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Lou, North and Joe poked their heads around the corner. “So what’s that all about?”
“Tyler’s the baby’s godfather, and the baby’s dad is in the hospital. I don’t know much more than that, other than the baby’s name is Jace. So for now, it looks like I have a baby. Would someone go clean up my mess in the paint room while I take Jace to the house?”
“Sure, Tuck,” Lou said, then nodded to North who bustled past her to the room. “He said there was a family emergency?”
Tucker shrugged. “I don’t know anything else. I’m sure he’ll explain later. Whatever’s going on, Tyler is shaken. For now, I’ll let you guys take care of the rest of the afternoon here and I’ll take the munchkin home, unless someone would like to trade off?”
Lou and Joe shook their heads and hurried back to their repairs. “Looks like it’s you and me, kid.”
She hauled everything across the lot to her house. It was a small ranch that still had most of the furniture she’d grown up with. She’d thought about updating the furnishings, but she liked the Ethan Allen hardwood pieces, and never felt anything more than a new couch was required. She’d bought a new one about four years ago, and it was oversized and covered in a brown micro material that was wearing like iron. She put the baby and his stuff on it.
He immediately began to wiggle and squirm. She helped him lower himself to the floor, and watched as he toddled off to explore her living room. She made a quick sweep of the room and possible dangers, but it looked pretty good to her, so she went back to the bag as she kept half an eye on Jace. “So, let’s see what we have in here.” There was one dirty romper, two diapers, some wipes, a half eaten plastic container of Cheerios, some powered toddler formula. “Well, I think first thing on our list is some shopping. This won’t last you long.”
Bart charged into the house, spotted her and the baby sitting on the floor looking through a magazine as if he could read. “What is that?”
“That is a baby.”
Bart’s expression said that he didn’t think his mother was as funny as she thought she was. “Yeah, Mom, I know it’s a baby, but whose baby is it?”
“That I don’t know. I do know he’s Tyler’s godson and there’s no one else to watch him because his dad’s in the hospital, so he’s in my care until Tyler gets back.”
Bart approached the baby and studied him as if studying some alien life-form.
Tucker realized how little interaction her son had with children. Since her friend Eli Keller had a son, then adopted a daughter, Bart had a bit more experience with little kids, but he’d grown up an only child and had never dealt with a baby for more than the occasional dinner at Eli’s in-laws, the Kellers. When Eli joined the family, the Kellers promptly enveloped Tucker, Bart and her dad, too. Tucker had coined the term Kellerized to explain the way the family informally adopted people.
“He’s sort of cute,” Bart finally said.
“He’s also almost out of diapers and given that he has teeth, he’s probably in need of some solid food, as well as more formula. This might have lasted him at the sitter’s, but there’s no telling how long we’ll have him, so we should have more. I need to do some power-shopping for him. Wanna come with?”
Bart still warily eyed the baby. “He looks like he’s going to cry.”
“He probably needs his diaper changed and a quick bottle. Then we’ll all go get the essentials.”
Bart frowned. “Shopping and a baby. You do know how to show me a good time, Mom.”
Tucker chuckled and she stripped the baby down. “That’s a mother’s job, kid.”
TWO HOURS LATER, BART was on the floor rolling a truck for Jace, who laughed out loud each time Bart said, “Zoom.”
Tucker had gone to the store planning to buy the essentials, but in the end, had bought some toys and books as well. Watching Bart with Jace, she didn’t regret the added expense. Both the boys were having fun. Bart would have made a great big brother. She felt a not unfamiliar spurt of guilt for her son’s unconventional upbringing. He’d been born to a teen mother, and had only had the minimal contact with his biological father. She’d never married, and though she dated on occasion, she had a strict policy of never allowing Bart to meet any of the men. At first because she feared a revolving group of men would be confusing to him, and later because that’s how it had always been.
Tucker was enjoying the Bart and Jace show when her cell phone rang. A number she didn’t recognize showed up on the caller ID. “Hello?”
“Tucker, it’s me, Tyler.”
“How are you?”
“I’m fine. It’s Jace’s father. It doesn’t look good.” Tyler’s voice broke as he said the words. “I’ll try to be there as soon—”
“Don’t be an ass. Stay with your friend. I can handle the baby.”
“I couldn’t—”
“Unless something’s changed since you dropped him off with me, you not only can, you sort of have to. I’ve been a mother my entire adult life. I have exactly two skills in this life—cars and kids. I’ll watch Jace for as long as you need me to. Stay with your friend.”
“But I don’t even know if Jace has enough stuff. I just took what the sitter handed me. I should have thought—”
Tucker cut him off. “I took care of it already. Don’t worry about Jace. Worry about the kid’s father. Call if you need anything else.” She disconnected before he could argue.
“Is he coming?” Bart asked.
Tucker shook her head. “It’s Jace’s dad. I don’t have all the particulars, but for now, he’s ours.”
Bart rolled the truck toward Jace, who giggled. “He’s not so bad.”
She looked at her son, no longer a boy, but a man. In a few months, he’d take off for college. She wasn’t sure what she’d do without him. She’d been younger than he was now when she’d had him. It had always been the two of them. The two of them and her dad. And the guys at the shop. Now, her dad was retiring and Bart was off to start his own life. Where did that leave her?
“Mom, you have that sort of spacey, sappy look on your face. Again,” Bart added for emphasis. “You’re thinking about me leaving home.”
“No, I wasn’t,” she denied. “I was thinking about how I’m going to get Werner’s car ready. He was coming by first thing in the morning for it, and Tyler was the one working on it.”
“I could watch the runt while you go finish it,” Bart offered. “Which was, by the way, I know what you were hoping I’d say.”
Tucker chuckled. “You are a smart boy. I shouldn’t be long, but I hate to have a customer show up for a car that’s not ready. And there’s an added benefit of you watching a kid and finding out it’s not a cake-walk—”
Bart’s groaned interrupted her. “Seriously, you’re going to turn me helping you out by watching this kid into some teen-parent-prevention lesson?”
Tucker laughed. “An inventive parent works with the opportunities life gives them.”
“You’re wacked, Mom, but that’s one lesson you’ve driven home without me watching the baby.” He made a shooing motion. “So, get, I’ve got it, Mom. I’ll call if me and the kid have problems.”
She started to the door, then turned back. “You’ve got his toys, his food and the new books.”
“You bought out half the store. We’ve got plenty. Go.”
“Fine. I’ll hurry.”
Tucker wasted no time climbing under the car that was still waiting for Tyler. She was sure the other guys would have finished it. One of them would have come back tonight, or come in early tomorrow if she asked, but she wanted to do it. It wasn’t much, but it made her feel as if she was doing something for Tyler. Something tangible.
When he’d been a customer and asked her out, he’d had an aura of self-confidence. He believed the world was his oyster and even her rejections couldn’t dent his self-image. That Tyler Martinez had known he had the world in the palms of his hands, and it didn’t seem to occur to him that his belief in that basic fact could change.
This new Tyler seemed to be getting kicked over and over again. He’d lost his career and his good name when he went to jail. And remembering his expression when he showed up with the baby, he was terrified he was going to lose his friend.
Well, she couldn’t do anything to help his friend, or get his old life back for him, but she could watch Jace and she could damn well fix this car.
It wasn’t much, but it would have to be enough.
She started checking where Tyler had left off with the Werners’ car.
She knew Bart would call if he had problems.
She smiled because he’d caught on to her master plan. Taking care of a baby was a better life lesson than any of her lectures could be. Kids were hard work. Maybe watching Jace would help Bart remember that when he went off to college.
She decided that taking her time on the car was not such a bad idea after all, because being a grandmother in her thirties was definitely not on her list of future plans.
Of course, she wasn’t quite sure what those were, but she trusted that eventually she’d figure it out.
THREE DAYS LATER, Tyler dragged himself out of his truck and onto Angelina’s porch. He rang the doorbell and waited.
She’d been amazing, and he wasn’t sure why. She’d not only kept Jace, but with the help of her father and son, she’d juggled the baby’s care with work. She assured him that it was fine, that she knew he needed to be with his friend.
She hadn’t pushed him for explanations on his friendship with Jason. She hadn’t asked him for anything.
Tyler had spent the last three days waiting for Jason to wake up, but his friend had slowly gone from bad to worse. When Jason’s parents had arrived from their retirement community in Florida, Tyler had felt stretched almost beyond his limits as he tried to support them. Jason was their only son and they were crushed.
When the end came, it had been swift. There was no fanfare. No final moments with poignant words. One minute, Jason had been breathing—still clinging to life. The next minute he simply stopped—stopped breathing, stopped living. Mrs. Matthews had totally fallen apart. It was all he could do to help Mr. Matthews get her to Jason’s house where they were staying. Her grief was tangible.
Tyler pushed his own pain aside. The Matthews had done so much for him. He’d do what he had to in order to support them. Later, he’d grieve on his own.
He told them he’d bring the baby over later in the day and that he’d help them plan Jason’s funeral.
Tyler realized he hadn’t felt the full impact of Mellie’s death because he’d been in prison. Jason had called and told him when she’d died, but there hadn’t been anything Tyler could do. She wasn’t a blood relation, so there wasn’t even a possibility of being released for her funeral. He’d suffered through the loss on his own.
This time, he wasn’t alone. He’d thought it would hurt less if he was with others who shared his pain, but watching people he loved suffering made it hurt more.
He waited at Angelina’s door, pushing down his hurt.
The door flew open. “Tyler?”
“He’s gone. Jason’s dead.” It was the first time he’d said the words out loud and they struck him. “He’s gone.”
Angelina reached out, grabbed his hand and tugged him inside. “I’m so sorry, Tyler. What can I do?”
Angelina’s warm reaction didn’t exactly surprise him, but it didn’t mean he understood it, either. “I came to get Jace.” His mind was muddled; he accepted her concern, but he knew he couldn’t impose on Angelina any further.
Rather than go get the baby, she asked, “When’s the last time you slept or ate?”
“What day is it?” he asked.
“Saturday.”
The days had blurred together and he didn’t have a clue. “I don’t know.”
“You can crash in my room and I’ll take care of him for a little while longer. He’s a good kid.”
“Angel, I can’t—”
He thought of her as Angelina, or Angel. Back when he’d had the world in his hand, he’d called her that, but everything had changed since then. He knew he should call her Tucker, like everyone else, but she didn’t notice, or simply didn’t correct his slipup as she interrupted him. “You’re right. You can’t do much of anything until you get some sleep and some food. In that order.” She led him down the hall. “And a shower.”
She sniffed the air. “Maybe the shower first.”
“I—”
She led him to her room and gave him a gentle push inside. “The bathroom’s right through that door. There are clean towels in the cupboard. Take a shower, then go to bed, Tyler. We’ll figure it all out when you get up.”
He was too exhausted to argue. He took a shower and used the shampoo that was out. It smelled flowery. It smelled like Angelina. Until now, he’d never noticed that despite her work clothes, she’d always smelled very feminine.
He wrapped a clean towel around his waist, went into her room and climbed in Angelina Tucker’s bed. The last thing his foggy brain registered is that the bed smelled flowery, too.
It smelled like Angelina.
That thought comforted him as he fell asleep.
TUCKER WAITED A HALF hour, then tiptoed into the bathroom through the hall door and picked up Tyler’s clothes. She planned on washing them while he slept. She couldn’t swear to it, but she was pretty sure the jeans and tight black t-shirt were the same ones he’d had on three days ago when he’d brought her Jace. The door to the bedroom was cracked and she saw Tyler sprawled on her bed.
A towel was still wrapped around his hips, but his chest and legs were bare. She felt something stirring, something that hadn’t stirred for a very long time.
It wasn’t that she was immune to men. It was simply that she didn’t have a lot of opportunity to meet men. She lived her life in a man’s world, but it sometimes felt as if there were no men she could, or would, be interested in. And when she did meet a man, she frequently couldn’t get rid of them quick enough. It wasn’t that some weren’t nice—they were. It was simply that fitting anything more than an occasional date into her busy life didn’t work for her. She wasn’t interested in long-term. She’d have thought that would make her their dream woman. But it seemed to do the opposite. The more she said she wasn’t interested, the more they pursued her.
Instantly, she realized she was ogling a man who’d lost a friend and was obviously devastated. She felt ashamed and rushed from the room, tossed his clothes in the washer and went to see if Jace was awake yet.
She found him sitting in the portable baby crib she’d bought.
“Hi, little man. Let’s go get some breakfast.”
Taking care of the baby was enough of a distraction that she could ignore the fact there was a half-naked man in her bed.
Well, not ignore, but almost ignore.
She was not going to think about the fact that she’d thought Tyler Martinez looked very good in a tight black t-shirt, and now she’d discovered he looked even better out of it.
CHAPTER THREE
TYLER WOKE UP DISORIENTED.
Where was he?
It was the scent that finally triggered his memory. He was in Angelina Tucker’s bed. On the heels of that realization came another—Jason was dead. He needed to get the baby and go check on Jason’s parents.
Tyler found his clothes in a neat pile in the bathroom. They’d obviously been laundered.
He added that to the long list of things Angelina had done for him as he dressed.
He went looking for his benefactor and found her in the living room on the floor stacking blocks with Jace. He stood in the doorway, mesmerized by the sight. She’d stack a small tower and Jace would whack it over, then laugh hysterically as she’d sputter, “Why you…” and rebuild it, only to have it toppled again.
She spotted him and smiled. “You woke up.”
“I did and found some clean clothes. Thank you.”
She seemed flustered by his gratitude and shrugged. “It was self-preservation. They practically walked to the washer and begged to be cleaned.” She grew serious. “I’m sorry about your friend.”
“Thank you. He was more than a friend…” Tyler stopped, not sure how to describe his relationship with Jason and his parents. There was the family he’d been born into, such as they were, and then there were the Matthews, the family he’d chosen…or rather the family who’d chosen him.
“Your friend’s got a great kid. I figured Jace’s parents were pretty special. I’m sorry he’s lost his father.”
“Mellie, his mom, is gone, too. Jace only has his grandparents left.”
“I’m sorry for that, too.” Tucker shook her head. “But you’re wrong. He has you.”
Jace deserved better than him. Lucky for the kid he had Jason’s parents, who were the best. They were two of the most decent people he’d ever known. “His grandparents will take care of him. Speaking of which, I need to take him to them. We’ve got to make the funeral arrangements.” He paused. “About work…?”
“Don’t worry. Dad cleared your absence with your parole officer, and your job is waiting for you after the funeral. Will you call me with the details?”
Her question brought him up short. “Why?”
Tucker shook her head, sending her short curls flying. “So we can come and show our respect.”
“You didn’t know him.” She’d never even met Jason or his parents, so he didn’t understand.
“No, but we know you. You work for us. We want to be there for you. That’s what friends do.” Her expression didn’t brook any arguments.
Tyler hadn’t understood Angelina back when he’d asked her out and she’d said no, despite the fact he was pretty sure she wanted to say yes. He didn’t think he was being conceited when he thought she was as attracted to him as he was to her. He understood her even less now. He simply said, “Thanks.” He leaned down to the baby. “Hey, Jace.”
Jace immediately held up his hands to be lifted.
“He’s not shy about what he wants.” Angelina laughed as Tyler picked up the baby. “Bart has begun referring to us as Jace’s minions. He’s got everyone at the shop totally under his thumb.”
“I don’t know how to thank you both. To thank everyone at the shop for picking up the slack for me.”
“Like I said, helping out—that’s what we do. You should have seen him with North. North’s got a Star Trek phaser app on his phone and was thrilled that Jace thought it was as cool as he did. The rest of us simply mock it, but Jace and North played with that thing for more than a half hour. I’m afraid that first it’s going to be phaser apps on a phone, and next thing you know, North will be taking Jace to ComicCon, or DragonCon.”
Jason had been a huge science fiction buff who’d kept trying to tempt Tyler into joining him by giving him books or DVDs to watch. Tyler realized that his friend would never again rave about how brilliant Buffy the Vampire Slayer was, or threaten to give him a Star Wars ringtone.
He noticed Angelina was still talking. “…and Lou and my dad took turns playing honorary grandpa with him. They were talking about taking him fishing. I put a stop to that. I figured I’d fail as babysitter if I let him become fish-bait. But I’m sure they’ll be asking to borrow him sometime. They used to take Bart.”
Tyler didn’t know what to say. He was an ex-con, but no one at Tucker’s garage seemed to notice. They simply accepted him as one of their own. “Angel, I—”
“Tucker, remember, Ace?” She smiled as she said the words.
Without thinking, Tyler leaned down and kissed her. It started out as a quick buss on the cheek, but she turned her head, and his lips were on hers. It was a tender kiss of friendship that quickly turned into something more. Something Tucker actively participated in and then abruptly pulled back from, looking flustered. He didn’t wait for her to holler at him, he simply took the baby and walked to where he’d spotted Jace’s carseat.
“Don’t forget his diaper bag,” Tucker said, following after him, bag in hand.
He started toward his truck.
“Thanks. I seem to be thanking you a lot.”
“We look out for each other. No thanks expected.”
He knew she meant that—she didn’t require or expect gratitude. She didn’t even recognize how extraordinary that was.
He looked at the small woman in her holey jeans and a t-shirt that had a motorcycle on it and read Ride It Like You Stole It. Her hair was a mass of crazy curls and she didn’t have a bit of makeup on. All that being said, she was beautiful and everything in him wanted nothing more than to kiss her again.
But he didn’t. He felt guilty for wanting to. After all, his best friend was dead. How could he be thinking about women when Jace was gone? It said something about him, he admitted as they agreed to switch vehicles and fished his truck key out of his pocket for Tucker. “I’ll call later on.”
“Okay.” She stood in front of him for a minute, as if weighing something in her head, then moved swiftly and kissed his cheek.
Before he could do or say something that would totally unman himself, Tyler got in Angelina’s black Pilot and headed back into Erie, where Jason’s parents were waiting.
He glanced at the baby in the rearview mirror. Jace was chortling a string of noncoherent syllables to himself, happy and content. Tyler caught the word Da, and felt choked up. He remembered the day Jason had called him to tell him Mellie was pregnant. The baby didn’t know he’d lost everything.
But Tyler did and his heart ached for him. For Jason’s parents.
And, though it made him feel small to think it, for himself.
Jason Matthews stood up for Tyler and stood by Tyler. Jason had given him the closest thing to a family that he was ever going to have.
And now he was gone.
Tyler felt totally alone, but then he remembered Angelina’s simple assurance that they were there for him.
The thought warmed him and helped him feel as if he was able to get through these next few days. He had to bury his friend, then he had to say goodbye to his godson when the Matthews took the baby back to Florida with them.
But he wasn’t totally alone.
And Tyler Martinez was a man who recognized how much that was worth.
It was worth everything.
TUCKER WALKED INTO THE Kloecker Funeral Home along with her father, Lou, Joe and North. The place was filled with people who’d grouped together sharing tears and stories of the deceased. She spotted a man and woman who had to be Jason’s parents. The woman held a cane in one hand, and Jace in the other. They were surrounded by people offering their sympathies. Tyler was nowhere to be seen. She scanned the crowds and finally spotted him in a corner, standing by himself. His expression unreadable. His posture was ramrod stiff, and his fists were clenched at his side as he stared out the window.
Rather than get in the line of people waiting to pay their respects with her father and the guys, she walked over to Tyler. “How’re you doing?” She heard the words come out of her mouth and wished she could suck them back in. “Sorry. Dumb question.”
Tyler offered her a weak smile. “I’m as okay as I can be.”
“Why are you hiding back here?” She noticed that people kept glancing at them, and cut Tyler a wide berth, as if he had something contagious.
“Not hiding, simply staying out of the way.” His voice was tight, contained. Too controlled.
“Come with me.” She took his hand and pulled him toward the door. People parted as they approached. She saw her dad send her a questioning look, but she shook her head and trusted he knew that she meant she had it under control. She continued leading Tyler until they were far enough outside the funeral home, at the far end of the parking lot. No one could overhear.
“Spill.”
“I’m fine,” Tyler repeated.
“Ty, we both work on cars and we know that systems need to be vented, or else the pressure builds until it blows up. Your pressure’s building. Vent.” He still didn’t say anything, so she pressed. “Jason was a friend. I never saw you two together, but it’s obvious you were a good friend to him. So why is everyone in there treating you like you have leprosy?”