Read Online Making the Play by T. J. Kline - Free Book Online Page A

hers and she saw a dimple cut into his right cheek.
    A sizzle of heat coiled in her, ready to break free as she tried to force herself to deny James. She hadn’t had anyone over to their house since they’d moved here last summer. It was her sanctuary, the one place she could hide from the rest of the world, where she and James could just be themselves, instead of “the single mother and her deaf kid” she’d heard ­people whisper about when they thought she couldn’t hear. Having him over wasn’t something she was comfortable with. Not one bit.
    Grant cocked his head to one side and narrowed his eyes, trying to read her reaction and, suddenly, reached into his pocket, pulling out two dollar bills. “Here, James, why don’t you go play a few more video games and let me talk to your mom for a minute, okay?”
    James knew a good deal when he heard it and plucked the bills from Grant’s fingers. “Thank you,” he said as he signed it too.
    â€œYou didn’t have to do that,” Bethany said, frowning as she watched James hurry off. “I’m sorry for my Dad. I can’t believe he said that.”
    â€œDon’t worry about it, Bethany. I’ve met plenty of protective fathers.”
    I’ll bet you have.
    Bethany tried to keep her lips from pinching to a thin line. His smile slipped and he grew serious.
    â€œHave I done something? Or are you always like this?”
    â€œLike what?” She bristled but she knew exactly what Grant meant. He wanted to know what made her act so cold, why she was keeping him at such a distance. But she didn’t owe him any explanations. He didn’t know her past and had no right to judge her, and she had no plans to explain herself. That would mean opening up and letting him in even more.
    â€œTense. You need to relax,” he coaxed.
    That wasn’t what she’d expected him to say.
    â€œAt first I thought it was just your being upset at the near miss with James yesterday at the park but even now you look like you’re about to just . . . snap.”
    She looked down and caught herself wringing her hands. Bethany laid them flat on the table.
    â€œBreathe,” he instructed. “I’m not going to bite you.”
    Oh, if only she could be so lucky. The sizzle of heat that had been simmering in her belly sprang to life.
    Stop it! she warned herself.
    Grant was breaking through her walls faster than she could hide behind them and that scared her. She tamped down six years of pent-­up sexual frustration as well as any thoughts of romance with every ounce of heartache she could dredge up from her failed marriage.
    â€œI don’t do this,” she muttered. It wasn’t a good explanation but it was all she could offer him right now.
    â€œWhat? Eat pizza, have a conversation with someone? Make new friends?” She rolled her eyes and glared at him. Grant wagged a chiding finger at her but didn’t bother to hide his grin. “Oh, no. You said this wasn’t a date, remember?” His eyes practically danced with humor, daring her to challenge his observation.
    She rose from the table and smoothed down the front of her dress. “You’re right, I did. That means we don’t need any sort of escort home, Mr. McQuaid, or your ice cream nightcap. Thank you for the pizza but James and I should be going. James,” she called to her son. “Come tell Mr. McQuaid thank-­you.”
    She didn’t miss the disappointed frown on her son’s face as he walked back to the table, his shoulders hunched over as if it might delay the inevitable departure. “But I thought—­”
    Grant eyed her questioningly. She knew she was overreacting. It would have been far better if she’d just listened to her initial instinct yesterday not to come at all.
    â€œNot this time, buddy.” Grant looked almost as disappointed as James.
    â€œI brought your