Mad About You

sighed. "I'm working on it."
    A choking laugh escaped from her throat, and she shook her head slightly. "And what's all this supposed to mean to me, Bailey?"
    "I don't know," he said. "I just wanted to tell you I'm trying to turn my life around. If there's any love for me left in your heart, please be patient. I can't do anything about the past except say I'm sorry, but I want the three of us to be together, Ginny, as a family."
    She turned his words over in her mind, separating emotion from fact. "Forgive me, Bailey, for not jumping into your arms." She heard the pain clearly in her own voice. "But it's hard to erase the past with a few nice words, even if they are sincere." Withdrawing her hands, she pushed herself up from the couch and walked over to the window.
    For a few seconds the only sound was muffled noise coming from the TV. Her miniature grandfather clock chimed the half hour, then she heard Bailey shift on the couch and rise to his feet. His footsteps made a whooshing sound as he walked across the rug to stand behind her.
    "Just tell me there's hope, Ginny," he said, his voice cracking.
    She bit her bottom lip and clasped her hands together, then turned to face him. "I can't do that to myself, Bailey," she whispered. She raised her chin, realizing she'd just admitted she still had feelings for him. "I won't do that to myself."
    Pressing his lips together, he nodded sadly, glancing at the floor. Then he placed his hands on his hips, inhaled deeply, and said, "Well, I guess I'd better be going."
    She followed him to the front door, her chest tight, her nerves frazzled. Bailey turned and gave her a small smile. "I'm going to make my standard offer to stay."
    Her pulse vaulted with the knowledge that she was getting much too used to Bailey's company, especially in light of the words they'd just exchanged. "Then I guess I'll make my standard reply of 'thanks anyway.' "
    He nodded and smiled tightly, then caught her gaze. His eyes darkened and he stepped toward her. When she realized he meant to kiss her, Ginny pulled back. Bailey stopped, his face inches from hers. She watched his eyes move over her face, regret imprinted in their blue depths. He lowered his mouth to sweep a kiss across her cheek, then walked out the door.

    * * *

    The next couple of days found Ginny and Chad at a stalemate. He didn't talk, and she didn't cave. She offered to take him to the pool, but he refused to move, just played video games for hours on end. She mentioned the zoo and going out to eat, but he wouldn't budge. In fact, he'd hardly made eye contact with her since the night of the shoplifting incident. Bailey came by in the late afternoons to help wallpaper and paint, plus arrange the new bedroom furniture. Around him, Chad acted excited about his room, only to slip back into a funk when Bailey left.
    It seemed that Bailey, too, was not his usual flirty self. Unfailingly cordial, he kept his distance during his evening visits, staying busy but seeming to go out of his way to avoid all physical contact with Ginny. In the beginning she was grateful not to have to keep up her guard, but near the end of the evenings, she found she missed his playful banter. And even though he was noticeably exhausted after lifting and bending for hours, he didn't ask to spend the night, an action that bothered her more than it should have.
    By Thursday morning she'd had enough of Chad's cold shoulder. She put on her running shoes, retrieved his new basketball from his room, and trotted down the stairs to find him in his standard position, prostrate in front of the television. She reached over and clicked it off, only to be assaulted with loud protests.
    "Come on," she said. "We're going to the park."
    He scowled. "I don't want to go."
    "I didn't ask you if you wanted to go, I said we're going."
    "You can't make me," he challenged.
    "I'd planned on bribing you with money," she said bluntly.
    "What?"
    "A game of horse. If you win, I'll give you twenty dollars."
    He looked suspicious, but at least she had his interest. "What if you win?"
    She shrugged. "If I win, you have to wash my car. That's the best deal you'll get all day."
    He frowned and reached for the remote. "What do you know about basketball?"
    "I know that when it comes to shooting, women players top the men."
    Chad lifted one eyebrow. "Can you really shoot?"
    She smiled. "Bailey practically lived in the gym when we were in college. I rebounded for him, so I picked up a few