The Super Mum

Angela loved seeing that sparkle in her son’s eyes. She’d missed it the past few weeks. If cutting down a Christmas tree would help put a smile on his face, she’d freeze off her toes and fingers again tomorrow. She was also willing to try to put her reactions to David into deep freeze, too. “If Coach Moore’s willing to saw it for us, I guess we can.”

“That’s a plan, then,” David stated. “Why don’t I meet you at the Christmas tree farm around two?”

“Two will be fine.” Angela told herself she was just looking forward to the outing because it was something Anthony wanted to do for a change. It didn’t have anything to do with the fact that David would be along.

After Simon had taken off for his family’s car, David opened the door on her side of the van. “I’d better be shoving off.”

“Wait,” she called, before she thought better of it.

Already out of the van, David closed the door and stood before her window.

When she pressed the button, it rolled down a bit. “Thank you,” she said softly, meaning it. “Are you sure you want to go tomorrow?”

“I’m sure. It’s been a long time since I’ve cut down a Christmas tree. I’ll see you at two.”

With a wave, he headed off toward his SUV, and Angela couldn’t help staring after him. He was three years younger than she was, a bachelor and way too intriguing. Reluctantly, and with a sigh, she came back to reality. She was a single mom with responsibilities and no spare time. This outing tomorrow was for her children’s sake, and she wouldn’t forget that.

After Anthony closed his side of the van, she switched on the ignition. “Buckle up.”

As the kids fastened their seat belts, she did the same, all the while remembering the feel of David’s body around hers as they’d sped down the hill. For those few moments, she’d felt young and free and alive again.

With another sigh she backed out of the parking place and started for home.

As Olivia, Michael and Anthony ran from tree to tree, squabbling about which one would be perfect in their living room, David asked Angela, “Do they ever agree?”

She laughed. “Once in a great while. I’m just so glad to see Anthony is a part of this today. He’s actually excited about something. He’s been moping around for so long, I was afraid he’d forgotten how to have fun.”

To his surprise, David was having fun, too. He usually related to kids one-on-one, not in a family setting. This was different. But there was no other way to reach out to Anthony and have him reach back.

As spokesman, Anthony ran over to them and pointed to a Douglas fir. “That’s the one we want.”

Michael complained, “I like the one over there.”

“It’s not as tall,” Olivia berated him. “We want a tall tree.”

Out of the blue, as if he’d been thinking about it all day, Anthony asked David, “I know you don’t play in the NFL, but do you know guys who do? I mean, you went to their training camp and all.”

“I’ve kept in contact with a few. Do you know Duke Smith of the Redskins?”

“Wow! Duke Smith! Yeah, I watch him on TV.” Anthony looked at the tree and then back at David. “Maybe you’d like to help us put up the tree. Whaddya think, Mom? Can he?”

“And he can stay for supper,” Olivia piped up.

Angela looked flabbergasted by her daughter’s invitation.

If he helped with the tree, David knew more questions about football were going to come up. He also knew something else might come up that he should probably tell Angela about. It was the incident that had started him mentoring in the first place. Yet all of it was personal, and he and Angela weren’t on that level yet.

When he was silent, Angela recovered her composure and asked, “Do you have other plans? You probably cherish your free time on weekends.”

“I do. But I haven’t helped put up a Christmas tree in years. Are you sure you want me there?” he asked Anthony, looking straight at him.

The boy met his eyes this time. “Yeah. Last year Mom tried to do it herself and the whole thing fell over the next day. It was a mess.”

When Angela laughed self-consciously, David could have kissed her. She was so cute when she blushed. “Your son is a practical kid.”

“He doesn’t want more of his favorite ornaments to break. I can’t say I blame him.”

“At least they picked a straight tree.” He grinned, as he took his saw from the sled they’d brought along to transport the tree.

After David cut down the fir and arranged it on the sled, Anthony asked if he could pull it, and Michael insisted on helping. David motioned down the trail to the barn where the proprietor of the farm was bagging the trees so they were easier to take home. All the kids started down the hill, cooperating for a change.

“That won’t last long,” Angela said with a smile.

David knew Olivia’s invitation had taken Angela aback. “I don’t have to stay for supper. I know you weren’t prepared for that.”

For a few moments, she looked over the rows and rows of fir trees, as if debating with herself. Then she said, “All the kids want you there. I think they’re starved for a father figure. The question is, do you want to be that? Mentoring Anthony is one thing. Having two other kids pile on is another.”

“You’ve got great kids. I’m a novelty right now. Hopefully Anthony and I can form a friendship that will help him. But if your other two kids want to be part of that, I don’t mind. I intend to give Anthony alone time, though, because I think that’s what he needs.”

“You’re right about that. He and Jerome never spent a lot of time together, but whenever he could, Anthony tagged along with his dad.”

“We could just stop for a pizza on the way home,” David suggested, not wanting to put her to any bother.

“Pizza’s okay once in a while, but I try to get them to eat wholesome food whenever I can. I have leftover roast beef in the fridge. I’m thinking of hot roast beef sandwiches, if that’s okay.”

“That sounds fine. You really do try to be Super mom, don’t you?”

She bristled a bit. “Is there something wrong with that?”

“No. Not if it doesn’t wear you out.”

Her shoulders relaxed. “It does. But as long as I can do it, I’m going to try.”

They could hear the kids chattering as they trudged down the trail. They could see them. But David knew the trees blocked the kids’ view of them. No one else had followed them into these rows of trees, and it almost felt as if they were alone in the middle of nowhere.

Angela was looking up at him with those big, blue eyes. He’d taken off his gloves after he’d cut down the tree so he could rope it to the sled. Now he was glad he had. Her swingy hair brushed against her cheek, and he pushed it back, letting his thumb linger on the softness of her skin. Her eyes grew bluer and wider, and he saw the same desire there that he was feeling. They were both wondering—wondering what a kiss would be like…wondering if a fire would start…wondering if the earth would move.

He rarely acted on impulse anymore. But now, desire drove him to seize the moment, answer some of his questions, discover if the chemistry he was feeling was real. When he bent his head, she raised her chin. His lips covered hers.

Did the kiss last for an instant? Or maybe an hour?

There was no time as heat exploded in his body…as he pushed his tongue into her mouth…as she responded quickly and fiercely.

When her children’s laughter soared up the hill to them, he broke away and stepped back, feeling turned inside out.

That was impossible. The kiss had begun and was over in a few seconds. How could he be so fully aroused? How could he want to lay her down in the pine needles and the patches of snow and take the passion she seemed willing to give?

He’d thought his questions would be answered after a kiss, but there were only more of them. “I shouldn’t have done that. The way Anthony is feeling right now, if he senses anything going on between us, he’d never let me become his friend.”

“You’re right,” she murmured. “And I’m not looking for…for…for an involvement. I don’t have time. I don’t have the energy. Men cause me nothing but disappointment.” She brought her hand to her lips when she realized she’d said out loud what she was thinking.

“I’ll try not to disappoint you where Anthony’s concerned,” he vowed solemnly. “Come on. We’d better catch up.”

She didn’t argue, and he knew she didn’t want to linger, either. She’d obviously been hurt, maybe by someone other than her ex-husband. They both had scars that would keep anything from developing except a hot affair.

And it would be hot. That sample kiss had told him that.

But he had to put Anthony first.

He’d make sure he stayed away from Angela Schumacher. That was the only reasonable thing to do.

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