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always grimmer, no matter what. She’d splurge on dinner at
Quinn’s. She was bound to know someone there, and even if she
didn’t, she didn’t mind eating by herself.
     
    ***
     
    Leo shouldn’t be surprised that Max was less
than thrilled with the present. Leo tried to hide his frustration
as he urged the reluctant boy out into the front yard, positioned
him with his back to the house and the glove dangling limply from
his left hand.
    “Bring it up, be ready now. You ever played
before?”
    “In PE. I don’t like it.”
    “It takes practice. That’s why I got
this.”
    “Where’s your glove?”
    Huh. Good question. What had he done with it
when he packed up the Excelsior house? “Maybe in the attic. I’ll
look for it tonight.” He checked his feet, spun the ball in his
hand. It had been a long damn time since he’d held one. He forgot
how right it felt. He rubbed his thumb over the threads and the
muscles in his arm bunched in memory. He had to temper it—no fast
balls to his kid, not yet. With a grin, he wound up and tossed a
soft one.
    Max missed it, but stared at Leo. “You did
that just like on TV.”
    Leo rolled his shoulders at the bit of pride
that rolled through him. “I played in high school and college.”
    “Were you good?” Curiosity edged into Max’s
tone, and he shifted, bringing the glove up to touch it
testingly.
    “Had a scholarship.”
    “What does that mean?”
    “I got to go to college for free.”
    “You have to pay to go to college?” Max bent
and picked up the ball, put it in his glove, then tried to mimic
Leo’s movement. The ball arced, then fell short.
    “Good effort. Here, I’ll show you.” He
crossed the yard. For the first time since he’d been here, Max let
Leo touch him without flinching as he drew back his son’s arm,
placed the ball in his hand and showed him how to throw.
    They spent an hour throwing, catching, and
talking. Max’s questions were hesitant at first, as were his
answers to Leo’s questions, but his questions became more
spontaneous, random. He never quite reached chatty, but Leo was
feeling good when he ushered Max inside.
    “I’ll give you your bath.”
    “Dad.” Exasperation. “I’m old enough to bathe
myself.”
    Leo hid a grin. “I thought Grandma had been
giving you baths.”
    “She has but I’m old enough.”
    “Just hard for her to see that, huh?”
    Max nodded.
    “I forgot to ask if you have homework.”
    The look on his face said it all. Well, hell.
So much for good parenting.
     
    ***
     
    Leo decided to take advantage of the early
sunrise to go for a run before he got Max ready for school. He’d
found a path that was just shy of decent along the lake. Anything
to get the kinks out.
    His muscles twinged pleasantly when he bent
to tie his shoes. Throwing that ball last night had felt good, had
released some of the tension that knotted up his back and
shoulders. He hoped Max was willing to repeat it this
afternoon.
    He stretched in the small unfamiliar room
that had been his brother Kevin’s. His older brother had moved out
when Leo was five, so Leo hadn’t spent much time in here. Maybe
they’d get along better if they’d been closer in age. Maybe Kevin
wouldn’t be so impatient with every choice Leo made, including
Leo’s marriage to Liv, which had only widened the rift.
    Leo straightened and trotted down the stairs.
He could hear his parents moving around in their bedroom. He fully
intended to be back in time to get Max up and ready, but to do
that, he had to avoid talking to his mom now.
    He slipped out the front door, wincing at the
chirp of the alarm, and started at a brisk walk down to the lake.
Mist hung low to the ground, blurring the trees and houses as he
strode past. He wished he’d chosen sweatpants instead of shorts,
but returning to the house to change would put him behind schedule.
He’d warm up soon.
    When he returned, he’d have to write a note
to Max’s teacher about the missing homework. Max