Authors: Donna Gallagher

Pippa's Fantasy (16 page)

Having now managed to turn down the panic level a few notches Laura perused the mess on the floor. The ruby colour caught her eye, and as she picked the knee-length, full-skirted dress with the tailored bodice from the floor, she thought,
What the heck, why not?

It wasn’t that bad a sight that greeted Laura in the mirror’s reflection, once she had finished primping and pruning for the good part of an hour. Her blonde, almost white hair was in a loose updo and grey-and-silver eyeshadow highlighted her pale blue eyes. Happy with the way her dress fit tastefully over her trim body and noticing that her moderately high black pumps gave her calves a nice shape, Laura twirled one more time, reasonably pleased with the overall result, before picking up the small clasped handbag she had set aside.

“Well, as my mother used to say, ‘That will do for the fella you’re after and the chance you’ve got’.” The sound of the snort she made in response to repeating one of her estranged mother’s pearls of wisdom was not at all ladylike, in Laura’s opinion. “Great, and now I’m turning into my mother,” she mumbled as she headed towards her living room to await her date’s arrival.

“Hey, Ma—did you say something? Wow, what’s with the get-up? Where are you going?”

Laura hadn’t heard her son come home but it was no shock to see him sitting on the couch with the TV on—probably a replay of the last year’s winning Grand Final. She smiled to herself, noticing the surprised expression on his face when he saw her.

“What’s wrong, Mitchell? Don’t I look okay? Do you think I should change? Yes, you’re probably right. It is a bit too much for dinner…” Laura had really got herself into a tether and rambled on until she felt her son’s hands come down gently on top of her shoulders.

“Slow down, Mum, you look fantastic. Hot—which is quite awkward for me to notice.” Mitchell Harris—known as ‘the Rookie’ to fans of rugby league—shuddered visibly in response. “What’s got you into such a state, and all dressed up like that? Where are you going and who with?”

Laura would have laughed at the ridiculousness of the moment, if she hadn’t already felt as if she were about to faint from the nerves caused by the quickly approaching dinner date. Her son had sounded just like her father in his demand to know her plans.
Nice turn of events,
she thought.

“Huh, not that it is any of your concern, young man—you are still the child in this relationship and me the mother—but to answer your question, I’ve been invited out to dinner. Pretty sure we’ve already had this conversation. Mitchell Harris, were you not listening to me…again?” Laura looked up into her tall son’s face, trying to appear stern, but she couldn’t hide her affection for her only child.

“I’m sorry, Ma, I didn’t mean to sound nosey… But who
are
you going out with, again? I forgot.”

Laura had always had a hard time not falling for that puppy dog look Mitch had perfected early on in his life when he’d really wanted something. Many a time it had broken Laura’s heart to disappoint him, but money had always been tight back then. She thanked her lucky stars, every day, that their life had taken a turn for the better. Not that luck had had much to do with it. No, it was all Mitchell and his amazing sporting ability that had given their small family a leg-up in life.

“Trevor Hughes. He is taking me to Mia’s. Caitlin James is singing tonight—it’s the first time since the wedding that she’s been back at Mia’s. In fact, it was at Brodie and Caitlin’s wedding that Trevor and I made the plans for tonight. You would have known all this if you ever listened to me, Mitchell.”

Before her son could shut his now gaping mouth and respond to her, the sound of the front doorbell ringing interrupted them.

“Well, that will be Trevor now.” Laura told her motionless, slightly horrified-looking son. “Don’t wait up,” she couldn’t resist adding to further tease him as she opened the door.

All joking was immediately forgotten when Laura caught sight of the most enormous bunch of red roses she had ever seen blocking her doorway—and holding those roses, far outshining their spectacle, stood Trevor Hughes. The man was an Adonis, dressed to kill in an expensively tailored suit that emphasised his wide shoulders beautifully. His light brown hair was slightly mussed, as if he had run his fingers through it recently, but it was his dimpled smile that took Laura’s breath from her lungs.

“My, you’re gorgeous! I-I-I mean those roses—
they’re
gorgeous,” she stuttered, and wanted to die from embarrassment at her slip-up, certain her cheeks were as red as the flowers themselves. “Are they for me?” she asked in a small voice as a sudden wave of shy apprehension stole over her.

“Yes, they are for you, Laura, but they fade in comparison to how beautiful you look tonight. You look amazing.” The smooth, rich tones of Trevor’s voice and compliment did nothing to extinguish the burning in her cheeks. As Laura reached to take the offered roses, the door was thrust all the way open and Mitchell almost knocked her aside as he stood, his stance tense, glaring daggers at Trevor.

“G’day, Rookie,” Trevor said, using Mitchell’s footy nickname.

Just about everyone but Laura called her son Rookie, much to her horror. It only made things worse when she caught herself using the name, which was happening more often lately.

“Was just telling your Mum how amazing she looks. Really beautiful, don’t you think, Rookie?” Trevor continued. Laura wasn’t sure whether Trevor had picked up on her son’s animosity, but he was doing a good job of ignoring it if he had.

“Let me just put these in water and then we can head off. Mitchell, move out of the way so Trevor can come in off the front step.” Laura gave her son a firm shove to get him to move as she made the request. “Come in, Trevor. Welcome—make yourself at home while I fix these. Mitchell, see if Trevor would like something to drink. I think there is some beer in the fridge, or I do have wine if you’d prefer, Trevor? Just let Mitchell know your preference.”

I’m rambling again
, Laura thought and caught herself, stopped talking, and stood awkwardly in her family room, not sure what to do first. She had never really entertained a man in her house before, especially not with her son hovering about, trying his best to act intimidating.

“Thanks, but I’m good, driving and all that. I’ll save it up and have a glass or two over dinner. Go do what has to be done with the roses, I’ll sit and watch the replay with Rookie.” Trevor, after graciously declining her offer of a drink, turned towards her son. “I see we’ve interrupted your viewing. This was such a great game. You played your socks off, as I recall.”

Laura, thankful for the change in subject, hurried off to find a vase big enough to set the flowers in. She ended up just sitting them in a large saucepan full of water, eager to get back to her living room and make sure Mitchell had not thrown Trevor out of the door while she’d been busy in the other room. Not that Laura could see her son—as big and fit as he was—achieving the task. Trevor was also a prime specimen of manhood, all tall and muscled.

She giggled girlishly, the sound a shock to her system, making her shake her head. Her palms were moist and her heart was beating double-time in her chest.

“Oh, my… You are in way over your head this time, Laura Harris,” she told herself as she took a moment to smell the heavenly scent of the roses. “These roses must have cost a small fortune—such an extravagant gesture. Please don’t let Mitchell have scared him off.”

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About the Author

Sydney-born Donna Gallagher decided at an early age that life needed be tackled head on. Leaving home at fifteen, she supported herself through her teen years. In her twenties she married a professional sportsman, her love of sport—especially rugby league—probably overriding her good sense.

The seven-year marriage was an adventure. There were the emotional ups and downs of having a husband with a public profile in a sometimes glamorous but always high-pressure field. There were always interesting characters to meet and observe, and even the opportunity to live for a time in the UK. Eventually Donna returned home a single woman, but she never lost her passion for watching sport, as well as the people in and around it.

Now happily re-married and with three sons, Donna loves coffee mornings with her female friends, sorting through problems from the personal to the international. But she’s on even footing with the keenest man when it comes to watching and talking rugby league.

Donna considers herself something of a black sheep in a family of high achievers. Her brother has a doctorate in mathematics and her sister is a well-known Australian sports journalist. An avid reader, especially of romance, Donna finally found she couldn’t stop the characters residing in her imagination from spilling onto paper. Naturally, rugby league is the backdrop to her spicy tales of hunky heroes and spunky heroines overcoming adversity to eventually find true love.

Email:
[email protected]

Donna loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and author biography at
http://www.total-e-bound.com
.

Also by Donna Gallagher

League of Love: Caitlin’s Hero

League of Love: Mandy’s He-Man

League of Love: Laura’s Light

Total-E-Bound Publishing