with him and Tuti. And
you’re tutoring his daughter.”
She eyed him through the spokes. “News travels fast in a small
town. There’s nothing going on between us.”
A shock of dark hair fell over his forehead as he worked. “Hey,
I didn’t say there was.”
“So don’t make a federal case out of it.”
“It was an innocent question.” He gave her a wink. “But now I’m
wondering.”
“Oh, for God’s sake.” Katie picked up a pebble from the gravel
driveway and tossed it back and forth in her hands. “John was against me cycling
off road on my own.”
“He’s got a point,” her father said, returning with a sheet of
sandpaper. He began scraping the rust off the fenders. “It’s dangerous.”
“I’ll be fine.” Katie frowned. “Why does everyone think I’m so
incompetent?”
“Not incompetent. You just have different strengths.” Riley
pulled the last bit of tire away from the rim. “John says you two made a pact to
be friends.”
Friends. The reality was so much more complicated, as she was
finding out. “We’re making a stab at it. For Tuti’s sake.”
“Only Tuti’s sake?” her dad said, rasping away. “Shame. I
always liked John. I thought you two were a good couple.”
“I used to think so. But it turned out he wasn’t like you were
with Mum—totally devoted, solid and loyal.” Half-jokingly, she added, “You are
my model of a perfect husband. I’m still waiting for the guy who can live up to
your example.”
Barry stopped his task to frown at her beneath his bushy gray
eyebrows. “Hmm.” Then he went on sandpapering.
“Got it.” Riley pulled the inner tube away from the tire.
“Let’s take this inside to the sink. I’ll show you how to find a hole in the
inner tube by watching for bubbles under water.”
Katie tossed the pebble and stood. “Coming, Dad?”
“Nah, I’ll finish shining up these fenders and give the chain a
grease,” Barry said.
“Thanks. You’re the best.” Katie gave him a hug.
Then she followed Riley into the house through to the laundry
room. As the sink filled with water her thoughts went back to yesterday and the
subtle power struggle between her and John. She’d had no right to discipline
Tuti, but she would have thought he would at least respect her experience and
knowledge of handling children. And having been drawn into the situation at
John’s house she couldn’t ignore it.
“What happens if you have to discipline Jamie for some reason?”
she asked Riley. “Does Paula get bent out of shape? Do you agree on an
approach?”
Riley turned off the tap and leaned against the counter. “When
Paula’s around, I keep my nose out of it. Jamie’s her kid. She’s raised him for
six years and knows what she’s doing. I’m just an amateur. Why do you ask?”
“Tuti took my shoes when I was at their house yesterday and
climbed a tree with them. John went all Rambo dad on her and scared her farther
up. It was dangerous. He wouldn’t even listen to my suggestions. I’ve been
dealing with kids in that age group for ten years. By his own admission, he
doesn’t have a clue.”
“He’s got a bunch of nieces and nephews.”
“It’s not the same. I bet he just plays with them. He doesn’t
have to make them behave.”
“True, but…” Riley took the inner tube from Katie and plunged
it below the water. “Bottom line, Tuti’s his kid. No one wants to hear someone
else yelling at their child.”
“I didn’t yell. It was good cop, bad cop. I was the nice
one.”
“Did Tuti get down all right?”
“Yes, but she gave John—and me—a scare.”
Riley shot her a look. “So what’s the big deal? So he didn’t
listen to you. He still got her down. Getting a little hot under the collar over
a simple disagreement, aren’t you?”
Okay, so maybe she was making more of this than it warranted.
But she was proud of her child-handling skills and John had called them into
question. They had a history of clashing on
you’re tutoring his daughter.”
She eyed him through the spokes. “News travels fast in a small
town. There’s nothing going on between us.”
A shock of dark hair fell over his forehead as he worked. “Hey,
I didn’t say there was.”
“So don’t make a federal case out of it.”
“It was an innocent question.” He gave her a wink. “But now I’m
wondering.”
“Oh, for God’s sake.” Katie picked up a pebble from the gravel
driveway and tossed it back and forth in her hands. “John was against me cycling
off road on my own.”
“He’s got a point,” her father said, returning with a sheet of
sandpaper. He began scraping the rust off the fenders. “It’s dangerous.”
“I’ll be fine.” Katie frowned. “Why does everyone think I’m so
incompetent?”
“Not incompetent. You just have different strengths.” Riley
pulled the last bit of tire away from the rim. “John says you two made a pact to
be friends.”
Friends. The reality was so much more complicated, as she was
finding out. “We’re making a stab at it. For Tuti’s sake.”
“Only Tuti’s sake?” her dad said, rasping away. “Shame. I
always liked John. I thought you two were a good couple.”
“I used to think so. But it turned out he wasn’t like you were
with Mum—totally devoted, solid and loyal.” Half-jokingly, she added, “You are
my model of a perfect husband. I’m still waiting for the guy who can live up to
your example.”
Barry stopped his task to frown at her beneath his bushy gray
eyebrows. “Hmm.” Then he went on sandpapering.
“Got it.” Riley pulled the inner tube away from the tire.
“Let’s take this inside to the sink. I’ll show you how to find a hole in the
inner tube by watching for bubbles under water.”
Katie tossed the pebble and stood. “Coming, Dad?”
“Nah, I’ll finish shining up these fenders and give the chain a
grease,” Barry said.
“Thanks. You’re the best.” Katie gave him a hug.
Then she followed Riley into the house through to the laundry
room. As the sink filled with water her thoughts went back to yesterday and the
subtle power struggle between her and John. She’d had no right to discipline
Tuti, but she would have thought he would at least respect her experience and
knowledge of handling children. And having been drawn into the situation at
John’s house she couldn’t ignore it.
“What happens if you have to discipline Jamie for some reason?”
she asked Riley. “Does Paula get bent out of shape? Do you agree on an
approach?”
Riley turned off the tap and leaned against the counter. “When
Paula’s around, I keep my nose out of it. Jamie’s her kid. She’s raised him for
six years and knows what she’s doing. I’m just an amateur. Why do you ask?”
“Tuti took my shoes when I was at their house yesterday and
climbed a tree with them. John went all Rambo dad on her and scared her farther
up. It was dangerous. He wouldn’t even listen to my suggestions. I’ve been
dealing with kids in that age group for ten years. By his own admission, he
doesn’t have a clue.”
“He’s got a bunch of nieces and nephews.”
“It’s not the same. I bet he just plays with them. He doesn’t
have to make them behave.”
“True, but…” Riley took the inner tube from Katie and plunged
it below the water. “Bottom line, Tuti’s his kid. No one wants to hear someone
else yelling at their child.”
“I didn’t yell. It was good cop, bad cop. I was the nice
one.”
“Did Tuti get down all right?”
“Yes, but she gave John—and me—a scare.”
Riley shot her a look. “So what’s the big deal? So he didn’t
listen to you. He still got her down. Getting a little hot under the collar over
a simple disagreement, aren’t you?”
Okay, so maybe she was making more of this than it warranted.
But she was proud of her child-handling skills and John had called them into
question. They had a history of clashing on
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