Rebecca muttered and searched for the man in question.
Gabriel stood in the midst of his team, receiving congratulations from the boys and giving them his. Then he quickly had the team form a line to greet the Hornets on the field. He turned to make sure everyone was in front of him. He saw Peter putting equipment away. He walked over to her son and said something. Peter appeared surprised but followed Gabriel to the end of the line, then planted himself in front of Gabriel as everyone walked onto the field.
Rebecca’s heart ached as she watched her son being included in the celebration, giving high fives to all the Hornets who filed past him. Tears crowded her eyes, and she quickly blinked to rid herself of them before someone saw her.
“David says your son is a fast runner. We’re one man short. Has he considered going out for the team?”
Alicia’s question drew Rebecca’s attention. “Gabriel’s working on Peter.”
“Then it shouldn’t be long before he’s playing with the Cougars. Gabriel can do just about anything he sets his heart to. And he has such a way with kids. Too bad he doesn’t have children of his own. He and Judy were so much in love. If only Judy—”
“Mom, did you see me?” David ran to his mother, smiling from ear to ear.
Rebecca thought about Alicia’s comments. She agreed that Gabriel would make the perfect father. Why couldn’t Craig be more like Gabriel? Peter and Josh deserved a father who loved them and accepted them as they were. And, Rebecca thought, I deserve a man who loves me and—
Hold it, Rebecca Michaels! What are you thinking? She had no right even to contemplate a relationship with Gabriel. She didn’t want to become involved with any man outside friendship, and she certainly didn’t have the emotional strength to fight a ghost for a man’s love. Gabriel was still deeply in love with his deceased wife, or he wouldn’t be wearing his wedding ring.
“Are you and Peter going to come to Pizza To Go with the rest of the team?” David asked.
Rebecca concentrated on what the child was asking her instead of on the man walking toward her. “I don’t know. Peter hasn’t said anything.” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gabriel come to a stop a few feet from her. Her heartbeat quickened.
“You’ve got to. Everyone goes after a game.”
Gabriel greeted Alicia with a smile, then said, “I insist on Peter and you coming to Pizza To Go. It’s an unwritten rule that every team member must be a part of the celebration afterward.”
“Peter can but I’m not a team member,” Rebecca said with a neutral expression, desperately trying to keep her pulse from racing so fast that she became dizzy. That was what she deserved for even considering Gabriel as a potential—a potential what? Oh, my, as Bess would say. Rebecca felt heat suffuse her cheeks and wished she was anywhere but where she was.
“I could always make you an honorary team member, if that’s what it takes to get you to the pizza place.”
She brought her hand up. “Stop right there. I can’t hit a thing and I certainly don’t run fast. And worse, if I saw a ball coming toward me, I’d run the other way. You wouldn’t want me on your team.”
“But you’re already part of my team.” His eyes gleamed.
Her heart hammered a mad tempo against her chest. “I am?”
“You work at the police station, don’t you?”
“Yes,” she answered, mesmerized by the warmth dancing in his eyes, all directed at her. Oh, my.
“Then I rest my case. You’re a member of my team.”
Alicia laughed. “Rebecca, give up. You won’t win this argument. Once you’re a friend of Gabriel’s, you’re a friend for life.”
“That you are.”
His grin reached out to Rebecca and enveloped her in a sheath of empathy. Yes, they were friends, Rebecca acknowledged, but that would be all and she had to remember that.
“Well, put that way, I guess Peter and I will be there.”
“It’s out on the highway.”
“Yes, I know. Peter has already conned me into going there once.”
“What kid doesn’t like pizza? Come on, let’s get everyone moving toward the parking lot. I’ve worked up quite an appetite.”
“Gabriel Stone, you always say that.” Alicia tousled her son’s hair. “Right, David?”
“Yep, Mom. Coach, I don’t think it’ll take much to get us moving.”
Gabriel chuckled. “David, I don’t think it will, either.” He cupped his hands to his mouth and announced in a loud voice, “Time to celebrate. We have a party to go to.”
Everyone on the team cheered, then scrambled to get their belongings and hurry to cars with parents following more sedately.
Alicia walked with Rebecca. “I’ll see you at the pizza place.”
“I have to first swing by and get my grandmother and my youngest son.”
“Then let me take Peter with me and David.”
Peter came to Rebecca’s side at the car. “That’s okay, Mrs. Carson. I need to help Mom with Josh.”
Rebecca gave her eldest son a perplexed look but said, “We’ll be there soon.” She climbed into her car and waited for Peter to slide in on the passenger’s side. “I can get Josh and Granny by myself, hon, if you want to go with David.”
“Mom, I know you don’t care that much for pizza, so if you want to stay home, that’s okay by me.”
“Since when are you passing up a pizza? What’s going on here, Peter?”
“It’s not my victory. I’m just the team manager. I didn’t do anything, so I don’t feel like celebrating.” Peter hunched by the window, drawing in on himself. He averted his face and stared at the passing landscape.
“Hon, you can always play. Chief Stone would love to see you do that. But you’re wrong about not being a member of the team. You’re an important part.”
“I’m not hungry.”
Rebecca didn’t have to see her son to know his bottom lip was sticking out. “We promised Chief Stone we would be there.”
“You just want to see him. He’s always at our house. You work for him now.”
“Is that what this is about? Do you think I have romantic feelings for Chief Stone? He and I are friends, Peter. That is all.” If she said it enough, she might begin to believe it. On Gabriel’s part, that statement was true. On her part she wasn’t sure anymore. He jumbled her feelings all up into a tight knot that was solidly lodged in her stomach.
“Yeah, sure, whatever.”
“Hon, I think we should talk about
