Read Online The Off Season by Colleen Thompson - Free Book Online
Authors: Colleen Thompson
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Christina was surprised to find Harris sitting on the family-room floor helping his curly-haired son build a tower from the squishy foam blocks Christina’s mother—the mother she selfishly wished would hurry back from the European dream vacation she’d left for earlier this week—had bought Lilly.
Not seeing the women, Harris focused on his son, a genuine smile warming his tired face. But Christina glimpsed a trace of pain, too, possibly from his right leg, which he held straight out before him on the floor.
Or maybe it wasn’t physical discomfort but sadness she was seeing. The sadness of a father relegated to part-time parenting, even if the split had been his doing.
Breaking out in a huge grin, Harris grabbed a plastic pterodactyl and sent it swooping toward the tower with a hawklike cry.
Jacob laughed and clapped his hands, saying, “Knock it, Daddy! Knock it down!”
When the blocks tumbled, both father and son made explosive sound effects and briefly wrestled. Christina smiled, remembering how she and Annie had both loved it when as kids they could coax their adoptive dad—who’d lost his battle with melanoma not long after his granddaughter’s birth—into such rough-and-tumble. She felt a pang, too, remembering how she’d tried to talk Doug into giving Lilly more of his attention.
You forget I’ve been through this twice already, he’d told her, referring to the children of his first marriage with that indulgent, slightly paternalistic smile that had sometimes made her want to scream . But don’t worry, I’ll spend plenty of time with Lilly when she grows up enough to get more interesting.
But, for him, that time would never come.
Renee, standing beside her, shook her head and muttered, “Look at him, putting on the Doting Daddy show for you. Where was all that when we lived together? Where was he?”
Though her voice was low, the venom in it must have carried, for Harris whipped his head around to grimace in their direction.
Embarrassed to be caught between them, Christina cleared her throat and asked, “Did your officers get coffee?”
“They did, and they both thank you,” Harris said. “Except I’m afraid you’ve permanently ruined them for the supermarket stuff we brew at the station.”
She forced a smile, grateful he’d chosen to pretend their earlier argument hadn’t happened, then noticed Renee swinging a sharp look her way, clearly considering her friend’s lack of overt hostility a betrayal. She’d have to get over it, Christina decided. She had enough issues with Harris already without being dragged into the ugly aftermath of their divorce. Besides, there was Jacob’s relationship with his father to consider. She hoped Renee could restrain herself from venting her hurt and anger in front of her sweet son.
“Will I be able to have my car repaired?” Christina asked while Harris worked his way to his feet. “Or do you need to run some tests or something?”
“You can go ahead and call your insurance. We’ve already finished taking photos. Prints, too, but I’m not sure if we got anything helpful. When it’s convenient, I’d appreciate it if you can stop by the station, where we’ll fingerprint you for comparison.”
“Of course,” she said. “I’ll take care of it as soon as I—”
“I’ll bring her over once she’s slept,” Renee cut in, giving her another pointed look. “And I mean really slept this time, not just a ten-minute catnap.”
“Sounds like a good idea,” Harris conceded. “Meanwhile, we’ll be questioning anyone we can find at home within a three-block radius.”
“That should take all of five minutes,” said Renee, and Christina had to agree, considering all the absentee owners in the historic district.
Harris shrugged. “Still, we’ll do it. And we’ll be checking the security cameras of businesses along the main arteries through town, too, along with a few we’ve set up on our own to try to get on top
Not seeing the women, Harris focused on his son, a genuine smile warming his tired face. But Christina glimpsed a trace of pain, too, possibly from his right leg, which he held straight out before him on the floor.
Or maybe it wasn’t physical discomfort but sadness she was seeing. The sadness of a father relegated to part-time parenting, even if the split had been his doing.
Breaking out in a huge grin, Harris grabbed a plastic pterodactyl and sent it swooping toward the tower with a hawklike cry.
Jacob laughed and clapped his hands, saying, “Knock it, Daddy! Knock it down!”
When the blocks tumbled, both father and son made explosive sound effects and briefly wrestled. Christina smiled, remembering how she and Annie had both loved it when as kids they could coax their adoptive dad—who’d lost his battle with melanoma not long after his granddaughter’s birth—into such rough-and-tumble. She felt a pang, too, remembering how she’d tried to talk Doug into giving Lilly more of his attention.
You forget I’ve been through this twice already, he’d told her, referring to the children of his first marriage with that indulgent, slightly paternalistic smile that had sometimes made her want to scream . But don’t worry, I’ll spend plenty of time with Lilly when she grows up enough to get more interesting.
But, for him, that time would never come.
Renee, standing beside her, shook her head and muttered, “Look at him, putting on the Doting Daddy show for you. Where was all that when we lived together? Where was he?”
Though her voice was low, the venom in it must have carried, for Harris whipped his head around to grimace in their direction.
Embarrassed to be caught between them, Christina cleared her throat and asked, “Did your officers get coffee?”
“They did, and they both thank you,” Harris said. “Except I’m afraid you’ve permanently ruined them for the supermarket stuff we brew at the station.”
She forced a smile, grateful he’d chosen to pretend their earlier argument hadn’t happened, then noticed Renee swinging a sharp look her way, clearly considering her friend’s lack of overt hostility a betrayal. She’d have to get over it, Christina decided. She had enough issues with Harris already without being dragged into the ugly aftermath of their divorce. Besides, there was Jacob’s relationship with his father to consider. She hoped Renee could restrain herself from venting her hurt and anger in front of her sweet son.
“Will I be able to have my car repaired?” Christina asked while Harris worked his way to his feet. “Or do you need to run some tests or something?”
“You can go ahead and call your insurance. We’ve already finished taking photos. Prints, too, but I’m not sure if we got anything helpful. When it’s convenient, I’d appreciate it if you can stop by the station, where we’ll fingerprint you for comparison.”
“Of course,” she said. “I’ll take care of it as soon as I—”
“I’ll bring her over once she’s slept,” Renee cut in, giving her another pointed look. “And I mean really slept this time, not just a ten-minute catnap.”
“Sounds like a good idea,” Harris conceded. “Meanwhile, we’ll be questioning anyone we can find at home within a three-block radius.”
“That should take all of five minutes,” said Renee, and Christina had to agree, considering all the absentee owners in the historic district.
Harris shrugged. “Still, we’ll do it. And we’ll be checking the security cameras of businesses along the main arteries through town, too, along with a few we’ve set up on our own to try to get on top
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