Stranger in Town (Dundee, Idaho #5)(20)
Author: Brenda Novak

“Coach Hill must’ve thought so.”

“I don’t care. It was opportunity that built Gabe into what he became,” she argued. “If Russ had had the same chance—”

Irritation welled up so quickly, Hannah spoke before she could check herself. “You know what? Whether you want to admit it or not, Russ is responsible for his own failures.”

Patti opened her mouth as though she had a hot and ready response, then clamped it firmly closed again, and Hannah cursed herself for landing them in another of those awkward impasses that never used to exist. Not many years ago, she and Patti could talk about almost anything—but that was before she’d crossed the line and filed for divorce.

“Gabe’s already had his chance in the sun,” Patti finally said, her words clipped. “It’s Kenny’s turn, and I don’t want anyone screwing that up for him.”

“Neither do I,” Hannah agreed. “But let’s make sure there’s going to be a problem before we jump to any conclusions.”

“Fine.” She shrugged, but the stiff set of her shoulders told Hannah she wasn’t letting go that easily.

“So what’s up? Where’re the girls?” Hannah asked, hoping a change of subject might smooth things over.

Her movements quick, Patti put the avocados on the windowsill above Hannah’s kitchen sink. “At Mom’s. I’m on my way there. I just came by to tell you that Donny and Jamie are getting a divorce.”

Donny was Russ’s younger brother by two years. Although he and Jamie had been married for at least twelve years and had a ten-year-old daughter, Kara, this news came as no surprise to Hannah. When Hannah was still married to Russ, Jamie used to complain about her own husband all the time.

Hannah put a six-pack of soda in the fridge. “Is Kara going to stay with her mother?”

“Looks that way.”

“What about Donny?”

“He’ll be getting his own place.”

Too bad he wouldn’t be rooming with Russ, Hannah thought. Donny had his share of problems, but he owned a construction company and he worked hard. Maybe, under Donny’s influence, Russ would finally seek a steady paycheck….

“What’s going to happen to Aunt Jamie?” There was a tinge of panic in Brent’s voice at the prospect of yet another big change in his life.

Patti must’ve heard it, too, because she seemed to soften. “She’ll be around, kiddo. Don’t worry.” She scooped up her keys and purse. “I’d better go.”

Hannah followed her to the door, feeling bad about the tension between them. “Patti…”

Patti glanced over her shoulder and shook her head. “Life sucks sometimes, doesn’t it?”

Hannah knew she was talking about the loss of the relationship they once knew, and nodded. They both felt the same way. They just didn’t know how to reclaim the closeness they’d shared.

“I’ll pick up pip-squeak this afternoon and take him swimming. Have fun cooking dinner for Mr. Unreachable.”

“Mr. Unreachable?” Hannah said. “Why do you call him that?”

Patti tossed her purse inside the car and turned back. “Because even when he could walk, he’d never emotionally engage. There was no penetrating that sexy smile, no getting under his skin and really making his heart pound, you know?”

“He’s been with some very beautiful women,” Hannah said. “I’m sure they made his heart pound.”

Patti arched her eyebrows. “Maybe his heart was pounding when he was—” she glanced meaningfully at Brent “—physically engaged. But certainly not before or afterward.”

“You don’t know that.”

She singled out her ignition key. “Yes, I do. Just ask Deborah Wheeler.”

“You’re friends with Deborah Wheeler?”

“We talk now and then, since she moved in down the street from me.”

That explained some of Patti’s prejudice, considering Deborah’s connection to Coach Blaine. “And she’s an expert on Gabe?”

“She told me when he was playing ball he never brought the same woman home twice.”

“He was living in California, so how would she know?”

“He never brought the same woman to town twice. She said that even when he used to show up with one of the tall, leggy blondes he seemed to prefer, he was always amiable, always entertaining, but you could tell that if the woman waved goodbye and walked out the door he wouldn’t think twice about her.”

“That’s a lot for Deborah to assume, Patti. I don’t think she saw him that often.”

“Has he ever had a steady girlfriend?”

“Maybe. It’s tough to say. Like I said, for a long time, he didn’t even live here.”

“If he’d been with someone, word would have gotten around. He couldn’t buy a new car without everyone talking about it.”

Crossing her arms, Hannah leaned against the lintel. “A lot of professional athletes play fast and loose with women. Maybe it’s not right, but it’s partly a factor of how aggressively they’re pursued. And Gabe had legions after him.”

“What about now?”

“Dating is probably the last thing on his mind. He’s still dealing with what’s happened to him.”

“It’s been three years, Hannah. It’s like Deborah said to me the other day. He’s already passed the crossroads.”

“What crossroads?”

“If he was going to adjust and move on, he would have done it by now.”

Those words terrified Hannah, probably because, on some level, she feared they were true. Gabe was letting his handicap limit more than his body. He was letting it take control of his life. “It takes time to recover,” she said, but not very convincingly.

“Where women are concerned, he hasn’t changed.” With a parting wave, Patti got in the car.

Hannah watched her drive off, picturing the tortured look in Gabe’s eyes when she’d touched his face. He’d tried to remain true to his unaffected public persona, but he’d slipped for a moment, and she’d caught a glimpse of the real man.

Patti might be right about some things, but she was wrong about Gabe being unreachable. The heart that beat beneath his muscled chest wasn’t too hard. If Hannah had her guess, it was too soft.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have to protect it so well.

KENNY BLINKED FAST and wiped the sweat from his brow. They’d been practicing for two hours already. The past fifteen minutes had been spent running a new play Coach Holbrook had designed. Two receivers crossed in the middle, then headed down opposite sides of the field. Kenny was supposed to roll out to his left and throw a long diagonal bomb, which would hopefully turn into a touchdown pass. But he couldn’t get it right. He was too upset by the conspiratorial look Coach Blaine had given him a few minutes earlier.