“I saw Cynthia Larsen at the grocery store today. She told me Jack came home to run the family business while his brother, Jeff, recovers from his accident,” stated Brenda Johnson to her daughter, Laura.

“Jack?” asked Laura, as she suddenly decided to place a can of peas as deeply into the pantry as possible.

“Yes, Jack. You remember him, don’t you? He’s your husband, or your ex-husband. I’m not really sure which description is accurate. Is he still your husband?”

“Mom! You know I don’t like to talk about my problems with Jack. I don’t know if we’re still married or not. I never received any official document or notification concerning a divorce,” admitted Laura, reluctantly.

“You’ve never filed for a divorce, have you?” persisted Brenda.

“No, I haven’t,” replied Laura as she studied her shoes. “He’s the one who left. I thought he’d file.”

“Your situation is the strangest thing I’ve ever seen,” declared Brenda. “He left six years ago! In all that time, he’s never called, emailed or even wrote a letter. You can’t still love him after all he’s done to you. Or can you?”

Laura again turned her eyes downward but gave no response.

“Well, shit!” exclaimed her mother. “Don’t tell me you’re one of those women who accept abuse and even think you deserve it. He left you! This is on him, Laura. A man who abandons his wife without so much as an explanation deserves no consideration.

“Now that he’s in town, divorce his ass. He was a great guy when you married him. In fact, he was fine right up to the day he left. I liked him. He seemed responsible, considerate, hard working and devoted to you. Suddenly, he was gone! You’re still young. You should find a good man you can depend on and start a nice family.”

“I’ll make my own decisions, Mother. I’m 27, have a good job and live in my own house. I’m not a burden to you and Dad, so I’d appreciate it if you’d stop trying to run my life,” replied Laura.

“I just want you to be happy, Sweetheart. I don’t think you have been since the day Jack left. If he had loved you even a little bit, he never would have abandoned you like he did. He probably had a girlfriend.”

“No! Jack would never cheat! He’s not that way,” was Laura’s immediate response.

Laura’s quick and vehement response surprised her mother. Her daughter still defended the man who had packed up and left her in the middle of the night. How could she? Why would she? Laura had insisted they had not argued prior to Jack leaving, but she had never offered any information on what could have precipitated such a dramatic rift in their relationship. Brenda was certain Laura was not telling the complete story, and it was unlikely she ever would.

Laura Masterson didn’t sleep very well that night. She tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable, but sleep eluded her. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Jack looking back at her. He was the best looking man she had ever known. He was funny, relaxed and devoted to her, or at least he had been before she ruined everything.

Now he was back in Stone Ridge. Laura knew they were bound to cross paths at some point. After so many years, she still had no idea what to say to him. What could she possibly say? She knew how trite an apology would seem. There were no words to adequately describe the depth of her remorse. She had destroyed their relationship. It could never be the same. Her life wasn’t some kind of fairy tale. It was real, and it sucked.

Two days later, Laura was again visiting at her mother’s house when her younger sister, Kate, a senior at Ohio State, came in after work. She was a journalism major, consequently, she had a summer job at a local media group.

“I saw your husband today, Laura. He stopped in to place some ads. Are you interested in hearing about it?” asked Kate.

“If she isn’t, I am,” interjected the girls’ mother. “How did he look?”

“Well, if anyone was hoping he’d gone all to hell, they’d be pretty disappointed,” replied Kate with a slight grin. “He just might be the best looking man I’ve ever seen.”

“Really?” replied Brenda with arched eyebrows. “Can I assume he didn’t get fat or lose all his hair?”

“He was wearing a pocket tee shirt and jeans. He looked totally ripped from what I could see. Donna handled the ad, but I watched and listened from the next room. He never saw me,” added Kate.

“Did you hear him say anything?” asked Laura softly.

“Like what a dumb ass he was for leaving you? No, he just gave Donna the ad and paid her. His daughter is stunning, though” slipped in Kate as she watched her sister for her reaction.

“He has a daughter?” demanded Brenda, as Laura sat in stunned silence. “That’s why he left! He had some girl pregnant. You’re lucky to be rid of him, Laura.”

“I don’t think too many women would feel that way after seeing him in that tight shirt and jeans,” rejoined Kate. “He oozes sex appeal.

“Besides, his daughter looked too old to have been born after he left Stone Ridge. My guess would be she’s around 12 or 13,” revealed Kate.

“How could he have a daughter 12? He’s only 28 years old now. He would have had to have been 16 when he became a father. We know that didn’t happen,” reasoned Brenda as Laura remained silent.

“I heard him introduce the girl to Donna as his daughter. Her name is Kansas. The kid is gorgeous. She looks quite athletic and seems to be a Daddy’s girl.”

“Did Jack’s daughter have dark hair like him?” managed Laura.

“She’s a stunning blonde,” replied Kate as she watched her sister closely. “Whatever her ethnicity, it sure works for her.

“Oh! I just thought of something!” proclaimed Kate. “Since Jack is her father and you’re still his wife, you must be her stepmom, or something!”

“Kate! That was just plain mean,” scolded Brenda as Laura fled to the bathroom. “There’s something strange about all of this. I’ve a feeling it’ll all come out pretty soon. Secrets don’t usually last too long in a small town, although this one has survived six years.”

“Who was that pretty girl in the other room?” asked Kansas as she and Jack left the media group’s office. “She couldn’t take her eyes off you.”

“Remember I told you about how I was married years ago? She was my ex-wife’s sister, Kate. She must be about 22 by now. I guess she was surprised to see me.”

“Was your wife as pretty as her sister?” questioned Kansas.

“She was even prettier,” responded Jack with a small smile as he recalled Laura’s face. “She was absolutely beautiful.”

Kansas studied Jack’s face before speaking. “You really loved her didn’t you? Why did she cheat on you?”

“I wouldn’t have told you that if I had known we’d be moving back to Stone Ridge,” allowed Jack. “Please don’t mention that to anyone. Unless she told people, no one knows why we broke up. There’s no reason to hurt her now.”

“You’re something! You don’t want to hurt her after what she did to you? Most guys would want to choke her to death, but not you. She sure messed up a good thing, but I’m glad she did. I don’t know where I’d be or who I’d be with, if you hadn’t moved to Thompson and worked with my dad.”

“Yeah, he didn’t think it was so lucky at the time, but it worked out pretty well for me. I have the best daughter in the world now. It feels pretty good telling people you’re my daughter, even if Brian was your real father. We both know he was the best guy ever,” stated Jack with a sad smile.

“He told me I should call you Dad, if I felt okay doing it. You’re my father now, and I love you like you’re my real father. You never had to take me in, but you did. I was lucky we already had the same last name,” confessed Kansas.

“We were lucky Brian had enough warning to make plans. He was the one who insisted we start the adoption process. Having your father testify before he died about how he wanted you adopted by me really eliminated a lot of red tape.”

“I miss him a lot, but I love being your daughter. Is it okay to feel that way?” asked Kansas with sudden concern.

“That’s exactly what Brian wanted,” assured Jack. “He knew he wouldn’t be around to watch you grow into a beautiful and independent woman. He honored me when he asked if I’d become your dad. It was a no brainer.”

“You realize we’re going to have trouble finding a new mom for me if you’re already married,” pointed out Kansas. “Maybe we should meet with Laura and ask her if she’s divorced you.”

“Let’s wait on that,” cautioned Jack. “When I filled out the adoption papers, I stated I was married. Social services seldom looks kindly on single men adopting beautiful young women. Let’s get you in school and establish our position in the community. Once we’re sure no one’s going to cause trouble for us, we can approach Laura to get a copy of the divorce decree. We won’t be looking for a new mom before then, okay?”

“Sure, Dad. I understand. I just know they’ll be all kinds of women wanting to marry you. We just need to make sure we find one who’s right for both you and me. Not every woman will accept a daughter tagging along on dates” teased Kansas.

“Stop worrying about that. If a woman can’t fully accept you, she’ll have no chance with me,” promised Jack. “You’ll always be my daughter. Your kids will be my grandchildren. End of discussion.”

Kansas threw her arms around Jack and hugged him tightly. Jack was well aware how losing her mother as an infant and her father in the past year had caused her a great deal of anxiety. He had to constantly remind her he loved her dearly, and that he’d never abandon her.

Jack had explicitly told his mother what topics would be off limits when he and Kansas moved in with her. He was there to help run the family construction business and wouldn’t tolerate any meddling in his personal affairs. His mother, Janet, had readily agreed. Jack wondered about her quick acquiescence, but decided to say no more on the subject.

Jack was washing up in the bathroom when he overheard Kansas talking to his mother. “Grandma, we saw Laura’s sister, Kate. She’s really pretty. Do you think Laura is as pretty as her sister?”

Jack had to strain to hear his mother’s response. He knew she was trying very hard to avoid him hearing her. He had made it clear that Laura, her family and everything concerning Laura were taboo subjects.

“Sweetheart, Laura is a beautiful woman. She was pretty when she and Jack were married, but she’s matured into a confident, capable young woman. I don’t see her very often because of how things are between her and Jack, but she’s always been very polite to me.

“If it were up to me, those two would still be together and give you some brothers and sisters. It’s too bad it isn’t up to me. This is a subject I promised I wouldn’t discuss, so we’d better change the topic before your father hears us,” concluded Janet.

“Dad drove me past my new school this afternoon,” revealed Kansas as Jack walked into the room and took a seat at the kitchen table. “Their soccer field looked like it’s in great shape. I can’t wait to try out for the team. I saw online there would be tryouts next Tuesday afternoon.”

“I didn’t know you played soccer!” exclaimed Janet, but with less enthusiasm than Jack expected. In fact, the information seemed to trouble his mom.

“It’s my favorite sport. I was one of the better players on a traveling team back when we lived in Thompson. We went undefeated in ten matches,” boasted Kansas.

“She was far and away the best player on the team,” remarked Jack with a chuckle. “She’s just being modest.”

“That sounds wonderful,” praised Janet as she pondered whether she should tell Jack who the coach was. She hid her grin as she thought how that first practice would go and the shock Jack had in store. He was the one who insisted no one speak of Laura. She was just following his unreasonable demands and it appeared it might backfire on him.

Laura was listening to the mother of one of the girls as she watched the twenty or so girls kick soccer balls to each other. Her eyes were drawn to the tall blonde girl. Her footwork was flawless as she effortlessly dribbled the ball, bounced it from foot to foot, and easily fired it past the girl who had been their best goalie the previous year.

As soon as she was able to gracefully escape the small talk made by the loquacious mother, she strolled over to watch the blonde girl more closely. Sensing her presence, the girl stopped working the ball and swung to look into Laura’s eyes.

“Hi. I’m the team coach,” began Laura. “Everyone calls me Coach, or Coach Masterson. You look like you know your way around a soccer field.”

The girl’s jaw dropped as Laura spoke. She intently studied Laura from head to toe before finally speaking.

“Hello, Ma’am. I’m Kansas Masterson. I think my dad was your husband years ago. I really love soccer, but if you think it’ll be impossible to treat me fairly, I’ll understand and try field hockey. I don’t want to place you in a bad spot.”

By now, all of the girls had gathered closer to listen to the exchange. The new girl was Mrs. Masterson’s husband’s daughter! The two had obviously never met before!

Laura was taken completely by surprise when the girl explained she was Jack’s daughter. As she gathered her thoughts, she realized she should have guessed it from the description Kate had provided. The girl was extremely pretty and very athletic.

“Kansas, as you can tell, this is a bit of a surprise to me. I had no idea you were Jack’s daughter. Let me assure you that your play on the field, your effort in practice and your ability to fit in with the others on the team will determine your playing time. I have no reason to not be totally fair with you,” assured Laura.

As Laura spoke, the girl studied her face carefully. It was as if the girl was the one who would determine what their relationship would be. As Laura finished speaking, Kansas nodded her head slightly, as if in some sort of acknowledgement.

“Grandma Masterson knew you were the coach. She never said anything because of Dad’s rules,” revealed Kansas with a chuckle. “I can’t wait to see his face when I tell him you’re my coach.”

“Your father isn’t here, is he?” asked Laura as she quickly looked around the field.

“No, he’s running a backhoe this afternoon,” replied Kansas. “He’s been helping Uncle Jeff since he was hurt in an accident. He was right about you, though.”

Kansas turned and began to walk away when Laura called her name.

Kansas swung to face Laura again, only to have her move closer and speak softly into her ear. “What do you mean he was right about me? What did he say about me?”

Laura was terrified to hear the pretty girl’s response, but she hadn’t seen or heard from Jack in years. She was starved for information about him. If he still hated her, it was best she find out right away.

“Well, Coach,” whispered Kansas so only Laura could hear, “Dad said you were the most beautiful cheating slut he ever saw.”

Laura reacted as if the blonde girl had slapped her face. She gasped, dropped to her knees and burst into tears. Kansas had expected contempt, anger, embarrassment, or a combination of those emotions. Seeing how her words had devastated the woman caused Kansas to reconsider the entire situation.

She had hated Laura Masterson ever since she first heard the story of how she had cheated on Jack. In the process, Laura had nearly destroyed him. Kansas had made up her mind that if she ever got the opportunity, she’d tell the slut exactly what she thought of her.

Somehow, Laura Masterson didn’t fit the mental picture Kansas had created. She seemed to be liked and respected by the other girls. Kansas had noticed how popular the coach was within a few minutes of her arrival. Now the woman demonstrated actual despair over the words Kansas had spoken. They were the exact words she had promised herself she’d use if she ever met the woman who had hurt Jack so deeply.

Kansas felt no pleasure in her revenge. She walked slowly over to sit on the bench and wait for her inevitable dismissal.

“What did you say to Coach Masterson?” demanded a woman Kansas guessed to be the team’s late arriving assistant coach. She scanned a list of names on her clipboard. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Kansas Masterson. I’m sorry if I caused a problem,” apologized Kansas.

“Masterson?” repeated the stunned woman. “Are you related to Jack Masterson?”

“He’s my dad,” asserted Kansas with an attitude she hoped seemed like pride.

“I think you’d better leave,” advised the woman. “Coach Masterson is a wonderful woman. She sure doesn’t need to be reminded of her deadbeat husband every day on the soccer field.”

Kansas simply nodded and turned toward the gate. She was about to leave the playing area when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Kansas swung around in surprise only to be enveloped in a hug from the sobbing Laura Masterson.

“I’m so sorry, so sorry,” was all the woman could manage over and over as she clutched Kansas.

Uncertain how to react, Kansas simply remained still as Laura gradually regained control of her emotions. Her sobbing eventually stopped. Once again, the other girls were gathered around as they watched the scene in fascination.

“Your father is a fine man. Please stay and join the team,” managed Laura. “If you’re anything like Jack, you’ll be a great addition. I promise I’ll never get all emotional on you again. Come back, please?”

Kansas found herself being led back to the bench area by Coach Masterson. Once they reached the bench, Laura turned her around to face the other girls.

“There’s no use denying I pretty much broke down a few minutes ago. I want you to understand why. This is Kansas Masterson. Her father is my ex-husband. Having her suddenly appear shook me badly. I haven’t seen her father in six years. Even though I knew he was back in Stone Ridge, I was still surprised to find Kansas here today.

“I want all of you to treat Kansas kindly. None of this drama was her fault. It would be wrong to blame her.”

Looking directly at Kansas, Laura then asked a question the answer to which she dreaded. “Is your mother here somewhere? I’d like to meet her and compliment her on what a lovely daughter she has.”

“Mom died when I was three,” replied Kansas with some emotion. “It’s just me and Dad. I apologize for being rude earlier. Dad will ground me for being such a witch. I’m sorry, Coach Masterson.”

Laura’s head was spinning as she considered Kansas’ words. Her mother had died when she was three? How was that possible? That was about ten years ago. Jack was still in high school at that time. She decided it was a puzzle for another time.

“We started out on the wrong foot,” replied Laura. “Let’s start over. I’m Coach Masterson and you’re Kansas. Let me go over my team rules and expectations with everyone. Then we’ll start practice.”

At the end of practice, Kansas climbed into her grandmother’s SUV for the ride home. “How was your first practice, Dear?”

“It went pretty well,” declared Kansas. “The girls were all nice to me and some of them are pretty good players. I think we’ll have a good team.”

“That’s nice,” replied Janet before asking about the coach. “How did you like the coach? I hear she’s pretty good.”

“Why don’t you just ask what you really want to know, Grandma?” replied Kansas with a smile.

“Okay! How did you get along with Laura? Was she surprised to find out who you were?” asked Janet. “Did you like her?”

“Well, she was nicer than I thought she’d be. She still gets pretty emotional about Dad, and it’s been like six years.”

“Jack never told anyone why he left her. I don’t know how much he told you, but they were a beautiful young couple. They seemed so much in love. Then one night, Jack got in his truck and drove away,” recounted Janet. “I don’t think he ever spoke to Laura again. I’ve heard she doesn’t know why Jack left.”

“She can’t put this on Dad!” exclaimed Kansas fiercely. “She knows exactly why Dad left. She drove him away. He’s not the bad guy in this!”

“Okay, I guess Jack has talked to you about it,” reasoned Janet. “I’m glad to hear Jack didn’t just run out on Laura without reason. Can you tell me why he left?”

“Only Dad, or Coach, can explain it to you. I promised Dad I’d never tell anyone,” replied Kansas.

Dinner was waiting for Jack when he got home. After cleaning up, he sat at the table and asked Kansas how her soccer went as he speared a pork chop.

“It started out a little rough,” admitted Kansas as Janet watched closely. “Coach seemed upset when I told her my name. We had a little discussion. Everything was smoothed over in the end.”

Jack noticed his mother twitch as Kansas succinctly described her day. He knew it was a sure indication there was more to the story. “Is your coach a friend of Laura’s? I should have considered that possibility. Do you think you’ll get a fair shake?”

“Laura Masterson is my coach, Dad.”

Jack was speechless for a full minute as his mind worked to consider the ramifications of Kansas’ declaration. He realized he had made a mistake in not finding out more about Laura’s current situation.

Jack’s mother was smiling broadly when Jack turned to look at her. She was still able to read her son’s face and she knew what conclusion he had reached.

“Mom, can you tell Kansas and me more about Laura? It seems we’ll be having contact with her on a regular basis,” admitted Jack, reluctantly.

“Well, it’s so nice of you to ask ... finally. Laura is a middle school math teacher at Stone Ridge. She has coached soccer for three years. They lost only two matches last year. She’s still single, or married to you, depending on what rumor you choose to believe. The consensus is her husband cut and run one dark and stormy night, probably because he had a girlfriend on the side.”

“That’s not true! Dad never cheated on that...”

“Kansas! What did I tell you about that kind of talk?” interrupted Jack. “I expect you to speak and behave in a respectful manner when you’re around Laura. Please don’t do anything I have to apologize to her for,” insisted Jack. “That would be awkward, to say the least.”

Jack noticed how Kansas’s face flushed red as she quickly looked down at her plate. He drew a deep breath before speaking. “What did you do, Kansas? How bad was it?”

“I may have called her a pretty bad name, but I apologized to her!” added Kansas immediately. “I think we’re fine now. She treated me like any of the other girls during practice.”

“Exactly what did you say?” asked Jack as he cursed himself for telling Kansas the reason for his failed marriage.

“I need to whisper it to you. Grandma shouldn’t hear it. I know it was wrong, but it just came out. I’m really sorry, Dad.”

Kansas stood and walked closer to Jack and whispered in his ear. Janet wasn’t able to hear what the girl told Jack, but his reaction made it obvious he wasn’t happy.

“Kansas, I told you something in confidence and you failed to keep it in confidence,” complained Jack as he worked to contain his annoyance. “This puts me in a very uncomfortable position. I expect you to learn from this mistake.”

“I was sorry as soon as I said it,” responded Kansas contritely. “It hurt her a lot more than I expected,” admitted Kansas. “I forgot to tell you that she told the girls that you’re her ex-husband. We can find a new wife for you now.”

Laura had been an emotional mess. She struggled to behave normally to make it through the team practice. She was thankful she lived alone as she sat in her favorite chair and cried off and on for several hours.

School was still two weeks away, but practice for fall sports had begun. While she didn’t have to get up early to teach class, she still needed to prepare for soccer practice. As she drove to the school the next afternoon, she told herself it would be a much easier day. Yesterday’s drama wouldn’t be repeated.

Then she almost collided with Jack Masterson as she hurried to the back of her SUV to remove the team equipment!

“Hello, Laura. Do you have a minute? I’d like to apologize to you.”

“I ... I guess,” replied Laura even as the thought of Jack having to apologize to her seemed ludicrous. “Is there a problem?”

“Kansas told me what she said to you yesterday. That was wrong. I’ve tried to raise her better than that. Part of it is my fault. I never should have told her why we separated. She and my cousin Brian are the only two people I’ve ever told,” Jack assured Laura. “She’s young and she felt the need to hurt you.”

Laura couldn’t help but notice how great Jack looked in a plain cotton tee shirt and jeans. His stomach was flat and the muscles in his chest stretched the fabric covering it. His arms were muscular and defined.

He was wearing his hair longer than she remembered. She had to admit it looked good. His jaw line was strong and his smile infectious. He was a very good looking man in a very masculine way.

“She didn’t say anything that wasn’t true. We both know that, Jack, unless you don’t think I’m beautiful. That was the only part anyone could dispute,” replied Laura as she wiped stray tears from her cheeks.

“I don’t want you to suffer now for something that happened six years ago,” responded Jack. “It’s over and done. We’ve both moved on. It’s time to bury the past and look ahead.”

“Over and done?” repeated Laura. “That sounds simple enough. We’ll just act like we were never in love, never were married and I never fucked that asshole. This should work fine,” managed Laura before tears began streaming down her cheeks.

Jack wanted to take Laura in his arms and hug her to his chest, but worried he’d be sending the wrong message. Unable to come up with any idea how to handle the sobbing woman, he simply stood close by and watch.

As he waited, he had time to study his former wife. Her legs were tanned and strong. Her ass looked a little smaller and tighter than he remembered. Laura wore her hair in a ponytail. It allowed Jack to see the curve of her jaw and her slender neck. She was still the most beautiful woman he had ever known.

Laura finally gained control. She looked into Jack’s eyes and spoke softly. “I’m sorry, Jack, for so many things. I was a damn fool when I slept with that asshole. I was just as wrong when I allowed everyone to think you left me for no reason.

“I kept hoping you’d come back and forgive me. Telling people what a dumb bitch I was would only have made our reconciliation more difficult. You never came back and I never told anyone the truth. You were gone and I was living here, so I took the easy way out. I let people blame you.

“I’ll tell everyone the truth. You don’t deserve nasty comments or the contempt of people in the community. I forced you to leave. I know a man like you will never be able to accept my actions. You’ll never take me back. I wouldn’t even take me back. I don’t deserve forgiveness.”

“Laura, I’m fine with the way things are. I haven’t experienced any blowback for leaving. I’m sure people naturally thought I was a jerk to bail on such a beautiful woman. They’re as likely to question my sanity as my character,” Jack wise cracked.

“You were always a gentleman,” marveled Laura as she faced him. “Your daughter is a delightful girl. I don’t blame her for saying what she did. Please don’t be too hard on her. I think she’s going to be my star player.”

“It was nice to see you and clear the air,” replied Jack. “We’ll be seeing each other a lot with Kansas on your team. I hope we can get along without any drama. I have to tell you that you’re even more beautiful than you were when we were married.”

“Thank you, kind Sir,” responded Laura. “You look like you’ve put on a few pounds, mostly in your arms and chest. I never thought of you as chiseled before, but the term fits you now. Thanks for taking time to settle things a little between us.”

Jake noticed there were around a dozen girls hanging off to the side watching him speak with their coach. He was keeping Laura from her duties, so he nodded and went back to his truck to leave.

“That was Kansas’s father?” gasped a red headed girl to her friends. “He’s a hunk! My dad’s going bald and has a big belly. He looks a lot older than Mr. Masterson, too.”

“Why would Coach Masterson ever dump him?” wondered another girl. “My mom has been looking for a new husband since her divorce. Maybe I’ll tell her about Kansas’s dad.”

Laura had a standing invitation to stop at her parents’ house for dinner during soccer season. Her mom always had dinner on the table shortly after practice was over. Her mother had begged off making dinner the previous evening because she had bridge club, but the family was together for dinner the second night of practice.

“How’s the team looking,” asked her father as he helped himself to the potatoes. “Are the girls going to do as well as last year?”

“It looks like I’ll have the best team yet,” allowed Laura as she considered how much she should reveal about Jack and Kansas.

“Your best player is back again, right Sis?” asked Kate. “I know she had another year before she went into high school.”