Dateline Matrimony (Hot off the Press! 3)

“Still, you’d be

tter buy your snacks and get back to your mom before she starts to worry. I’ll catch you later, okay?”

“Okay. See you, Riley.”

“See you, Riley,” Maggie echoed, staying close to her brother as they joined the shortest line at the crowded booth.

Nodding toward the uniformed officer stationed by the concession stand, one of several on duty in the generally problem-free high school stadium, Riley moved toward the bleachers. It was almost time for kickoff. He wasn’t officially covering the game tonight—a high school senior with dreams of becoming a sportswriter had requested that privilege this evening—but Riley liked football and was a loyal supporter of the Edstown Eagles. He rarely missed a home game, even when he wasn’t being paid to attend.

The crowd was already pumped up and ready for the action to begin. The band played—loudly if not flawlessly—and maroon-and-gold clad cheerleaders and pom-pom girls bounced and chanted. An announcer’s voice boomed from scratchy speakers. The smells of fresh popcorn, hot dogs, nachos, coffee and hot chocolate wafted through the cool air. Young kids who couldn’t care less about football played tag on the grassy hill beside the bleachers, and groups of teenagers strutted and giggled while trying to impress the opposite gender.

Some things, he thought, never changed.

Nodding greetings to people he knew, he spotted an empty stretch of bench with a good view of the field. Climbing over a few outstretched legs, he claimed a spot, settling carefully onto the chilly aluminum seat. He glanced idly left, froze for a moment, then slowly smiled.

The woman sitting only a few feet away hadn’t noticed him yet. Her attention was focused on the cheerleaders, who were doing an intricately choreographed dance routine on the sidelines while the band members played enthusiastic accompaniment.

She seemed to be alone in the noisy crowd. Riley had every intention of changing that. He moved closer to her, waiting for her to recognize him.

Pulling her attention away from the field, Teresa glanced at her watch, then craned her head to look toward the concession stand as if looking for someone. Maybe she wasn’t alone. Maybe her date was getting drinks or something. Riley frowned.

And then she spotted him. Her eyebrows lifted in surprise at finding him sitting only a few feet away. He quickly turned his frown into a smile. “Hi.”

“Hello.” She could have been greeting a total stranger even though he knew that she’d recognized him.

She looked very pretty this evening, he mused. The thin red jacket, snug white pullover and faded jeans she wore were flattering to her—but then, most things would be. “So you’re a football fan?”

She shrugged. “I like football, though I prefer watching basketball.”

“Really? I like them both. But then, I like most sports.”

She glanced over her shoulder again and murmured something he didn’t quite catch because of the noise level around them.

He raised his voice a little, making sure she heard him. “Are you waiting for someone to join you?”

Still looking toward the concession stand, she replied, “Yes, as a matter of fact, I am.”

So that was why she hadn’t accepted any of his invitations. She was seeing someone else. He could deal with that, he supposed. But it didn’t mean he had to like it. He’d rather fancied the prospect of getting to know Teresa Scott much better. They could have had a great time—for a while. But they could still be casual friends. He had quite a few of those. “Anyone I know?” he asked, following her glance.

“No. Actually, I—”

“Hey, Riley. Want some popcorn?” Young Mark seemed to appear out of nowhere, stopping in front of Riley and holding out a fragrant, overfilled box of popcorn.

“I didn’t want popcorn. I got candy.” Maggie leaned companionably against Riley’s knee, gazing at him with a slightly flirtatious smile. “You want an M & M, Riley? You can have a blue one—they’re the prettiest.”

“Thanks, Maggie. You, too, Mark. But I’m not really hungry right now. Um—hadn’t you two better get to your seats? The game will start any minute.” He assumed they’d seen him sitting there and had impulsively come over to share their treats with him. Apparently, these two had decided he was their pal—which was all very well, but he doubted their folks would approve of them joining him without permission.

Rather than moving on, Mark settled onto the bench between Riley and Teresa. “I’m going to sit here.”

“But I want to sit by Riley,” Maggie protested.

Wondering where their parents were, Riley glanced at Teresa. She looked thoroughly startled, he thought. He couldn’t blame her, of course. She probably hadn’t expected him to be descended on by a couple of chatty kids.

“How on earth?” she began, only to be interrupted by Mark, who informed his sister that he had already claimed the spot by Riley.

“But I want to sit there!” Maggie glared at her brother, then at Teresa. “Mommy, make him move over.”

While Riley tried to decide if he’d heard Maggie correctly, Mark scooted defiantly closer, leaving no room for his sister. “You sit by Mom,” he insisted. “The guys can sit together, can’t we, Riley?”