Tall, Dark, Texas Ranger / Once Upon A Christmas Eve. Patricia Thayer

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СКАЧАТЬ examined the ball to see Ryan’s signature. “He had seven no hitters. He was the strikeout king. He was nicknamed The Ryan Express.”

      The boy’s eyes rounded. “Wow! You know a lot.”

      “That’s because I love baseball, too. I used to play in high school.” It had been the only thing that kept him out of trouble. “Do you play?”

      The boy hung his head and murmured, “I don’t know how to catch very good.” He looked at his mother. “I don’t have anyone to practice with me.”

      Coop felt for the kid, knowing sports had kept him and his brother off the streets. “I bet you can play tee-ball and learn.”

      Lilly turned the sandwiches on the grill, surprised at her son’s comment. She would have loved to sign him up. Give him an activity to keep him busy. “If you want to play, I can talk to one of the fathers, maybe they will help you.”

      “Ah, Mom. I don’t want to do that.”

      Lilly was at a loss. She wasn’t much of an athlete, so she couldn’t help.

      “Maybe I can help you,” Coop said. “You got a mitt and another baseball?”

      “Sure. I’ll go get ‘em.”

      Lilly called him back before he left the room. “First, we eat. So go and wash up and get your sister.”

      The boy looked disappointed, but did what he was told.

      Lilly went to stir the soup, then pulled down the bowls.

      “Is there something wrong?” Noah asked.

      She hated to say anything critical about his act of kindness. She looked at him. “I’m just a little worried. Robbie has been so excited these last few days with you around.”

      “So you want me to stop being friends with your son.”

      She sighed. “No, but he’s a little boy who misses his father. Doesn’t that make you uncomfortable?”

      Coop was more uncomfortable about not being truthful with her. “Look, if you don’t want me to spend time with your son, that’s your right. Since I was a kid who didn’t have a father around, I know it’s nice to have another man provide some attention.”

      “Did you have someone?”

      Don’t get too personal, he told himself. “My brother and I spent a lot of time at the boys’ club.” He smiled. “A gruff, old guy named Gus. He told us to leave the attitude at the door if we wanted to come in. He kept all the kids in line.”

      She smiled, then quickly sobered. “Don’t get me wrong, Noah. I’m happy you spend time with Robbie, but I don’t want him hurt when you leave.”

      He went to her. “You mean like their father hurt all of you?”

      He saw her hesitate, but also the pain in her eyes. She finally nodded.

      “You can’t keep your kids from getting hurt, Lilly. They have to get out there and learn to survive, not to be afraid. And they need to learn that from you.”

      “But Robbie isn’t even six.”

      “And he and his sister have already been hurt. You couldn’t protect them from the pain of losing their father.” He paused. “You’re an adult, and you couldn’t even protect yourself.”

      An hour later, Lilly had to get away from the house. She ended up leaving Kasey brooding in her room, and drove Robbie to the library for the children’s reading hour, postponing the trip to the ice cream store. Okay, she needed time to brood after Noah’s declaration.

      She walked into the Blind Stitch, needing some adult time. Some girl time. As usual the popular shop was busy. Since Jenny was on maternity leave, it had been ever harder to keep up with customers. The regular employee, Millie Roberts, was behind the counter.

      Lilly found her mother in the other room of the shop, where they held the quilting classes. Beth Staley was instructing a patron on a quilt pattern. She looked up and smiled, then excused herself and walked over.

      “This is a surprise. What brings you in?”

      “I miss my mother,” Lilly said.

      Beth smiled back at her. “That’s nice to know. I take it the kids are getting to you.”

      She groaned. “I know I’m a terrible mother, but I can’t wait until the school year starts.” And she wouldn’t be daydreaming about a shirtless man in her backyard. “So can you go on a break?”

      “Of course, if you wouldn’t mind going with the QC ladies?”

      Lilly knew her mother’s good friends of the Quilter’s Corner. They meet here at the shop a few times a week. She glanced toward the corner table and waved. “Sure.”

      Liz was the first to greet her, then came Louisa Merrick, both friends were her mother’s age. Caitlin and Lisa were younger mothers, close to Lilly’s age. They took up quilting because they could find the time with small children.

      “Enjoying your summer?” Louisa asked.

      “I have a thirteen-year-old who’s bored. What do you think?”

      They all groaned in unison, and Louisa said, “I know it’s seems like hell, but hang in there. They’ll turn out nice like you did.”

      Lilly arched an eyebrow. “Was I that bad?”

      “We all were,” Liz announced. “It’s all those raging hormones.”

      “Please, my Kasey is too young to be thinking about sex.”

      “None of us are too young, or too old, to think about sex,” Louisa, who looked lovely and healthy these days, added. Even with the stroke she’d suffered last year there were no lingering effects now.

      Liz nudged her. “That’s because you got yourself a good-looking husband. And he takes you to all those romantic places.”

      Louisa turned to Lilly. “It seems Lilly only has to look out her back door to find a good-looking man.”

      All eyes turned to her and she felt the heat rise to her face. “Mr. Cooper is our tenant. It’s hard not to look at him. I mean he’s helping with the house.”

      Caitlin jumped in. “I’d say. I drove by yesterday and saw your sexy tenant on a ladder painting the house. He didn’t have his shirt on, and I nearly wrecked my car.”

      “Maybe I should go for a little drive myself,” Liz said. “Is Coop working today?”

      Lilly couldn’t help join in the laughter. She needed this, more than thinking about a man she had no business thinking about.

      After lunch, Coop had returned to work, then the heat got to him and he went in the cottage. He still remembered the look she’d given him earlier. He’d had no right to speak to her that way.

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