Stranger in Town (Dundee, Idaho #5)(59)
Author: Brenda Novak

“Should be fun,” she muttered sarcastically, wondering how her innocent, well-meaning plan to get Gabe back into circulation could have dragged her into such a tailspin.

“Did you say something, Mom?”

Hannah hadn’t realized that Kenny was within hearing distance. “No, nothing important,” she said, packing up her camera bag.

He gathered his backpack from the kitchen table. She was planning to drop both boys off at school on her way. “Do we have to go to Dad’s this weekend?” he asked.

“You don’t want to?”

A quick shake of his head answered that question.

“I haven’t heard from your father in a few days, but…I’ll call him after school and find out what his plans are.”

“Okay.”

Hannah hollered for Brent to hurry, then put the bag with her camera and film over her shoulder and held the front open.

“You look nice,” Kenny said as he passed her.

She’d dressed up in a skirt and blouse. “Thanks.”

“You’re going out on location today?”

Brent finally came running down the hall. Obviously, he’d attempted to wet his hair down, but he hadn’t bothered with a comb. Hannah did her best to improve the situation with her fingers but didn’t have time to do much more.

“I have to finish taking the football pictures,” she told Kenny as she locked the door.

“Didn’t you already finish?”

Her heels clicked on the cement as she hurried down the walkway. “Not with Coach Holbrook. I’m driving out to his cabin this morning.”

Brent shot her a grin, which she caught out of the corner of her eye just before she opened the door. “What?”

“Are you gonna kiss him, Mommy?” he asked.

Hannah’s heart jumped into her throat as Kenny’s gaze flew first to her, then to his brother. “What are you talking about, dweeb?” he said.

Refusing to be intimidated, Brent glared up at him. “Coach Holbrook is Mommy’s boyfriend.”

“No, he’s not,” Kenny said, but he didn’t sound very certain and immediately looked to her for confirmation.

Hannah had frozen at Brent’s question. “Who told you that, Brent?”

“I heard my teacher talking to Lindsay’s mom about it. She said you were the luckiest woman in the world to be with Gabe Holbrook.”

Before Hannah could respond, Kenny spoke up. “You’re not seeing Coach Holbrook, are you, Mom?”

Hannah didn’t know what to say. She’d hoped her boys would remain oblivious, but now that they’d clued in, she wanted to be as honest with them as possible. “I like him,” she admitted. “I like him a lot.”

Kenny’s expression grew guarded. “That T-shirt the other night…”

Panic crawled a little higher in Hannah’s throat. “Is his,” she admitted. He—” here she decided to fudge “—he loaned it to me so I wouldn’t get my blouse dirty while we played with Lazarus in his backyard.”

Letting go of the car door he hadn’t opened yet, Kenny hiked his backpack a little higher. “But you’re not…a couple or anything.”

“No. I…we went out Friday night and spent the afternoon together on Saturday, that’s all.”

Kenny turned to glance at the porch. “That’s why he brought that chair and those flowers. He likes you, too.”

“I don’t think he likes me that much,” Hannah said, putting her bag in the car.

For a moment, Kenny seemed deep in thought. “So, if he thought I was connected to something bad—”

“What are you talking about?” she asked.

“I’m saying it probably wouldn’t be good for you if Coach decided he didn’t like me.”

They were going to be late, but she didn’t want to rush this. “There’s no reason he wouldn’t like you. You’re not involved in anything you shouldn’t be, are you?”

“No, but—”

“Then don’t worry. Gabe and I are only friends. I’m not really his type.”

The frown didn’t completely disappear from Kenny’s face but, checking his watch, he got in. “Why not?”

Hannah laughed self-consciously as she slid behind the wheel. “He’s sort of a confirmed bachelor. And, as one of the greatest quarterbacks who ever lived, he’s out of my league, wouldn’t you say?” She could have added that the accident would most likely become an issue at some point. As early as their first argument, accusations over what she’d done to him would surely come up. But she decided to keep it simple.

Kenny looked directly at her. “No one’s out of your league, Mom.”

Touched by the conviction in his voice, Hannah reached across the seat to squeeze his arm. “Thanks, honey.”

“If you marry him, maybe he’ll share Lazarus with me!” Brent said, piping up from the back seat.

Hannah smiled as she started the engine. Somehow she’d thought it’d be difficult for her children to imagine their mother with a man other than their father, but Brent certainly didn’t seem to object to the idea of her being with Gabe. Kenny was another story. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking. He seemed sort of…brooding.

“I told you, Coach Holbrook and I are only friends,” she said, backing into the street. “So don’t make any plans to take over his dog.”

“I’ll share my room with Lazarus,” Brent went on, as if she hadn’t spoken. “He can even sleep with me. It’ll be too crowded in your room, what with Coach Holbrook and his wheelchair and all of his clothes in there.” He rubbed his hands in excitement. “Just wait till I tell the kids at school that I’m going to have Coach Holbrook’s dog!”

Kenny turned in his seat. “Don’t mention Mom and Coach Holbrook to anyone.”

“Why not?”

“You have to give them some time to work things out.”

“I don’t think an eternity would help,” Hannah said flippantly as they left their little neighborhood. “There’s nothing to work out.”

Kenny turned to look at her. “Don’t underestimate Coach Holbrook, Mom. He’s smart, like Tuck. He’ll know what you’re worth,” he said, but he wasn’t smiling and she still couldn’t guess at his thoughts.

GABE HAD BEEN lifting weights. Hannah could see that as soon as he opened the door. He wore fingerless gloves, a pair of gym shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt. Sweat glistened on his smooth skin and, as usual, Lazarus was right beside him.