Matt considered inviting Alana to a game. Surely Alex and Scotty had never seen her as he was seeing her now, or they wouldn’t have warned him off. He loved the sound of her laugh; it lifted him like sun breaking though a foggy day. And he could use a little more levity in his life.
But then Sophie slipped her hand into Alana’s, and Alana stiffened. Reality swooped in with its hard, clean edge as her body told him what his mind didn’t want to see. Though she might fall under the spell of Sophie’s gentle charm, Alana wasn’t a player in the world of mothers and families and children. He’d have to make sure he didn’t drag Sophie into any false expectations.
He could handle that. He could protect Sophie.
But he wasn’t so sure he could handle Alana. He was pretty sure her carefully crafted persona concealed worlds he’d never known and, more disturbing, passion he’d never tasted.
But she made him crave that passion.
The camp director called the kids into a huddle under one of the large shade tents.
“Kids, Sophie. That means you,” Matt said.
Sophie ran off to join the camp participants up near the frantoio.
“You’ll have to forgive her,” he said. “She’s become a little”—he searched for the right word—“glommy since her mom died.”
“I’m so sorry about her mom.” Alana looked over to where the kids were gathered. “She’s a great kid. As kids go.”
There it was. Her last statement was a wall going up. It’d keep him from skidding into any false expectations, that was for sure. But it couldn’t hurt to spend time with her. Something in her called out to the part of him that missed having fun. And if her reaction to his kiss was any indication, she was as interested in fooling around as he was.
Having an affair with her would be safe—they were so unsuitable that nothing would develop; they couldn’t possibly fit. He imagined she’d see him as a fling, and he could enjoy her and release the pent-up sexual energy screaming to derail him. Maybe they could be friends with benefits, as they used to say.
“Come to a game,” he said as they walked toward the refreshment tent. “I mean, I’d like it if you’d come. If you want to, that is.” He sounded like an eighth-grader asking for a prom date. Sweat beaded in all the wrong places.
“Only if you’ll sit with me.”
He started to explain, but the laughter in her eyes told him she was kidding.
“Maybe we could go out for a bite after and...” He hadn’t thought it through. “With me and your cousin, Alex, and Scotty and their wives.” He’d have to do some pretty fast planning to make such an arrangement happen.
“I haven’t seen Alex for ages. And Jackie’s nearly impossible to pin down. You manage that and you get big points in my book.”
Big points sounded good. Maybe too good.
“Parents over here!” Peg shouted into the postgame chaos.
“That’s you,” Alana said.
“How’s next Wednesday? It’d be a night game.”
“I like night; it might be my favorite time.”
Did he imagine the glint lighting her eyes, or was she flirting with him? He hoped for the latter.
“Your ticket will be at will call. Here’s my cell number if there’s any problem.”
He’d make sure there wasn’t, but he wanted her to have his number. Although, as he turned and headed for the gaggle of camp parents, he thought she might have his number in more ways than one.
After Peg went over the rules for the campers’ sleepover, Matt said goodbye to Sophie and gave her the new flashlight he’d bought.
When he reached his car, his body still hummed with the prospect of a night with Alana. He’d have to ask some pretty big favors if he was to set up the evening he was imagining.
That night as he lay awake, he more than imagined it. He previewed it in 3-D, full-on color.