Second Chances: A Romance Writers of America Collection (Stark World 2.50)

His stepmom, Zelda, stopped before us, her belly huge inside a patchwork quilt. "I've gotta get off my feet. Keep me posted, Hayes." She shrugged the quilt off her shoulders and draped it around his.

Nodding, he grabbed hold of the quilt's edges, pulling one against his chest. Then he opened the other side and gazed invitingly at me.

My heart leaped to my throat. Admittedly, being barefoot in a knee-length sleep shirt was stupid in autumn night weather, but snuggling up with him wasn't a smart move for me, either. My new resolution with him was about boundaries, about respectability, about friendship, right?

"I know it's a little weird, Maddie, but no reason to stand there and shiver."

I shuffled from one foot to the other. And appreciating his stab at honesty, I went with my own. "What about Jenny? Would she be all right with it?"

His gaze narrowed.

"Well, she's your girlfriend, and I'm--"

"She's not my girlfriend. I don't have a girlfriend."

His words blowing through my brain, I struggled to find my own. "But yesterday, she picked you up."

"As a favor, on her way home from the CC. So I could work out with Scott in their backyard batting cage."

Wow, how I wished I could take my question back. He must think I had a real problem exaggerating/inventing relationships.

Hayes closed the gap between us in a couple of steps, and pulled me into his cocoon. My body was treated to the sensational heat of both the blanket and body variety. But I was pretty sure it was my cheeks that were flaming.

"Better?" he asked.

I let out a murmur of agreement, just as footsteps pounded from near the house. I looked up to see paramedics steering Nana out on the gurney, Mrs. Puglisi bringing up the rear.

"They say she'll be fine!" Mrs. Puglisi shouted to the neighbors. "They're just taking her in to be sure."

"Thank God," Hayes said, turning toward me. Our faces suddenly only a foot or so apart, the quilt around us tugged tighter. "I can't imagine losing her."

"Yeah, I know you visit Nana sometimes."

He smiled. "She's great, when you give her a chance. And you know, she was on to us this summer, the sneaking around. She heard us that day at the pool."

My brain circled. I was embarrassed to admit I'd discounted her as sleeping, and, well, hearing impaired. "Really?"

"She called it romantic." His brow quirked. "Then later, she kept after me to patch things up."

I saw no reason not to go for broke. "Is that when she told you about the new club I was joining?"

He did one of his long pauses. "She thought working together would get us back on track, even suggested the president/vice president thing."

"So it wasn't Mr. Last who came up with that."

He bit his lip, or maybe was biting away a smile? "I did talk to him about the club, but no, it was Nana who told me."

I drew a slow inhale, deliberately made him suffer through my long pause. "So let me get this straight, Hayes Townsend, when you said Mr. Last was behind all that, you lied to me?"

He seemed to flinch.

"You tricked me?"

A smile caught the edges of his mouth.

"You used me?"

"Wait, that one doesn't work here." His dimples flashed. "Unless you want to lodge a complaint about this quilt. Claim I'm using you for your body ... heat."