"It's great to mess up. Do you want to try?"
He grinned. "By jumping in it?"
"How else?"
With a conspiratorial wink at Ryan, she jumped and landed on her bottom in the pile, the leaves toppling over her. "Come on," she called.
Ryan landed close beside her and waved his arms, pushing leaves in all directions. He tried to cover her with them. She returned the action in kind and tickled him. He giggled and giggled, and Tessa thought she'd never heard a more wonderful sound.
Above the ruckus, Max called, "While you two undo everything you've done, I have papers to grade and lesson plans to finish."
Tessa stopped tormenting Ryan and slapped the leaves in front of her. "You could join us."
Ryan chimed in, "Yeah, Dad. Jump. You'll really make them fly."
Max smiled ruefully and shook his head. "Not this time." Crossing to the car, he picked up a book then went into the house.
Tessa had to ask herself what would have happened if Max had jumped into the leaves, if they'd tumbled together, playing and laughing. If they were going to be "friends," she'd have to set her impulses aside, even imaginary ones.
***
Monday morning, Tessa pushed the cart through the grocery store. She'd decided to start planning the Halloween party by coming here first. She'd found recipes for cute little Halloween cookies—the kind Leslie would have made. Tessa had never baked cookies before, but how hard could it be to roll out dough, bake it and ice it? She'd also found a recipe for a cake designed in the shape of a pumpkin. Sure, she could buy something but she felt she had something to prove...to herself or to Max?
As she passed through the baked goods section, she tossed confectioner's sugar and cinnamon into her basket, thinking about Ryan's costume. He'd said he wanted to be Robin Hood. How difficult could it be to make a green tunic? Max had pulled Leslie's sewing machine out of the storage space and he and Tessa had figured out how it worked. Ryan was excited already about the party. Tessa was going to make it the best Halloween he would ever experience. Just like Leslie would have.
At least if she was busy with the party, she'd be less aware of Max. After Max had said his piece yesterday, tension had eased. But she still felt every nerve go on red alert when he came near. She still felt the sound of his voice to her toes. She'd be the first to admit she was confused about what was happening between them.
"Max Winthrop."
Tessa had been thinking about him, but she hadn't said his name out loud. Someone else had.
"Her name's Tessa Kahill. I've seen her on the news and on TV specials. I’ve read her blogs and articles on that news website."
Tessa craned her neck and could just see over the boxes of cake mix into the next aisle. Nothing could keep her from eavesdropping.
A black-haired woman said, "They were at the dance together. She acted like a teenager, dancing with the students. He just stood and watched her. He was probably mortified. I hear she was a friend of his wife's. And she's living with him!"
A blond-highlighted, brunette shook her head. "I heard she's only staying a few weeks. She travels around the world. I can't imagine why she'd want to stay here even for a little while."
"I can. He's a well put together red-blooded male. She's a red-blooded female. You can't tell me there's nothing going on in that house when his son's asleep."
How dare these women judge Max? How dare they butt into his private business? Tessa opened her mouth, then closed it again. Max would hate it if she caused a scene. She wondered what other rumors were spreading across town. Suddenly she remembered Al Weaver's statement that he knew she and Max were "close." What did he think he knew?
Her cart rattled as she pushed it down the aisle to finish her shopping. She'd better not end up in the same check-out line as those two women or she'd be tempted
He grinned. "By jumping in it?"
"How else?"
With a conspiratorial wink at Ryan, she jumped and landed on her bottom in the pile, the leaves toppling over her. "Come on," she called.
Ryan landed close beside her and waved his arms, pushing leaves in all directions. He tried to cover her with them. She returned the action in kind and tickled him. He giggled and giggled, and Tessa thought she'd never heard a more wonderful sound.
Above the ruckus, Max called, "While you two undo everything you've done, I have papers to grade and lesson plans to finish."
Tessa stopped tormenting Ryan and slapped the leaves in front of her. "You could join us."
Ryan chimed in, "Yeah, Dad. Jump. You'll really make them fly."
Max smiled ruefully and shook his head. "Not this time." Crossing to the car, he picked up a book then went into the house.
Tessa had to ask herself what would have happened if Max had jumped into the leaves, if they'd tumbled together, playing and laughing. If they were going to be "friends," she'd have to set her impulses aside, even imaginary ones.
***
Monday morning, Tessa pushed the cart through the grocery store. She'd decided to start planning the Halloween party by coming here first. She'd found recipes for cute little Halloween cookies—the kind Leslie would have made. Tessa had never baked cookies before, but how hard could it be to roll out dough, bake it and ice it? She'd also found a recipe for a cake designed in the shape of a pumpkin. Sure, she could buy something but she felt she had something to prove...to herself or to Max?
As she passed through the baked goods section, she tossed confectioner's sugar and cinnamon into her basket, thinking about Ryan's costume. He'd said he wanted to be Robin Hood. How difficult could it be to make a green tunic? Max had pulled Leslie's sewing machine out of the storage space and he and Tessa had figured out how it worked. Ryan was excited already about the party. Tessa was going to make it the best Halloween he would ever experience. Just like Leslie would have.
At least if she was busy with the party, she'd be less aware of Max. After Max had said his piece yesterday, tension had eased. But she still felt every nerve go on red alert when he came near. She still felt the sound of his voice to her toes. She'd be the first to admit she was confused about what was happening between them.
"Max Winthrop."
Tessa had been thinking about him, but she hadn't said his name out loud. Someone else had.
"Her name's Tessa Kahill. I've seen her on the news and on TV specials. I’ve read her blogs and articles on that news website."
Tessa craned her neck and could just see over the boxes of cake mix into the next aisle. Nothing could keep her from eavesdropping.
A black-haired woman said, "They were at the dance together. She acted like a teenager, dancing with the students. He just stood and watched her. He was probably mortified. I hear she was a friend of his wife's. And she's living with him!"
A blond-highlighted, brunette shook her head. "I heard she's only staying a few weeks. She travels around the world. I can't imagine why she'd want to stay here even for a little while."
"I can. He's a well put together red-blooded male. She's a red-blooded female. You can't tell me there's nothing going on in that house when his son's asleep."
How dare these women judge Max? How dare they butt into his private business? Tessa opened her mouth, then closed it again. Max would hate it if she caused a scene. She wondered what other rumors were spreading across town. Suddenly she remembered Al Weaver's statement that he knew she and Max were "close." What did he think he knew?
Her cart rattled as she pushed it down the aisle to finish her shopping. She'd better not end up in the same check-out line as those two women or she'd be tempted
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