Last Chance Hero (15 page)

The lights were still on in the Dip 'n' Dine, and a few cars were still in the parking lot as Jess drove into town. Since the folks going to the game seemed to have already left, she took a chance and pulled in. Lainie had assured her that the Dip 'n' Dine did not close early on game days, no matter what Juanita said, and truthfully, she wanted a little company, even that of strangers. Friday night was for welcoming the weekend and not a night she wanted to go home and eat yogurt.

She pushed the door open with a cautious eye out for Juanita, but it was Lainie who crossed the dining room to greet her.

“Hey, look who's here.” Lainie gave her a hug and looked around the room. “Where would you like to sit?”

Jess shrugged and glanced at the row of booths by the window. “Doesn't matter.”

“Over here!” A petite woman with dark, curly hair smiled and beckoned.

“Okay with you? Sarah was just telling me she wanted to get to know you.” With Jess's nod, Lainie led the way to the table.

“I hope you don't mind.” Sarah reached across the table and took Jess's hand as she slid in the booth across from her. “I'm Sarah Reed. That's my husband, Chris, over there. I'm just waiting for him to finish up here and get ready to come home. Say hi, Chris.” Chris looked over from the cash register where he was dealing with customers and waved. “Anyway, everyone I know keeps telling me how terrific you are. I don't know how I wound up being the only person in town who hasn't met you yet.”

“Different circles, I guess.” Jess found Sarah's smile infectious, but then she guessed most people did. “I feel like I know you, though. Elizabeth has shown me your wedding pictures and told me all about you. Second-grade teacher, right?”

“That sounds like Gran. Family is her favorite topic of conversation—well, her second-favorite topic, anyway.”

“Oh? What's her first?”

“How much time have you spent with Gran?” Sarah sat back and cocked her head.

“Some. Not as much as I'd like, though. I really like her.”

“Everybody loves Gran, and I'll leave it to you to discover her favorite topic of conversation—which you will, believe me.”

“Are you all ready to order?” Lainie appeared at their table and Sarah looked up as she handed the menu back.

“I'll have the stuffed sopaipilla, beef, with red chile.”

“All right. How about you?” She turned to Jess with a smile. “Have you had time to decide?”

“Um, I don't know.” Jess hadn't even looked at her menu. “What Sarah's having, I guess, and some iced tea.”

“Good choice.” Lainie tore the sheet off. “I'll get this in and bring your tea.”

After she left, Jess leaned across the table. “What did I just order?”

Sarah laughed. “You know what sopaipillas are, right?”

“Yeah, you put honey in them.”

“Well, in this case you don't. You fill it with a mixture of ground beef and onions and Carlos's secret spices and cover it with red chile sauce, or green, if you like it that way. As my granddad used to say, ‘It's so good it ought to be against the law.'”

Lainie came with their iced tea just as the last of the other customers went out into the night, and Sarah scooted over and patted the seat next to her.

“Come sit down for a minute. There's no one in here but us now.”

Lainie sighed. “I'm afraid if I sit down, I might not get up.”

“All the more reason for her to sit down, right, Jess?” She continued patting the seat until Lainie, with a glance toward Chris, did scoot in next to her.

“You do look tired, Lainie.” Jess tore a package of sweetener open and stirred it into her tea. “You don't want to overdo it.”

“I'm fine, really.” Lainie leaned her head against the back of the booth and closed her eyes for a moment. “We just got slammed earlier with folks trying to eat before they headed out to the game, and Juanita had already talked Chris into letting her go a little early. She and Russ never miss a game if they can help it.”

Jess shook her head. “I still can't get used to all this devotion to high school football. Am I really the only person in town who doesn't care?”

Lainie opened one eye and tapped her own chest, indicating
there were at least two, but Sarah clearly could be counted among the faithful.

“I'd be there every week if I could. In fact, before I got married, I never missed a game if I could help it. That's how I knew it was Friday night—frozen pizza, a football game, and a good scary movie. It was the best.”

Lainie patted Sarah's hand without opening her eyes. “Poor baby. Sorry you've got it so rough now.”

“Well, we're usually there by halftime for home games.” Sarah didn't even seem to notice Lainie's sarcasm. “And I still watch my movie when we get home, but the frozen pizza has been banished forever. Chris makes great pizzas from scratch, but it's just not the same, you know? They don't have that unique cardboard flavor.”

Jess laughed. How had she missed getting to know Sarah?

“Here you go. Be careful, though. The plates are hot.” Chris arrived tableside and set plates brimming with steaming red chile sauce in front of Jess and Sarah.

“Oh, I'm sorry, Chris.” Lainie moved to get out of the booth. “I didn't even hear the bell.”

“It didn't ring.” Chris put a hand on her shoulder. “It's okay. Take it easy. We're done for the day. But if you ladies want dessert, you'd better order now. Carlos is cleaning the kitchen.”

“None for me, thanks.” Jess looked up from gingerly poking her stuffed sopaipilla with a fork and smiled. “This is going to fill me up. I can tell that right now.”

After getting a similar response from Sarah, Chris nodded. “Okay. Enjoy your dinners. And take your time.”

As he ambled away to turn off the Open sign and dim the dining room lights, Sarah reached across the table to grab Jess's free hand. “I know! Come over to my house. Chris made a triple chocolate cheesecake last weekend, and there's still some in the freezer. We
can eat cheesecake and watch my movie. This one is called”—she paused for effect—“
The House Down the Road 4
. Come on, who can say no to cheesecake and a good horror flick? You come too, Lainie.”

“Nope. Goin' home.” Lainie had closed her eyes again. “I'm going home, taking my shoes off, putting my feet up, and watching whatever Gran has on TV—
Colombo
,
Hawaii Five-O
, doesn't matter.”

“But you'll come, won't you, Jess?” Sarah was clearly in the mood to do a little Friday celebrating herself.

Jess grinned. “Sure. Why not? Does it matter that I haven't seen
The House Down the Road 1
,
2
, and
3
?”

The first thing Jess noticed when she opened Sarah and Chris's front door to go home a few hours later was that the wind had picked up and was howling through the cottonwood tree in the front yard, ripping dying leaves from the branches and pulling them up into the black sky. The second thing she noticed was how dark and empty and full of shadows the quiet street had become. And, of course, the third thing was how very far her car, parked at the curb, seemed to be from the warm light pouring from the front door.

Would you get a grip? It
was just a movie, and you're a scientist. What
is your problem?

“I'm going to stand right here and watch until you get in your car, and I'll leave the porch light on until you're gone.” Sarah's voice at her elbow made her jump, and Jess turned to tell her that wouldn't be a bit necessary.

“Thanks, I'd really appreciate that.”

Well, how
embarrassing was
that
to have to admit?

Jess forced herself to walk casually to her car, and when she was
safely locked in, had sneaked a quick peek to the backseat, and had started the engine, she waved Sarah back in the house.

As she drove down the street, past Elizabeth's house where a light still shone from behind drawn curtains and Sam sat like a loaf in front of the door, she found herself smiling. Despite spending most of the evening with her face buried in a sofa pillow, she had had a good time, a really good time.

The distant racket Jess had begun to notice as she approached Main Street had grown to almost deafening proportions as she came to a stop at the blinking red light that hung swaying in the wind over the intersection. Two school buses, still adorned with butcher paper banners proclaiming “Pluck the Eagles” and “Here Come the Pumas” passed by, leading a seemingly endless procession of cars and pickups, all with horns blaring and passengers leaning out the windows shouting at the empty street.

If anyone still left in Last Chance had turned in early, Jess had a feeling they were awake now. She also had a feeling that they didn't mind a bit.

H
ere you are! It's been so long, I thought maybe you had forgotten how to get here.” The strikingly pretty woman who opened the door reached up to kiss Andy on the cheek before turning to Jess and extending her hand. “And you're Dr. MacLeod. I'm so glad to finally meet you. Come in! Come in! James, they're here.”

“Please. Call me Jess.” Jess spoke to no one in particular since all attention had returned to Andy.

“Great game last night.” The dark-haired man with a goatee, who must have been James, got out of his chair and met Andy in the middle of the room with a half hug and a handshake. “It's been way too long. Good to see you, Andy. Welcome home.”

“And these rascals are Ethan and Tyler. They have been out of their minds since I told them you were coming. I hope you don't mind, but I told them you might autograph their footballs.” Heather turned to two boys, each clutching a football, huddling together behind their dad. “Oh, for Pete's sake, boys, don't you think we should at least let him get in the door before you bring those things out? Now, why don't you come shake hands and show that you've learned a few manners.”

“Hey, guys, how're you doing?” Andy grinned and shook each small hand. “I hear you play a little football yourselves.”

“Yeah, flag.” Ethan spoke with studied nonchalance. “We don't get to play tackle till middle school.”

“That's time enough. You'll still get plenty of football in.” He reached out his hand. “What you got there?”

Without a word, Ethan handed over his football, and Andy took it. “Got a felt-tip pen?”

Tyler, who had yet to say anything, produced the pen, and Andy autographed the footballs, one after the other.

Jess, still standing near the door, watched as Heather posed Ethan, Tyler, and Andy for pictures. Not until Andy looked over at Jess with a shrug and a half smile did Heather seem to remember Jess was there.

“Oh, my goodness, I am so sorry. This family just lives and breathes football, and once we get started, there's no stopping us.” She gestured toward the sofa. “Come meet the gang while I go get dinner on the table. Andy, you do the honors.”

Heather disappeared into the kitchen while Andy introduced Jess to James and the boys. James nodded and said, “Ma'am,” the boys didn't say anything, and everybody found places to sit in the small living room.

James shifted in his chair and cleared his throat. “So, how do you like Last Chance so far?”

“The longer I'm here, the more I love it. Are you a native?” Jess's cheek muscles were beginning to hurt from smiling.

“Yup. So are the boys here. Heather too, for that matter. We all are.”

“Wow.” Jess nodded, still smiling. “You don't see a lot of that where I'm from.”

“Z'at right?” Clearly, James was a man of few words.

Jess glanced over at Andy, watching the conversation, if you could call it that, with his ankle resting on his knee and one arm
draped across the back of the sofa.
Anytime you want to chime in here,
Andy, feel free.

While Jess cast around trying to think of something else to say, James addressed Andy. “Gotta say, Andy, those boys keep playing like they did last night, and we might just see a winning season yet.”

“You were at the game?” Andy deftly caught the ball Tyler threw him and lobbed it back.

“Are you kidding?” Heather stuck her head around the corner from the kitchen. “I'm surprised you couldn't hear us. I was hoarse this morning, I screamed so much. That was the most exciting game I've seen in years. And Tyler, no football in the house.”

“Oh, man! When 84 intercepted that pass in the end zone and ran it 104 yards for a touchdown, I just went crazy. I was screaming so loud.” Ethan was actually bouncing in his chair with the memory.

Tyler grinned and bounced a little himself but had yet, as far as Jess could tell, to say a word. Clearly a boy who would take after his dad.

“When the lead kept changing hands during the first half, I thought I was going to die.” Heather had abandoned the kitchen and perched on the arm of Ethan's chair. “But the second half was all Last Chance.”

“45–21.” Ethan collapsed against the back of his chair in satisfaction, lightly tossing his autographed football.

“Yup,” said James.

“Sounds exciting, all right.” Truthfully, Jess had no idea what they were talking about, but there was no question that some remarkable football had been played.

“Weren't you there?” Ethan stopped tossing his football and stared at her.

“Um, no, I didn't go to the game.” Jess felt a little warm.

“Why not?”
Tyler did have a voice after all, and he could sound downright indignant too. Who knew?

“Come on, boys, don't badger Dr. MacLeod.” Heather tousled Ethan's hair. “Doctors don't get to do everything they want to, you know. They have to take care of sick people, and people don't always pick a good time to get sick, right, Dr. MacLeod? Were you on call last night?”

“Well, no, I wasn't.” Everyone was looking at her. What could she say? That she was watching
The House Down the Road 4
and eating cheesecake?

Finally, Andy came to her rescue, if you could call it that. “Actually, Jess isn't a real big football fan yet, but I think we can change that once we get her to a game, don't you, Tyler? She just doesn't know what she's missing, that's all.”

Jess shot a look at Andy. She had hoped he would say that not everyone liked football and that not everybody needed to, but when she looked at the incredulous faces of the boys and the polite but stiff smiles of the parents, she realized he had probably done her a favor. After all, they had just arrived, and it could wind up being a long evening.

“Tell you what.” Heather got to her feet and put her hand on Jess's shoulder as she headed back to the kitchen. “You sit with us at the next game, and we'll tell you what's happening on the field. Once you know what's going on, you'll be hooked.”

“If I can, sure.” Jess took a deep breath. “But as you said, my time's not always my own. I'll have to see how things are next Friday.”

“Fair enough. I'll give you a call Friday to see how things are going. Now, guys.” She glanced at her watch. “Dinner will be on the table in twenty minutes, so get all this football talk out of your system, because once we sit down, we're going to talk about something Dr. MacLeod might be interested in.”

“Oh, no.” Jess held up a hand. “Don't stop on my account. Maybe I'll learn something. And
please
, call me Jess.”

Heather smiled without promising anything and gave Jess's shoulder a pat. “Why don't you come in the kitchen with me? You can keep me company while I get dinner on the table.” She led Jess from the room while calling over her shoulder, “Remember, guys, twenty more minutes and we change the subject, so make it count.”

Jess gave up. They could call her what they wanted and talk about whatever they felt like. She'd do her best to keep up, and let it go at that.

“What can I do to help?”

“Not a thing.” She pointed at a stool. “Just sit right there and talk to me.”

Jess climbed on the designated stool and looked around. “I love all your chiles. Red is such a happy color for a kitchen.”

Heather looked up from her stove and shrugged. “It's more my mother-in-law's taste than mine. I don't even know if they sell red chile wallpaper anymore, although I'm sure you can still find all the chile light switch covers and trivets you want at any souvenir shop in the state. A complete kitchen remodel is on our ‘someday list,' but every time it gets anywhere near the top, something comes along and bumps it back down.” She bent down to pull a pan of corn muffins out of the oven. After setting it on a wrought iron trivet adorned with red and green chiles, she turned around and leaned against the counter, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “So, how did you meet Andy? Obviously not at a football game.”

“I met him my first day in town, actually. Rita took me to the Dip 'n' Dine to meet people, and he was there having breakfast.” Jess tried not to feel as if she were being quizzed. “Then a day or so later, I ran into him while I was out running, and we became running buddies until football practice started.”

“Ah, old friends then.” Heather's smile was warm and friendly, and Jess wondered at the little wave of uneasiness that rippled through her.

“Not when compared to the history you all have, of course. Andy told me that the three of you go way, way back.”

“I guess we do at that, the three of us.” Heather made a little face that Jess couldn't read. “What did he tell you about us? I should get a chance to defend myself, don't you think?”

“Nothing that needs defending, I promise.” Jess grinned. “Just that you all had met in Sunday school even before you started kindergarten and had been friends all your lives.”

“Yes, that's all true.”

Andy really had not said much about these old friends he said he wanted her to meet, but clearly Heather was looking for something more, so Jess dug deeper, trying to remember anything else he might have said.

“Oh, he did say that one of the best things about coming home again was the chance to reconnect with old friends.”

“There's nothing like reconnecting with old friends, is there? Unless it's making new ones.” Heather's shoulders seemed to relax a bit, and the smile she turned on Jess was warm and confident. “Now, if you wouldn't mind helping me get these platters on the table, we can call the guys.”

As Heather had decreed, there was no football talk at the table, and at the beginning of the meal, she made every effort to include Jess, but gradually and inevitably, the conversation turned to old times and old friends. Attempts to bring Jess up to speed regarding who and what they were talking about grew cumbersome and finally stopped, though whenever anyone glanced her way to include her, Jess would nod, or smile, or raise her eyebrows to show interest. Truthfully, though, Jess was fine with the arrangement. She was
learning more about the people and times of Last Chance during this meal than she had learned in all the weeks she had been in town. And at least they weren't talking about football.

As the evening continued, Jess began to be aware that she was not the only spectator at the table. Ethan and Tyler didn't even feign interest and were excused as soon as they had eaten enough to satisfy their mother, but James didn't seem to have much to say either, and the more Heather turned her attention exclusively to Andy, the quieter her husband became.

“So, James . . .” Jess found the briefest of lulls in the conversation. “What about you? What were you doing when all this was going on? Did you play football too?”

“Oh, sure, some.” James looked up from his plate and leaned back in his chair. “Not like ol' Andy here, but I played. Of course, my biggest problem was that football and the chile harvest overlapped until October, and my dad needed me here, so it took some doing.”

“The problem was, and still is for that matter, is that this farm is too small to be able to hire out the harvest but too big to do it all by yourself.” Heather took control of the conversation again. “So at harvest, it's all hands on deck. We just finished up the harvest last week, and I, for one, am ready to catch my breath.”

“Now what happens?” Jess turned back to James. “I've been seeing those chile roasting stands going up all over. Will you open one of those?”

“Naw. We just take 'em over to the cannery.”

“Again, it's just a matter of capital.” Heather again. “And capital can be hard to come by on a farm this size.”

James nodded his assent, and Heather went back to talking about the old days with Andy.

Jess found herself wondering about the two of them. James was nice enough looking, but Heather was stunning, and while James
was quiet to the point of silence, Heather's warmth and vivacity would seem to put her in the center of any crowd. They had to have married young, maybe even still in their teens, to have kids as old as Ethan and Tyler. James must have felt her gaze, because he looked up. She smiled and went back to her meal. What a shame that Heather and James's story was not one that was being recounted this evening. Jess would have loved to know what it was.