Route 66 Reunions (36 page)

She watched him hurry up the walk toward her and knew when he saw her by the smile that lit his face. She ran down the wide cement walk toward him.

“Sorry I’m late.” He took her hand, and they walked back the way he’d come. “I intended to go to your office.” He grinned. “Figured if the good doctor saw me, he’d back off.”

Sarah gave him a reproachful look. “Doctor Jenson is a good man and a good friend.”

Not to mention a problem she needed to do something about. His ring still sat on her coffee table. If only she could return it without hurting their friendship.

“Maybe so.” Kevin looked away. “Sorry I mentioned him. Let’s compare our ideas for Trey’s gift.”

“Fine. I hope your ideas are better than mine.” Sarah counted off her list. “I thought of jewelry, sporting goods because he likes that sort of thing. Maybe tickets to another game. Clothing. I don’t know.”

Kevin gave a short laugh. “So at the mall we go to a clothing store, jewelry store, and athletic department. That narrows it down some. Let’s see what we’ll find.”

An hour later they walked out of the mall empty-handed. Kevin held the car door for Sarah and then slid behind the wheel. “Nothing seems good enough for Trey.”

She agreed. “I know. Any suggestions?”

“Yeah, one, but it’ll cost you.”

“How much?” Sarah searched his face. “What are you thinking?”

“He said he wanted a car.”

She gasped. “Kevin, he was joking. His mom called him down on that, too. His parents would never let us buy him a car.”

Kevin pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “How do you know if you don’t ask?”

Sarah watched him push a couple of buttons and realized he had Trey’s number programmed into his phone. He winked at her. She closed her mouth and waited. He could find out on his own.

“Tom? This is Kevin.”

She heard the rumble of a male voice but couldn’t understand the words.

“No, that’s fine. Actually, you’re the one I need to talk to.” Kevin glanced at her. “Sarah and I are looking for a gift for Trey’s graduation. We’ve come up empty at the mall and wondered if you’d object to us looking in a car dealership.”

Again the rumbling and Kevin laughed. “I think we can afford it since we’re going together on a gift anyway.”

They talked for a few more minutes before Kevin told Tom good-bye and turned off his phone. He grinned at Sarah. “He says it has to be used.”

“That’s quite a gift, Kevin. Are you sure they won’t resent us doing this? Maybe think we’re trying to win Trey’s affection from them?” Sarah wondered how she would feel in a reversed situation.

Kevin started his car. “It’ll be fine. He didn’t seem to mind at all. He just didn’t want us spending more than we needed to. He says Trey’s driving a real clunker now. Tom didn’t say, but I know Trey would like a Mustang. Let’s see if we can find a good used one.”

They didn’t find anything at the first place, but the second dealership had a midnight blue Mustang that Sarah thought was perfect—only two years old, and the asking price was reasonable.

“Are you sure this is the one?” Kevin folded his arms and eyed the car.

She nodded. “Can we take it for a test drive?”

The little car drove as smooth as she expected. Kevin let her drive a short distance, and she fell for the car even more. “Do you think they’ll come down if we pay cash?”

Kevin grinned. “Exactly what I was thinking.”

In the showroom, Sarah sat back and let Kevin haggle with the salesman and then the owner of the dealership. She held her breath until the owner shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I can only drop the price by a couple of thousand.”

Her heart pounded as Kevin reluctantly agreed.

“All right. If you’ll get those tires replaced, you’ve got a deal.” He shook hands with both men and stood. “How soon will the papers be ready?”

“Is tomorrow afternoon soon enough?”

Kevin glanced at Sarah and she nodded. He turned back to the salesman. “That’ll be fine. How about six o’clock? Will that work for you, Sarah?”

She nodded again. “Yes, that’s fine.”

Kevin put a deposit down on the car; they shook hands with the salesmen again and left. Sarah almost skipped to Kevin’s car. “I’ll withdraw some money from savings tomorrow for you. We can put the Mustang in my garage until Trey’s graduation.”

“Sounds good.” Kevin grinned at her. “I can’t wait to see Trey’s face.”

“I know.” Sarah grabbed Kevin’s hand and squeezed it between both of hers. “He’s going to be so surprised.”

She couldn’t stop the laughter that bubbled. When Kevin’s laughter joined hers, she felt more complete than she had in years.

O
n Tuesday evening, Kevin and Sarah drove to the car dealership to close the deal. When they walked out to the parking lot, he dangled two sets of keys in front of Sarah.

“I’m driving the Mustang to the graduation, so what’s your choice tonight?” He held his keys closer to her with his dimples flashing. “My car?”

“Are you kidding?” She grabbed the other set of keys. “If this is my only chance, I’m driving the Mustang.”

“Figures.” His pout didn’t sway her in the least. “Give a woman a choice, and she takes advantage of you.”

“Ha, who’s driving to Trey’s hometown?” Sarah skipped ahead to the dark blue car and opened the driver’s door. “That’s a two-hour drive.”

“Yeah.” Kevin held the door for her while she sank into the car. “And it’s this coming Saturday. We’ll have to caravan down, so what are you driving? Mine or yours?”

“Mine.” She didn’t hesitate. “I’m used to my car. Have you eaten?”

Kevin grinned. “No, are you offering?”

Sarah’s traitorous heart jumped at his nearness, the grin she loved so well, and the way he looked at her as if she were the only woman in the world. She tried to ignore the effect he had on her as she answered. “Sure, we’ll be at my house anyway. I’ve got a couple of sandwich spreads in the fridge and a bag of chips. Sound nutritious enough?”

He patted his midsection. “Sounds great. I’ll follow you.”

He closed the door, gave her a quick wave, and strode to his car.

Sarah drove across town and pulled into her driveway with a sigh of relief. She already loved the little car, and she knew Trey would, too. She wanted it perfect for him, with no scratches or dents.

She waited while Kevin opened the garage door using her key, and then she drove inside and stepped out of the car. “It drives great. I’m really excited about this, Kevin.”

He slipped his arm around her shoulders as they walked together around the car, looking and checking again for blemishes. At the back, Kevin nodded. “Yeah, we got a good deal, I think.”

Sarah slipped from his arm and out of the garage. “I know we did. If you’ll close the door, I’ll bring my car back into the drive. I don’t like leaving it on the street too long.”

She swung around. “Oh, you have my keys.”

“Tell you what.” Kevin took her hand and led her toward the front door of her house. “I’ll let you in, and then I’ll move your car while you get supper started.”

His words were commonplace, his actions no more than a friend. Still, a strange feeling of rightness settled over Sarah. Had she and Kevin become a couple again? Did buying a car together and fixing a meal at home mean anything? Maybe not to Kevin, but to Sarah, it meant everything.

Wednesday morning Harold stopped to see Sarah while she was interviewing a woman for the business office. He left a message for her to meet him in the cafeteria at lunch.

She paid for her salad and crossed the dining room with slow steps. She hadn’t seen him in several days and hadn’t thought of him in just as long. She’d been busy. Buying a car took time. She lifted her chin and increased her pace.

“Hi, Sarah.” Harold greeted her without his usual smile. “Sit down.”

Sarah set her tray on the table and slid into the chair across from him. “I got your message. Is anything wrong?”

“I don’t know.” His forehead creased. “Maybe you can tell me. I haven’t talked to you since Friday night. Where have you been?”

Sarah’s eyes widened. “Why, right here of course. What are you talking about? If you wanted to talk to me, all you had to do was stop by or call.”

“I couldn’t stop by, and I tried to call.”

“Why not?”

Harold blinked. “Why not what?”

“Why couldn’t you stop by? I’ve been at work every day this week. You found my office today.” Sarah tried to keep her voice calm, in spite of Harold’s unreasonable attitude.

He stared at her for several moments before saying, “I’ve been gone, Sarah. I got home only this morning, and I came straight to your office.”

The seminar. Her face burned while her heart sank. How could she have forgotten? Kevin. He’d so filled her time and thoughts there’d been room for little else and certainly not Harold.

“I see you remember now.” She cringed from the sarcasm in his voice. “I called your cell phone and your house phone several times Saturday night. I knew you were out with”—he paused as if the name was distasteful—“Kevin.”

“I must have left my cell at home.” She almost whispered the words.

“Sunday afternoon?”

She looked up. “I never take my phone into church.”

“I said afternoon.”

“Oh. I went out to eat right after church.”

“Sunday night?”

She thought back and remembered curling up in bed with her Bible. She’d heard the phone ring downstairs, but let the answering machine pick up. She’d been too busy Monday to check her messages. Tuesday after work, she’d found two messages from Harold, but hadn’t returned the calls. At the time, soaking in a bubble bath before Kevin arrived had seemed more important.

Now she focused on Harold. “I’m sorry, honest. I was reading my Bible Sunday night, then Monday and Tuesday I went gift shopping for Trey’s graduation.” Her eyes widened. “Oh Harold, you’ll never guess what we bought him. A car. A Mustang. It’s only two years old and it’s midnight blue. I know he’ll love it.”

Harold’s eyebrows shot up and his mouth dropped open. “You bought a new car for…for…”

He couldn’t seem to finish his sentence, so Sarah helped him. “Trey. For our son.”

When he still stared at her, she said, “Okay, he isn’t technically our son. I mean not legally, but in our hearts he always will be.”

His eyes narrowed. “So you spent the last two nights with your high school boyfriend.”

A short laugh escaped without mirth. “Hardly. Just a few hours shopping.”

She stood, her salad practically untouched, and tried to keep annoyance from her voice. “I’m sorry you couldn’t get through, Harold. It was one of those things. I’ve got to get back to work. As a father, you should understand how important Trey is to me. He always has been, but now we’ve met—” She hesitated. “I don’t know. Maybe this is something only understood by those who experience it.”

He stopped her with a hand on her arm. “I’m sorry, Sarah. I didn’t mean to come down on you. I’m jealous. I admit it. Just the thought of you with that guy turns me inside out. I expected an answer by now. Why don’t I come over tonight? We could watch a movie and have popcorn. Talk about our future.”

“I’m sorry, Harold.” Sarah shook her head. “I have a meeting tonight. But you don’t know our good news, do you?”

She sat back down and clasped his hands across the table. “Kevin found a house for us, and he gave it to us free and clear. It’s a big, old Victorian in an older, but very nice neighborhood. There are seven bedrooms, a large kitchen, and a living room. It’s perfect for the girls.”

“Well, isn’t that nice of him?”

“Yes, it truly is.” Before she started gushing about Kevin’s generosity, Sarah stood again. “I’m sorry you couldn’t get hold of me, Harold. My intention was not to slight such a good friend, but with Trey’s graduation and then the house for the girls, it’s been a hectic week. Now I’ve really got to get back to work. I’ll let you know more about the house later.”

Halfway back to her office, Sarah realized Harold had been talking about the ring still sitting on her coffee table. How could she have forgotten Harold’s ring? How could she have so completely forgotten him?

Thursday evening Kevin took Sarah out to eat. On Friday evening, they fixed supper at his apartment and watched a movie then made plans to drive to Trey’s graduation the following afternoon.