Saving Grace (4 page)

“Do they have a conductor?” She corrected him. “No. It’s a small train that goes around Zilker Park, but it’s so fun. After, we can play at the park if you want.”

HW and Cart practically vibrated they nodded so violently.

CoCo’s phone buzzed with a text. They all stopped. She pulled her phone out of her back pocket and checked the screen. “Dad wants you to call him.”

Grace took her time working her phone out of her back pocket. While she would have loved to have seen his face when he’d read CoCo’s text, she didn’t relish this conversation. Being dismissed or ignored all together wasn’t her favorite way to communicate. She typed in her password to unlock her iPhone. “What’s his number?”

Coco leaned over and punched the numbers in.

Grace hit send and put the phone to her ear.

He answered on the second ring. “Hello.”

There was a lot of yelling and a whistle blew.

“This is Grace Kelley. You wanted to speak with me.” She was going for bored, but it came out pissy.

“I’ll be right with you.” There was some shuffling on his end, and the yelling got fainter and fainter. A door slammed shut, and then he said, “Sorry. I’m running some plays with the offensive line. I’m in the locker room now.”

“The kids took a taxi to downtown to find me—”

“I’m not happy about that and…” He took a deep breath. “Sorry about the way I treated you the other night.”

Grace hadn’t known she was capable of stunned silence, but there it was. After a few seconds, she finally made her mouth work. “That sounded painful. I’m going to need a moment to gloat.”

Winning was right up there with ice cream on her favorites list, especially when it must have cost him dearly.

“Ha ha, very funny.” Nervous laughter boomed through the phone. “You should know, I don’t apologize often.”

“That’s why I’m gloating.” She smiled to herself. “I’m maximizing your feeling of discomfort. Is it working?”

“Yes. How long does this gloating process take?” The laughter was gone, but his tone was genial. “I’m on the clock. I’ve got drills to finish, a coaches meeting, an owner’s meeting, and game films to watch.”

“It’s March that’s the off season, right?” Grace didn’t know much about football except what she’d picked up waitressing at a sports bar.

“Sweetheart, for me, there is no off season. This just happens to be the time of year when there aren’t any games.” When he wasn’t busy being an ass, he was kind of a nice guy.

“We too are very busy. We’re headed to Zilker Park to ride the train, and eat snow cones, and then I’m taking the Robbins brood home where we hope Mrs. Jenkins is up from her nap.” How any babysitter could fall asleep while on duty was beyond Grace.

“Yes, about that. May I speak with HW?” Chord’s voice had taken on a sense of severity that had not been there before.

“Uh oh. What happened?” Grace asked. “Do I want to know?”

“Probably not.” Chord took a deep breath. “Hand him the phone, please.”

Grace handed the phone to HW who put it to his ear. “Dad, she’s taking us for snow cones!”

All the excitement drained from HW’s face. “But dad, we were only trying to help her. She always loses her glasses so Cart and I thought if we super glued them to her face when she was asleep, then she wouldn’t lose them again.”

Grace smashed her lips together to keep from laughing. Super gluing the glasses to the face was pretty sound logic. It made sense to a couple of eight-year-olds.

Both HW and Cart hung their heads. HW handed the phone back. “He wants to talk to you.”

She put it to her ear. “Yes.”

“I’m pretty sure you’ve got a lecture all planned, but I don’t have time now. You can just say I told you so.” Chord sounded rushed.

“No worries. I was just marveling at the boys’ creativity. They were just trying to help. Their execution could use a little work, but the idea was sound.”

“Wow, color me surprised. I thought for sure you’d launch into some parenting speech.” He spoke fast.

“Nope. I don’t like to be predictable. Plus, I like your kids.”

Cart smiled up at her, and she winked at him.

“Good, because I need a favor.” He took another deep breath, and she got the impression asking for favors was hard for him. “Can you watch them until I get home around seven? I know you’re probably busy, and they aren’t you’re responsibility, but Mrs. Jenkins quit. I don’t have anyone else.”

“Poor Mrs. Jenkins, can’t see genius even with her glasses glued to her face.” Grace high-fived HW.

Chord laughed. It was deep and genuine. “I’ll pay you fifty bucks an hour. Please say yes, because I need to run.”

“Sure. I’d love to hang out with the Robbins clan.” Grace let out her own deep breath. “And if you’re covering expenses, we’re going to the Austin Children’s Museum.”

“Whatever it takes. I’ll text you a picture of my credit card. Be gentle.” A door opened, and the faint shouting voices were back. “Thanks, I owe you.”

He hung up. A couple of seconds later, her phone beeped with a text. It was a picture of fingers holding a credit card.

Fifty dollars an hour. Maybe she could parlay this into something full time. Tonight, she wouldn’t have to sing for her supper because after the museum, she was taking the kids home, and they were cooking a proper meal.

At seven-thirty-two, Chord clicked the garage door opener and pulled into the five-bay garage. After he put the car in park, he turned off the engine.

He was tired, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. The owner’s meeting hadn’t gone well. Several of the player’s contracts were up for negotiation, and the money-men on both sides were haggling, leaving him caught in the middle.

The only thing that had made today easier were the funny pictures Grace texted of the kids enjoying the train, snow cones, the park, and the museum. She liked his kids and had a way with them. More than once, he’d wished he was there having fun right along with them. Hanging out with his kids and watching their eager faces while they experienced something new and exciting.

His headed pounded, and every single molecule in his body hurt. The headache had started around noon, stuck with him all day and was now doing its best to split his head open. He needed food, a long hot shower, and a good night’s sleep. Since they’d already ordered pizza twice this week, they’d find some other takeout place, and he could manage the hot shower, but the good night’s sleep wasn’t likely.

Chord opened the door and stepped out onto the cement floor. The world swayed a bit so he grabbed the hood for support. After the black dots turned back into his garage he staggered to the house door. Before opening it, he punched the button next to it to close the garage door. The ear-splitting noise of unoiled hinges unrolling the garage door had him covering his ears. Leaning against the wall and pressing his palms to his ears was all he could do to keep upright.

The house door swung open, and Grace stared up at him.

“What happened to you? You look terrible.” Her almond-shaped brown eyes analyzed him from head to toe. She had pretty eyes when they weren’t all scrunched up in anger.

“Nothing, I’m fine. I just have a headache.” The world started spinning again, and he grabbed for the wall.

Grace slid one arm around his waist and touched his forehead with the other. “You’re burning up with fever. Let’s get you in bed.”

“But the kids.”

“I’ve got them.” She took his weight and together they shuffled into the kitchen. “We were waiting to eat dinner until you got home. After I get you into bed, I’ll feed them and put them to bed. I’ll sleep on the couch—”

“We have three guest rooms and a guest house.” His throat was so dry, he needed water and lots of it.

“Of course you do. You strike me as an overachiever, I would expect that your house would be an overachiever as well.” She laughed and the sound eased some of the anxiety he felt about not spending time with his kids. “Where’s everyone?”

“We stopped by Goodwill on the way home. CoCo got some cool retro clothes for sixties day next week at school, HW got the Harry Potter Boxed set, and is almost a quarter of the way through book one. And Cart got a vacuum that doesn’t work he’s currently taking apart in the blue living room. He swears he can fix it.”

“The blue living room?” He didn’t know CoCo’s school had a sixties day. He did know HW liked to read, and Cart loved taking things apart. He’d found out the latter when Cart was two and took the apart the remote. He’d had to buy another TV because he couldn’t get a replacement remote. After a few hours, she knew his kids better than he did.

“As far as I can tell, your house has four living rooms so I’ve named them based on color.” She slid her other arm around him for support. “Where’s your room?”

“Up the stairs and at the end of the hall.” It felt like his body weighed a thousand pounds. “Thanks for taking them today…and for staying tonight.”

They took the stairs one at a time.

“If I didn’t, they’d just track me down tomorrow.” She leaned into him trying to take more of his weight.

Her hair smelled like oranges and coconut and he couldn’t help but notice her breast mashed against his side. He glanced down. It was the same one that started Nipple-Gate on
The Voice
. Her breasts weren’t large, but they were girl breasts, which made them interesting. His body may be sick, but his libido worked just fine.

“CoCo instigated their little field trip today. She needed some female advice.” Grace said.

“Why? We talk. If there’s a boy issue she usually comes to me.” He had a great relationship with his daughter. This didn’t make any sense.

“She started her period today. She had some questions you aren’t equipped to answer.” Grace shrugged. “While the boys road the train, we discussed the changes in her body. It’s a hard time for girls and somewhat embarrassing.”

“Started her period.” The words sank in. It seemed like yesterday she’d been a newborn he’d cuddled in the hospital. “I’m not ready for that.”

“Almost fifteen makes her a late bloomer. Mother Nature has her own time table.”

They made it to the top of the landing and slowly walked down the hall.

“If it’s okay with you on your next day off, I’d like to take her for a ladies day. My aunt did that for me when I started my period. You take the boys and I’ll take her. My aunt took me window-shopping and then out to lunch, and then we did our nails. Just the two of us. All of the other kids stayed home with my uncle.”

“How many kids?” It dawned on him he knew little about her, and she was spending lots of time with his children. Tomorrow, he’d run a background check on her to supplement the info he’d found on the Internet.

“There were ten, well eleven including me, but I’m the only one still living. After my aunt and uncle adopted me, they started taking in foster kids with special needs—you know the ones who would never have been adopted out. I had four brothers with Cystic Fibrosis, a sister with Down’s Syndrome, three sisters with profound retardation, and two siblings—a brother and sister—who were severely autistic.”

“Your aunt and uncle sound like saints.” No wonder she knew so much about children, she’d been taking care of them her entire life.

“I’m going to tell my uncle you said that. He’ll like it, and my aunt would have liked it too. She died several years ago. Now, it’s just me and my uncle.”

“Is he close by?” As long as he concentrated on her, he could almost ignore the pounding in his head…almost.

“He’s in an assisted living facility in Round Rock. It’s not the best place, but it’s all I can afford. There’s a place in Lakeway that’s better, but they don’t have a spot for him right now, and I can’t swing the rent anyway.” She was breathing heavily.

At six foot one and mostly muscle, he knew it couldn’t be easy for her to take all of his weight. “What about insurance? Doesn’t that pay part of it?”

It wasn’t any of his business, but focusing on her was sort of working.

“They pay the majority, but my uncle is a retired chemistry teacher and part-time Baptist preacher. In the state of Texas, teachers get teacher retirement and not social security, because some government agency calls it ‘double dipping’ to give them both. Even though most teachers have worked other jobs, and paid into social security. If you ask me, it’s a load of crap.”

They stumbled into his bedroom. Grace looked around. “Not what I was expecting.”

Chord followed her eyes. He’d always hated this room. There was pink flowered wallpaper, a matching pink flowered comforter, and two pink velvet chairs in a sitting area in front of a pink marble fireplace.

Grace helped him to the bed. “That’s a whole lot of pink.” She looked around and shook her head. “You’re losing some serious man points by sleeping in this room.”

“My ex-wife loves pink.” He eased on the bed.

Grace knelt down and slipped off his shoes. “Did you two just get divorced?”

“Nope, it’s been five years.” He was so cold. He should have gotten under the covers, but his mind wasn’t working right.

“Wow, I guess you got used to the pink.” As if she could read his mind, she went to the other side of the bed, grabbed the comforter and pulled it over him. “You can have the pink removed. All it would take is removing the wallpaper and getting new bedding and furniture. I’d be happy to call someone for you. We could have this de-pinked by next week.”

“I’ll think about it.” All he wanted to do right now, was drink a gallon of water and take a nap. “Can I ask you for one more thing?”

“Shoot.” She tucked another pillow under his head.

“Water. Could you bring me some water?”

“Absolutely.” She walked into the bathroom and riffled around through the cabinets. A minute later she came back with a box of cold medicine. “I’ll bring you some water and you can take these. They should help.”

She set them on the nightstand next to him and turned toward the door.

“Grace.”

She stopped and turned around. “Yes.”

“Thanks.”

One corner of her mouth turned up. She had a nice mouth…full bottom lip just ripe for sucking. “No worries.”