to remove the sling a couple of hours every day, so she insists on working.”
“She’s a tough lady. And she’s watching us right now or I’d kiss you goodbye. When you’re comfortable letting her and Rory know we’ve stepped our friendship up a level, I’m ready to oblige.”
“Soon. It’s most important that Rory be okay. I guess that’ll depend on what you find out at the school. We can’t kid ourselves, Seth. I know you need a job if you’re going to stay in Snowy Owl Crossing.”
“True. But I’m a man of many talents.” He waggled his eyebrows and Lila’s face turned a tad red before she shooed him out the door.
* * *
SETH’S UNSCHEDULED MEETING with the high school principal went very well. The man had heard of his baseball record and his geology degrees, which helped to the point that Morgan phoned a friend at the university who said she’d talk to Seth about what he’d need to secure a permanent job at the school. Morgan said to call him once he got transcripts, applied and received a provisional license. He gave Seth his home number and the number for his university friend.
When he got back to the bed-and-breakfast, the fishermen were leaving. Seth knew they’d be replaced the next day by another group Lila said was also repeat customers.
He’d never been one to procrastinate, so he called and talked with the advisor. She suggested a summer class he could take once they got his transcripts, which Seth immediately registered for online. He ordered his transcripts, worrying that he hadn’t studied in quite a while. But he saw this as a step closer to putting down roots and, Lord willing, getting closer to Lila. Until this minute he hadn’t let himself think in terms of marriage. Now a full range of emotions tied to everything marriage meant flowed through him in a warm rush of pleasure.
He was so buoyed up he was bursting to tell someone. The only confidant available was Ghost. He rubbed the dog’s belly and gave him fresh water, all while sharing his news. Seth laughed out loud on his way out to pick Rory up at the Barneses’. He pictured confessing all of this later to Lila.
The boys stood outside an elaborate dwelling Seth deduced had cost a mint. He’d never asked what Matt Barnes did for a living. Now he guessed he was a doctor or a lawyer.
Rory wheeled his bike to the back of Seth’s rental car, which he realized was the next thing he needed to change.
“I got my uniform,” Rory announced, pausing to wave to Kemper, who climbed into his dad’s BMW.
“Your mom told me.” Seth held up the shirt. “Badgers? Why not snowy owls?”
“The school teams are the fighting owls or white owls and stuff. Little League teams pick other animals.”
“Makes sense. Hop in. Do you have to wear the uniform to practice?”
“Nope, only the cap. Can I keep the Yankees cap? I can wear it at home.”
“It’s yours.” Seth shoved in a CD and soon whistled along.
“You’re happy,” Rory noted when the song ended.
“I am. I talked to the high school principal about coaching next year. And I got the ball rolling to fill out paperwork, get fingerprints and even take one class.”
“So you’re staying here? Kemper’s dad said he bet you’d leave before winter.”
Seth sought the boy in his rearview mirror. “Do you care either way?” Rory thought about his answer so long Seth began to sweat.
“I thought you’d change your mind and go to China for those red stones. I don’t want you to go away, but your friend said you’d make lots of money. Money’s important.” Rory said it so seriously.
Seth eased out a breath. “He said someone else found the rubies. Maybe all the gems were already gone. Yoti hasn’t called back to brag or anything.”
“Oh. Kemper’s dad is buying him a batting machine.”
“Is that why you keep bringing up money?”
“No. Yes. I guess.”
Seth pulled into the parking lot at the ball diamond. Some others were already there. He turned in his seat to check on Rory and saw him slumped and sour faced. “I’m sure it’s hard when your best friend’s folks buy him so much. But remember, you said you like your bat better than his costlier ones.”
“But his mom and dad go to his practices and his games. My mom’s gotta work all the time ’cause we never have enough money.”
“Listen, I don’t want to ruin the surprise, but she told me she’s going to your first game.”
“I knew that. But that’s only one game, Seth. If we could find a bunch of those gemstones, she could be at home like Kemper’s mom.”
Seth rubbed the back of his neck. Maybe getting on the field to play would get Rory’s mind off money. Ever since Yoti’s phone call, the kid had been fixated on striking it rich.
The day’s practice went well. Better for Rory than Seth dared hope. Coach Landis jogged up with his clipboard as they prepared to leave. “Maxwell, I have to tell you I’ve never seen a kid’s batting improve as much in a few days as Rory’s. Genius, man. Genius.”
Seth set his hand atop Rory’s wind-tossed red hair. “He gets the credit. Like I told his mother, he’s got a lot of natural ability.”
“I’m not sure there is such a thing. But if he keeps playing like he did today, he’ll be starting in our first game with the Bears on Saturday. Did you get a game schedule?”
“Rory’s mom has one.”
“You guys live together? That may sound nosy, but it’s important that I have a handle on what goes on in the lives of my players.”
Seth had puffed up to tell the man what he could do with his question, but his explanation made sense. Only he shouldn’t be so blunt about such stuff around a kid. “I rent from Rory’s mom at the Owl’s Nest. My twin brother owns the Flying Owl Ranch nearby. I’ll be here all summer to help Rory and perhaps beyond. Count on that.”
Seth said goodbye and carried Rory’s net bag of equipment to his car.
“Do you like my mom?” Rory asked as he buckled his seat belt.
“Of course.”
“Kemper said if you like my mom enough you might marry us.”
Seth let the car lurch forward and quickly corrected it. “Do any of your classmates have stepparents?”
Rory made a funny face. “I don’t know what that is. You mean like Hope Johnson’s dad got sick last year and died? Mine, too, before I went to first grade. Hope lives with her mom, grandma and grandpa. I live with Mom, but Memaw sometimes checks my homework. Everyone else in my class got regular parents.”
Feeling as though he’d stepped in over his head, Seth fell back on telling Rory his mom would be happy that Coach Landis said he’d play in Saturday’s game.
“He said if I keep playing like I did today. What if I don’t?”
“You will,” Seth said with conviction. Then they both fell silent on the drive to the café.
Rory burst inside, bubbling over about his practice. Lila, Doreen and all the customers gave Rory high fives at his news that he’d made two base hits.
Lila gave Seth’s waist a secret squeeze. “I’ve no idea how you worked such wonders. Don’t deny it. Dale Landis made no secret that Rory wasn’t playing well.”
“Only because no one guided him. I have something to tell you about my visit to the high school. Can we talk after you get home?”
“Sure, but I may be late. I have rooms to ready for new guests and laundry from the ones who left.”
“I could strip the beds and start the wash following my run.”
“You’d do that?” Lila looked shocked.
“There’s no limit to what I’d do for us to have more time alone,” he said.
“Myra always talks about how much Zeke does to help her at the ranch. Our group thought she was exaggerating. Did you both get some recessive gene?”
Seth laughed. “Our parents both had jobs and they believed everyone who lived in the house had to pitch in to make it run.”
“I wonder if I should expect more from Rory. He helps out here, but at home I let him be a kid.”
“I’ve seen him feed Ghost and take him out. Zeke and I got a weekly allowance for doing chores. Some had to be saved. The rest we could spend however we liked.”
“Hmm. There’s not much for a kid to spend money on in a small town.”
Seth might have suggested letting Rory pay for some time at the batting cage, but he didn’t want Lila to take that as a hint to pay him back for the sessions. Her mom banged on the order bell and Lila took off. They didn’t have another opportunity to talk.
It was 9:00 p.m. when Seth heard Lila bumping things around in a room down the hall. The noise jarred him out of reading material for his first class. He hadn’t realized how engrossed he’d be in behavioral management. He’d made his application. Even if this class didn’t count, he found it fascinating. Saving what he’d downloaded, he crossed to the door and tripped over Ghost, who he’d brought to his room and was now sleeping sprawled at the foot of Seth’s bed.
The dog raised his head and yawned. Belatedly he climbed to his feet and followed Seth down the hall.
“Hey, you should have tapped on my door. I’d have come help make up beds.”
Lila stopped plumping a pillow. “I saw the note that you’d taken Ghost. You didn’t say where you took him.”
“Sorry, I brought him to my room.” He followed her across the hall with her next armload of sheets.
“I applied for provisional certification,” he said, going to the other side of the bed and signaling she should toss him half of the bottom fitted sheet.
“Seth, that’s fabulous. So the job looks promising?”
“Mr. Morgan liked my background. He referred me to a university advisor. I figured trying to get back in the habit of studying would be a killer. But I dived right in. That’s why I didn’t come downstairs. Time got away.”
They worked in tandem to tighten the top sheet and smooth on a clean spread.
“You helped me tremendously by having a load of sheets washed and dried and tossing the bedspreads in the washer. Now the rooms are ready for new customers, I have time to sew the sleep sacks I cut out last night.” Lila motioned him out of the room.
Seth dropped an arm around her shoulders and Lila twined her fingers with his as they navigated the stairs. Ghost brought up the rear.
“Rory’s all but made himself sick worrying whether Coach Landis will actually let him play in Saturday’s game.”
“He’s a good player. He needs to stop being so anxious.”
Lila paused in the lower hall and glanced up at him. “For worriers, that’s easier said than done. Does nothing worry you?”
“Plenty.” He captured her between his body and the dining room wall and, after bracketing her head with his hands, laid a row of kisses near her eye, her ear and finally her lips.
She clung to his neck and plastered her length against him with the most sizzle they’d shared yet. “Wow,” she mumbled when Seth finally lifted his head.
“Know what worries me? That I won’t please you. That I can’t make you happy. I have to muscle my way into your life, Lila. You’re so competent on your own.”
“You please me, Seth. If you can’t see that, it’s because part of me is afraid to be happy. I’m afraid everything will fall apart.”
Seth gave her some space, but kept rubbing his thumbs over her soft cheeks. “We need to relax and take things day by day. Like going to Rory’s game. With all the time you spend at the café, maybe eating out afterward isn’t a big deal for you. But most players’ families go celebrate. It’s a chance for the three of us to let loose and spend time together. Kind of like the evening we all played catch.”
“It sounds lovely. I’ll try not to think about time lost on this sewing project.”
“And I’ll erase any need to study that day.”
Smiling, they came together in another mutual kiss. This time Lila broke their connection. “Any more of this and I won’t get any work done tonight.”
Seth reluctantly stepped away. “I’ll put Ghost up and make sure his doggy door is latched. Kissing you is infinitely more enjoyable, but I guess we should skip fixing tea and each get back to work, knowing we have fun time scheduled for Saturday.”
Lila didn’t agree quickly, but took a deep breath and finally nodded.
* * *
SATURDAY STARTED OUT HECTIC. Seth had turned out the horses after feeding them and was putting fresh hay in the stalls when Rory bounded in, dressed in his game attire. It was barely 6:00 a.m. “Can we practice?” he shouted. “I know you said I played good at practice yesterday, but it’s a long time till two o’clock.”
“There’ll be a warm-up at two, Rory. You don’t want to strain your muscles. Does your mom know you’re wearing your uniform already?”
“No. She’s making breakfast. She said to change at Memaw’s. Can I stay with you instead of going to the café? Maybe we should go to the batting cages.”
Seth spread a last pitchfork full of hay and set it aside. “Let’s go talk to your mom.” He stripped off his gloves and tucked them into his back pocket.
“You look like a cowboy today.” Rory’s expression said he disapproved.
Eyeing the boy from beneath the brim of his summer straw hat, Seth decided it best to keep silent. “Let’s go in the back door. My boots are dirty,” he said.
“Didn’t you buy team shirts for you and Mom to wear?”
“You know I did. I gave your mom hers last night. Rory, it’s eight hours before we need to wear them. We don’t want them to get dirty. Same with your uniform.”
Lila heard the last comment as they entered the kitchen via the back door. “Rory, I said we’d take your uniform to the café. I’m sorry, Seth. He’s bouncing off the walls.”
“It won’t always be like this,” Seth promised. “This is his first game. It gets to be old hat.”
“My hat’s brand new,” Rory exclaimed, making the adults laugh.
“Your mother said you don’t approve of letting him play video games on my tablet. He wants to practice batting, but I don’t want him worn out before the game. I have a pot load of applications to fill out. I can set up a video baseball game to keep him occupied until I pick you up this afternoon.”
Lila set a second stack of pancakes on the warming tray. “Move, please, so I can take this to the dining room.”
Seth started to relieve her of the heavy tray, but she jerked it away. “You smell like barn and you have hay on your shirt.”
He pulled back fast.
“Mom’s out of sorts today,” Rory said. He started to cry. “I wanted today to be perfect.”
Lila rushed back into the room and she and Seth bumped heads as both bent to console Rory. “Sorry, my mother’s fussing because I’m leaving Sarah Jane to cook for the supper crowd by herself. I told you she can guilt me like no one else. And she disapproves of video games.”
Seth straightened Rory’s ball cap then he massaged Lila’s tense shoulders. “Everyone take a deep breath. The café will survive and we’ll have a great time cheering on Rory’s team.”
Blinking back her tears, Lila wiped Rory’s face with a tissue. “Seth’s right. Take his tablet. My mother’s being poopy.”
That made Rory laugh out loud.
“I’ll set up a baseball video game. I can’t wait to start reading about how compromise deflects bad behavior.”
“Really?”
“Really,” Seth reiterated. “That class is gonna be worth every penny.”
* * *
QUITE A FEW parents were in the bleachers by the time they got to the field. Doreen had kept finding things she wanted Lila to do until Lila called a halt and shooed Seth and Rory out the door. The smattering of early customers wished Rory good luck.
“I see Lori Barnes,” Lila said. “Surely she didn’t come without Kemper’s dad.”
“He’s down with the team. Why don’t you sit with her while I check a few things with the coach? The other dads are all on the field.” Seth jerked around and stammered, “I—I’m not claiming to be Rory’s dad.”
“It’s okay, Seth.”
He fancied he heard enough wishful longing in Lila’s short response that it gave him ideas. Then he was tugged away by Rory yanking on his hand, and he saw Zeke and Myra. They waved and met Lila in the bleachers. Seth felt better leaving Lila with family while he spoke with the coach. It wasn’t that he had anything against Lori and Matt Barnes. But Zeke and Myra were going to join them after the game at an Old West restaurant. Matt and Lori were more likely to end up at the country club.
