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“That had been the plan but things changed.”
“That happens. Especially where people are concerned.” She sounded as if she was speaking about herself more than him.
It was time to change the subject. “Have you and Jeremy’s mom been friends for a long time?”
“No. We only met a few years ago.”
Well, at least he was getting more than a one-word answer.
“She works at the hospital?”
Laura Jo gave him a speculative look. “Are you interested in her?”
“I’m just trying to make conversation. Maybe learn a little more about you.”
Laura Jo placed her half-eaten hot dog on the plate in front of her. She looked at him from across the table for a second before saying, “We met at a group for mothers without partners. Her husband had died. We became friends, at first because we needed each other, then we found we liked each other.”
“So she was there when you needed someone.” He knew well what it was like to be alone and need someone to talk to. There had been no one when he’d arrived in LA. He had been lonely then and, come to think of it, he’d been lonely in Mobile at least up until the last week.
“Your parents weren’t around?”
“No. Hers had died. Mine…well, that’s another story. That’s why Marsha and I are trying to open a house for mothers who are on their own.”
“So how’s that going?”
“The city has agreed to sell us a house at a good price that would be perfect but we’re running out of time to raise the money.”
“Maybe I could be of some help. Atone for my car.”
“A check for three hundred thousand would be great.” She grinned at him as if she was making a joke but he could see hope in her eyes.
He winced. “That would be my car and at least one or two more.”
“I’ve seen you ride a bike.” She grinned.
He threw back his head and laughed. “You’d make me resort to that to get your house?’
“I’d do almost anything. This chance might not come again.”
She took a swallow of her drink as if her mouth had suddenly gone dry.
Why did that thought of her in bed, beneath him, pop into his head? He raised a brow.
Her eyes widened. A stricken look covered her face. “You know what I mean.”
“I have an idea. We could go to the Krewe of Orion dance together. See some of our old friends. There should be plenty of people there willing to donate. All you’d have to do is get one to agree to support you and then the others would line up to help out.”
“I don’t think so.”
“To going with me or that others would help?”
“To going.”
“Do you mind if I ask why?” He caught her gaze.
“That’s not my idea of a good time anymore.”
What had brought on that remark? He pushed his plate away. “Well, this is a first. A woman who doesn’t want to get dressed up and go to a party.”
“Not all women like that sort of stuff.”
“It’s just one night. Attending with me isn’t like going to the gallows.” He chuckled. “I promise.”
“It’s still no, thank you.” She pushed half of her leftover hot dog bun across the plate.
“Well, I guess you have other plans for the way you’re going to get the money for the house. I’m sorry, I need my car. However, I’ll make a donation to the cause.”
As if she was all of a sudden concerned about sounding rude, she said, “I do appreciate you trying to help. I’ll take you up on that.” She stood with plate in hand. “I guess I better get the kids home to bed. They have school tomorrow.”
Mark also gathered his plate and joined her as she walked into the house. They found Allie and Jeremy on the couch, Gus snoring between them.
“I’ll write that check and help you get them loaded,” Mark said as he took her plate and walked into the kitchen. While there he wrote a check. When he returned, Laura Jo already had Allie in her arms. He scooped Jeremy up and followed her out of the house. They worked together to get each child in and secured.
Digging in his front pocket, he pulled out the check and handed it to Laura Jo.
Laura Jo read it. Her eyes widened. She looked at him. “Thank you. This is very generous.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Also thanks for giving Allie today. I don’t have much of a chance to do things like this for her.”
“I didn’t just do it for Allie.” They walked around to the driver’s door and Laura Jo opened it.
“I know Jeremy also had a good time.”
“What about you?”
“Me?’
“Yeah. I was hoping you had a nice day, too.”
“I did.”
She acted as if it was a foreign idea that he might be interested in her having a good time. “Good. Maybe we could do it again sometime. Just you and me.”
“I’ve already told you. We have nothing in common.”
“Nonsense. We have a lot in common. Our childhoods, medicine, parades and laughter. That’s more than most people have.” When she’d been teasing him about Gus there had been an easiness between them. He wanted to see if she was putting up the front he believed she was. To make her act on her attraction to him. He was tired of being dismissed by her. “I bet if you tried, you could find something you like about me. Maybe this could help.”
He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him. She only had time to gasp before his lips found hers. She didn’t react at first, which gave him time to taste her lips. Soft, warm and slightly parted. Then for the briefest of seconds she returned his kiss. His heart thumped against his ribs at the possibilities before her hands spread wide against his chest. She shoved him away, hard.
His hands fell to his sides.
“You had no right to do that,” she hissed.
“I can’t say that I’m sorry.”
She slid behind the steering wheel and before she could close the door he said, “Goodnight, Laura Jo.”
“It’s more like goodbye.” She slammed the door.
Not a chance. Mark watched her taillights disappear up his drive. They’d be seeing each other again if he had anything to say about it. She was the first wo
man he’d met who had him thinking about the possibilities of tomorrow, even when he shouldn’t.
It intrigued him that she put up such a fight not to have anything to do with him. That was except for the moments she’d melted in his arms. Could he get her to linger there long enough to forget whatever stood between them? Long enough to make her appreciate something they might both enjoy?
* * *
Laura Jo couldn’t remember the last time a man had kissed her, but it sure hadn’t been anything near as powerful as the brief one Mark had just given her. Her hands shook on the steering wheel. Why had he done it? Hadn’t she made it clear to him that she didn’t want to become involved with him? Had she been giving off a different signal?
It didn’t matter why. It couldn’t, wouldn’t happen again. There couldn’t be anything real between them anyway. When she did open up again to a man she would know him well. She wanted someone settled, who wouldn’t leave town at any moment. Someone who cared nothing for being involved in Mobile society. From what she knew about Mark so far, he had none of those qualities.
The lights of the cars flickered across the water as she traveled over the low bay causeway back to Mobile.
Thinking about and fretting over Mark was a waste of time. Laura Jo fingered the check he had given her. It was literally a raindrop in a pond to what she needed. She had to find some way to raise the money needed to buy the house. There was also Allie to see about and her job to keep. Mark Clayborn hadn’t been hers years ago and he wasn’t hers now.
Mark, she’d already learned, was a man with a strong sense of who he was. If she let him into her life he might try to control it, like her father and Phil had. She needed a partner, a father for Allie, someone sturdy and dependable. Until that happened it was her job to make decisions about her life and Allie’s. She would never again depend on a man or let him dictate to her.
Marsha was there to greet her when she pulled into the parking area of the apartment complex. She had to have been watching for them. Knowing Marsha, she’d want details of the afternoon and evening. When Laura Jo had called her earlier to inform her that they would be staying a little longer at Mark’s for supper, her speculative tone had made Laura Jo feel like she needed to justify her decision.
