“These men are just as agile in their own way. If you watch a game as an exercise in athletic skill, rather than a display of brute strength, it takes on a whole different perspective.”
She glanced at the screen, then back at him. “Ballet, huh?”
“Pirouettes, leaps and all.”
“I’ll give it another inning.”
He groaned. “Half, Annie. Another half.”
Chapter 5
The last of Ann’s patients had left an hour ago. She’d finished her notes, put away the files, emptied the teapot and tidied her desk. She’d even plumped every last cushion on the sofa and aligned every slat in the vertical blinds. Practically the only thing left that could possibly delay her departure for home was kneeling down and picking every piece of lint from the carpet. She glanced down consideringly, then muttered an oath that rarely crossed her lips.
She was losing it. If this wasn’t proof enough, then yesterday’s behavior was. She had sat in front of the television through an entire football game. She had actually caught herself cheering for one extraordinarily evasive runner. She’d only barely noticed the violent tackles that had cleared his path. She had eaten more than her share of a huge bowl of greasy potato chips slathered with sour-cream-and-onion dip. She’d allowed the kids to order pizzas for dinner. Stunned by the unexpected permission, they had asked for fat-laden pepperoni and sausage. She hadn’t even blinked. She blamed it on the beer.
Worse, though she would never on pain of death admit it to another soul, she had enjoyed herself. More precisely, she had enjoyed sharing the evening with Hank. Over the past few days, she had even started looking forward to their morning runs. Now she awoke to coffee already perking and Hank waiting for her on the back porch. The five miles had started to go by all too quickly.
Which was, of course, exactly why she didn’t want to go home now. Hank was going to be there. Every sexy, self-confident, increasingly intriguing inch of him. Lord only knew what temptation he had planned for her tonight. He seemed to have established himself as some sort of guiding spirit whose only purpose in life was to make her forget all of her long-held, rational beliefs. He was doing a darn good job of it. He was proof incarnate that opposites attract. She was struggling to keep in mind that it was usually disaster when they did. Maybe a review of a few of her case files would drive home the point.
When the phone rang, she grabbed it, praying for a reprieve from yet another struggle against some perverse fate that had tossed her into this emotional fray.
“Dr. Davies.”
“Ann, it’s Tom. How’d you like to do your civic duty tonight?”
The mayor! Perfect. The gods were listening after all. She lifted her eyes heavenward and without asking a single question said a fervent, “Yes!”
Tom laughed. “Don’t you even want to know what I’m after?”
“Well, of course, but I trust your judgment. It must be important or you wouldn’t be asking.”
“How come you’re never that complimentary when I’m asking for a date?”
“Maybe it has something to do with knowing that I’d be competing with the entire female population of the Keys.”
“I’d throw them all over for you.”
“You say that, knowing you’re safe. If I took you up on it, you’d develop a nervous tic. Now what exactly did you need me to do tonight?”
“There’s a hearing in Key West on offshore drilling. Can you go? I’ll drive. We need bodies down there.”
“No brains?”
“Okay. That goes without saying. What about it?”
“Of course I’ll go. Let me call home and make arrangements for the kids.”
“Terrific. I’ll pick you up at the office in ten minutes. Sorry about the late notice, but we just got word that the state officials were coming tonight. We’d thought it was only a preliminary strategy session.”
“No problem. See you soon.”
She disconnected the call, then dialed home. She knew Hank was there but she didn’t want to make him feel like he had to completely take over when she wasn’t home. She’d ask Tracy to cover dinner. Melissa answered. Next to overflowing bathtubs, the telephone was her favorite thing.
“Hi, sweetheart,” Ann said.
“Hi.” Melissa whispered the response so softly Ann could barely hear her.
“Honey, is Tracy there?”
That was greeted by a long silence, then finally a hesitant, “No.”
So much for that idea. “How about Jason?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Can you get him for me?”
“Okay.”
Melissa hung up the phone. Ann gritted her teeth and called back.
“Hi,” Melissa said cheerfully.
Ann used her sternest tone, the one that always got results. “Melissa, I want you to get Jason at once.”
This time the phone clattered to the floor. She heard Melissa’s footsteps receding, accompanied by choking sobs.
“Oh, Lord. Now what?” Tapping her fingers against the desktop, she waited on the off chance that Melissa would actually get Jason. She could hear the shouts of various children in the background.
“Hey,” Paul yelled. “Who left the phone off the hook?”
“Paul!” she yelled back, just as the phone clicked off.
She dialed again. This time Paul answered.
“Paul, it’s Mom.”
“Oh, hi, Mom. Have you been trying to call? The phone’s been off the hook.”
“I know,” she said with rapidly ebbing patience. “Would you please get Jason for me?”
“Sure thing. Hey, Jason, Mom wants to talk to you. Are you coming home soon? Melissa’s crying something fierce.”
“She’ll be okay,” Ann promised just as she heard Tom’s horn blow. “Is Jason coming?”
“Yeah, he’s right here, but I gotta ask you something first. Is it okay if Hank takes Tommy and me to the construction site tonight?”
She couldn’t imagine Hank volunteering to do that. “Is that your idea or his?”
“He said it would be okay.”
She sighed. “I’m not sure that’s an answer, but if he’s willing, fine. Be careful, though, and do exactly what he tells you to do.”
“Okay,” he said quickly. “Here’s Jason.”
Visions of Tommy tumbling off a girder twenty feet in the sky suddenly made her shake. “Wait, Paul… Paul!”
“It’s me, Jason. What’s up, Mom?”
“Tell Paul to be
