A Maverick's Heart (13 page)

Seth supposed he shouldn’t laugh, but keeping a straight face was difficult.

“Mom said I can’t ask you about those blue stones. She got mad at me.” Rory jiggled his feet. “She gets all hyper if anybody brings up mines. ’Cause my dad died in one. I sorta remember him. But... I asked my teacher about gems. She told the whole class that rock hounds find agates all over Montana. Some are worth a lot of money, just like your friend said. Rock hounds are people, Seth, not dogs.”

“Your focus and mine needs to stick to baseball,” Seth said, hoping he sounded stern. “So you play well in your games.”

“But to earn big money playing baseball I hafta be way older. Kemper said not many guys from here get picked to play as pros. His dad says that’s where players make big bucks.”

“That’s true, but money isn’t everything. You live in a nice house, eat well and your mom bought you that New York Yankees shirt,” Seth teased, poking a finger at Rory’s favorite tee.

They arrived, went inside the rec center and were directed to the proper area beyond the paintball section. At the gate, Seth looked over the pricing. “What do you recommend for a beginner?” he asked the attendant. The young man made a suggestion.

“You can upgrade any time. I assume it’s not going to be a one-time visit.”

“I think we’ll be here every afternoon for a while.”

Rory’s head bobbed back and forth between the two men until Seth ran his credit card and was given a key to a specific cage.

A few other machines were in operation and Rory fell behind as he peered through the fencing. “The machine pitches,” he whispered to Seth.

“Yes. And it can be set to change up balls and strikes, which helps you learn what balls to swing at.”

“I wish I had one of these at home,” Rory said, following Seth into their cage.

“They cost several thousand dollars, which is why few kids own one and so many come here.”

“If I found sapphires and sold them for a million bucks, I could buy my own.”

Seth chose to ignore Rory’s statement. Instead he went about explaining how the pitching machine worked. “I’ll set it for all strikes to start, so I can watch your swing and help you adjust. Our second hour we’ll do changeups. Keep your eye on the ball, just like catching. Don’t be distracted by folks talking in the next cage or the noise of their machines.”

At first Rory was awkward. He pouted when he missed. Seth guided him gently and was pleased when he quickly got the hang of batting. “You’re doing great,” he said at the end of the session.

“This is fun. Can’t we stay longer?”

“I told your mom when we’d be back to the café. We’ll come back tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Rory drawled, skipping along in Seth’s wake. “I like this bat a lot. I never hit anything with Kemper’s ’spensive green bats.”

Seth tugged on the bill of Rory’s ball cap and delivered a smile. After he stopped to collect their points, which built toward free pitches, he put Rory’s bat in the trunk.

“Can I use this bat at Little League practice and for games?”

“We’ll have to see if the team supplies equipment, Rory.” Seth waited while the boy buckled in before starting the car. “If you’ve watched Kemper at practice, does he use his bats?”

“Yeah, but his dad’s always there telling Coach what to do. Even if Mom could go, she’s too nice to do that.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure about that. Moms are fierce when it comes to their cubs.”

“She’s too busy to go to practice or a game. That’s why we should go find the blue gems in the mine. Mom takes me sometimes and we leave flowers for my dad.”

Seth had been trying to figure out what to say to deter Rory’s interest in sapphires. “Rory, listen to me. I’m sorry you overheard my friend’s phone call. It’s rare for any gem hunter to make the amount of money Yoti mentioned. Not just rare, extremely rare. So forget any notion that it’s an easy way to make money. It’s not.”

Rory fell silent. Seth glanced at him as he parked down from the café. To say the kid looked sullen would be putting it mildly. “Hey, buck up,” Seth said. “Let’s grab your stuff and find something to eat. Aren’t you excited to tell your mom and grandmother how fantastic you did batting?”

“Did I really do good or are you saying that so I’ll feel better?”

Seth exited the car and popped open the trunk. “Boy, for nine, you’re cynical.”

Rory hooked an arm through the strap of his backpack. “What’s that mean?”

“‘Cynical’ is distrusting.” Seth collected Rory’s things and slammed the trunk lid. “You really batted well. I wouldn’t have said that if you hadn’t.”

“Cool!” Rory sprinted to the door.

Entering behind him, Seth saw Rory head for the kitchen. Lila had apparently been on the lookout for them. She met her son with a grin and nodded often as he regaled her with his chatter.

Seth made his way to one of the few empty booths. The café was busy, and he thought Lila’s face showed the strain of having worked a long day. He picked up a menu someone had left on the table. As he scanned it, he wished he could lighten her burden. He understood why Rory would feel the same.

Doreen came to the booth. Her arm remained in a sling, but she looked more relaxed than her daughter. “Tonight’s special is spaghetti. My grandson seems keyed up. I hope you didn’t fill his head with more claptrap about getting rich finding sapphires. I told Lila if you’d made close to that much you wouldn’t waste your time hanging around Snowy Owl Crossing.”

Seth bit back his first response. “Spaghetti sounds good. Your grandson had a successful trip to the batting cage. If everyone applauds his efforts, he’ll return to baseball as his main interest.”

She sashayed off. And Rory soon ran over and slid into the booth. “Mom said she has our game dates. She’s gonna ask if Mrs. Watson can work that first afternoon.”

“When is your first game?”

“Next Saturday.”

Seth drummed his fingers on the table. “We should have Zeke’s barn roof on by then. Now that school is out you and I can squeeze extra practice time around League practices.”

“Will Coach let me play in the first game?”

Lila came to deliver their meals just as Seth opened his mouth to answer. “Yes, I need to know, too,” she said, looking anxious. “It’s not easy to get a relief cook for Saturday afternoons. I’d hope if I arrange time off that I can see Rory play.”

“How much lead time do you need? I’ll ask the coach his plans at their first practice. If I ran the show I’d play every kid in the first game to see their strengths and weaknesses. But I’m not in charge.”

“By the way, the high school principal and his family were in earlier. You missed them by a few minutes. If you’re still interested in the job we discussed last night...? Because I said something when he paid his check and he’d like to talk to you.”

“Sure thing. Myra told me what I need to do to teach provisionally while I’d take classes online for a teaching credential.”

A huge smile lit Lila’s face and swept away the signs of stress that had concerned Seth. “We can talk later, if you’re up for tea again,” he said.

“Maybe. I need to cut out the fabric for the infant sleep sacks I plan to sell at the Thanksgiving bazaar. Jewell called Tawana today. She leaves Monday and has her pitch to the House Natural Resource Committee memorized.”

Doreen called for Lila to check something in the oven. She rushed away in the same kind of whirlwind that had brought her to their booth.

Seth picked up his fork and dug into his spaghetti.

“Are you going to teach school?” Rory asked, swirling his fork in his noodles.

“I’m going to see what it’d take for me to teach science at the high school and coach some of their sports.”

“Why?”

Breaking a chunk off his garlic bread, Seth debated launching a first salvo about his growing romantic interest in Lila. Unsure how to go about it, he took a different tack. “I like this town. My brother lives here. You and your mom live here. If I stay, I need to earn money.”

“But...but...can’t you go get the blue stones?”

“Rory, no. The mere suggestion upsets your mother. You understand how much it hurt her to lose your dad in the mine accident, don’t you?”

“I guess. Everybody cried a long time. Mom still does when we go there to leave flowers. I don’t think it looks scary or different from the land around our ranch.”

“You weren’t very old when it happened, Rory. It was probably scary for your mom. Eat now, before your spaghetti gets cold.”

“Okay. If you teach high school, does that mean you can’t help me get better at baseball?”

“The opposite. I’d have summers off.”

The boy’s tension dissipated and he began to eat.

* * *

S
OME
HOURS
LATER
at home, after Seth had taken Ghost for his nightly run and had a shower, he went online to read up on provisional teaching certificates. By the time he heard Lila and Rory arrive home, he thought it seemed doable.

Unlike the prior evening when he’d rushed downstairs, tonight he gave them time to complete their routine. The fishermen had long since retired.

The kitchen light was off when Seth descended. Thinking he’d waited too long and now wouldn’t have any alone time with Lila struck a blow. Until he realized a light burned in the dining room.

Lila had printed flannel material spread out over the large table. Seth coughed to alert her as soon as he realized she had scissors in her hand.

She looked around and hailed him with a smile and wave of the sharp scissors. “I thought maybe roofing and Rory wore you out and you fell asleep early.”

He walked up behind her, bracketed her narrow waist with his hands, bent and nuzzled her neck with his lips.

Lila relaxed and tipped her head to allow him greater access. “Hmm. You have a nice way of saying hello.”

“I shouldn’t interrupt your work. Your day’s been as long as mine and perhaps more stressful.”

“Will it go to your head if I say glimpsing you gives me a floating sensation?”

“No kidding?” Seth’s hands tightened and he brought her closer for another nibble. “How do you always manage to smell like springtime, morning, noon or night?”

“You like my perfume? Kevin hated it. I stopped buying it for quite a while.” She set down the scissors, turned in his grasp and initiated a solid kiss. “I don’t have many indulgences,” she admitted, dropping flat on her heels. “But I grew up loving the scent of magnolias. Now I buy this perfume for me.”

“You’ll have to write down the name and I’ll gladly keep you supplied.”

She let her hands drift down the front of his shirt. “I should get back to cutting out these patterns. You can pull up a chair and talk to me.”

Seth let her go and went to the other side of the table. Otherwise he’d be too tempted to entice her away from work.

“Did Rory really bat well? He must’ve told me and Mom that fifty times after you left the café.”

“He did. He follows directions and honestly has a lot of natural ability. It’s hard for me to believe the coach never saw that.”

“Do you think the coach will let him play in a game? Some kids might like the idea of being on the team. Rory will want to play.”

“At this level, a coach should play every kid at least part of the game. If he doesn’t, we’ll find another team.”

“Seth, this is Snowy Owl Crossing not Boston. There aren’t a lot of choices here.”

“True. He’s going to be good enough to be chosen.”

Lila shot him a huge smile. “You’re good for us. And I have to thank you for getting Rory’s mind back on baseball and off finding gems.”

Seth shifted uncomfortably in the straight-backed chair. He was glad Rory hadn’t returned to the subject with Lila. So maybe his last lecture had hit home. “Hey, I wanted to ask you if I should phone the high school to talk to the principal about that job. Or does the district hire? The website wasn’t clear.”

Lila folded and set aside material she’d cut out. “I think the principal interviews. You’re really serious, then?”

Hearing the catch in Lila’s voice, and seeing her quick exhale, Seth left his chair and circled to where she stood. Cupping her face in both hands, he said in total earnestness, “I’ve never been more serious about any decision I’ve made in my life. You fill a void I’ve never quite had filled. Just tell me I have a chance to make a difference for you. A positive difference,” he said with feeling.

“You already do, but I keep thinking you’re too good to be true. And I worry that something bad is going to drop out of the sky to wreck what we’re building.”

Seth kissed the tip of her nose. “You mean like the snowy owl sweeping down to take Rory’s baseball? We’re all too big for that, so quit worrying.”

“I even like your quirky sense of humor, Mr. Maxwell.”

Her cell phone rang. She picked it up off the table. “It’s Mindy, one of the Artsy Ladies,” she murmured. “I phoned her earlier. I should take this call.”

Seth skimmed another kiss over her upturned mouth. “I’ll feed the horses in the morning before I go to Zeke’s. Batting practice with Rory again in the afternoon. Maybe tomorrow evening we can talk about how to snag a little alone time together.”

Lila’s eye roll spoke of the futility of that prospect.

Seth, though, wasn’t easily deterred.

Chapter Nine

When Seth arrived at Zeke’s to start installing the new metal roof, a gaggle of neighboring ranchers had showed up to help. They were nice guys who made Seth feel welcome. He soon learned this wasn’t their first rodeo when it came to roofing barns. They gossiped and razzed one another throughout, but the project got done quicker than Seth and Zeke had thought. At noon the men’s wives showed up with a potluck. Seth found himself missing Lila.

Missing her so acutely, he opted to skip lunch with the group and instead drove to the café. It was busy. Seth looked around for Rory since school had ended the day before. He went to the pass-through.

Lila spotted him when she set an order on the sill and came out. “This is a surprise. I thought you were roofing all day.”

He explained the convergence of helpful neighbors. “With so many hands we finished early. Then the wives brought food. It turned into a couples party. I felt out of place. Nothing any of them said or did.” He zeroed in on Lila with longing. “I just wished you’d been there.”

“It sounds as if it would’ve been fun,” she said wistfully.

“I didn’t bring it up to make you feel bad.”

“I know. But if you hang with me you’ll miss a lot of gatherings.”

“I don’t think so,” he returned seriously. “But... I’m keeping you from work. Where’s Rory today? I don’t see him anywhere.”

“He rode his bike to Kemper’s. Since you’ve helped Rory play better ball, the boys are best friends again.” She snapped her fingers. “That reminds me, I asked Sarah Jane Watson to work in my place the afternoon of their first game. It may be the only one I can attend, but I want to be there for Rory.”

“Great. He’ll be over the moon. Is he coming back here this afternoon before practice?”

“Could you get him at the Barneses’ home? Mr. Barnes picked up the boys’ uniforms.”

“Give me their address. Since I have extra time I might drop by the high school and speak with Principal Morgan about the coaching job.”

Lila took out her order pad, tore off a sheet and jotted down an address. “The high school is right on your way. I’m probably selfish, but I hope it works out.”

Seth took the paper. “I hope so, too. Can you let Kemper’s mom know I’ll be there at three? And we’ll show up back here for supper.”

Lila ignored her mother, who twice slapped the order bell. She walked to the door with Seth. “It seems I’m always thanking you. But no amount of thanks is enough. Even before Mom got hurt I wasn’t sure how I’d get Rory to practice or games.”

“Stop thanking me and just accept, okay? By the way, how’s your mother doing?”

“Better. The doctor allowed her to remove the sling a couple of hours every day, so she insists on working.”

“She’s a tough lady. And she’s watching us right now or I’d kiss you goodbye. When you’re comfortable letting her and Rory know we’ve stepped our friendship up a level, I’m ready to oblige.”

“Soon. It’s most important that Rory be okay. I guess that’ll depend on what you find out at the school. We can’t kid ourselves, Seth. I know you need a job if you’re going to stay in Snowy Owl Crossing.”

“True. But I’m a man of many talents.” He waggled his eyebrows and Lila’s face turned a tad red before she shooed him out the door.

* * *

S
ETH
’
S
UNSCHEDULED
MEETING
with the high school principal went very well. The man had heard of his baseball record and his geology degrees, which helped to the point that Morgan phoned a friend at the university who said she’d talk to Seth about what he’d need to secure a permanent job at the school. Morgan said to call him once he got transcripts, applied and received a provisional license. He gave Seth his home number and the number for his university friend.

When he got back to the bed-and-breakfast, the fishermen were leaving. Seth knew they’d be replaced the next day by another group Lila said was also repeat customers.

He’d never been one to procrastinate, so he called and talked with the advisor. She suggested a summer class he could take once they got his transcripts, which Seth immediately registered for online. He ordered his transcripts, worrying that he hadn’t studied in quite a while. But he saw this as a step closer to putting down roots and, Lord willing, getting closer to Lila. Until this minute he hadn’t let himself think in terms of marriage. Now a full range of emotions tied to everything marriage meant flowed through him in a warm rush of pleasure.

He was so buoyed up he was bursting to tell someone. The only confidant available was Ghost. He rubbed the dog’s belly and gave him fresh water, all while sharing his news. Seth laughed out loud on his way out to pick Rory up at the Barneses’. He pictured confessing all of this later to Lila.

The boys stood outside an elaborate dwelling Seth deduced had cost a mint. He’d never asked what Matt Barnes did for a living. Now he guessed he was a doctor or a lawyer.

Rory wheeled his bike to the back of Seth’s rental car, which he realized was the next thing he needed to change.

“I got my uniform,” Rory announced, pausing to wave to Kemper, who climbed into his dad’s BMW.

“Your mom told me.” Seth held up the shirt. “Badgers? Why not snowy owls?”

“The school teams are the fighting owls or white owls and stuff. Little League teams pick other animals.”

“Makes sense. Hop in. Do you have to wear the uniform to practice?”

“Nope, only the cap. Can I keep the Yankees cap? I can wear it at home.”

“It’s yours.” Seth shoved in a CD and soon whistled along.

“You’re happy,” Rory noted when the song ended.

“I am. I talked to the high school principal about coaching next year. And I got the ball rolling to fill out paperwork, get fingerprints and even take one class.”

“So you’re staying here? Kemper’s dad said he bet you’d leave before winter.”

Seth sought the boy in his rearview mirror. “Do you care either way?” Rory thought about his answer so long Seth began to sweat.

“I thought you’d change your mind and go to China for those red stones. I don’t want you to go away, but your friend said you’d make lots of money. Money’s important.” Rory said it so seriously.

Seth eased out a breath. “He said someone else found the rubies. Maybe all the gems were already gone. Yoti hasn’t called back to brag or anything.”

“Oh. Kemper’s dad is buying him a batting machine.”

“Is that why you keep bringing up money?”

“No. Yes. I guess.”

Seth pulled into the parking lot at the ball diamond. Some others were already there. He turned in his seat to check on Rory and saw him slumped and sour faced. “I’m sure it’s hard when your best friend’s folks buy him so much. But remember, you said you like your bat better than his costlier ones.”

“But his mom and dad go to his practices and his games. My mom’s gotta work all the time ’cause we never have enough money.”

“Listen, I don’t want to ruin the surprise, but she told me she’s going to your first game.”

“I knew that. But that’s only one game, Seth. If we could find a bunch of those gemstones, she could be at home like Kemper’s mom.”

Seth rubbed the back of his neck. Maybe getting on the field to play would get Rory’s mind off money. Ever since Yoti’s phone call, the kid had been fixated on striking it rich.

The day’s practice went well. Better for Rory than Seth dared hope. Coach Landis jogged up with his clipboard as they prepared to leave. “Maxwell, I have to tell you I’ve never seen a kid’s batting improve as much in a few days as Rory’s. Genius, man. Genius.”

Seth set his hand atop Rory’s wind-tossed red hair. “He gets the credit. Like I told his mother, he’s got a lot of natural ability.”

“I’m not sure there is such a thing. But if he keeps playing like he did today, he’ll be starting in our first game with the Bears on Saturday. Did you get a game schedule?”

“Rory’s mom has one.”

“You guys live together? That may sound nosy, but it’s important that I have a handle on what goes on in the lives of my players.”

Seth had puffed up to tell the man what he could do with his question, but his explanation made sense. Only he shouldn’t be so blunt about such stuff around a kid. “I rent from Rory’s mom at the Owl’s Nest. My twin brother owns the Flying Owl Ranch nearby. I’ll be here all summer to help Rory and perhaps beyond. Count on that.”

Seth said goodbye and carried Rory’s net bag of equipment to his car.

“Do you like my mom?” Rory asked as he buckled his seat belt.

“Of course.”

“Kemper said if you like my mom enough you might marry us.”

Seth let the car lurch forward and quickly corrected it. “Do any of your classmates have stepparents?”

Rory made a funny face. “I don’t know what that is. You mean like Hope Johnson’s dad got sick last year and died? Mine, too, before I went to first grade. Hope lives with her mom, grandma and grandpa. I live with Mom, but Memaw sometimes checks my homework. Everyone else in my class got regular parents.”

Feeling as though he’d stepped in over his head, Seth fell back on telling Rory his mom would be happy that Coach Landis said he’d play in Saturday’s game.

“He said if I keep playing like I did today. What if I don’t?”

“You will,” Seth said with conviction. Then they both fell silent on the drive to the café.

Rory burst inside, bubbling over about his practice. Lila, Doreen and all the customers gave Rory high fives at his news that he’d made two base hits.

Lila gave Seth’s waist a secret squeeze. “I’ve no idea how you worked such wonders. Don’t deny it. Dale Landis made no secret that Rory wasn’t playing well.”

“Only because no one guided him. I have something to tell you about my visit to the high school. Can we talk after you get home?”

“Sure, but I may be late. I have rooms to ready for new guests and laundry from the ones who left.”

“I could strip the beds and start the wash following my run.”

“You’d do that?” Lila looked shocked.

“There’s no limit to what I’d do for us to have more time alone,” he said.

“Myra always talks about how much Zeke does to help her at the ranch. Our group thought she was exaggerating. Did you both get some recessive gene?”

Seth laughed. “Our parents both had jobs and they believed everyone who lived in the house had to pitch in to make it run.”

“I wonder if I should expect more from Rory. He helps out here, but at home I let him be a kid.”

“I’ve seen him feed Ghost and take him out. Zeke and I got a weekly allowance for doing chores. Some had to be saved. The rest we could spend however we liked.”

“Hmm. There’s not much for a kid to spend money on in a small town.”

Seth might have suggested letting Rory pay for some time at the batting cage, but he didn’t want Lila to take that as a hint to pay him back for the sessions. Her mom banged on the order bell and Lila took off. They didn’t have another opportunity to talk.

It was 9:00 p.m. when Seth heard Lila bumping things around in a room down the hall. The noise jarred him out of reading material for his first class. He hadn’t realized how engrossed he’d be in behavioral management. He’d made his application. Even if this class didn’t count, he found it fascinating. Saving what he’d downloaded, he crossed to the door and tripped over Ghost, who he’d brought to his room and was now sleeping sprawled at the foot of Seth’s bed.

The dog raised his head and yawned. Belatedly he climbed to his feet and followed Seth down the hall.

“Hey, you should have tapped on my door. I’d have come help make up beds.”

Lila stopped plumping a pillow. “I saw the note that you’d taken Ghost. You didn’t say where you took him.”

“Sorry, I brought him to my room.” He followed her across the hall with her next armload of sheets.

“I applied for provisional certification,” he said, going to the other side of the bed and signaling she should toss him half of the bottom fitted sheet.

“Seth, that’s fabulous. So the job looks promising?”

“Mr. Morgan liked my background. He referred me to a university advisor. I figured trying to get back in the habit of studying would be a killer. But I dived right in. That’s why I didn’t come downstairs. Time got away.”

They worked in tandem to tighten the top sheet and smooth on a clean spread.

“You helped me tremendously by having a load of sheets washed and dried and tossing the bedspreads in the washer. Now the rooms are ready for new customers, I have time to sew the sleep sacks I cut out last night.” Lila motioned him out of the room.

Seth dropped an arm around her shoulders and Lila twined her fingers with his as they navigated the stairs. Ghost brought up the rear.

“Rory’s all but made himself sick worrying whether Coach Landis will actually let him play in Saturday’s game.”

“He’s a good player. He needs to stop being so anxious.”

Lila paused in the lower hall and glanced up at him. “For worriers, that’s easier said than done. Does nothing worry you?”

“Plenty.” He captured her between his body and the dining room wall and, after bracketing her head with his hands, laid a row of kisses near her eye, her ear and finally her lips.

She clung to his neck and plastered her length against him with the most sizzle they’d shared yet. “Wow,” she mumbled when Seth finally lifted his head.

“Know what worries me? That I won’t please you. That I can’t make you happy. I have to muscle my way into your life, Lila. You’re so competent on your own.”

“You please me, Seth. If you can’t see that, it’s because part of me is afraid to be happy. I’m afraid everything will fall apart.”

Seth gave her some space, but kept rubbing his thumbs over her soft cheeks. “We need to relax and take things day by day. Like going to Rory’s game. With all the time you spend at the café, maybe eating out afterward isn’t a big deal for you. But most players’ families go celebrate. It’s a chance for the three of us to let loose and spend time together. Kind of like the evening we all played catch.”

“It sounds lovely. I’ll try not to think about time lost on this sewing project.”