When she settled herself in her car, her phone pinged. A text from Kris.
Please don’t hate me.
Natalie let out a shuddering sigh. I couldn’t even if Itried. Good luck to you both.
The tears that stung her eyes were part-grief, part-hurt,and a boatload of relief.
.~* * * ~.
Suited up, waiting on Nelson, T.J.pulled his phone from his locker and leaned against a wall. He hadn’t seen—ortalked to—Natalie for a few days. Self-preservation.
T.J.: Catch anything Saturday?
A response chimed almost instantly, and his spirits rose.
Natalie: Skunked. Mom caught the only one.
T.J.: If urnot busy this aft, I can stop by and fix ur chairs.
Natalie: Today’s not good.
T.J.: Everything ok?
Natalie: Yes. Just some suckiness happening.
He didn’t like the sound of that. Should he push? Did hewant to know? He settled on low-key. Sort of. Do Ineed to kick someone’s ass?
Natalie: LOL. No. I can kick my own ass.
T.J.: Wow. That’s a move I’d like to see.
Natalie: You know what I mean.
T.J.: Maybe. Hey Ford and I could come cheer u up.
Natalie: Promised Paige I’d finish her books by tmw. Up to my eyeballs in QB.
Spirits tanking, he tapped out a reply. Queen beeship? Quantum biometrics? Questionable banter?
Natalie: LOL. QuickBooks. You?
T.J.: Holding up a wall waiting on a friend.
Natalie: Where’s Ford?
T.J.: Home alone. He hasn’t called me even though I gothim a phone.
Natalie: Fat dewclaws.
T.J.: ???
Natalie: Canine version of fat thumbs. He’s prolly finehaha.
“She must be hot.”
T.J.’s head snapped up.
Nelson, grinning, gave him a few chin jerks. “Judging by thestupid look on your face.”
T.J. flipped Nelson off, thenshoved his phone back in his locker. “Screw you.”
Nelson barked out a laugh. “That lame comeback says it all,dude. She’s definitely hot. You asking her to the big charity event?”
“Shit. I need a date?”
“You don’t have to take a date. I never do.”
“What’s up with that anyway?”
“Holding out for Kathryn Tappen.She’ll notice me one of these days. Seriously, though, why not ask her?”Nelson pointed at T.J.’s locker.
“Can’t.”
Nelson’s eyebrows crawled up his forehead. “Married?”
“Not exactly. It’s complicated.”
“With women, it’s always complicated. Especially one you’vefallen for.”
T.J.’s first reaction was to deny and protest. Just asquickly, he realized he’d only play into Nelson’s hands and makehim look like he’d guessed right. And Nelson was wrong.
Right?
T.J. pushed himself off the wall. “What makes you think I’vefallen for her?”
“Your face.”
“C’mon, Dr. Phil,” T.J. growled. “Quit yammering and let’sget in some shooting practice so I can hit you with a few pucks.”
.~* * * ~.
Staring at her computer, Natalie letout an enormous sigh. She could usually lose herself in numbers—especially whenshe was playing forensic detective like she was with Paige’s screwed-upbooks—but she was still processing the breakup, untangling emotions twistedlike skeins of yarn that had been attacked by pouncing kittens.
On one hand, she felt a sense of loss even as she smartedfrom the rejection. But on the other hand, there was relief so profound thatGrace Guilt made an appearance with a stern warning: No displays ofhappiness allowed.
But Natalie couldn’t deny the gladness. No more fetters fromher constant, corkscrewing inner conflict. Though he’d never know, Kevin hadliberated her from a jail cell of her conscience’s making by calling it off.And whatever his future held, he had a happy ending that touched her heart andmade it easier to let the thought of him go: he was back with his family.
She scrolled through her texts from Tyler, unable to stiflea smile. Another touch to her heart. Him asking if she needed cheering up. Ifhe needed to beat someone’s ass. For her. Hisrush to defend had sent warm tingles from her middle to her digits. Yeah, shecould take care of herself, but knowing someone besides Drew wanted to have herback … It turned her insides a little gooey.
Her phone buzzed with a new text, and her heart surged withthe thought it was Tyler.
Hey, Natbug. Just wanted you toknow I’m thinking about you.
Mom, how do you do that?
Do what?
Know when I’m blue.
What’s wrong, sweetie?
Natalie called and told her about Kevin.
“I’m so sorry, honey.” And by the inflection in her voice,she totally was, but then her tone changed. “There’s a bright spot you may beoverlooking, Natbug. Now you’re free to pursue thatdelicious Tyler.”
Natalie belted out a laugh. “Mom! First of all, he’s aclient. Second of all, I think I’m gonna need alittle time to get over Kevin dropping my ass.”
“Natalie Rose, ladies do not swear.”
“Mom. Seriously. How long have you known me? And you’restill trying to convince yourself I’m a lady? That ship sailed when I wasfive.”
“A mother’s most powerful survival tool is her eternaloptimism.”
“And you are the eternal optimist, Mom,” Natalie said withaffection—and hope that she’d inherited that particular gene. “So what are youup to this evening?”
“Drinking wine and watching TV.”
“Sex and the City?”
“No, that series is so last month. I’m watching Outlander.The wedding episode.”
“Ew, Mom. Just ew.”Yeah, Drew had had a good point about the brain bleaching.
“The stork did not deliver you, Natalie, no matter how muchyou want to believe,” Mom hmphed. “But Santa Clausdoes in fact exist.”
Laughter rumbled and rose from Natalie’s belly. God, the release felt good! When she caught her breath, she swiped ather moist cheeks.
“What’s so funny?” her mom asked in her patient “Mom” voice.
“My mom’s got a more interesting virtual sex life than Ido.”
They hung up, and Natalie felt lighter. So light that shetackled her work, finished it, and came up for air just in time to catch partof the wedding episode herself. She fixed herself a wee dram and settled in,envying a fictional woman named Claire for the lengths her equally fictionalhusband, one lovestruck Jamie Fraser, would go to forher. Talk about your knight in shining armor, er,kilt.
I need one of those. Kilt and shiningarmor optional.
CHAPTER 20
Man Plans, and God Laughs
T.J. was about halfway through hisfour-block walk when his phone vibrated. His team captain,Dave Grimson.
“Yo, Reaper.”
“What’s up, T.J.?”
“Just on my way to meet my old captain at the Euclid.”
“Ah. Excellent choice. Love the poutine.Listen, I was just wondering if you’ve found a date for the banquet.”
Sidestepping a car in the crosswalk, T.J. rummaged around inhis brain, unearthing the black-tie charity
