Games We Play (24 page)

“You really want this, Barnabus. It’s okay to admit it. You can even say it out loud,” she said, whispering now. “Kendall, you rocked my world, and I’d give anything to have you back in it,” she said, smiling, her brown eyes sparkling. She pretended to consider it for a minute longer before turning her eyes to his again.

“Alrighty then, Barnabus. You’re on,” she said, extending her hand for him to shake. “Next Saturday, a week from tomorrow, seven o’clock—ladies’ tees for me, championship tees for you. You’ll give me two asides. And if you lose, it’s wherever I say, whenever I say, and I might not even say, but whatever, that’s the chance you’ll have to take. For the summer, but I will not be drinking your beer,” she said.

“Fine,” Cooper said, accepting her handshake. “I hope you’re not one of those types who don’t honor their commitments, ’cause I don’t care for people who break their word.”

“You don’t have to worry about me breaking my word,” she said.

A huge smile broke open on his face, and his green eyes sparkled with pleasure. Was he the picture of what trouble looked like when it came for you? If so, oh lord, what had she gone and signed up for?

Luis walked back over to the two of them now that it seemed their business was complete. Whatever had happened had mightily pleased his friend. He’d decided to walk away a few minutes before to give them some privacy, ’cause they were making a bet, and he’d be willing to bet that the prize was something they’d already shared. Locked and loaded was Cooper’s expression, and the professor didn’t stand a chance. The grin on Cooper’s face sealed it. His buddy was falling in love, faster than Luis would ever have thought possible.

Luis had caught Cooper watching her at the pub, unaware that more than a few people had noticed, including his ex-fiancée. God, he hoped it meant good tidings for his buddy’s future. However, his sympathies lay with Kendall. She had no clue…no idea, what she’d taken on with Coop. A stubborn man that fought to the death over what belonged to him, or in Kendall’s case, what would belong to him.

Luis met Cooper at the golf cart, and they watched the professor hit her second shot. They were letting her play through after all.

“I knew you could do it,” Luis said, both of them following the ball as it landed neatly on the green not too far from Cooper’s. She smiled and waved as she headed back to her cart, then over to the green to finish out the hole.

“She’s a good golfer,” Luis said.

“Yes, she is that.”

“You like her.”

“I do.”

“She’s not what you expected.”

“Not in the least.”

Luis was quiet as they watch Kendall prepared to putt. She took the typical crouch of a golfer studying the green before she stood up to make the shot; in and out, her ball went.
She still hasn’t gotten the right touch
, Cooper thought. She lightly tapped it in to finish out the hole.

“You’re getting what you want?”

“I am,” Cooper said, watching the professor pick up her ball and make her way back over to her cart. He followed the cart as it disappeared from view. He’d have Kendall in his bed for the foreseeable future. Yes, he was pleased with this outcome.

Third week of June

C
ooper backed out of his drive. It was early morning, and he was on his way to the pub. He grimaced as he caught sight of Celeste in his rearview mirror. She was standing at the curb, her purse in her hand, like she was waiting for him.

He blew out a breath, fighting against a rush of irritation. She was waving, so he pulled over, lowered the window to see what she wanted.

“Can I get a ride? I’m having some car trouble,” she said. He looked at her clunker of a car sitting in the drive, then back at her.

“Sure, but I can’t bring you home,” he said.

“I didn’t ask you to,” she said. “I don’t mind walking home.”

It was quiet during the three-minute ride in, which pleased him greatly.

“Thanks,” she said when they reached the parking lot, and she got out of the truck.

“You’re welcome.”

“So I hear we have a tournament in the works. Man versus woman, Cooper versus Kendall,” Myra said. They were sitting around a table at the pub. She and Myra had spent their morning in Austin, talking to Sandy, hammering out the details of her return to Coopersville. They’d talked about mobile homes, employment searches, and a school for the girls. Luis was sitting with them, on a rare afternoon away from the bingo hall.

What?
Kendall thought, glancing quickly at Cooper, who stood beside their table, a small smile on his face. They’d made it to the Brewpub in time for beer and dinner.

“Where did you hear that?” she asked.

“I have my sources,” Myra said, glancing at Luis.

Kendall turned her stare on Luis, and he smiled and wiggled his eyebrows.

“You know how this town likes a good party, and a good bet,” Luis said. “This Saturday morning, starting at seven a.m., all who wish to watch can come and see them play. We know what a good player Cooper is, but I hear Kendall can more than hold her own. It will be a Coopersville man versus woman tournament, our very own Billy Jean King versus Bobby Riggs.

“I’ve already put up a notice on the town’s Facebook page,” Luis added.

“Oh, that sounds like fun,” the Colonel said, rubbing his hands together. “What are you two playing for?”

Kendall’s mouth opened and closed and opened again. “We…um…”

“A plaque on the wall of the club, and free beer for the professor for as long as she’s in town,” Cooper said.

“That’s a nice prize. Free beer. That’s mighty generous of you, Cooper,” the Colonel said. He was a man who was always up for free beer.

“It is, isn’t it?” he said, smiling.

Myra laughed.

Kendall glanced over at Cooper, admiring him and his pretty smile. He met her eyes, and his smile changed to one that seemed more personal now, meant exclusively for her, and she knew exactly the message he meant to convey. She had to fight to keep her hands still and in her lap. He winked at her.

“You better bring your A game. Our girl Kendall is going to kick some major Cooper butt,” Myra said.

Cooper laughed along with the rest of the table.

Cooper was driving home early for a change; he’d managed to get out by six because Luis had agreed to fill in for him. He wanted to get some time in at the golf course. Figured maybe he should get some practice in now that he was officially playing in a tournament. He grinned at the thought. “Kendall, Kendall, Kendall,” he said out loud, a smile on his face.

He turned onto his street and made the mistake of looking over at Celeste’s house. She was walking out of the front door, holding a computer in her hand.

Her old, on-its-last-legs car was still in her driveway, its trunk open this time, a tire resting against the back of it. Where had she gotten that thing? he wondered. Old was not even a good description for it. It was a Ford Escort. Did they even make parts for ones that ancient anymore? And it needed a paint job. Didn’t look like the guy she’d left him for had much if he’d let her drive that hoopty around.

He pulled into his driveway and parked, and there was no way he would not go over and help, as much a setup as it seemed to be. This was more of the same, as far as he was concerned. It was in line with all that other stuff she done—stopping by his office daily, bringing him beer, asking for a ride in this morning, calling for help with her smoke alarm…All of it screamed
setup
in neon letters. It had the hairs on his arm standing up, holding on to his skin for dear life.

Okay, this was it—enough—he’d finally arrived at his limit. He would help, but they would also have to talk. He crossed the street and walked up to Celeste, where she stood next to the back tire on the driver’s side of the car. She was staring at it as if it held the answers to all the questions in the universe. Her car’s instruction manual lay on the ground, turned to the page explaining how to change a flat tire. A rock appeared to be holding the pages open. The equipment required to change said flat tire lay scattered about on the ground. She’d managed to jack up the car, so maybe he wouldn’t be needed for very much after all.

“Flat tire,” she said with a strained smile. “My first attempt at changing a tire. It’s not as easy as it looks on the YouTube video. I brought my computer out, thinking it might help to have it closer.”

“What happened?”

“Don’t know. It’s been flat since this morning, which is why I needed the ride in.”

“So you own this?”

“Yes.”

“Kind of old.”

“It runs,” she said.

“God, what happened to you? What happened to the rich guy I assumed you left me for?”

Celeste didn’t answer him, choosing to turn her attention to her computer and the YouTube video.

“I guess you want me to finish changing this for you?” he asked, annoyed, and there was no way he would hide his annoyance.

“If you would teach me in the process of changing it, I’d appreciate it more,” she said, still smiling. She’d picked up on the irritation in his voice and was choosing to let it go, just as she had with his earlier comment, but it was hard, coming at the end of bad day, the culmination of a bad week. What had she thought, moving in on her own, poor as a church mouse? And now she’d have to repair this stupid, cheap-ass car she’d been suckered into buying. All that, and he wanted to give her grief, when all she’d ever done was work. She’d worked like a dog to show him her appreciation and gratitude for giving her the opportunity to take care of herself. That’s what bringing him stuff and being nice to him had been about. She was grateful that he hadn’t fired her. She’d lost two jobs before this one, and she needed it.

She fought to hold back her tears. Hell no, would she let him see her in this condition. She knew he didn’t trust her, she’d seen it in his eyes daily. Every day she read his face, his what-are-you-up-to expression.

She looks a mess
, Cooper thought, so very different from the old Celeste. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail, with strands escaping like convicts from jail. Her face was free from makeup. He didn’t know that could be. She had on shorts, old ones; a ratty T-shirt, the writing almost gone; and worn tennis shoes.

“Is this some type of game?” he asked, couldn’t help it, the words just fell from his lips. He was confused by this Celeste and tired of this, of her helplessness. She’d always pretended to be that way.

“God, you’re one suspicious dude,” she said in response. He’d been standing there gawking, like he was confused by what stood in front of him. Irritation and frustration bubbled up, spilling into her mouth, but she pushed her lips together, biting back her retort.

“Guess I have you to thank for that,” he said.

“I’m sorry for my past, okay? I think I told you that already,” she said, no longer in control of her anger.

“Why are you here?” he asked, and she guessed he couldn’t hold it back any longer, ’cause that came out really mean-sounding to her ears.

“What do you mean, why am I here? Here in the yard, trying to change my flat tire, or here in town, or just here in your presence? Which here do you mean?”

“You know what I mean,” he said, staring at her. “What do you want from me? Not that it matters. Whatever it is, I won’t be giving it to you.”

“Okay, why don’t you tell me what you really think? Don’t hold anything back on my account. So let’s hear it, Cooper. Why am I here?”

He was surprised by her attitude. Why was she angry? He was the one who was here trying to help her, despite his unease. “You’re back in town to see if I’m up for starting something with you again. Isn’t that what it’s all been about—you moving here, working at the pub, bringing me my lunch, stopping over with my favorite beer and coffee?” he said, squatting on the ground now. He was looking at her tire, probably figuring that the sooner he changed it, the sooner he was out of here.

She looked away. “I can understand why’d you be suspicious, but this is
the
last time I’m going to apologize to you,” she said, closing the distance between them until she was bent over and her face close to his. “I’m sorry for the way I left things with you. Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Do you hear me? I said I was sorry. And this part should really make you happy,” she said, pausing.

He was looking at her now like she was totally crazy.

“The man I married never trusted me. He never let me forget that I left you like I did. He was sure I’d just married him for his money,” she shouted. “He held it over my head until I’d had enough, and enough was three months ago. I loved him, though. And no, I didn’t love you, not really. So when he showed up and you went down here to Coopersville, leaving me alone again, I left with him. But guess what? He doesn’t love me,” she said, and looked away.

She took a deep breath, then turned to face Cooper again. “So consider us even. I loved someone, and they didn’t love me. It’s the opposite of what happened with us. Karma is a bitch. So no, I am not back here for you. I’m back here because it’s damn expensive to live in Austin on my own. And I figured that even if you were angry, you’d help me. I figured that we could be friends. I’m trying to make my way in the best way I know how, to start over and leave the show-me-the-money Celeste behind,” she said, spent. She wiped her eyes and looked at him, one determined woman. “So are you going to help me fix my flat or what?”

A few minutes passed, and then he said, “Yes, I’ll help you.” He turned to glance across the street at his home, standing like a beacon shining in the night, and he wanted to be there so badly, anywhere but here. He turned back to face her and smiled instead, then started to laugh at them, at being here, at arguing with her.

He is something
, she thought,
one fine man
. His hair was ruffled from his hands running through it, and the day-old beard growth he preferred was on his cheeks. She wished she could have loved him. Life would have turned out so much differently for her if she had been able to.