Backdraft (12 page)

“Very admirable.” He laughed. “Though I must admit, I’ve never been able to figure out whether it’s lunacy or bravery, running into a burning building.”

“Yeah, well, somebody’s got to do it, right? If not for us ‘lunatics’…” he raised his fingers, making quotation marks in the air, “a hell of a lot of people would lose their lives every year.”

Mary covered her heart with her hand, gasping. “I’ll never forget the time we had that fire at the elementary school when the kids were small.” She nudged her husband. “You remember that, Tom?”

He shook his head. “I sure as hell do. The news spread through the town in no time. All the parents were there, trying to find their kids; it was chaos.” He smiled at Dave. “But your father rallied the troops and they did their job while he laid down the law with pushy parents. It was quite a sight to see. If not for him, a lot of us would have lost our babies that day. I have a hell of a lot of respect for what you boys do, Dave.”

“Thanks, Coach,” he said, lowering his head. Coach Monroe hadn’t been his football coach for years, but he’d earned that title by mentoring him, on and off the football field, and he had no doubt the title would stick long after he married his daughter.

“Dad’s right,” Maya said quietly, looking across the table at him. “I’m proud of you.”

Those four little words slipping from her lips still made him feel like he was ten feet tall. “Thanks, baby.”

Chris raised his eyebrows at the term of endearment. “I guess we should be going, honey. We’ve had a busy weekend, and we both have to be at the hospital early in the morning.”

“Oh, you can’t leave yet,” Mary said, jumping up. “I haven’t served coffee and pie yet.”

“Chris is right, Mom,” Maya said, smiling. “We do have an early morning, but I’d love to take some of that pie for the road.”

“Oh well, okay,” she said, collecting the plates. “I’ll pack some up for you to take with you. We have lots of leftovers, Maya. Would you like to take some for your lunch tomorrow?”

Chris held his hand up. “No need, Mrs. Monroe. We’re working the same shift tomorrow. I intend to take your beautiful daughter to her favorite Italian restaurant for lunch.”

Maya cleared her throat before sneaking a peek at Dave. “Uh, the chances of us being able to take a lunch break at the same time are slim, you know that.”

He leaned in, kissing her cheek. “Lunch, dinner, it doesn’t matter to me, as long as I get you to myself for a while.”

It took everything in Dave not to leap across the table and break the arm he had wrapped around Maya. Every fiber of his being told him that she still belonged to him, that she’d always belong to him, and seeing another man’s hand grazing her tender skin made his blood boil. Knowing that they’d spent the weekend together, in the same hotel suite, in the same bed, made him want to lay down some ground rules that would prohibit her from sharing that lush body with another man for as long as she lived.

Jack shot a side-long glance at his friend before turning back to his sister. “Don’t let us keep you. We understand if you need to get going, guys.”

He knew Jack was trying to diffuse the tension for his benefit, but the thought of letting that bastard take her home, to bed, only succeeded in lighting his fuse. “Listen, if you’re in such a hurry to go, I’d be happy to drop Maya off at home on my way out of town.”

Chris smiled, as though he could see right through his offer. “I couldn’t let you do that.”

Dave bit back an angry retort, intent on showing his hosts the respect they deserved.

Maya got up quickly. “I’m going to see about that pie, and we can be on our way, Chris.”

Chris waited until Maya left the room before he leaned forward, glaring at Dave across the table, and said, “Do you really think you’re fooling anyone?”

Glancing at Maya’s father, Dave was determined to hold his temper. “This is not the time or place to have this conversation.” But the time would come, and he couldn’t wait.

Ignoring his ominous warning, Chris said, “You think you can just walk back into her life after you dumped her? Like nothing ever happened? That was ten years ago, man. If you want my opinion, I think it’s pretty pathetic that you haven’t been able to get on with your life.”

Dave forced himself to take a deep breath and remain calm. “I didn’t ask for your opinion because I don’t give a shit what you think.”

Jack raised his hands. “Okay, look, I think we all need to take it easy. Maya is a big girl. She can decide who she wants to date.”

“She’s already decided,” Chris said, smiling at Dave.

“What the hell does that mean?” Dave demanded, feeling anxiety coiling in his stomach.

“I asked her to marry me.”

“You what?” Tom asked. “What the hell are you talking about? You asked my daughter to marry you? Did it ever occur to you to talk to me about that first?”

“I, uh…” Chris lowered his head, his face flushed. “I meant no disrespect, sir.”

“Look, it may seem old-fashioned to you, boy, but that’s the way we do things around here.” He looked at Dave. “Isn’t that right, son?”

“Yes, sir.” They shared a glance that told Dave he was thinking about the time he had come to him asking permission to propose to his daughter when she came home from school the summer after her freshman year of college. He knew they would have a long engagement, but he hadn’t wanted to wait any longer to put a ring on her finger and let they world know she was going to be his wife. Too bad he never got the chance.

“You said she’s already decided who she wants,” Jack said quietly, pulling Dave out of his reverie. “Does that mean she’s accepted your proposal?”

Dave held his breath, waiting for the other man’s response.
Please, God, give me one more chance with her. I won’t screw it up this time, I promise.

“Not yet, but I know she’ll come around. It’s only a matter of time.”

“Did it ever occur to you that you shouldn’t have to convince a woman to marry you, Chris?” Tom asked. “She should be as eager to marry you as you are to commit your life to her. If she’s not, then maybe she’s not the right one for you.”

“You’d all like that, wouldn’t you?” Chris asked, turning from Tom to Jack. “You don’t want her to marry me because you’d much rather this hick join your family. Isn’t that right?”

Dave could care less what Chris thought of him, but he’d be damned if he would sit by and let him disrespect two men he liked and respected in their family home. “You need to get the hell out of here before I throw you out,” Dave said, keeping his voice low.

Maya came back into the room in time to hear Dave’s threat. “What’s going on in here?”

Dave looked up at her and saw his lover, his best friend, his soul mate. If they weren’t in a room full of people, he would drop to one knee right there and beg her to forgive him for wasting the past ten years of their lives wallowing in bitterness and resentment. “I was just telling your
friend
that he’s worn out his welcome here.”

The stern looks on Tom and Jack’s faces said they concurred with his assessment of the situation.

“Okay,” Maya said, looking between the men seated around the table. “We were leaving anyways.” She braced her hand on Chris’s shoulder. “Let’s go.”

Mary entered the room. Obviously able to feel the tension permeating the table, she asked, “Did I miss something?”

“Apparently, Dave thought it was his place to ask my guest to leave,” Maya said, glaring at him.

He knew she was pissed off at him, but he didn’t care. He wouldn’t tolerate some things, and seeing the people he cared about being disrespected topped the list. “I think we’re all of the same opinion, sweetheart.”

“Don’t you call her that,” Chris said, pointing a finger at him as he leaned across the table. “I already told you, I’m the man she wants. You need to get that through your thick skull.”

“Is that a fact?” Dave asked, smirking. He looked up at Maya. “Why don’t we let the lady speak for herself? Is what he’s saying true? Is he the one you want?” He knew he was taking one hell of a risk putting her on the spot when she was already angry with him, but he couldn’t allow this guy to delude himself for one more minute. Maya was his, always had been, and always would be. The doc may share her bed for a time, but he knew he was the only man who could claim he had her heart. She’d proved that when they made love the other night.

“I’m not having this conversation in front of my family,” she said, between clenched teeth. “I thought I made that clear earlier.”

Folding his arms over his chest, he said, “Fine, let me take you home. We’ll talk about it there.”

“No,” she said, holding her hand up. “I came with Chris, and I intend to leave with him.” She looked around the table. “Good night, everyone.”

Dave watched her walk out the door, hand in hand with another man, and it felt like she was stabbing him in the back with a machete. The only thing that had ever hurt more was the sight of her making love to his best friend. “Jesus,” he said, dropping his head. “I’m sorry about that, y’all. I never intended to mix it up with him like that.”

Tom chuckled. “That’s what you call mixing it up? Boy, you must be getting old. I remember when you used to take on two opposing linemen without breaking a sweat.”

Jack smiled. “Those were good times, weren’t they?”

“Oh hush,” Mary said, coming around to Dave. “Can’t you see he’s upset? Are you okay, honey?”

No, hell no. “Yeah, I’m okay.” He pushed his chair back. “Dinner was great, thanks.”

“That’s it?” Tom asked, folding his arms across his chest. “You’re just gonna turn tail and run on back to Brant?”

Frowning, Dave asked, “What’re you talking about, Coach?”

“Come on, kid. I know you. You’re a fighter, a winner; you don’t give up. Especially not when the stakes are so high. This is your life we’re talking about.”

“Tom,” Mary said quietly, looking at her husband. “This is none of our business. I think we need to stay out of it, don’t you?”

“You want that tight-ass for a son-in-law?” he asked, slamming his palm down on the table. “Because that’s exactly what’s going to happen if Dave doesn’t step in and do something before it’s too late.”

“You don’t know that,” Mary said, resting her hand on Dave’s shoulder. “Maya’s a smart girl. She’ll figure him out.”

“Yeah, but what if it’s too late?” Jack muttered. When his mother looked at him, he sighed. “Mom, he proposed to her, and according to him, she’s considering it.”

“Oh no,” she whispered, covering her hand with her mouth. “He’s all wrong for her. Why can’t she see that?”

Dave leaned back in his chair. Tipping his head back, he closed his eyes. “This is my fault. I was an idiot for walking out on her back then. I should have tried to work through it. If I’d made more of an effort, I wouldn’t be in this mess right now.”

Mary rubbed his shoulder. “Don’t blame yourself, honey. You were the victim. What Maya and Craig did to you was unforgiveable.”

“Not unforgiveable, Mom,” Jack said, quietly. “Just unforgettable.” He sighed when both of his parents looked at him. “I’m not saying that what they did to him was right, but they were young and drunk, and hell, we know too well that shit happens. Maya loved Dave. He was the one she wanted, not Craig. I agree with him; he should have tried harder to make it work.”

Dave felt the sting of his old friend’s recrimination. Maybe Jack was a better man than he was to be able to let go of his wife’s infidelity and find the courage to build a stronger marriage without allowing fear and doubt to dictate their future. “What’s done is done,” he said quietly. “I don’t want to talk or think about the past anymore. I’m not the same kid I was then, and neither is Maya. We’re mature adults, capable of understanding that people make mistakes sometimes.”

Jack looked skeptical. “If that were true, you wouldn’t be sitting on your ass whining to us about the fact that my sister is with another man. You’d be doing something about it.”

Dave smirked as he rose to his feet. Jack knew him too well. Nothing would get him on his feet faster than a challenge.

Chris took Maya’s face in his hands, staring into her eyes. “I love you so much,” he whispered, touching his lips to hers. “We could be so happy together. You just need to let go of the past, and let me in. Please, sweetheart, say yes. Tell me you’ll marry me.”

Dave’s truck skidded to a stop in front of her house, and he jumped out as though he were rushing to put out a fire. “Time’s up, buddy!” he shouted. “Get the hell out of here, now.”

Maya recognized the warning in his tone and knew that Chris was no match for Dave. Even with one wounded hand, he would still come out on top if they came to blows. “We can talk tomorrow,” she said, taking a step back. “Please, I don’t want…”

Dave grabbed the back of Chris’s shirt, pulling him away from Maya. “Don’t you speak English? Get the fuck out of here before I kick your ass.”

In spite of his earlier blustering, Chris looked terrified now. Dave was twice his size, with murder in his eyes. “Fine, I’ll go, for now. But don’t think you’re going to get what you want just because you come here throwing your weight around. Maya is a smart woman; she knows a good thing when she’s found it.”