Backwoods

The level of awkwardness just ratcheted up ten notches.

CHAPTER TWO

IT TOOK NATHAN a moment to place her.

He’d been anticipating a confrontation with his son, not a blank stare from a pretty stranger. Had Lydia given him the right address? She’d mentioned that Ray’s daughter, Brooke, would be here. Nathan knew at a glance that this woman wasn’t her. She had to be at least thirty, with honey-blond hair and lovely blue eyes. Her clothes were casual, but stylish and feminine. She wore a body-hugging tunic and cropped leggings. Her leather sandals had a studded strap around the ankle.

The speech he’d planned for Leo faded into the background as he dragged his gaze up her slender body, lingering for a second too long on her breasts. Then his brain kicked into gear. “You’re Abby.”

“Yes.”

He was knocked for a loop. She didn’t look old enough to have a daughter in college. And...she was hot. Not flashy, in-your-face hot, like Lydia, but too damned beautiful to be Ray’s ex-wife.

“Leo took Brooke on a motorcycle ride,” she said.

Nathan glanced at the deserted road, hoping his son was sober.

“I’m sure they’ll be back soon.”

“Can I come in?”

A pulse fluttered at the base of her pale throat. She must have seen the YouTube video. She didn’t want to let him in.

“I’ll wait outside,” he said, ignoring the blow to his pride. Not so long ago, women had tripped all over themselves to talk to him. Fans clamored for his autograph. He’d been cheered in public and treated like a rock star.

Now people recognized him as the guy who’d thrown away his career. He’d been videotaped in a state of extreme intoxication by his own son. The clip of him stumbling out of a taxicab and falling down on his front lawn had gone viral. He’d lost visitation rights with Leo. Their relationship had been strained ever since.

Nathan didn’t make excuses for the mistakes he’d made in the past. He’d gone to rehab and cleaned up his act. He was no longer a famous baseball player, and he might always be remembered for personal lows, rather than professional highs, but he’d come out okay. He’d gotten his life back on track. Most addicts weren’t so lucky.

Instead of getting defensive about his bad reputation, he’d learned to shrug off criticism and roll with the punches. Although he’d stopped caring about the opinions of strangers, he didn’t want Abby to be afraid of him. Maybe because of their tenuous, broken-family connection. Maybe because he found her attractive.

Her cheeks flushed pink. She was embarrassed by her hesitation to let him in. “Is Leo expecting you?”

“No.”

“What are you doing here?”

She was direct. He liked that. “Lydia sprained her ankle this afternoon. She can’t hike or even walk.”

Her lips parted with disbelief. “What about Ray?”

“He’s staying with her. They asked me to come instead.”

“Son of a bitch,” she muttered, propping a hand on her hip. “He does this every time!”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“I’m sure your daughter will be disappointed.”

“Yes.”

Leo would also be disappointed. His son had made it clear that he didn’t want to see him, but Nathan hadn’t given up on reconciling.

Abby stepped aside. “Come on in.”

“Thanks,” he said, passing by her.

After she closed the door, they stood there, staring at each other. She was tall and poised. With her careful makeup and chic clothes, she didn’t strike him as an outdoor explorer. He couldn’t picture her hiking into the wilderness. But he couldn’t see Lydia doing it, either. His ex-wife was more of a yoga-and-latte type.

“I was wondering if Ray had invited you,” she said. “I imagined the four of us around the breakfast table, plus Leo and Brooke.”

Was she joking? He’d rather eat with wolves.

She cocked her head to one side. “Do you get along with Ray?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Why do you think?”

She smiled wryly, crossing her arms over her chest.

Nathan had forgiven Lydia ages ago, and he no longer wanted to beat Ray to a pulp. He could say hello and be polite, but he’d never be friends with the man who’d fucked his wife while they were still married. He wasn’t that evolved.

“Have a seat,” she said.

“I’ll stand.”

With a shrug, she retreated into the kitchen, which was separated from the living room by an island with a speckled granite surface. “I was going to make a drink. Do you want something?”

The hair on his nape prickled. “Is this a test?”

She took a mug off the shelf and held up a square package. Not a glass tumbler or a bottle of hard alcohol. Instant cocoa.

“Sorry,” he said, rubbing a hand over his mouth. It was an old gesture, back to haunt him. “I’m nervous.”

“Why?”

“You must not know Leo.”

“We just met.”

“He doesn’t like me very much.”

She filled her mug with water from the tap, not commenting on his parenting failure. Her daughter was a shining star at Berkeley. She’d been a straight-A student in high school. According to Lydia, the girl excelled in athletics, as well. Brooke was everything Nathan wished Leo would be.