CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Over the next several days, Mike worked with Melanie to devise a deal to buy the house. Because he was flexible about putting off the purchase date, they agreed to a very fair price, making all parties satisfied.
The new tennis pro, Paco Sanchez, was elated to be in town working at the Sports Center. His girlfriend, Mallory Warren, was given the job of running the camps for kids, something Tracy was supposed to have done.
Hazel worked with Mallory, helping her to organize schedules and come up with extra games and activities for the students.
One morning, Ross stopped in Hazel’s office. “How are things going with Mallory?”
“Good. She’s eager to help and is great with the kids. Much more committed and positive than Tracy. The kids love her.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” He paused. “So, you and Mike are together. He seems very happy about it.”
“We’re seeing how a relationship might go,” Hazel said primly, unwilling to seem overly confident. Thoughts of their lovemaking last night made her cheeks blush and heat roar through her. Mike was an exciting lover, passionate and generous.
Ross beamed at her. “I think the two of you are great together. It’s about time Mike found some true happiness.”
After he left the office, Hazel sat quietly thinking of Mike. They’d talked for hours about their thoughts for the future, what it might mean to have a foster child, and that fostering meant the children were in your life forever.
Mike couldn’t get over the fact that Hazel was excited about the possibility of fostering Jed, or if that didn’t work out, fostering another child at a later date.
“You’re a very special woman,” he told her one night as they curled up on the couch to watch TV together. “I’m sorry I didn’t make a favorable impression on you when you first came to town.”
“You had women of all ages falling over you. I thought you liked that kind of attention,” Hazel said. “Now, I know better. It’s just part of your job.”
“My job now is to make you happy,” teased Mike.
She laughed. “It’s a two-way street. Staying here with me until the house is ready will be a big test of that.”
“Thanks for letting me turn the condo over to Paco and Mallory,” he said. “That gives them an easy start. I’ve told them about coming to Jake’s this Saturday.”
“I hope they stay and become part of the town. Everyone likes them and the way they work at their jobs. They’re a good addition to the group.”
“I should’ve known better than to agree to hire Tracy,” Mike said.
###
Saturday evening, Hazel and Mike decided to meet up at Jake’s rather than go together. Hazel was glad they had. Her girlfriends gathered around her and quizzed her on what had happened between Mike and her and when their relationship had begun for real.
Hazel managed to get most of the information out before Mike showed up.
When Mike greeted her with a kiss, she heard a couple of her friends sigh. Theirs was a sweet story—pretending to be together and then making it happen.
Soon, Elliott and Brooks Beckman arrived, and everyone’s attention turned to them.
When Paco and Mallory showed up, both Ross and Mike made sure they were introduced to everyone.
Sitting there, chatting and eating with the others, Hazel liked the feeling of being included. Her thoughts drifted to Jed. She hoped, whether he went with Lisa and her family or ended up here in Lilac Lake, that he’d have this same sense of belonging.
Later, when people started to leave, Mike turned to her. “Ready to go home?”
She drew in a breath, caught off guard by how easily those words came to Mike and what they meant to both of them.
###
At home, she removed her clothes, put them in a hamper, and slid on the oversized T-shirt she wore to bed. In the bathroom, she moved aside some of Mike’s things sitting on the countertop and brushed her teeth.
When she returned to the bedroom, she saw Mike’s dirty clothes tossed against the hamper and frowned.
“What?” asked Mike.
“Please pick up your clothes and put them inside the hamper? I don’t like a mess.”
“Sorry,” Mike said. “Guess it will take a while to get used to living together.”
“Might as well deal with it now,” said Hazel. She’d just read an article about the pitfalls of living with someone, and she knew they’d both have to make compromises.
Mike brought up the issue of bras drying in the shower after handwashing.
She mentioned that he put dishes in the kitchen sink, but not the dishwasher.
The back and forth ended with a lot of laughter over how the toilet paper rolls should be hung.
Still laughing, Mike put his arms around Hazel and nuzzled her neck. “We can do this.”
“Oh, yes,” said Hazel. She turned and snuggled up against him. “We’ll make this work.”
###
The next morning, they got up together and hurried over to the tennis courts to meet Jed.
Since they’d talked to Lisa about moving, they’d heard nothing.
“Hi,” said Hazel, giving Jed a big smile. “Ready to play?”
“Yep. Today I’m going to beat you,” Jed told her.
‘You’re both improving,” said Mike. “Let’s work on backhands today.”
While Mike watched, giving them pointers, Hazel played a few games with Jed until it was time for the lesson to be over.
“You’re so talented,” Hazel said to Jed, wiping the sweat off her face with a towel. She handed Jed a bottle of water and took one for herself before sitting on the bench outside the court.
Jed sat beside her. “I want to be a tennis pro like Mike.”
“You’ve got the talent for it,” said Mike. “But it takes lots and lots of practice.”
“Lisa told me that,” said Jed.
“Have you heard anything more about moving?” asked Hazel.
Jed shook his head. “Lisa said not to worry about it. But I don’t want to leave Lilac Lake. It’s the best home I’ve ever had.”
Hazel and Mike exchanged worried glances.
“Just remember, we’re here to help any way we can,” said Hazel, careful not to promise too much. But today she’d follow through to see when she and Mike could sign up for the training course.
###
Two nights later, Hazel sat in on a foster parent training class with Mike. Listening to some of the stories and all that would be required of her, Hazel was feeling overwhelmed until she remembered that all parents with a new baby probably felt the same.
Mike wrote down notes on a paper pad while she underlined things in the printed handouts they’d been given. It pleased her that both of them wanted to get it right.
When the course ended, the instructor waved them over.
“I heard what you said about wanting to help out a child in our system whose foster parents might be moving out of state. It doesn’t always have to be a difficult process to transfer a child, but often it takes time, and sometimes it doesn’t work out.
I’m confused, though. Which one of you wants the child? ”
“I do,” said Mike and Hazel together.
The instructor studied them. “Single foster parents are allowed, but you’d do much better to be living together, working as a team, married even, if it comes to an in-state decision. Just a thought.”
Hazel turned to face Mike.
“We’re just beginning our relationship,” he told the instructor. He glanced at Hazel. “But it’s something to think about.”
As they left the building, both Hazel and Mike were silent.
“I don’t want to be pushed into anything,” said Hazel.
“Me either,” Mike said. ‘I like living together, though.”
“Let’s see how things unfold,” said Hazel. “It’s working so far, but let’s not jump ahead of ourselves.”
“I agree,” said Mike. “I’m relieved to hear you say that.”
Hazel remembered how Mike had said he’d fight for her. She hoped they weren’t empty words.