Long Time Coming by Sandra Brown Read Free Book Online Page A

crackpot. This has been a well-thought-out plan to destroy my career."
    "I can see how it might make life uncomfortable, but how could the disclosure of a youthful indiscretion destroy your career?"
    "NASA has regained some of the credibility it lost after the Challenger accident."
    "Thanks mainly to you."
    He gave a self-effacing shrug. "But the administrators are still as jumpy as cats. They don't want anything to go wrong. They certainly don't want any scandal. And if a picture of the illegitimate son I've never acknowledged showed up on the covers of the tabloids, what do you think my chances would be for getting another mission?"
    "And you want another?"
    His expression implied that was the dumbest question he'd ever heard. "Damn right.
    There are a limited number of missions with a limited number of crewmen for each one. I want to fly as many as I possibly can before I get too old or before a glitch shows up on a routine EKG or before some younger pilot retires me. Oh, yeah, I want to go again."
    "You love it, don't you, Law?"
    "It's right up there with prime rib, Ray Charles, and sex."
    "I don't think I understood until now just how vulnerable you are. It never occurred to me that public exposure of this might affect your career."
    "The center wouldn't fire me. But bad PR would make me dead meat around the astronaut office. I'd be training other guys to do what I'm dying to do myself." His lips narrowed. "Whoever is threatening me knows how important space exploration is to me."
    "It's not me," she said earnestly, reflexively pressing her hand to her chest. "It would be much better for David, and for me, if things stayed exactly as they are. Knowing that you're his father would only complicate his life."
    That sparked his temper. "Why?"
    "Because you're you, that's why. What would you do with a teenage son?"
    "Go to more soccer games."
    "And fewer parties."
    "I see you've been keeping up with me"
    She fell silent. It wouldn't do for him to know that the first thing she looked for in every morning's newspaper was a mention of him in any context. As often as not a picture of him could be found in the society pages.
    "There's the whistle," she said, drawing their attention back to the field.
    The Tornadoes scored a point less than two minutes into the half, tying the score. But tension mounted as the minutes of the second half dwindled until only one remained on the clock. It seemed that the game would go into overtime. Everyone in the stadium was on his feet and hoarse from yelling encouragement to the players whose spirits and energy levels were beginning to flag.
    "Here, stand up here where you can see better," Law told Marnie. His hands spanned her waist and lifted her to stand on the bench in front of them. "Better?"
    "Much." For the first time since the game began, she had an unobstructed view of the field.
    "Oh no!" Marnie, along with everyone else in the stands, groaned as a Tornadoes'
    attempt at a goal missed by inches. "Get control of the ball David! Get it from … that's it,"
    she hollered cupping her hands around her mouth. She jumped up and down, stamping on the bench. To secure her, Law placed his hands on either side of her waist.
    "Careful there, don't fall." Then he cursed as an opposing player stole the ball from David, who had been skillfully maneuvering it toward the goal. "Get it back, David! Stay on him, stay—"
    "Go, David, go!" Marnie screamed as David deftly stole the ball from right between the other players' feet without fouling him.
    "Twenty seconds!" she shouted. "Fifteen, David! Help him out, guys! Block that kid!
    Lord, he's been doing that to them all afternoon and they— That's a foul, ref!" she shouted, aiming an accusing finger. "Where are your glasses? Ten seconds. Oh, damn.
    David, do something! Five sec—"
    Her last words were drowned out by the roar that went up when David fired a shot past the goalie to score the winning point. Pandemonium broke out on the field, on the