Second Time Around. Carol Steward

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СКАЧАТЬ friend got a drink from the fountain, then cleared his throat. “I still have that weight set I bought Laura at the house. Why don’t we work out there?”

      “I don’t know if I’m in any mood to deal with disgustingly happy newlyweds and four energetic kids at this hour,” Kevin muttered under his breath.

      Bryan looked at his watch and laughed. “Another fifteen minutes and they’ll all be in bed, anyway. Come on over. I need someone to push me before Laura’s good cooking puts twenty pounds on me.”

      “You poor thing.” Kevin considered going home, but quickly dispelled the unappealing idea. Unlike his friend, he had no one, nothing to greet him at home. No commitments. No leash. Keep talking, Kevin. Maybe you’ll convince yourself.

      “Come on. It’ll be fine.”

      “Sure, why not.” What was he bellyaching about? He had a business that was claiming more of his time each day. More than he’d ever dreamed possible. “I’ll meet you back at Laura’s—I mean, your house.” He winced at the mistake. He still found it difficult to understand why his best friend had agreed to stay in the house his new wife had shared with her late husband.

      “Don’t let it bother you. I do it, too. It’ll always be Laura’s, no matter how many changes we make. She promises to start looking for our own house as soon as things settle down.”

      “With four kids, you don’t plan on that being anytime soon, do you?” Kevin wrapped an arm around his friend’s back and laughed. “Ah, wedded bliss.”

      Bryan elbowed him in the stomach. “I’ll take the chaos of a house full of kids over a quiet one any day. You sure you don’t have time to build a house for us this spring?”

      “If I’d known you were going to be back in town and in the market, believe me, I wouldn’t have filled all my slots. You wouldn’t believe how many calls I’ve had this week alone. But if the bid for the clinic falls through, you’ll be the first person I call.”

      “Not a chance. There’s no way the committee can afford to turn you down. I’m glad to hear you’re keeping busy.” Bryan stopped beside his new four-wheel-drive and tossed his bag inside. “Let’s get going. We can catch up while we work out. Laura will be glad to see you.”

      A few minutes later, Kevin stomped the snow from his shoes and followed Bryan into the turn-of-the-century home, half expecting an ambush.

      The sound of happy children and the smell of fresh-baked cookies met him at the front door and tugged on his heart. Laura’s youngest son, Chad, ran to Bryan and jumped into his arms. “Hi, Dad! Did you come home to tuck us in?”

      “I sure did—wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Chad beamed at his stepfather’s attention. “Have you brushed your teeth?”

      The youngster scrunched his nose, then turned toward Kevin and said hello.

      Bryan set his stepson down and patted him on the behind. “Get it done, and I’ll be right up.”

      “T.J.! Kevin and Dad are here!”

      “Chad, don’t yell, please.” Laura passed through the kitchen just as they did, and gave her husband a kiss. “You’re home so soon? We’ve only been married a few weeks. You can’t be that out of shape yet,” she teased.

      Bryan tilted his head toward Kevin and laughed. “Too many distractions there.”

      “And you came to this zoo instead?” Then, as realization hit her, she grinned mischievously. “Oh. You mean…distractions. Well, you may as well use that contraption you two brought me last year. It’s going to rust if someone doesn’t use it. I told you I didn’t have time.”

      “I’m not giving up on you yet.” T.J. ran into the room and gave Kevin a high-five, and Bryan let his embrace loosen. “Is Jacob asleep already?”

      Laura playfully pushed him away. “‘Already’? You haven’t been chasing him since six this morning. I’m wiped out.”

      “Mom,” their daughter beckoned.

      “Just a few minutes, T.J. Kevin, please don’t get him riled up, it’s bedtime.”

      Kevin gave his friend’s wife a salute. “Yes sir, lady.”

      Bryan kissed Laura again before she headed to the children’s bedrooms, then turned to Kevin. “I’ll help Laura tuck the kids in, and be right down.”

      Kevin and T.J. visited about school and sports for a few minutes before Kevin sent the young man up to bed.

      He could see why Bryan liked this chaos. He paused. Don’t go there, Kevin, said an inner voice.

      He and Bryan lifted weights for an hour, taking time to catch up on each other’s lives and discuss business before he left. Bryan insisted he wanted to remain a silent partner because he knew nothing about the construction business, but Kevin appreciated his friend’s willingness to brainstorm business tactics, anyhow. Just talking helped clear things in his own mind. And there was certainly enough to muddle his thoughts these days.

      One of which was the Sonshine Medical Clinic bid. With Bryan’s business sense, and Kevin’s construction knowledge, they had come up with what they hoped was a winning proposal—one that would help the company remain secure for generations to come.

      Laura sent a plate of peanut butter cookies home with him, another reminder of what was missing in his life. Homemade cookies…and someone to share them with. A lot of good building a company is going to do—you don’t even have anyone to pass it down to when you’re gone. He immediately thought of his father, and pushed the bittersweet memories away.

      Kevin pulled the truck into the garage and climbed the steps to his empty house. Here it was, nearly ten o’clock, and he’d done everything possible to avoid coming home.

      While dinner was heating in the microwave, Kevin showered and threw on a pair of ragged old sweats. Clearing that morning’s breakfast dishes from the table, he poured a tall glass of milk and turned the big-screen television on to catch the end of the late news and eat his “dinner.”

      After the sports segment ended, Kevin switched off the TV, immediately deafened by the silence. He turned it on again and tossed the remote control onto the sofa, then retreated into his office. He clicked on the radio, hoping the noise would drown out the emptiness so he could concentrate on work.

      He had already waited a week past the deadline to hear from the clinic regarding the renovations. If they wanted to break ground in a month, a decision had to be made soon. He couldn’t afford to put off other projects much longer.

      Having spent a year looking for the right project to launch a commercial branch, he couldn’t believe it when he learned the best prospect would mean facing Emily on a daily basis. This decision came with a bucketful of mixed emotions. He’d almost backed away because of her; yet Bryan had convinced him to go through with it, even agreed to remain a silent partner to show his support and assure Kevin that he’d have the money necessary. They both knew Kevin couldn’t manage the financial end without Bryan’s investment. There was a lot riding on this bid. It was one thing to jeopardize his own financial security, but Bryan’s and his employees’ was another issue altogether.

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