Changing Lanes (The Lone Stars Book 3) (21 page)

His world was just about perfect.

“What if this doesn’t work out?”

And then she had to go and dump cold water on his perfectly good mood.

“What if it does?” He smiled to himself. That would give her something to think about.

“Oh crap, I have to go. I’m late for the block party.” Laney said. “I almost love you.”

“I love you. Okay if I call you after the block party?” What the hell else did he have to do but count the minutes until he could talk to her again?

“Sure. Just so you know, I’m counting on some phone sex. I’m going to research it, so be ready.” She hung up.

He laughed until his eyes watered.

He could see their future so clearly. There would be a house full of loud, rowdy children—his house that’s where he saw them making a home. Toys and books would litter the floor—not messy just lived in—and they’d have big dinners full of family and friends. On the days when she was busy at the hospital, he’d pile the kids in the car and take them all to have lunch with her. They’d have a sweet little girl with peanut butter colored hair and huge blue eyes named Lara. Not to replace the original but to honor the beautiful child. When his Lara smiled with her two front teeth missing, he knew she’d melt his heart. 

Chapter 16

Laney couldn’t help but be impressed with the block party. Sweet Louise had outdone herself. There was a luau theme complete with tiki torches—unlit of course—and limbo, grass skirts, flower leis, and a roasted pig. There was even a green screen where patients could have their picture made pretending to surf. It appeared that no one in the Harding family did anything halfway.

This evening she’d limbo–ed, learned the hula from real Polynesian dancers that she was pretty sure Sweet Louise had flown in from Hawaii, and eaten poi which tasted and looked like wall paper paste, but she’d had a wonderful time. Now as she sat at the nurse’s station drinking a glass of what else—Hawaiian Punch—she watched as a line of laughing kids led by Sweet Louise attempted a conga line of wheel chairs.

“She’s pretty amazing.” Summer Grayson said as she patted the back of her two–year–old daughter asleep in her stroller.

Laney was usually uncomfortable around new people, but Summer was the kind of person who made others feel good. She was warm and charming and genuine. Laney couldn’t help but like her.

“Tell me about it. I want to be her when I grow up.” Grace Robbins sat beside Laney. “Are you sure you don’t want me to take him?”

She was referring to her baby son Luke who was asleep in Laney’s arms.

“No, you get to hold him all of the time.” Laney smiled down at the sweet little bundle of joy making small sucking sounds in his sleep. “I don’t get to hold babies very often.”

“So you and Devon.” Summer raised her eyebrows. “I’m glad. He talks about you all of the time. He’s very proud of you.”

Devon talked about her? Adrenaline made her heart beat faster—no, she was choosing to ignore the adrenaline and think of it as love.

“You’re the first one he’s fallen for since high school.” Grace nodded. “He thinks we don’t know about his torrid high school love affair, but Sweet Louise told us the story. It’s so sweet—”

“And tragic at the same time.” Summer touched Grace’s arm. “He loved her so much.”

“Oh my God, did she die?” Laney sat forward careful not to jostle Luke.

“No, no.” Grace shook her head. “They met the summer after his senior year. According to Sweet Louise it was love at first sight. To hear her tell the story, it’s another love–on–the–wrong–side–of–the–tracks type thing. She was from a wealthy family, and he was from a poor one.”

Devon’s family had been poor? He rarely talked about himself, in fact, he never talked about himself. All they talked about was her. Why hadn’t she seen that before?

“What happened?” Laney realized that she was sitting literally on the edge of her seat waiting for more.

“It was a summer thing. They had two weeks together and then lost touch.” Grace put her hand over her heart. “Sweet Louise told me that years later he accepted a job with The Lone Stars because Austin is her hometown. He hoped they’d run into each other. Isn’t that the sweetest thing?”

“And have they?” Laney’s voice was hasher than she’d wanted. Was she keeping Devon from the love of his life? Did she believe in that sort of thing? Her heart screamed, “yes” while her mind had other opinions. Well, at least she’d believed in life–long loves thirteen years ago.

“Not that I know of. I guess he gave up when he met you.” Summer smiled at her. “He’s so happy.”

“I don’t understand. If he moved here because this is her hometown, where did they meet? Didn’t they go to the same school?” This story didn’t make sense. The more she thought about it, the more there seemed to be something missing.

“No, they met in the summer.” Grace chewed on her bottom lip. “It was camp … summer camp. He was there by court order. ”

The hair on the back of Laney’s neck stood up. The fact that she didn’t immediately pull up the medical explanation spoke volumes. This story was familiar. It sounded a lot like her story.

“They met at camp.” Laney’s palms were damp and lead weights played bumper cars in her stomach. “Do you know the name of the camp?”

Could Devon be DJ? But his last name was Harding—that didn’t start with a J. Then again, her last name was Nixon and that didn’t start with a J. The sinking feeling got worse.

“I don’t know.” Grace shrugged and then yelled, “Hey, Sweet Louise, what’s the name of the camp where Devon went his senior year.”

Sweet Louise paled and stopped the conga line. Wheel chairs holding smiling kids crashed into each other like a trail of falling dominoes. Sweet Louise’s eyes found Laney’s. The apology she saw in them cut her to the core.

“Camp Huawni.” Sweet Louise mouthed more than said.

No. Laney shook her head. No. It couldn’t be. But her heart knew it was true. Devon was DJ, and he hadn’t told her. Maybe he hadn’t known, either? But it seemed that Sweet Louise knew.

Laney searched her memory for clues as to whether Devon had recognized her. He’d said something about her peanut butter colored hair. Hadn’t that been what he’d called it all those years ago? And the Mustang … she’d told him that she wanted one back then.

She slumped back against the chair.

He’d recognized her. That was certain.

Why hadn’t he told her the truth?

It didn’t make sense.

Mental eye roll. She’d poured out her heart to Devon about DJ, and he’d said nothing. What possible reason could he have for not telling her?

Luke stirred in her arms and looked up at her with wise baby–blue eyes. If only he were older and could interpret the male mind for her.

“Let me take him. He’s probably hungry.” Grace scooped him up before Laney could protest.

Sweet Louise leaned on the nurse’s station right in front of Laney. “Child, before you go off on him, try to remember that he’s a guy. That predisposes him to stupidity. Don’t get me wrong, I love my son, but sometimes his male genetic disorder makes it hard.” She pointed in Laney’s direction. “Ladies, meet EJ—Devon’s mystery teenaged fling.”

“What?” Summer looked from Laney to Sweet Louise and back again.

“Laney is the girl Devon met that summer at camp. He had faith that they’d meet again, and here she is.” Sweet Louise watched her like a hawk.

“Wait … you’re the girl?” Grace stared at Laney. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“I didn’t know.” Thoughts tumbled through Laney’s mind. Devon was DJ. The slightly pudgy guy she’d fallen for was the super fit football player she was now seeing. She just couldn’t wrap her head around it.

Did it change things?

Absolutely.

“That’s so sweet.” Summer was all smiles. “You were meant to be together, and you found each other again.”

It didn’t feel sweet. Laney wasn’t sure what to do. Should she yell at Devon for not telling her or be embarrassed because she hadn’t recognized him? And back then, why hadn’t he called after camp?

Oh crap and just the afternoon she’d told him that she was falling in love with him. This was a mess, a big f–ing mess.

She needed to get out of here, go for a jog, and clear her head. She glanced at the window across the hall. It was pitch black and must be past nine. It looked like the treadmill would have to do, which sucked because head clearing worked so much better outside.

She stood. “I’m about luau–ed out. I think I’ll head home.”

She glanced at Lara who was holding a sleeping Kisses. She’d leave them to be together for the night.

“Summer and Grace can y’all watch Lara, I’m going to walk Laney out.” Sweet Louise stretched and yawned. She waited for Laney to step out from behind the nurse’s station.

It looked like there was no escaping Sweet Louise. As they walked down the hall toward the elevator, the older lady kept silent. She pushed the down button and just stood there.

Laney didn’t know what to say. Clearly his mother had known all along.

The elevator dinged and the door opened. Laney followed behind Sweet Louise onto the elevator. Both women turned around to face the closing door.

“He pined after you something fierce.” Sweet Louise’s voice was little more than a whisper.

“Then why didn’t he call or email me? I gave him all of my information.” Laney’s thoughts were a tangled mess.

Sweet Louise touched her arm. “Child, if he’d known how to get in touch with you, he’d have moved in with you. He’s looked for you in the face of every woman he met.”

“I wrote all my information on the back of the book he always had with him.” She remembered doing it so clearly. He’d left it on the lunch table while he went to get something from his cabin. She’d borrowed a Sharpie from the activities table and written everything on the back cover.

“Book? What book? Devon doesn’t read for pleasure, never has. He’s more of a movie person.” Sweet Louise looked like she was plowing through memories trying to find the right one. “I can tell you for sure that he didn’t come home with a book from camp. I know because I unpacked his trunk. There was only a lot of dirty laundry.”

“But I wrote it in the back of the book he always had with him.” Laney knew that for sure. Right now she may not be sure of anything else, but by God she knew that.

“Did you tell him about the book?”

“No.” Laney shook her head. “I wanted it to be a surprise.”

Looking back on it, she was willing to admit that might have been a mistake. Anything could have happened to the book. It was possible that he hadn’t known she’d written in it and had left it at camp in the book exchange. Now it seemed impossible that one simple mistake could have caused so much heartache.

“Talk to him about it. Let him explain himself. For the record, I told him it was a bad idea not to tell you.” Sweet Louise shrugged. “But he’s a guy so that bit of advice went in one ear and out the other.”

“How long have you known?” Laney couldn’t help the feeling of betrayal. The logical part of her mind understood that this wasn’t all Devon’s fault, but her heart didn’t care.

“Since your birthday. He was upset about the car and thought you would never speak to him again. By the way he’s not about to let you walk out of his life again. Once my son latches onto something he’s there forever. Even if you break up with him, he won’t move on. He believes in love at first sight and soul mates. He will never give up on you. I know that puts a lot on your shoulders, but I thought you should know. He loves you, and that makes you the most important person in his life. Whatever he has to do to win you, he’s going to do it because he knows in his heart that there is no one else for him but you.” Sweet Louise didn’t say this grudgingly, but thoughtfully. Just a mother giving insight to her son’s girlfriend.

Devon loved her unconditionally. She knew it down to her soul. Just like DJ. There was comfort and fear and more than a little piece of mind in that. He would always be there for her no matter what.

Laney needed some time to think this through. Yes, she was falling in love with Devon, but this felt like a setback instead of a confirmation of her feelings.

The door bonged once for floor number one and the doors opened.

“He never got over you. He never had a serious relationship after you and dated only to pass the time. My boy has a romantic streak three miles wide, and he truly believed that one day he’d see you again. That has to count for something. Don’t let your embarrassment and confusion over this one detail ruin something special. Devon should have handled this differently, but it’s done now, and it can’t be changed.” Sweet Louise pulled Laney into a tight hug as the doors closed.

She released Laney and hit the door open button. “Go take a little time for yourself, and then talk it out with Devon. You two belong together, and you get a second chance. That’s more than most people ever get.”

Laney stepped out into the hallway and the door closed again. She needed time to think, but she also needed to see Devon. She glanced at her watch. It was nine fifteen. As she sprinted across the street to her office, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed Nina.

She picked up on the first ring. “I’ve only got ten minutes. What’s up?”

“Is Dax in town?” Laney was hoping that Nina’s little brother, Dax, who ran a plane charter business was up for a little night flying.

“Yes, ma’am. He landed a couple of hours ago, and I’m willing to bet that he’s still at the Lakeway airport filling out paperwork. If there’s one industry that’s at least twenty years behind the times, it’s airline travel.”

“That inspires confidence.” Laney said.

“Whatcha need from Dax? You have another patient who needs transport?” Nina was all business.

“Nope, just me. I need to get to Seattle as fast as possible. It can’t wait until tomorrow.” Laney smiled to herself. She was being impulsive and reckless and it felt damn good.

“Do I want to know why?” Nina asked.

“I have a bone to pick with a certain football player. I have the next two days off so why not do it in person?” Laney ran up the stairs two at a time to her office.

“Okey Dokey, one passenger for SEA. I’ll give him a call and set it up. How soon do you want to leave?” Nina flicked some switches.