Miracle Road

Lucca rose from the recliner and began to pace the room. It took him a few moments to figure out what to say, and then he only punted the question. “I don’t know, Tony. I’m not sure that’s what I want. I love the game, but even before the trouble I’d grown disenchanted with the big-business reality of college sports. That and the ‘me’ attitude of the players.”

“Now you sound like an old fart: ‘These young whippersnappers.’”

“I know.” Lucca rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll tell you this much. I had more fun with these high school kids than I’ve had in a while. On a team like this, they do it out of love for the game, not because they’re shooting for the NBA.”

“But—”

“Let it go, bro.”

After a beat, Tony asked, “So how is Mom?”

“She’s not driving me quite so crazy. Having Richard around has helped in that respect. I think she’s driving him crazy instead, poor guy. But I have to tell you, she’s still not acting like herself. She’s distracted and flighty and—are you ready for this? She colored her hair.”

“That’s not a big deal. Mom has colored her hair for some time now. You know how women are about gray hair.”

“I’m not talking a touch-up. I’m telling you she’s now a flaming redhead with highlights.”

“What?”

“Gabi and I decided just yesterday that we have a role reversal thing going on. It’s like we are the parents and Mom’s the teenager.”

“That’s scary.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Maybe it’s menopause. You could ask her.”

“You can kiss my ass. Better yet, why don’t you ask her? And I’ll be sure to pick you up off the floor when she’s finished with you.”

“She called me this morning about Thanksgiving. She wanted me to promise that I’d be there. I told her I had a tournament beginning Friday, but she got all teary on me.”

“What did you do?”

His brother sighed. “I told her I’d show. I’ll have to leave by four o’clock, though, and I reserve the right to change my plans if the weather looks chancy.”

Thanksgiving. This would be the family’s second holiday season without their father. He hoped like hell it would be easier than the previous year. Mom had cried through the whole meal.

His thoughts turned to Hope, and his heart did a little lurch. Bet she dreaded the holidays. He’d have to rope her into the Romano family orbit and help her get through them. Unless she spends them with Daniel Garrett.

That thought left a bitter taste in Lucca’s mouth, and he frowned his way through the rest of his conversation with Tony, ending the call a few minutes later.

Next he turned on the TV and channel surfed for a few minutes, but nothing caught his interest. Finally, he rose and grabbed his coat, thinking he’d head to the pub for company and a beer. But as he reached for the front doorknob, he changed his mind. He went out into his backyard, stretched out on the chaise lounge, and gazed up at the star-filled night sky.

He found the constellation Pegasus and thought of winged horses and lightning bolts and a heavenly body.

Hope.

He wished he were a mythological creature who carried lightning bolts and could strike the ground with his hoof and locate Hope’s Holly.

What a horrible thing. A little girl lost. Even if Holly turned up tomorrow, mother and daughter would still have lost five years. He’d thought it was bad what his mother had gone through when she gave up Zach for adoption, but it had been nothing compared to this. His mother had known where Zach lived and who he lived with, and that he was loved and treasured. Hope had only questions and what must be horrible imaginings.

Today he’d traveled a road that had changed him. Hearing her relive her tragedy and seeing the proof of her strength as evidenced by the life she’d created for herself in Eternity Springs had opened his eyes. She was well on her way along the rocky, winding road to recovery, but after facing a couple of his own demons today, he didn’t think he was more than few car lengths behind her. So if she blew a tire or slipped a timing belt, he’d be there to help. And vice versa.

They were meant to share this road. He knew it in his bones. Because if her strength had opened his eyes, the kiss they’d shared in the locker room had opened his heart.

Hope Montgomery was special; she was medicine for what ailed him and balm to his wounded soul.

Maybe she should change her name from “Hope” to “Cure.”

ELEVEN

After news got around that Lucca was helping with the basketball team, three more boys asked to join the Grizzlies. Technically where state high school sports rules were concerned, it wasn’t too late to add players. The kids were athletes and would have improved the team, but Hope was inclined to refuse them. After all, they hadn’t cared enough when the team didn’t have a coach. Why should they come in to take a playing spot away from one of the boys who’d been willing to suffer through the season with her as their coach?

She took the question to Lucca, expecting him to make a case for the better players. To her surprise, he agreed with her. “Winning isn’t everything. They had their chance. We will do just fine with the players we have.”

“Really?” she asked, not believing it.

“Really. These guys are motivated by the right things—team and a simple love of the game. They have heart.”

So, too, she recognized, did Lucca.

They had their date on Friday night. He took her to dinner at the Yellow Kitchen, and they kept the conversation light, talking about movies and books and music they liked. She was surprised to discover that they shared a joint interest in old horror movies. After dinner, she invited him back to her house to watch Night of the Living Dead, and they ate popcorn and recited dialogue along with the movie before he kissed her good night and departed. Hope floated to her bedroom where Roxy lay sleeping at the foot of her bed. She picked up the dog and cuddled her, saying, “It was fun, Roxy. He had a good time, too. I could tell. He was relaxed. He laughed. It was so good to see him enjoying himself. Lucca Romano could be a good friend. A girl can always use another friend, right?”

Over the weekend following the public date, she fielded all sorts of interested questions from his family and her friends and even casual acquaintances. “We’re just friends,” became her canned response, and while she did receive a few skeptical comebacks, most people seemed to accept her claim. Everyone knew he didn’t intend to settle in Eternity Springs and besides, this time of year, she barely had time to eat, much less indulge in romance. Between bus driving duties, teaching, committee meetings, and volunteer commitments, by the end of the day, she was too worn out to do much more than play with Roxy and veg in front of the TV.

Which was why at eight forty-eight p.m. on Tuesday night when she heard a rap at her front door, she had to drag herself off the couch to answer it. She wasn’t surprised to see Lucca standing on her front porch. She was aware of the significance of tomorrow’s date—the anniversary of the wreck. “Come on in,” she told him.

“I’d love to, but I can’t. I’m on my way to Aspenglow. Mom called with a trumped-up reason why she needs me over there tonight. She’s so transparent. She wants to make sure I’m not going to jump off Lover’s Leap tomorrow.”

“Does she have need to be concerned? I know what a beating anniversaries can be.”

He waited a couple of seconds before he answered. “I’m … fine. No jumping on the schedule. But I’d like to ask you for a favor, Hope. A big one. Could you take a personal day off from school tomorrow and spend the day