Springer fella on the televi sion. Said I ge t too excited and my blood pres sure— ”
He let go of Joe ’ s hand and flicked a gnarled fin ger upward as he whistled through his teeth. “ I just love a good battle. Especially between a little gal and big guy. Can ’ t wait to see how this comes out in the paper. ”
“ Paper? ”
“ You betcha. ” He pointed at a young man with a notepad and pen, who still scribbled madly, at the table near the window. “ That there is the school board reporter. Not a very important beat, don ’ tcha know, so they give it to a high school kid. But he got an earful tonight. Wouldn ’ t be surprised if he sends the thing to the television station. After all the interest last night, this here meeting will be news. ”
Joe groaned. More publicity. Grr .
Hoyt slapped him on the arm. “ This is going to be a great summer. I just love them baseball games, but now, with you two goin ’ at it— ” He whistled again, the sound shrill and loud above the noise. “ It ’ s goin ’ to be a doozy. I bet the crowds are huge. ” Stepping closer, Hoyt nudged Joe in the gut—hard. “ She ’ s a pretty little thing, ain ’ t she? ”
Joe rubbed his belly. “ Who? ”
“ Coach Vaughn. ”
Joe followed Hoyt ’s gaze to where Evie stood sur rounded by several parents. The dress she ’ d worn to the meeting was plain and simple, but perfect for her, and Joe caught himself admiring her shapely shoulders and smooth skin, which the thin straps of her dress revealed.
Hoyt ’ s whistle this time was of the wolf variety and drew Evie ’ s attention from the group toward them. She frowned at Joe, and he shrugged and pointed at Hoyt. Her frown turned into a genuine smile of affection, and she excused herself from her circle to join them.
Evie kissed Hoyt ’ s wrinkled cheek, and the tough old guy blushed. “ Good show, girlie. I ’m im pressed. ”
“ I aim to please. ”
“ Well, I ’ m leaving before Merlene comes lookin ’ for me. You know how she gets when I ’ m late. I ’ ll see you at practice, Coach. ” He walked off with a spring in his step that belied the years on his face.
“ Practice? ” Joe asked.
“ He ’ s my assistant. ”
“ Hoyt? He must be eighty. ”
“ Eighty-three. He played with DiMaggio. ”
“ No way. ”
“ Yes, way. He knows more than I do. But while the mind is willing, the body just can ’t keep up any more. ”
“ He ’ s got a grip like a sumo wrestler. ”
“ That he does. ” She looked over Joe ’ s shoulder. “ I guess they ’ re waiting to lock up. ”
Joe followed her gaze. The custodian stood in the doorway, jingling his keys. Everyone else had dis appeared. “ I ’ ll walk you to your car. ”
“ No need. Thi s is Oak Grove. The most danger ous thing wandering the streets at night is a stray cat. ”
“ I think we need to talk. ”
“ Oh. ” She colored. “ Of course. ”
He followed her from the room, down the long hallway lined with lockers and out the door that emptied into the parking lot. Only his car remained, with no sign of Evie ’ s.
“ Your car? ”
“ I walked. ”
“ Walked? ”
“ Yes, walked. It is summer. ”
“ That must be two miles. ”
She laughed. “ Don ’ t sound so surprised, he-man. Walking is good for the lungs, and even better for the mind when you rarely get to be alone. Besides, Adam took the car to your house. ”
Joe tensed. How could he have forgotten his baby was home alone—or rather not alone? Joe resisted the urge to jump in his vehicle and tear out of the lot to rescue his little girl. When he looked down at Evie, she was smiling.
“ What? ”
“ You might be Iceman, but when you think about Toni—everything you feel is all over your face. ”
He shrugged and turned away, embarrassed.
“ It ’ s one of your appealing qualities. ” She sounded both amazed and amused.
He turned back to her with a raise of his brow. “ I bet you figured I
He let go of Joe ’ s hand and flicked a gnarled fin ger upward as he whistled through his teeth. “ I just love a good battle. Especially between a little gal and big guy. Can ’ t wait to see how this comes out in the paper. ”
“ Paper? ”
“ You betcha. ” He pointed at a young man with a notepad and pen, who still scribbled madly, at the table near the window. “ That there is the school board reporter. Not a very important beat, don ’ tcha know, so they give it to a high school kid. But he got an earful tonight. Wouldn ’ t be surprised if he sends the thing to the television station. After all the interest last night, this here meeting will be news. ”
Joe groaned. More publicity. Grr .
Hoyt slapped him on the arm. “ This is going to be a great summer. I just love them baseball games, but now, with you two goin ’ at it— ” He whistled again, the sound shrill and loud above the noise. “ It ’ s goin ’ to be a doozy. I bet the crowds are huge. ” Stepping closer, Hoyt nudged Joe in the gut—hard. “ She ’ s a pretty little thing, ain ’ t she? ”
Joe rubbed his belly. “ Who? ”
“ Coach Vaughn. ”
Joe followed Hoyt ’s gaze to where Evie stood sur rounded by several parents. The dress she ’ d worn to the meeting was plain and simple, but perfect for her, and Joe caught himself admiring her shapely shoulders and smooth skin, which the thin straps of her dress revealed.
Hoyt ’ s whistle this time was of the wolf variety and drew Evie ’ s attention from the group toward them. She frowned at Joe, and he shrugged and pointed at Hoyt. Her frown turned into a genuine smile of affection, and she excused herself from her circle to join them.
Evie kissed Hoyt ’ s wrinkled cheek, and the tough old guy blushed. “ Good show, girlie. I ’m im pressed. ”
“ I aim to please. ”
“ Well, I ’ m leaving before Merlene comes lookin ’ for me. You know how she gets when I ’ m late. I ’ ll see you at practice, Coach. ” He walked off with a spring in his step that belied the years on his face.
“ Practice? ” Joe asked.
“ He ’ s my assistant. ”
“ Hoyt? He must be eighty. ”
“ Eighty-three. He played with DiMaggio. ”
“ No way. ”
“ Yes, way. He knows more than I do. But while the mind is willing, the body just can ’t keep up any more. ”
“ He ’ s got a grip like a sumo wrestler. ”
“ That he does. ” She looked over Joe ’ s shoulder. “ I guess they ’ re waiting to lock up. ”
Joe followed her gaze. The custodian stood in the doorway, jingling his keys. Everyone else had dis appeared. “ I ’ ll walk you to your car. ”
“ No need. Thi s is Oak Grove. The most danger ous thing wandering the streets at night is a stray cat. ”
“ I think we need to talk. ”
“ Oh. ” She colored. “ Of course. ”
He followed her from the room, down the long hallway lined with lockers and out the door that emptied into the parking lot. Only his car remained, with no sign of Evie ’ s.
“ Your car? ”
“ I walked. ”
“ Walked? ”
“ Yes, walked. It is summer. ”
“ That must be two miles. ”
She laughed. “ Don ’ t sound so surprised, he-man. Walking is good for the lungs, and even better for the mind when you rarely get to be alone. Besides, Adam took the car to your house. ”
Joe tensed. How could he have forgotten his baby was home alone—or rather not alone? Joe resisted the urge to jump in his vehicle and tear out of the lot to rescue his little girl. When he looked down at Evie, she was smiling.
“ What? ”
“ You might be Iceman, but when you think about Toni—everything you feel is all over your face. ”
He shrugged and turned away, embarrassed.
“ It ’ s one of your appealing qualities. ” She sounded both amazed and amused.
He turned back to her with a raise of his brow. “ I bet you figured I
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