Game On (16 page)

“It is wonderful and so full of history. It's been in the McMann family since before the Civil War.” His mother sighed. “Of course, it's not easy to keep a house that old up to par. But I do my best.”

“Mama, if the house is getting to be too much for you, let Suzie take it over,” Lucas said. “She'd love it. At your age, you shouldn't be worrying about this monstrosity.”

“What should I be doing at my age?” There was a warning in her tone, but she said it with a smile.

“Anything you want, Mama. Anything you want.” He turned to Elizabeth. “Do you think that was the right answer?”

“I do indeed. Good save.”

“That's why I'm a politician.”

“I just got off the phone with the Charlotte office of the FBI.”

“And that's my cue to leave. This old gal is taking a nap. I've had a busy day.” She hugged Lucas and then turned to Elizabeth. “It's so nice to have you here. I wish it were under better circumstances.” She left the room, as regal as ever.

“What did the FBI have to say?” Lucas turned to Elizabeth. “Have they found out who the shooters are?”

“Not yet, but they're making progress, or so they claim. It didn't sound like much to me. They didn't find any fingerprints at your cabin, but they found some tire tracks. How that'll help, I don't know. But they claim it will.”

“We have to give them time to work.”

“I suppose, but I'd feel a lot better if they found them. Who knows if they'll try again?”

“I've got an agent protecting me. Everything will be fine. It's been a long day, Elizabeth. I need to get a little work done before I go back to the hospital to check on Nikki.”

“I'll come with you. After all, I am your assistant.”

“I need to be alone.” Lucas walked to the guesthouse, hoping he hadn't hurt Elizabeth's feelings too much. It had been way beyond the call of duty to come, and he appreciated it. But he needed some time to himself—to think and to pray.

As soon as he was in the house, he picked up the Bible on the stand beside his chair. Nikki's words had pierced him. How had she seen into his soul and found that dark, black space where all his ugliness lived? He remembered her words. She'd told him that she'd forgiven him and God had forgiven him but that he needed to forgive himself. When he'd heard her speak those words, he hadn't reacted, but he'd known she was right. He'd been carrying guilt for so long, it had skewed his thinking. Somewhere along the way, he'd started believing he was responsible for everything. That he could control everything. But he couldn't.

That was God's job.

Lucas's Bible opened in Philippians. He scanned through several chapters and then he saw it
.

“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.”

He read the verse again and again. He'd spent his life doing just the opposite. Always looking to the past. Never looking to the future. And certainly not enjoying the present. He'd been blessed with so much, and he'd never taken the time to enjoy it. All he'd ever done was follow the path his father had set for him. He moved to another verse in the Gospel of John.

“
If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Tears welled up. Jesus had freed him, but he hadn't left the jail cell. Instead, he'd kept closing the door, refusing to step out into the freedom. He didn't have to live in his self-imposed prison.

God wanted him to have a future.

And it could be the future Lucas wanted. Not the one his father planned for him. A future without politics? A future where he didn't worry about the public's reaction. A future filled with love and laughter. Hard to imagine. But it was something to think about.

His cell phone rang “The Star-Spangled Banner.” It was a special ring reserved for only one person. He hit the button. “Hello, Mr. President.”

18

“I can walk by myself.” Nikki shrugged her sister's hand off as she helped her out of the car. She was ecstatic the doctor had finally released her. She'd ended up having to stay two extra days, thanks to an infection. But he'd assured her she was just fine now.

If only people would stop hovering.

“I'm just trying to help. You don't have to bite my head off.”

Immediately contrite, Nikki grabbed hold of her sister's arm. “Sorry about that. I know you're trying to help. I guess that nurse was right when she said I wasn't a good patient.”

Bethany patted her arm. “That's OK. After all you've been through, I guess you have a right to be a bit cranky.”

“I have no such right, and I'm grateful to be out of that place so my sissy can take care of me.” She leaned against her sister's shoulder. “Thank you, my sweet Bethie.”

Bethany smiled. “You haven't called me that in years.”

Ray walked out to meet them. He took hold of Nikki's other arm. “There she is and looking beautiful even after being shot. What a woman.”

“No need to go overboard with the pampering.”

“Are you sure? I've got my famous lasagna baking, but if you don't want to be pampered, I can find someone else who will appreciate it.”

“I never said I didn't want a little pampering.” There was no mistaking the aroma of the lasagna when she walked in the house. Her mouth began to water. “A doctor and a cook. Bethie sure knew what she was doing when she hooked you.”

“Don't kid yourself. I'm the lucky one.” Ray smiled at his wife as he pointed towards the family room. “The sick bed's ready and waiting for its guest of honor. We even added extra movie channels to the cable for the month.”

“I don't plan on being here for a month.”

Ray smiled. “You will be here as long as it takes to get you well. No arguing about that, Nikki. And there are books on the coffee table too. Nothing for you to do but relax and get healthy.”

After she got comfortable on the sofa, she grabbed the remote. It was hard to believe with so many channels, she couldn't find something to watch.

“Auntie, you're out of the hospital.” Cassie bounced into the room.

“In the flesh.” She turned down the volume.

“Awesome.”

“Awesome indeed.”

Bethany came in, a vase in each hand. “Hey, sweetheart. Set up the TV trays. We'll eat in here.” She set the flowers on the coffee table. “There's two more vases out in the kitchen. I'll bring them in later.”

“Wow, Aunt Nikki, you really rate. Mom never lets us eat in here. Even though it's the family room. You do know Mom's a fanatic about cleanliness.”

Nikki nodded. “I do know that about her.”

“That's not true. If you're sick, I let you eat in here,” Bethany protested.

“Yeah, but then I can't really enjoy it. Everyone else eats in their family room. Nikki even eats in her living room, if you can believe that. You really need to loosen up, Mom.”

“There's nothing wrong with keeping a house clean. Would you really want to live in a pigsty?”

“There's a big difference between a pigsty and clean enough to operate in.”

Bethany rolled her eyes but smiled. “I suppose there is.”

“Time for my lasagna,” Ray yelled from the other room. “Need a little help.”

After dinner Cassie stood up. “I have two more important questions and then I have things to do.”

Nikki looked at her. “What do you want to know?”

“First, where is the great congressman? I guess he hightailed it back to DC. He must have felt safer there.”

“In case you didn't watch the news, he had to go back to help get the budget passed or the government would shut down—again.”

“Hmm. Likely story. Second question—do you have the hots for him?”

Nikki felt the heat rise up to her face. “Why would you ask such a ridiculous question?”

“The flowers, for one thing.” Cassie pointed at the bouquets Bethany had placed all around the room. “Those are not ‘get well' flowers. Those are ‘I love you' flowers.”

“Don't be silly. I haven't seen the man in…in years. He's just being nice. After all, I did get shot because of him.”

Cassie turned to her mom. “What do you think, Mom? Get well or I love you?”

“I must admit they are quite extravagant.”

Nikki gave her sister a little kick. “You both are wrong. I think they are ‘feeling guilty about getting you shot' flowers.”

Cassie and Bethany laughed.

Nikki pointed at Cassie. “Go…go do your homework. Or something.” When she'd left, Nikki looked at Bethany. “I know she's not always the easiest, but you and Ray have done a great job.”

“Thanks, Nikki.” Bethany sat down beside her. “We need to have a talk about…about Lucas.”

Nikki shook her head. “There's nothing to talk about.”

“Oh yes, there is.”

The doorbell rang.

“I've got it,” Ray yelled as he walked to the door.

Nikki hoped it wasn't for her. Since the news had broken, she'd received a dozen calls from old classmates.

“I didn't know you were coming,” Ray said.

Who was it?

“Is it a problem?” Lucas was here.

“Oh, my goodness. I'm a mess.” Nikki panicked.

“You look beautiful.” Bethany rolled her eyes. “Besides, what do you care? It's only Lucas.”

Ray opened the door. “Our patient has company.”

“I wish I had my camera,” Lucas said, eyeing the sisters, who were still hugging.

“I thought you didn't like pictures.”

“I love pictures of other people, especially one as sweet as that.” He placed a white bouquet of flowers on the coffee table beside all the others. “These are for you.”

“The other ones haven't died yet,” Nikki said. “But thanks. These are beautiful.”

“Yeah, I wonder what kind of flowers those are, sis.” Bethany stood up.

Nikki rolled her eyes. “Don't worry about what kind they are.”

Bethany started laughing and then Nikki joined in. Soon the two were laughing uncontrollably.

Lucas looked at Ray.

“Sisters. Don't even try to understand their humor.”

“I guess.”

Bethany turned to him, still laughing. “It's nice to see you, Lucas. It's been a long time.”

“It has. You have a lovely home.”

“Thanks so much.” She turned to Nikki. “I'll leave the two of you alone.”

Nikki gave her sister a hard stare. “Make sure Cassie doesn't disturb us.”

****

“Why?” Lucas stared at Nikki.

“Why what?”

“Why can't Cassie disturb us? She's obviously very important to you, and yet I haven't met her? It almost seems as if you don't want me to meet her.”

Nikki's face flushed red. “Don't be ridiculous. Why wouldn't I want you to meet her?”

“That's what I was wondering. What's wrong with her? Three heads or something worse?”

“Oh, something much worse. She's a teenager.” Nikki grinned.

“Well, one of these days I plan to meet her.” He sat on the sofa beside her. “Thanks for calling to let me know you were released.”

“You had important things to do.”

“They weren't any more important than you.”

“I planned to call you before I went to bed.”

“No need to now.” He held up his hands. “I'm here.”

“So will the government shut down again or did you save us in the nick of time?”

“Nick of time. We passed the budget a few hours ago.” He smiled at her. “I missed you.”

“So what's the news with the FBI? Did they catch the bad guys yet?”

Nikki seemed determined not to talk about personal issues.

The good news was she couldn't get away from him. Sooner or later, he would have his say. “Unfortunately, nothing. They're following up on the emails but this guy is good. They assure me that they'll get him. But it will take some time. “

“In the meantime, you're still a target.”

“It's you I'm worried about.”

She lifted her arm. “I'm fine. Look, I can still pitch a softball. It hasn't hurt my range of motion. I just have to take it easy for a while.”

“I still wish you'd let me hire some security for you.”

“No. And that's my final word. Stop asking me.”

“I didn't come to talk about security or the FBI.”

“Then what?”

“I came to thank you.”

“It's not necessary.”

“You don't know that. You don't even know what I'm thanking you for.”

“I assume for getting shot instead of you.”

“Wrong. I came to thank you for telling me to forgive myself for Victoria's death.”

“Oh. Well, did it do any good?”

Their gazes met.

He nodded. “After spending some time with God, I decided you were right. I'm not the one in control. God is. Victoria and I were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. It wasn't my fault.”

She smiled at him. “How does it feel?”

“Pretty good. In fact, very good.” He picked up her hand.

“God is so good.”

“One of the things I figured out when I was in all those boring meetings is that I'm ready for a new chapter in my life.”

She pulled her hand away. “That's good, Lucas. From what Elizabeth said, that's about to happen.”

“I'm not talking about politics. I'm talking about us.” He wouldn't let her change the topic. “I already told you once that you're the only woman I ever fell in love with. I always thought about you. Wondered if you were happy. Wondered if you missed me. Even after Victoria and I learned to love each other, I wondered about you.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “Lucas, we're both grown-ups now. We had a lot of fun, but we were kids. But that's all it was—puppy love.” Picking up the glass of water, she sipped through the straw.