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Once he was out of sight, she reluctantly turned toward the office, wishing she didn’t have to face the school principal, wishing as she had so many times that Ted hadn’t died. That they were still a family. That her son still had a father, still thought the world was an adventure instead of a terrifying place filled with awful people and danger.
Running nervous hands down her thighs, she entered the office. Dorothy motioned toward the principal’s office. Through the open door, Olivia saw him, along with Joey and his teacher, Mrs. Tonell. Her stomach sank. Instinctively she knew this was going to be bad. “Sorry to be late,” she began, entering the principal’s office. “You know about the chicks that got loose in the hall....” Her voice trailed off as she spotted a note of disapproval in the principal’s eyes. Like mother, like son?
“We’re not here to talk about the chicks Dr. Harrison brought,” Principal Norrick replied.
Dr. Harrison?
“Please sit down, Mrs. Gray.”
Olivia chose the chair next to Joey’s, wishing she could give him a word of support or a hug of encouragement, but all eyes were on her. So she settled both hands in her lap, hiding their nervous shaking beneath her purse. These days her hands often trembled, her stomach remained in a perpetual knot and she never stopped thinking about why it was her family that had been destroyed.
Principal Norrick stared from behind his desk, his face set in stern lines. “We’ve been as patient as possible with Joey, but this time we cannot diminish the gravity of what he’s done. Mrs. Tonell witnessed him stealing an expensive wireless headset from the computer lab.”
The unhappy teacher looked nearly as miserable as Olivia felt. “I hoped it was just a quick impulse, that he’d turn around and put it back.”
Olivia hadn’t thought her stomach could sink any deeper, yet it did. She stared down at Joey, who sat in the rigid wooden chair next to hers. “Is this true, Joey? Did you steal from the computer lab?”
He shrugged, a halfhearted gesture that was neither acknowledgment nor apology.
Reaching over, she slipped her hand beneath his chin and tipped his face up so she could meet his eyes. “Joey?”
“I guess.”
She didn’t have it in her to be harsh to her wounded child, so she softened her voice. “Either you stole the headset or you didn’t.”
“Yeah.”
Swallowing against disappointment and sickness, Olivia turned back to the principal, waiting for the judgment to be handed down.
“He had been making progress...” Mrs. Tonell began, but her words died when the principal glared in her direction.
“We discussed this in our last meeting, Mrs. Gray,” the principal said. “And Joey is aware that he was given his final warning.”
Trembling, Olivia faced him, dreading his next words.
“Suspension and working in the library aren’t sufficient solutions to this level of misconduct,” the principal continued. “I am afraid that only leaves expulsion.”
Olivia gasped, then tried to collect herself. “Surely we can reach a compromise that will keep Joey in school.” Leaning forward, she gripped the edge of the desk. “I know how very patient you’ve been since his father passed away, and it’s appreciated far more than I can express. But Joey still hasn’t recovered.” She attempted a small smile but failed. “Neither of us has. I wouldn’t ask for special allowances for myself, but a child...hasn’t lived long enough, experienced enough to deal with such a loss. But I believe he’ll get there in time if he’s given the chance.”
Principal Norrick glanced over at the teacher, then at Joey, finally settling his gaze again on Olivia. “It is not the school’s policy to ignore such behavior....”
Olivia’s throat dried up.
Pausing, the principal turned his attention back to Joey for several moments. “We don’t often expel students. I think you know that, Mrs. Gray. And it is not something I want to do, but the other children can’t be allowed to see Joey getting away with this conduct.” His sigh nearly filled the dismal air. “There may be one option we can exercise on a probationary status.”
Olivia didn’t dare breathe.
“Joey will return the headset and he will be suspended for two weeks. He will still be responsible for collecting and completing all of his schoolwork.” The principal stressed each word, keeping his eyes on Joey. “In addition, he will be required to work two hundred hours of community service.” He turned back to Olivia. “Dorothy will give you details on where to report.”
“Thank you, Principal Norrick. We won’t let you down.”
He studied Joey, clearly upset that a student of his had come to this point. “I hope not.”
“You won’t be disappointed,” she reiterated, ready to escape the adrenaline roller coaster she had been on since entering the school. When her son didn’t speak up, she nudged him. “Joey, thank Mr. Norrick.”
“Thanks,” he mumbled without an ounce of conviction.
The principal stood, and Olivia shot up from her chair and nudged Joey toward the door.
Back in the main area of the office, she tried to gather her wits.
Dorothy sent her a sympathetic smile. “I’m filling in Joey’s community-service assignment.” She lowered her voice so it wouldn’t carry to Principal Norrick’s office. “It should be one he’ll take to.”
“Thanks, Dorothy.” Olivia bit down on her lower lip. “Do you suppose there’s enough time left today for Joey to pick up his schoolwork from his teachers?”
“Should be.” The secretary reached for a different form, then scribbled the necessary information. “Joey, show this to all your teachers and they’ll give you what you need.”
Looking particularly displeased, Joey accepted the paper.
“I’ll wait by the car while you go around to your teachers,” Olivia told him as she stashed his community-service paper in her purse. “No dawdling.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m not five years old.”
She met his rebellious gaze, making herself sound stern and in control, despite feeling as if she were steering a rudderless ship. “Then don’t act like you are.”
* * *
Walking slowly out to the parking lot, Olivia blinked back the threat of tears. Her late husband would be so disappointed to see how badly she was handling their son.
“Something wrong?” a familiar voice questioned.
She halted, trying to act and sound near normal. “Zeke!” she greeted him, relieved that she remembered his name. “At least I didn’t run smack into you this time.”
He held up his empty hands. “The 4-H club now has custody of the chicks. All eighty of them.”
“Again, I’m sorry about that.”
“Unless I’m mistaken, you didn’t aim for me.”
She smiled.
“That’s better.” His grin widened.
As she focused on him, Olivia noticed the white Suburban he stood in front of. Harrison Veterinary Clinic was painted across the top half of the cab. Dr. Harrison. Baby chicks. The dots began to connect. “Are you a veterinarian?”
“Guilty. That’s why I was bringing the—”
“Chicks,” she finished for him. “You work a lot with the 4-H club?”
“Some. I’m the only vet for miles, so I do a little of everything.”
Being an army brat, Olivia had never owned a pet. Her father had insisted it wasn’t practical, since he never knew when they would be transferred. “Probably not so much chick chasing, though.”
He started to grin, then forced his lips into a neutral line but failed to disguise the twinkle in his eyes.
It took a moment but the double entendre hit her like a dozen bricks. Chasing chicks, as in women? She winced. “This obviously isn’t my day.”
“Actually, it was pretty funny.”
She wondered if he meant the ill-worded remark or the scattered baby chickens.
Raising her gaze, Olivia saw that he was focused on her. Swallowing, she fought the flood of attraction and the stunning realization that such feelings still existed within her. Olivia thought they were gone forever when Ted died. Disloyalty and guilt warred with the wash of new emotion.
“Mom!” Annoyance magnified the single word.
And she was appalled to realize she had completely forgotten about her son. She spun toward Joey.
He stared at her with his now-standard impatient-twelve-year-old posturing.
“Nice to have met you, Doctor.” Olivia put her hand on Joey’s shoulder to center herself as she began walking away.
“Zeke,” he corrected.
Even though she was several feet away, she heard his name as distinctly as if he had whispered it in her ear.
Chapter Two
Zeke studied the day’s appointments. One jumped out at him. Fluffy, owner Belinda Bates. Only Belinda would name an overly manicured poodle Fluffy. But he had to hand it to her: she was consistent. In high school she had fluffed her hair, her personality, her values.
But he’d loved her. From the moment she had asked him to the Sadie Hawkins dance in their sophomore year of high school. It seemed that wherever Belinda walked, a glow followed. Popular, pretty—he was amazed that she wanted to date him. He was the resident bad boy, still hurting from years of being bounced around the foster system. And it took time to transition from that rebellious, angry boy into a man. When Belinda started to date him, he was still in the angry stage.
His foster parents made him attend school, didn’t accept any excuses and followed up to make sure he was toeing the line. But not like the other homes he had lived in. The Harrisons treated him as their own. They showed him love he couldn’t break and an understanding that finally got through to him.
Belinda, on the other hand, hadn’t been burdened with the same feeling of obligation.
Pulling open his desk drawer, Zeke stared at the tiny engagement ring he had bought for her so many years ago when he had finished his undergraduate studies at Texas A&M. After they’d gone together almost four years, Zeke had been certain she would accept his proposal.
But Belinda, who had chosen to attend the University of Texas, had had other ideas. He was too much of a wild card, she had said. Zeke exhaled, knowing he would never forget those words. Couldn’t be certain of his real background, Belinda had explained. And she couldn’t have children with someone who couldn’t be vetted. No telling how the children would turn out.
He had been stunned, Zeke remembered. Completely flattened. Why, he’d asked, had she dated him all this time? Her eyes hadn’t even changed with her admission. He had never noticed that before—her ability to hide her real feelings. Because he was different, Belinda had replied with a small shrug. She’d liked his edge, the way he flouted rules when he wanted to, defied authority. But really, did he think she would marry him? And had he really believed she hadn’t dated other guys the past four years? It shouldn’t have mattered. He should have forgotten all about her. But despite the changes he made, the encouragement from his by-then adoptive parents, the words stayed with him. Like a measuring stick.
His birth parents had been teenagers, his father jailed for a string of petty burglaries and vandalism. And Belinda, for all her cold disdain, had a point. Zeke had no idea what his genes would produce. Sure, he had straightened out, but that was his adoptive parents’ doing. They’d loved him when he was unlovable and had never given up.
“You’ve seen the appointments, then,” Angie said from the doorway.
He didn’t need to ask to know she was referring to Belinda.
“She has to be the most insensitive person on the planet,” Angie fumed, knowing Zeke’s history. “And why you let her bring her neurotic puffball here—”
“It’s not the dog’s fault,” Zeke replied mildly, even though Belinda’s gall was insulting.
“You could tell her to take him to a vet in another town.”
Yes, he could. But every time he saw Belinda, it reminded him of how blind he had been. How he never intended to be ambushed like that again.
* * *
Olivia navigated her car out of town, the school secretary’s note in one hand. Joey stared out the window as though she were chauffeuring him to prison. “You know, this community service will go a lot smoother if you approach it with a good attitude.”
“Does Grandpa know I’m missing the whole baseball season?”
“He will soon enough.” Olivia struggled to find a tone between scolding and understanding. It was difficult enough handling Ted’s death as an adult. Joey was just a boy.
“Grandpa won’t like it.”
“Unless you’ve forgotten, you could have missed basketball and football next season, too, if you’d been expelled.” She didn’t tell him that the administration had allowed him to stay on the team during his bad behavior only because they were sympathetic to Ted’s unexpected death.
Not having a ready retort, Joey turned back to stare at the familiar landscape. When Ted was still alive, they would all have been chatting about which of the wildflowers continued to bloom.
Inhaling an acrid scent, Olivia scanned the hillsides for smoke. The severe drought had wildfires popping up in the area, and although Rosewood had been lucky, the possibility added to Olivia’s stress.
Joey exhaled loudly.
“You know, you still haven’t acknowledged the seriousness of what you did. Stealing.”
He shrugged. “Just some dumb headset.”
“I don’t care if it was a marble. It’s not how much the item’s worth. It’s about what you’re worth. Stealing isn’t honorable. And without honor, where is your worth?” She slid her gaze toward him.
Joey’s chin drooped a fraction, but he didn’t reply, instead turning again to stare out the window.
The early-morning traffic on the highway consisted mostly of eighteen-wheelers and pickup trucks. She had always been glad that the road wasn’t connected to a freeway. It gave Rosewood a feeling of protection unlike what she had known most of her life, moving from fort to fort.
Her father, the Colonel, had decided to retire in the Hill Country soon after Ted had graduated from the University of Texas. Joey was just four then. Ted had been offered a good job in Austin right after graduation, so they’d decided to stay. But seven years later, the company had closed its doors.
The Colonel had still had influential contacts from his army days. One of them had suggested a business that Ted could operate from home. Without the anchor of his job, Austin hadn’t had a hold on them any longer. Ted’s parents had passed away during his college years and he sorely felt their absence. So when the Colonel suggested they relocate to Rosewood, Ted had been elated, wanting to be close to family.
Olivia had had mixed feelings about the move. She’d lived in Austin longer than anywhere else in her life. But she couldn’t deny that it would be good to be closer to her parents. Even though they’d visited back and forth, it wasn’t the same as being close enough for impromptu get-togethers, family dinners and special grandparent time.
Ted had liked his new work, but it had required some traveling. They had been in Rosewood only a couple of months when he’d made that fateful trip to Atlanta. When the police caught the suspect, he’d turned out to be a young man, barely more than a boy, who had panicked during the mugging and shot Ted unintentionally. Intentional or unintentional, the result had been the same. Ted had died alone on a strange street in a strange city.
Olivia blinked away the threat of tears, trying to push the memories away, as well. Although they had only lived in Rosewood about a year and a half, she had grown attached to the quiet, caring community. If Ted had lived, by now he would have met every neighbor, introduced himself to every clerk in every business in town. He’d been outgoing and open, and people didn’t remain strangers to him for long.
But after his death, Olivia hadn’t been able to continue his natural outreach. She had always been more reserved, accustomed to keeping a low profile in the many towns her father had been stationed in. She had learned early on as an army brat that making friends only made it that much harder when they moved.
Most of her acquaintances and friends were ones Ted had made, always trying to enlarge her circle to give her something she had never had before.
Now, having retreated from everything except her son, her parents and a part-time job as a drugstore inventory clerk, she struggled to maintain a normal life for Joey. Olivia questioned if she had failed Joey by being so reclusive. Maybe he wouldn’t have gotten into so much trouble if she had involved herself more in the community, made friends, reached out to everyone.
