Surrogate Dad Read online

  Her palms were damp, her breathing, shallow. Her breasts seemed full, her nipples, sensitive against the restriction of her bra.

  Then he turned to her.

  For a long moment, their gazes met. He read her awareness as easily as if it had been written on her forehead in capital letters.

  And he grinned. Knowingly.

  Alexandra was mortified.

  “Is it okay, Mom?” David asked, wrenching her back to the present, back to the smelly, noisy racetrack, the hot sun, the dust.

  She had no idea what her son was talking about. “What?” she said stupidly.

  “Mo-om—”

  “I’ve arranged for David to take a touring run around the track if it’s all right with you.”

  “I guess it’s all right,” she said, still slightly at sea.

  “Aw-right! Let’s go, Luke.”

  Luke hesitated. “David, you see that woman down there by the car, the one in red overalls?” He pointed. When David nodded, he went on, “Her name is Maggie.”

  David looked at him. “Maggie?”

  “Well, her name is Margaret but if you call her that, she’ll black your eye. Go down there and introduce yourself. Tell her your mom said yes. Here are your credentials.” He pinned a plastic badge on David’s shirt, a match to the one he wore. “Maggie will find you a helmet and I’ll meet you there in a minute.”

  David ran down the shallow grade toward the grid, leaving them alone.

  “I’ll take care of him. It’s quite safe, you know. This is only a drive-around. But even in a race, and as I told you, the people who own vintage cars are hobbyists first, racers second.”

  His tone was calm and unflappable, meant to be soothing to a nervous parent. But it had the opposite effect on her. His low, steady voice merely upped the temperature of her blood as it raced through her veins.

  This was ridiculous. She had to get hold of herself. She wasn’t an emotional adolescent, reacting to the captain of the football team. She forced a casual smile. “I’m not afraid. I appreciate your thinking of the treat. He’ll love it. Where shall I meet you?”

  “We’ll come back to the grid. Maggie has fixed a picnic lunch for us. Or we can eat in the clubhouse tower if you’d prefer.”

  Alexandra looked down toward the grid, where her son stood talking to a tiny blonde in bright red coveralls. “Maggie is—”

  He grinned, reactivating the slash. “My crew chief.”

  “A mechanic?”

  “One of the best. Her father owned the garage in my hometown where I learned to tinker. She’s always worked around the cars. Come on, I’ll introduce you.”

  But Alexandra wasn’t ready to descend into the hive of activity just yet. She needed to get back her equilibrium. “You go on. I’ll wander around up here for a while.”

  Luke eyed her closely but she refused to let any emotion show on her face. “Are you all right?” he asked finally.

  She gave a short dismissive laugh. “Of course. I’ll meet you in—what?—fifteen minutes? Thirty?”

  He glanced at his watch. “Make it thirty.” From his pocket he took another plastic badge. “Here are your credentials. They’ll get you into the grid area and the tower.” He pointed to a tall building on a rise above them. “If you want a good view of this side of the track and the finish line, that’s the place to be.” He grinned and her breath stopped at the sight of his strong white teeth, his sensual mouth. “You can watch us go by. They have refreshments up there, too.”

  “Okay. Thanks. I’ll see you later.” She headed back toward the crowds with not a little bit of relief and pinned the badge to her collar.

  Luke watched her go. She was different today, more relaxed. He smiled.

  * * *

  The breeze that wove its way through the pines was welcome on Alexandra’s overheated face. She wandered to a concession stand and bought a soda. The cool drink quelled some of the turmoil in her belly. She was still shocked by her stormy reaction to him. More than shocked—she was stunned. It was so unlike her.

  Why? She was often exposed to good-looking men, without making a fool of herself. She didn’t gawk like a groupie at a rock concert. Perhaps it was the unexpected contrast between his office-lawyer persona and the racing enthusiast. Yes, surely that was the explanation.

  She’d become accustomed to her straitlaced, quiet-spoken and stiff-backed neighbor. To suddenly be presented with a Kevin Costner clone...it was more than her logic could handle. Like accidentally coming upon the president of the United States in running shorts. That had been a shock, too.

  She quit trying to rationalize her reaction, vowing to guard against its happening again.

  On the other hand, she was both surprised and gladdened to realize that her sensuality hadn’t been buried forever. At times recently, she’d begun to wonder if she would ever be attracted to a man again. She’d wondered when she went out with West and felt nothing except a slight warming, easily attributed to friendship.

  West was also a handsome man. Maybe better-looking than Luke. With his dark coffee-colored hair and blue eyes, his easy grin and ambling, self-confident gait, he would even be called sexy by most women.

  Foolish thoughts! Sexy was definitely not on her agenda. She quickened her step and set off toward the viewing tower. The large room at the top was filled with people. She edged toward the glass to look out over the track. Six cars sped by as she watched, obviously not racing one another, but going awfully fast, anyway. Either Luke and David had already passed or she was looking for the wrong car.

  Then she spied the gleaming silver hood coming around a copse of pine trees. Sunlight on the windshield concealed their faces until they were almost beneath her. As the car slowed, preparing to turn back into the grid, she waved. But they didn’t see her and her hand fell senselessly to her side.

  There had been a look of unmitigated joy on the face of her son. It was an expression she hadn’t seen in years. She watched the car until it stopped. Though she could no longer see details of their enjoyment, she saw the two exchange high fives.

  Tears blurred the sight and she blinked them away, feeling unsettled and slightly guilty. Clearly the child was reveling in the company of a man.

  Not very big for his age, David had not shown much interest in sports, except as a spectator. He hadn’t had the benefit of the sort of masculine influence a coach would have provided to a fatherless boy. She was sorry David didn’t like West Chadwick.

  West was good company, fun to be with, she thought irrelevantly. And he seemed to be attracted to her. Or as attracted as a man like West could be. He hadn’t a serious bone in his body. As far as she was concerned, that was his greatest appeal.

  She could control her response around him. Whereas her emotions seemed to have a life of their own when Luke was nearby.

  West was definitely the safest direction.

  Alexandra retraced her steps. Suddenly, she shivered. All around her, people were laughing, shouting to be heard over the din. And she felt as alone as she’d ever felt. She quickened her steps. When she reached the crest of the hill overlooking the grid, a security man eyed her badge, then nodded and turned away.

  David ran to meet her. “Hi, Mom. Did you see me?”

  She hugged her son, grateful for his warmth. “I certainly did. I had a great view from the tower. Did you enjoy the trip?”

  “It was rad, Mom. Totally awesome!”

  She didn’t have to be told that, thought Alexandra. Her son’s face still glowed with animation. “So, have you decided to be a race car driver?” She successfully hid a delicate shudder.

  He grinned. “Maybe someday.”

  Maggie was a surprise. What Alexandra had seen as blond was, in fact, prematurely white hair. In her early forties, she was a lovely woman. Where she swiped at perspiration on her face, the dust and grease were beginning to disguise her fine, delicate features. And she was very nice.

  When Luke took David off to show him another car, Alexan
dra found herself alone with the woman.

  Maggie opened the back of a van. She took out a folding table and began to set it up. Alexandra joined her. “What can I do?”

  “The tablecloth and napkins are in the yellow basket.”

  Alexandra shook out the cloth and spread it on the table. “Luke tells me you are following in your father’s footsteps.” She indicated the toolbox on the ground with a wave of her hand.

  Maggie gave her a brief, blank look, then understanding dawned. She chuckled. “Working on cars is a hobby. I’m a bank teller.”

  Alexandra was confused. “I’m sorry. I must have misunderstood.”

  “Luke probably said that my father taught me about cars. He taught Luke, too. We both grew up in the same little town in West Virginia.” Maggie continued to talk as she handed Alexandra a handful of plastic tableware and reached into the van for the first of what seemed to be a dozen containers. “After I got married, I think Dad hoped Luke would take over his business but he went off to college, instead.”

  “And you both ended up in Atlanta.”

  Maggie nodded. “My husband was born here. He’s a teacher at Piedmont High.”

  Alexandra, who had taken a large bowl of potato salad from Maggie, swung to face her. Here might be just the man to wean David from his dependency on Luke. “That’s where David is going this year,” she said delightedly. “He’s a freshman.”

  “It’s a good school. Morris teaches algebra and geometry and helps coach the soccer team.”

  David was impressed when he learned that Maggie’s husband was a teacher, less so at the news that he was also a coach. During lunch, he peppered Maggie with questions, which she answered good-naturedly. But they were questions about cars, not school.

  At one point, Alexandra tried to slow her son down, introduce the subject of Maggie’s husband, the teacher. But it didn’t work. And Maggie indicated that she didn’t mind his curiosity.

  Luke treated Maggie like a treasured friend—or an older sister. Alexandra didn’t know why that pleased her, but it did. Their friends stopped by in a constant stream, friends they had known for years, friends they’d met this morning. Some were Maggie’s friends; some were Luke’s. But Alexandra found out why Maggie had prepared so much food. Almost everyone who came picked up a sandwich, a brownie, a chicken leg, to munch on while they talked.

  After they finished lunch, Alexandra helped Maggie pack up the van, then both women found a spot in the shade while Luke and David took a last walk to the Concours d’Elegance, the exhibition of display cars.

  Alexandra took out her sketch pad.

  “This is the first time I’ve ever known Luke to invite a woman to the track,” said Maggie idly as she looked over Alexandra’s shoulder.

  Alexandra laughed. “He didn’t invite me, he asked David. I’m just along as chauffeur.” She hesitated. “This has been a wonderful experience for him. He doesn’t often get to spend much time with men. He isn’t particularly interested in sports, as you could probably tell.”

  “How did he—no, no—” She broke off and shook her head. “It’s none of my business.” She leaned over to see what Alexandra was doing. “Hey, that’s good!”

  Alexandra laughed. “Thank you. Sit over there on the edge of the trailer.”

  “You’re going to draw me?”

  “If you don’t object.”

  “No, I guess not.” But she didn’t sound quite sure.

  As she had done many times to make her subject feel comfortable, Alexandra began to talk easily. “You were asking about my husband? He was killed just over four years ago.”

  “Killed?”

  “In a private plane crash.”

  “Poor kid. I know David’s fourteen, but you don’t look close to thirty yet.”

  “Thank you very, very much.” Alexandra laughed. “I’m thirty-five.”

  “That’s still pretty young.” Maggie folded her hands in her lap and looked closely at Alexandra. “It must have been awfully hard for you,” she said quietly.

  “Yes,” she responded. “I was young when we married. Daniel was a good provider. I went to art school until David was born. After his birth, all I had to do was keep the house, take care of the baby and spend the money Daniel provided.” She couldn’t help it—bitterness crept into her voice. The hand holding the pencil paused over the paper.

  “There are women who would envy you.”

  “Then they’ve never had to cruise unprepared into the world of mortgages and taxes and business and insurance. After Daniel’s death, I didn’t have a clue how to get hospitalization, or what kind of house payments I could afford. I’ve had to learn everything myself.” She took a deep breath and let it out. Then she smiled, briefly. “But I caught on, and luckily so did my drawings.”

  She touched the end of the pencil to her lip and stared off into the middle distance. “If I don’t teach my child any other lesson, I intend to teach him to be independent. And not just financially. I relied too much on Daniel personally, as well. I don’t intend to ever depend so much on anyone again.”

  Maggie’s forehead tangled in a worried frown. “But we all need other people occasionally.”

  “Not me, not like that, not ever again. I don’t blame Daniel—or maybe I do a little. But he certainly didn’t plan on dying. I blame myself more for letting an untenable condition materialize solely because of my own ignorance.”

  There was a long silence. Alexandra got the strong impression that Maggie didn’t approve of her philosophy.

  The suspicion was confirmed when Maggie said, “I can understand your frustration, though I’ve been fortunate never to have gone through such an ordeal. Morris insists that I know as much as he about our personal business. But do you think the other part, the isolation, is good for you?”

  Alexandra deliberated. “Perhaps not,” she said. “I’ll never know.”

  She scribbled her name at the bottom of the sheet, tore it out of the book and handed it to Maggie. “There you go.”

  Maggie beamed. “You’re really good. Thanks, Alexandra.”

  “I’m glad you like it.” She flipped to the next page and started on another drawing. But her mind was not on the scene before her.

  Maggie had given her something to think about. She believed in her convictions; she’d had to believe. But she never thought of herself as isolated. How could she be? She had David. She had good friends, though she didn’t have time to see them as much as she would like. Silly to worry about such a thing!

  Maggie watched for a while. Finally, though, she looked at her watch and got to her feet. “It’s almost three o’clock. I promised Morris I would get home early tonight.” Maggie patted Alexandra’s hand. “I hope I haven’t offended you, my dear.”

  Alexandra could answer honestly and warmly. “No, Maggie,” she said with a smile. “Of course you haven’t. I didn’t mean to dump my unhappy experiences on you. I’ve never done that before.”

  “I asked and I’m glad you felt comfortable enough to answer. Are you and David coming back tomorrow for the big race?”

  “Yes, we’ll be here.”

  “Good. Please tell Luke I’ve gone and that I’ll see him early in the morning.”

  “I’ll tell him. Goodbye, Maggie.”

  Chapter 5

  Alexandra found Luke and David wandering among the show cars. She paused to watch for a moment. Luke had hunkered down next to a gleaming lemon yellow car, protected with velvet ropes. He was pointing to something underneath and David was nodding.

  How easily and comfortably these two males, with—as far as she could tell—nothing in common, related to each other. Luke asked David a question. David answered, talking and gesturing enthusiastically. Luke’s expression, as he listened, was amused.

  The sunlight shone on Luke’s sandy brown hair, bringing up highlights of gold and silver in the darker strands. His strong jaw was shaded by the car’s shadow, giving him the look of a rogue.

  Alexand
ra shifted her attention to the car they were discussing. The luxury automobile was sleek and low to the ground and probably built for flash, speed and glamour. It reminded her of something. She frowned, trying to remember. What—ah, yes. The car was a dead ringer for the one used in that old movie...

  She approached and Luke saw her. He held her gaze for a long minute before he rose effortlessly. “Hi. Has Maggie left?”

  “She said to tell you she’d see you tomorrow.”

  “Mom! Come see these cars. This one was in some movie.” He looked to Luke for a reminder.

  “The Great Gatsby,” she filled in before Luke could speak.

  “How did you know?”

  “I saw the movie.”

  “Did you identify with Daisy?” asked Luke.

  He was teasing. Surely he was teasing. But there had been a hint of a sneer in his tone that she didn’t like. Did he think she was the naive but self-indulgent, spoiled type? She almost laughed aloud.

  “I need something to drink, Mom. Why don’t you get Luke to show you around? There’s a car over there that belonged to Paul Newman.”

  He left them without a backward glance.

  “See what I mean?” Alexandra set her hands on her hips and gave a resigned sigh as she watched her son disappear into the crowd. “He’s determined to throw us together even though he promised me he wouldn’t.”

  “Ignore it,” Luke said shortly. He began to point out some of the more interesting cars on display. “Tomorrow they’ll give out awards for various categories—” He broke off. “Are you bored?”

  “Bored? No, definitely not bored.” She fanned herself with her program; the weather was steamy. The temperature must have climbed into the nineties.

  “You’re very quiet today.”

  “I never have much energy when it’s so hot. I would have made a good Eskimo.”

  He chuckled. “I thrive on hot weather.”

  “So does David. Is it a man thing?”

  He shrugged. “Maybe. You seemed surprised when you saw me this morning.”