“Sorry.”
Suddenly he was uncomfortable in his own skin. He recognized the feeling, hating it, knowing that there wasn’t anything he could do about it except wait it out. His bullet wounds began to ache and he wished it wasn’t so cold out. He needed to go for a run.
“I should go,” he said, grateful he’d met her at the hospital so he could make a quick exit. Who knew the ghosts would follow him back to Whitehorn?
“Are you all right?” she asked. “You look—I don’t know—unhappy.”
“I’m fine. I just need to get home.”
She nodded. “Do you still want me to come to your basketball game tomorrow?”
He’d nearly forgotten. “Sure. Eight-thirty sharp.”
She groaned. “Sunday is my only day to sleep in.”
He pointed at the tree and she sighed.
“I’ll be there,” she promised.
As he walked to his truck, he found himself oddly pleased by the fact that she was coming to watch the game. All he had to do now was survive the night and not let the demons win.
* * *
Darcy arrived at the basketball courts a little before eight-thirty. She came bearing gifts. Something about the way Mark had left the hospital the previous night had made her uncomfortable. She wanted to make things right between them—difficult to do when she wasn’t sure anything was wrong. Regardless, she used the only fix that she knew was bound to work with a bunch of guys playing sports.
Cinnamon rolls.
The smell of the freshly baked breakfast treat nearly made her crazy while she drove the few miles between her place and the new gym facility. But she’d been determined to resist. Eating with the guys would be her bonding experience.
She parked next to Mark’s truck, trying not to think that they could have easily gone together. But he hadn’t offered and she hadn’t wanted to ask. He’d accepted her request that they be friends instead of lovers, although she’d sensed that wasn’t his first choice. She didn’t want to push things. Telling herself she’d done fine all this time without Mark in her life was interesting but not convincing. Darn the man for starting to get under her skin.
She carried her pink box of goodies, along with a couple of carafes of coffee and several disposable cups, into the main entrance, then headed for the gym. She followed the sound of male voices and laughter into one of the practice areas. Once inside the warm room, she came to a stop—overwhelmed by so much masculinity in a single room.
She recognized Mark right away. In fact her gaze sought him out first, as if he contained a homing beacon she’d been especially programmed to find. She barely noticed the other guys milling around. They all looked good enough in their loose gym shorts and baggy T-shirts, but only Mark made her heart beat the tiniest bit faster.
He looked up and saw her. In that split second, she held her breath, hoping for a flash of desire to harden his expression. Unfortunately, he kept whatever he was feeling to himself, although he did grin at her and wave her over.
“Hey, Darcy, what’s in the box?”
She glared at him. “What’s in the box? Not ‘Hi’ or ‘Nice to see you’?”
Josh Anderson, the owner of Anderson, Inc., strolled over. “Morning, Darcy. Nice to see you. What’s in the box?”
She turned her back on Mark. “Some people have manners. Some people take the time to be appreciative. Good morning, Josh. I made cinnamon rolls and brought coffee.”
“The woman’s a goddess,” he said, reaching to take the box from her and opening the top. Instantly the sweet scent surrounded them.
Mark moved close. “Josh onlythinksyou’re a goddess. I happen to know that it’s true.”
“Oh, please.” Darcy wrinkled her nose to show she wasn’t the least bit impressed, this despite the quivering in her stomach and thighs.
The guys ate nearly all the cinnamon rolls and gulped most of the coffee. Then Mark grabbed a basketball from the rack and the game began.
Darcy settled herself on the side bleachers to watch. The men were aggressive, pushing and shoving, cheering their scores and booing their opponents. When the ball bounced in her direction, she tossed it back, earning a quick wink from one of the players. A couple of loud swearwords earned a “ladies present” comment from Josh. Even Mark teased her about doing a cheer or two for his team.
Darcy sipped her coffee and enjoyed the feeling of belonging. She knew it was temporary, but for the moment, it was very nice. She hadn’t had all that much belonging in the past five years. She’d been so busy working to keep herself and Dirk afloat that she hadn’t had time for a regular life. All the strays in the world weren’t going to make up for that.
Listening to the male laughter made her think of her brother. She hoped he was having a good time in Chicago. She would go see him next week and hear all about his trip.
