Route 66 Reunions (5 page)

“Yeah, if her map’s right. It’s pretty simple. She must live in a development of some kind, because her map shows a bunch of houses with an X on hers.”

“Yes, I think that’s right.” Tessa turned her blinker on. “Here’s where we turn, isn’t it? I hope she’s home.”

And honestly doesn’t mind having three boys crash at her house
, Tessa added silently. She could imagine what Sarah’s house looked like. Her unmarried friend had no children except for the baby she had given up for adoption when she was seventeen. Sarah didn’t have to put up with toys and clothing thrown about the house in every room. She didn’t have three sons who liked to eat in front of the TV but didn’t like to take their dishes to the kitchen later.

Robbie watched out the windshield. “Looks like her house is the third one on the left side.”

“Yes, I remember her saying that.” Tessa flashed a smile at her oldest son.

She could have given him up for adoption. So many people tried to get her to when she refused an abortion. All except her mother. That was something Tessa would never understand. When it came to Robbie, her mom had stood beside her, promising and giving the support she needed to keep him. She had done the same with Seth. And as long as the boys were infants, she had been right there, babysitting and caring for them almost as if they were hers.

By the time she had them resettled in Texas, and Derek was born, her mother had lapsed back into the fog that had surrounded her after her husband’s death. Tessa’s boys were forgotten then until they’d all gotten their heads on straight. Now she was the greatest of grandmothers.

“There it is, Mom.” Robbie pointed toward her side of the street.

Tessa touched the brake and turned her left blinker on before pulling into the driveway leading to a house twice the size of hers and probably valued at five times the amount. Her heart sank. Why had she accepted Sarah’s invitation?

She stopped the car before turning to look at her sons. “Boys, this house—”

“I know, Mom,” Robbie interrupted. “It’s not what we’re used to, so we can’t act like we do at home.”

He glared over his shoulder at his younger brothers. “You got that, guys? Sarah invited us because she’s nice, so we’re gonna respect her and her house.”

Tessa stared at her sons as they agreed to behave and knew she had done nothing to deserve them. She gave a faint smile and opened her car door. “Well, since that’s settled, let’s see if Sarah’s home.”

“Tessa, you’re here,” a woman’s voice called from the front of the house.

Tessa left the boys to bring in their overnight cases and ran to her friend. She hugged the tall, willowy blond with affection. “You are the greatest, Sarah, for letting us stay with you. The boys have already told me they will be on their best behavior.”

“Oh pooh.” Sarah stepped back with a laugh. “I’ve been looking forward to this and especially tomorrow. My calendar is cleared. Leave your boys alone; they’re fine. Although they’ve each grown a foot since I’ve seen them.”

“Hey guys,” she called to the approaching boys. “Did your mother tell you about the amusement park?”

“You bet,” Robbie answered.

Seth just grinned, but Derek ran the rest of the way past his brothers to give Sarah a quick hug, which she returned. He looked up at her. “What are we doing tonight, Aunt Sarah?”

Tessa smiled. Derek called all her closest friends “Aunt.”

“Let’s get everyone inside so we can decide.” Sarah held the door while the boys traipsed in with Tessa following.

The entry turned into a hallway that led toward the dining room. Tessa marveled at the shine on the hardwood floors and visualized her boys running and sliding down its length in their socks. She looked to the left as Sarah motioned toward the living room.

“Why don’t you set your bags down here in the hall, and you can take them upstairs later. As Derek said, we need to discuss our plans, because I intend to have some fun.” Sarah gave the boys a wide smile.

As they settled into Sarah’s plush sofa and matching chairs, they made suggestions for the evening ahead. When Robbie and Derek mentioned skating, bowling, and miniature golf, Seth spoke up.

“Maybe we should do something on the Mother Road since that’s what our vacation is about.”

When Sarah looked at Tessa, she explained, “I thought it would be nice to use Route 66 as a sort of reference point for our vacation. I mean the old highway goes through Amarillo, and it starts right here in Chicago. If you all want to, maybe we could see the beginning of the road. Is there something we could see or do there, Sarah?”

“Well.” Sarah eyed the boys with a soft smile. “You’re probably sick of museums by now, but there is a park near the beginning of Route 66. If we look, I’ll bet we could find some fun stuff there along with the fountain that’s always fabulous to see. Especially in the evening with the lights on.”

“Sounds good to me.” Tessa watched the expressions on her boys’ faces and saw a spark of interest. She wondered if their early deprivation made them easy to please now. She smiled, knowing they would find a way to enjoy whatever they did.

And they all enjoyed the park. They were especially awed when they saw Buckingham Fountain. Colored lights shimmered against the spray and rose high into the air with the arch of water just as Sarah had said.

The next day the boys were up early, knocking on the guest room door where Tessa still slept. She heard Robbie’s voice. “Mom, the day’s wasting.”

“The amusement park isn’t open this early.” She rolled to her back and stretched, craving another couple of hours’ sleep. She and Sarah had stayed up talking long after the boys were asleep. She had needed the release of telling someone about running into Blake.

“We thought you might let us eat breakfast before we go.”

Seth added, “According to the map, Mom, it will take us awhile to get there, so really we don’t have all day.”

“Yeah, Mom.” Derek’s voice sounded through the door. “We already got dressed and everything. Besides, today’s your birthday.”

Tessa let the laughter bubble as she sat up and buried her face in her hands. She lifted her head. “All right, guys. Give me a couple of minutes to get dressed, okay?”

“Okay.”

She heard their retreating steps and smiled. The amusement park was the highlight of their trip as far as the boys were concerned. That and swimming.

Tessa and Sarah watched the boys on a ride that went too high, too fast, and with too much torque to suit either woman. Sarah turned to look at Tessa. “I don’t think we got to the part last night where you decide what you’re going to do about Blake.”

Tessa’s heart jumped at the unexpected mention of the man she had never forgotten. She shook her head. “Nothing.”

“What do you mean nothing?” Sarah’s blue eyes twinkled. “He’s seen you now, Tessa. I’ll bet he liked what he saw, too. And his parents still live in Amarillo. You will see him again. He knows where you live now.”

Tessa shook her head. “I don’t think so. Even if I see him, I don’t have to do anything about it. If anyone understands, Sarah, you should.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean Kevin.” The mention of her high school boyfriend brought a frown to Sarah’s face, but Tessa didn’t stop. “What would you do if you ran into him? Chicago may be a big place, but didn’t you tell me he lives here now?”

Sarah’s eyes grew hard and cold as she stared straight ahead. “I don’t think so. Kevin is history. Even if I did run into him, I wouldn’t give him the time of day. Besides, I only heard he lives here. Maybe he doesn’t. Thankfully, I’ve not seen him.”

“See, you do understand how I feel.”

“Not really.” Sarah’s blue eyes softened as she looked at her friend. “You’re a forgiving person, Tessa. Blake may have run out on you, but you’ll forgive him.”

“Maybe,” Tessa agreed. “But only because I’ve been forgiven so much. That doesn’t mean I have to restart a relationship with him.”

“That’s true.” Sarah motioned toward the ride. “They’re slowing down. Do you think we could find something to eat now? I’m starved, and I’ve never seen your boys turn down food.”

Tessa laughed as they moved toward the ride’s exit to intercept the boys. “You’re right. I guarantee they’ll be ready to eat.”

After they ate and several rides later, the boys were persuaded to load into Sarah’s car and head back to her house. Sarah was an excellent hostess, and Tessa knew her boys enjoyed their stay. She did, too. Mostly she enjoyed the time spent talking to a friend who probably understood her as much as anyone could.

Now, in spite of assuring Sarah that she had no intention of restarting a relationship with Blake, she wondered. Could she take this chance encounter at his restaurant and file it with her other memories? If he approached her in Amarillo, could she resist the attraction that had not died as she’d thought? Her only consolation was that Blake lived in Oklahoma. Surely she wouldn’t see him that often, if at all.

That evening after dinner, Sarah brought out a decorated cake with two candles on it. “This has been a special day of celebration for two very dear friends of mine,” she said. “Robbie is now fifteen, and his mother is thirty.”

She flashed a smile at Tessa. “Now is when we start hiding our age, by the way, so I promise not to tell again.”

“Thanks.” Tessa laughed. Sarah was six months older and had always liked to give advice the way Tessa figured an older sister would. Some things never changed.

Sarah lit the candles and stepped back. “Make your wishes and blow them out.”

Tessa closed her eyes and her wish became a prayer.
Please help me keep Blake Donovan out of my thoughts
.

“I wished I would get to start driver training as soon as we get back home,” Robbie said when Tessa opened her eyes. “And I also wished you’d start calling me Rob like the guys at school do.”

“Wow, someone is growing up.” Sarah’s soft voice sounded in the silence.

Tessa nodded, but she looked at her son. “I can handle Rob with practice, but we agreed not to mention the other until after vacation.”

“Okay.” Rob shrugged. “Just telling what I wished for. Now it’s your turn.”

“I don’t think so.” Tessa felt the blood rush to her face. She stood and turned toward the sink on the pretext of washing her hands, but not before she saw the knowing look and smirk on Sarah’s face.

Three days later, Tessa and the boys left Sarah’s hospitality and headed south out of Chicago. Four days after that, they crossed into Texas and soon pulled into Amarillo.

Tessa drove down a busy street, glad to be home. As she slowed to stop at a red light, she caught a glimpse of a man with dark hair in front of an old, deserted building on the corner. She had no idea what the building had housed before, but the parking lot surrounding it had grass growing in the cracks. The man looked so familiar. She slammed on her brakes, and he turned to look at her car. If that wasn’t Blake Donovan, she was seeing things. Maybe her imagination had dreamed him up. After the two weeks she’d spent with him constantly on her mind, she wouldn’t be surprised. He turned back around as if he didn’t recognize her. But she did know the man with him. Charles Carter, the real estate agent who had sold her the house she now lived in. The truck parked in the lot had his logo on the cab.

A car behind her honked, and she saw the light had changed to green. She drove on, thankful the boys were all asleep. She refused to believe she’d seen Blake. She couldn’t let him invade her thoughts this way. She’d be seeing him on every street corner if she did.

But by the time she pulled into her driveway at home, she knew without a doubt that she had just seen Blake Donovan. What could he be doing in Amarillo on Saturday afternoon talking to a Realtor?

Her mother’s words returned to her mind.
“I don’t know why, but I have this feeling you’ll come home from this trip changed in some way.”
Tessa leaned her head back against the headrest and stifled a groan. If Blake stayed in Amarillo, her life would indeed change.

S
o what do you think?” the Realtor asked Blake. “Will this one meet your needs?”

Blake stood back and let his gaze sweep over the large brick building. In years past a number of businesses had operated here, but Blake couldn’t remember seeing any activity around the old brick structure in several years. Persistent weeds poked through cracks in the cement near the foundation that seemed surprisingly solid for the age of the building. In fact, both stories appeared to be in good repair, in spite of disuse and age.