Read Online Better Than Perfect by Kristina Mathews - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kristina Mathews
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“Mom! What are you doing in here?” Zach stood in the doorway, with a towel wrapped around his waist and his hair still dripping from the shower. She remembered with a pang when he would run down the hall naked, not caring who saw him in his birthday suit.
“I was just making sure your room was company clean.” She picked up his glove off the end of his bed and set it on the dresser. “In case you want to show Johnny your trophies, or something.”
“Do you think he’d want to see stupid Little League trophies?” Zach tried to sound like he couldn’t care less, but she knew him. He was trying not to get his hopes up.
“I think he would be impressed by your accomplishments.” She swallowed, trying not to let her voice betray her emotions. He couldn’t know that Johnny might be more than just a guest. At least not until she knew what to do about it.
“Yeah, right. Like my t-ball participation trophy is going to mean anything to a guy with two Cy Young Awards.” Zach rolled his eyes, not understanding how his award could measure up to the one given to the best pitcher in the league.
“You never know.” Alice slipped out of the room so Zach could get dressed. And so she could regain her composure. That t-ball trophy would mean something to Johnny if he was Zach’s father. But it would also serve as a reminder of the things he’d missed. Would Johnny have traded his All-Star appearances, his Cy Young Awards and his perfect game for the thirteen years of memories he hadn’t been there for?
Or would he have resented them for taking away his dream? She never wanted Zach to feel the burden of knowing he was the reason his father had given up on his shot at making it as a professional athlete. She knew what that felt like. Knew all too well. Her father had passed up a football scholarship to work at the mines and support the family he’d never planned on. She couldn’t do that to Johnny or Zach.
Johnny arrived right on time. He even brought a bottle of wine. A California zinfandel that would go perfectly with the pot roast she’d put in the Crockpot that morning.
“Thank you for coming.” She took the bottle and led Johnny into the dining room. She and Zach usually took their meals at the breakfast nook, but she needed to put more space between her and Johnny. Although having an entire continent between them hadn’t done much to cool off her feelings for him.
“Would you open the wine?” She handed him a corkscrew. “I have a few more things to get from the kitchen.”
“Sure.” Johnny made quick work of uncorking the bottle. “Is there anything else I can do to help?”
“No. I’ve got everything under control.” Except her heart rate. Her emotions. Her longing to touch him again.
Zach came into the kitchen, wearing his nice clothes. He wore a button up shirt tucked into dress slacks. All that was missing was a tie. Wow. This was important to him. Did he suspect that Johnny was more than just a friend? Or was he simply trying to impress the man who’d been his hero for so long?
“Will you take the salad to the table?” She tried to sound normal. To keep the pride from sneaking into her voice. “Johnny’s already here.”
“He is?” Zach smoothed his hair back. Yes. He was hoping to impress. “Cool.”
Alice picked up the platter of pot roast, potatoes and vegetables. She carried it into the dining room as if she were serving any other meal.
“Everything looks delicious.” Johnny was talking about the food, but he looked at her with a different kind of hunger.
“Thank you. It’s Zach’s favorite.” She glanced at her son, hoping he wouldn’t notice the color in her cheeks. The warmth that spread all the way down to her toes from the sound of Johnny’s voice.
They sat, and Zach loaded his plate before she even had the chance to unfold her napkin.
“My mom makes a killer pot roast,” Zach said through a mouthful of food.
“Zach.” Alice shot him a look
“Mom! What are you doing in here?” Zach stood in the doorway, with a towel wrapped around his waist and his hair still dripping from the shower. She remembered with a pang when he would run down the hall naked, not caring who saw him in his birthday suit.
“I was just making sure your room was company clean.” She picked up his glove off the end of his bed and set it on the dresser. “In case you want to show Johnny your trophies, or something.”
“Do you think he’d want to see stupid Little League trophies?” Zach tried to sound like he couldn’t care less, but she knew him. He was trying not to get his hopes up.
“I think he would be impressed by your accomplishments.” She swallowed, trying not to let her voice betray her emotions. He couldn’t know that Johnny might be more than just a guest. At least not until she knew what to do about it.
“Yeah, right. Like my t-ball participation trophy is going to mean anything to a guy with two Cy Young Awards.” Zach rolled his eyes, not understanding how his award could measure up to the one given to the best pitcher in the league.
“You never know.” Alice slipped out of the room so Zach could get dressed. And so she could regain her composure. That t-ball trophy would mean something to Johnny if he was Zach’s father. But it would also serve as a reminder of the things he’d missed. Would Johnny have traded his All-Star appearances, his Cy Young Awards and his perfect game for the thirteen years of memories he hadn’t been there for?
Or would he have resented them for taking away his dream? She never wanted Zach to feel the burden of knowing he was the reason his father had given up on his shot at making it as a professional athlete. She knew what that felt like. Knew all too well. Her father had passed up a football scholarship to work at the mines and support the family he’d never planned on. She couldn’t do that to Johnny or Zach.
Johnny arrived right on time. He even brought a bottle of wine. A California zinfandel that would go perfectly with the pot roast she’d put in the Crockpot that morning.
“Thank you for coming.” She took the bottle and led Johnny into the dining room. She and Zach usually took their meals at the breakfast nook, but she needed to put more space between her and Johnny. Although having an entire continent between them hadn’t done much to cool off her feelings for him.
“Would you open the wine?” She handed him a corkscrew. “I have a few more things to get from the kitchen.”
“Sure.” Johnny made quick work of uncorking the bottle. “Is there anything else I can do to help?”
“No. I’ve got everything under control.” Except her heart rate. Her emotions. Her longing to touch him again.
Zach came into the kitchen, wearing his nice clothes. He wore a button up shirt tucked into dress slacks. All that was missing was a tie. Wow. This was important to him. Did he suspect that Johnny was more than just a friend? Or was he simply trying to impress the man who’d been his hero for so long?
“Will you take the salad to the table?” She tried to sound normal. To keep the pride from sneaking into her voice. “Johnny’s already here.”
“He is?” Zach smoothed his hair back. Yes. He was hoping to impress. “Cool.”
Alice picked up the platter of pot roast, potatoes and vegetables. She carried it into the dining room as if she were serving any other meal.
“Everything looks delicious.” Johnny was talking about the food, but he looked at her with a different kind of hunger.
“Thank you. It’s Zach’s favorite.” She glanced at her son, hoping he wouldn’t notice the color in her cheeks. The warmth that spread all the way down to her toes from the sound of Johnny’s voice.
They sat, and Zach loaded his plate before she even had the chance to unfold her napkin.
“My mom makes a killer pot roast,” Zach said through a mouthful of food.
“Zach.” Alice shot him a look
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