MIDNIGHT SHOWCASE Romance Digest Vol. 05-02
Sweet Romance MIDNIGHT SHOWCASE w w w .m idnights how cas e .com
Published by MIDNIGHT SHOWCASE PO Box 726 Lusk, WY 82225-0726 www.midnightshowcase.com GREEK DASIES Copyright 2005 by Kristy McCaffrey PROMISES Copyright 2005 by Kristy McCaffrey UNFINISHED BUSINESS Copyright 2005 by Marguerite Turnley NEXT DOOR TO HEAVEN Copyright 2005 by Marguerite Turnley THE LAST PARTY Copyright 2005 by L.C. Martin ONE DROP Copyright 2005 by K.B. Ross HELLO AGAIN Copyright 2005 by K.B. Ross REVENGE Copyright 2005 by Harmonie Loberg Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are
products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. ISBN ISSN : #1555-547X
Credits Cover Artist: Scott Carpenter Editor: Vickie DuBois Copyeditor: Regan Taylor Printed in the United States of America
* * * Read Old West romances by Kristy McCaffrey * * * Don’t miss her Wings of the West Series The Wren ISBN 1-59374-042-5 (electronic) ISBN 1-59374-043-3 (print)
Book One Ten years have passed since her ranch was attacked, her folks murdered and Molly Hart was abducted. Now, at nineteen, she’s finally returning home to north Texas after spending the remainder of her childhood with a tribe of Kwahadi Comanche. What she finds is a deserted home coated with dust and the passage of time, the chilling discovery of her own gravesite, and the presence of a man she thought never to see again. Matt Ryan is pushed by a restless wind to the broken-down remains of the Hart ranch. Recently recovered from an imprisonment that nearly ended his life, the drive for truth and fairness has all but abandoned him. For ten years he faithfully served the U.S. Army and the Texas Rangers, seeking justice for the brutal murder of a little girl, only to find closure and healing beyond his grasp. Returning to the place where it all began, he’s surprised to stumble across a woman with the same blue eyes as the child he can’t put out of his mind. “…a powerful story full of twists that kept me on the edge of my seat.” ~ Teresa Henson, Romance Junkies 2003 CAPA Winner—Best New Author Traditional 2004 HOLT Medallion Finalist—Best First Book Read an excerpt at: http://www.kristymccaffrey.com/WrenExcerpt.html
The Dove ISBN 1-59374-139-1 (electronic) ISBN 1-59374-374-2 (print)
Book Two Disappointment hits ex-deputy Logan Ryan hard when he finds Claire Waters in the midst of a bustling Santa Fe Trail town. The woman he remembers is gone—in her place is a working girl with enticing curves and a load of trouble. As a web of deceit entangles them with men both desperate and dangerous, Logan tries to protect Claire, unaware his own past poses the greatest threat.
Plagued by shame all her life, Claire is stunned when Logan catches her on the doorstep of The White Dove Saloon dressed as a prostitute. She lets him believe the worst but with her mama missing and the fancy girls deserting the place, she's hard-pressed to refuse his offer of help. As she embarks on a journey that will unravel the fabric of her life one thing becomes clear—opening her heart may be the most dangerous proposition of all. “One of this year’s top reading treats…” ~ Gina, Love Romances Read an excerpt at: http://www.kristymccaffrey.com/DoveExcerpt.html _____________________________________________________________ _________
And don’t miss Kristy’s short story Confluence in Midnight Showcase Romance Digest Vol. 05-01 ISSN 1555-547X (electronic) ISBN 1-4116-2953-1 (print)
Grand Canyon, 1894 Elise Wingate travels to the confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado rivers to fulfill her father's dying wish. When she injures her ankle, Taggart Mason—resident of a nearby cabin—comes to her aid. In a place where two rivers join, one dark and cold, the other clear and warm, Tag and Elise come to realize certain forces of nature can't be denied. “A very sensual story…characters touch the readers hearts and…reach out…from the pages of the book.” ~ Louise, 5 Hearts, The Romance Studio To purchase: http://www.midnightshowcase.com/romance_digest01.htm For book news, contests and more visit Kristy online at: www.kristymccaffrey.com 1
GREEK DAISIES By Kristy McCaffrey Kelsey heard the knock and reluctantly set the drawing pencil aside. She rubbed her nose as she opened the wooden door bordering her veranda. Words caught in her throat as she faced her sexy neighbor. Too late she remembered she had smudged charcoal on her face. “Sorry to bother you,” he said, a white linen shirt covering his wide shoulders. “I think I might’ve received this package by mistake.” He held a large manila envelope, but Kelsey’s gaze became fixated on his bare feet—not an odd occurrence in the Greek Isles during the summer months—and her mind raced with how she might incorporate the large, tan beauties into her drawings. “Are you K. Adams?” he asked. She dragged her attention back to the conversation. “Yes,” she replied, her voice breathless. What was wrong with her? He handed her the envelope. “I’m two doors down. I was expecting a package as well. I don’t suppose you’ve received anything you shouldn’t?” Kelsey contemplated his blue eyes, then noticed she’d mixed the wrong shade of brown for his hair, and, upon closer inspection, his jaw line was much stronger than she’d depicted in her renderings of him. “What? Oh yes,” she said absently. “I did get something yesterday.” But she’d been consumed with a sketch at the time and had set the parcel aside. She stepped back to let him enter the open porch that overlooked
several dozen white-washed houses, interspersed with blue-domed churches that adorned nearly every postcard of Santorini. Her apartment complex sat on the edge of the main town of Fira and offered a clear SWEET ROMANCE 2
view of the smaller islands in the distance, Thirassia and Nea Kameni, on the latter of which was the smoke-spewing remnant of the volcano at the heart of Santorini. Surrounding it all was the dark blue Aegean Sea. Kelsey squinted from the mid-afternoon sun and immediately realized her error. In haste, she flipped her sketchbook closed on the wire table, then unclipped two drawings on the nearby easel and laid them facedown behind one of the chairs. Remembering the larger sketch tacked to the door, she untied the sarong around her waist and quickly draped it over the likeness of the man who moved behind her. She smiled over her shoulder and in an instant couldn’t breathe. The look in Mr. Sexy Neighbor’s eyes left no doubt what was on his mind. Heat shot from her abdomen straight to her cheeks. “I’ll be right back,” she said in a rush and dashed into her apartment. She must have misread his response—men never responded to her that quickly. Where had she left the package? The kitchen. She found the box on the counter. It wasn’t for him. She didn’t know his name, but the recipient was Demetria Benetatos, the woman who lived next door. Kelsey swiftly threw on a yellow t-shirt and a pair of jean shorts over her navy blue bikini and grabbed a tissue to wipe the smudge off her nose. A glance in the bathroom mirror showed a clean face, but her hair was a train wreck. The long brown locks were clipped behind her head and the ends stood straight up, making her look like a peacock. As she reached to fix it, her hands froze. If she primped, wouldn’t it look pathetically obvious that she wanted Mr. Sexy Neighbor to notice her? She let her arms drop. Okay, no primping. With disgust over her appearance she came back onto the porch, carrying Demetria’s box. “I don’t think this is yours.” He turned from watching the sea and Kelsey hoped he hadn’t flipped through her sketchbook. Would he appreciate the endless drawings of him? He took the package from her. “Demetria? The woman who lives between us?” Kelsey nodded. “Maybe she got my package,” he said. “She left a few days ago to visit a friend in Athens. Oh wait, she asked me to water her plants, so I’ve got a key. We could go have a look.” SWEET ROMANCE 3
“Thanks, I’d appreciate it.” He smiled. Kelsey’s stomach did a few somersaults. “Let me find the key.” She bolted back indoors. “Are you one of those absent-minded artists?” he asked, his voice near. He must have followed her into the house. A quick scan showed it to be a mess—dirty dishes in the kitchen, clothes strewn around the bed she never made. Where was that key? She searched around a pile of books on a table in the narrow living room.
“I take it cleaning isn’t your strong suit.” Mr. Sexy Neighbor was in her house and his impression of her so far was she liked to flaunt her bikini-clad average figure and she hated housekeeping. Off to her usual great start with men. “Just call me ‘Pigpen’,” she mumbled, opening drawers and jostling the contents for one elusive key. He laughed and warmth snaked down Kelsey’s spine. He was dangerously charming. She’d have to figure out a way to capture it in her renderings of him, she thought, her mind already spinning with ideas. “This isn’t it, is it?” he asked, pointing to a key taped on the refrigerator. Kelsey breathed a sigh of relief. “Are you a private detective or something?” “A writer.” He retrieved the key and held it out to her. “I’m Jack Stone, by the way.” She put her hand in his and the touch went straight down to her toes. “Kelsey Adams.” She took the key and moved outdoors again, suddenly feeling awkward, and slipped on a pair of sandals. “What do you write?” she asked over her shoulder, hoping to appear nonchalant. “My publisher calls them techno-thrillers, but I like to think I write about people in extraordinary circumstances.” “Did you come to here to work?” She stepped onto the cobblestone roadway. “I’m trying. My agent is getting anxious. The package is from him.” She walked uphill to Demetria’s apartment, unlocked both the porch door and the main door to the house, and entered the stuffy living area. “Do you have any of your books with you? I’d like to read one.” “I might have one or two.” Amusement laced his voice. “I doubt they’d be to your taste.” SWEET ROMANCE 4
“Why? Are your characters clean-freaks?” Kelsey fumbled around for a light switch in the darkened room. Jack flipped it for her, their hands touching. His eyes locked with hers. “No. You probably like more romantic stories.” Caught unaware by the statement, she didn’t know what to say. Kelsey had never considered herself a fanciful woman. She began searching the neat and tidy abode for a package. Jack paused. “Demetria really loves daisies.” Kelsey scrutinized the room, filled to the brim with daisy paintings, daisy pillows, daisy blankets and silk daisies in various daisy-decorated vases. “Everyone’s gotta have a hobby.” “Is that why you’re here?” “In a way. I have an aunt who felt sorry for me.” She peeked in Demetria’s bedroom. No package. “I come from a family of seven.” “That includes your parents and the dogs, right?” Kelsey laughed. “No. I have three older siblings and three younger ones. Aunt Irene thought I deserved a treat after all these years of being caught in the middle, so she sent me here as a gift for my twenty-fifth birthday.” “On your own at last.” “In a way. Sometimes it’s too quiet.” She moved past him and wished she wasn’t so aware of his physical presence. It was much easier dealing with him as a drawing.
“Well, Mr. Stone, it doesn’t look like Demetria has received any misplaced mail.” He watched her. “Call me Jack.” “Sure.” Her voice cracked. So much for appearing relaxed. As they exited the dwelling, Kelsey glanced toward her own apartment and saw a figure run from the patio. “Hey!” she yelled. “He’s got Demetria’s package.” Jack shot past her and Kelsey followed, but her sandals weren’t meant to be running shoes. Kicking them off, she continued barefoot, as Jack was. They chased the man up the hill and around a corner, onto a busy street in Fira. Jack moved into the crowd, Kelsey right behind him, and they searched cafes and shops, but it soon became apparent they’d lost the burglar. “Any idea who it was?” Jack asked, trying to catch his breath. SWEET ROMANCE 5
Kelsey shook her head. “Why on earth would someone steal Demetria’s mail? She’s a nice old woman. And how did they know I had it?” “We left it on your porch when we went to her house.” “So maybe he didn’t take it because it was hers, maybe he’s a package thief.” Jack smiled at her as if she were crazy. “Let’s find the police. Then I’ll walk you home.” **** Jack awoke with a start to a pitch-black room. He rubbed his eyes and tried to remember his dream. Kelsey. And she’d stripped off more than that little scarf this time. A loud bang on the window startled him. “Jack.” His name was a furious whisper. He moved from the bed and pushed the curtains aside—a wideeyed Kelsey faced him. He motioned her to the porch. As soon as he opened the door he pulled her inside, his gut telling him she wouldn’t have come in the middle of the night with disheveled hair and wearing nothing but a long t-shirt if something wasn’t wrong. He brought her into the apartment, then shut and locked the door. “What happened?” “There’s someone in my apartment. I heard something, then I saw a figure in the kitchen, so I slipped out the side door. I’m sorry to bother you.” “Did he try to hurt you?” She shook her head. “Just scared me more than anything. Oh God, do you think he’s the package thief? How many packages does he think I have?” Reassured by her sense of humor, Jack liked that she wasn’t the type to turn into an instant basket case. He’d had enough of that with Elaine. Kelsey went silent and when Jack looked at her he saw the awareness in her eyes. He wore nothing but boxers and she stood in a nightshirt that barely reached the top of her thighs. He’d thought of her so often during the past week he’d been unable to write a single word, or at least nothing that made any sense.
Timing, Stone. Timing. “Stay here.” He retrieved navy shorts and a black t-shirt. “No. I’m going with you.” SWEET ROMANCE 6
Jack decided not to argue. They made their way back to her place, but a quick inspection in the dark yielded nothing. He motioned to Kelsey to flip on the lights. “Anything missing?” he asked. She moved to the back room. Jack noticed all her artwork strewn on the floor, taped to the wall, and clipped to an easel. He looked again. They were all drawings of him. Different angles, different expressions. In some he wore clothes, in many he was shirtless. The detail surprised him, the three-dimensional quality of his likeness leaping from the paper. Kelsey reentered the room and stopped. Jack stared at her. She met his gaze and he absorbed the green of her eyes, the soft curve of her cheek and the roundness of her mouth. “I’ve noticed you, too,” he said quietly. A flash of panic crossed her face. “You have nice lines,” she said. “I couldn’t resist.” She didn’t retreat when he moved toward her, didn’t pull back when he brought his hands to her face and kissed her. She tasted better than he’d imagined, and he’d imagined quite a bit when it came to this woman. He lifted her into his arms. “What are you doing?” she asked, grasping his shoulders. With long strides he made his way back to his apartment. “I don’t want you nervous the burglar might return when I make love to you.” “What makes you think I still won’t be nervous?” But she clung to him, telling him with her touch that it wouldn’t matter. “We’ll get through it,” he promised, surprised by his own touch of nerves. This wasn’t his style, dragging a woman from her home to have his way with her. “This is moving a little fast, Jack,” she whispered as he deposited her beside his bed. He breathed in the scent of her hair and felt the warmth of her skin beneath the t-shirt that didn’t quite hide the shape of her breasts. “I’ve wasted half the summer watching you from a distance,” he said. “We only have a few weeks left. I’m guessing a man only gets one chance at a woman like you.” She laughed uncertainly, then wrapped her arms around his neck as she brought her mouth to his. Jack drew her close and wondered why he’d stayed away from her all these weeks. From the first day he arrived she’d been hard to miss, SWEET ROMANCE 7
drawing and painting on her porch, no clue how sexy she looked in her bikini tops and tank shirts, focused only on paper and pencil and paint. His writing had taken a definite erotic turn, something he knew his agent would question. There wasn’t a lot of room for romance in technothrillers. He stripped Kelsey’s nightshirt in no time. She shared her body and her passion with him, focusing on him as if he were one of her paintings. He made damn sure she knew he wasn’t.
**** Kelsey organized her paint supplies and stacked the sketches that had been scattered around all summer. She’d spent most of the past week at Jack’s apartment, her body sensitized to mere thoughts of him. She took a deep breath. The man made love with a single-minded devotion that left her little energy to paint, let alone eat and sleep. No sign of the burglar again and the police had been no help. Jack didn’t seem to think she was in any harm, but they still spent every night entangled on his bed sheets, which suited Kelsey just fine. If Jack wanted her to swing naked from the veranda, she suspected she’d do it with no questions asked. “Kelsey?” Demetria peeked over the porch wall. “I’m so glad you’re back.” Kelsey let the older woman onto the porch and hugged her. “I heard you’ve had some trouble.” Demetria pursed her lips, a straw hat casting a shadow across her face. Kelsey lifted her sunglasses to the top of her head. “I’m afraid I lost a package that belonged to you.” Demetria stuck a gnarled hand into her shoulder bag and pulled a box from it. “This one?” Kelsey frowned. “Yes. How did you get it?” “I hope the boy who broke in here didn’t scare you too much. He’s my nephew, Christos. The lad was just trying to appease his mother—my sister. She and I have been fighting for years over something that belonged to our mother, and she mistakenly thought the item was in this box.” Kelsey gestured for Demetria to sit in the shade and once settled the elderly woman retrieved a folded cross-stitch from her bag. She laid it on the table between them and the intricate work of dozens of daisies captured Kelsey’s attention. SWEET ROMANCE 8
“It’s beautiful,” she said. From the faded quality, it had to be quite old. “My mama stitched this when she was very young and in love with my papa. She meant for me to care for it, but my sister isn’t above trying to steal it. Please don’t blame Christos. As soon as I learned what occurred, I returned immediately.” “He did scare me half to death the second time he came here.” “He was looking for the house key I gave you. But he never would have hurt you.” “That’s what Jack thought, too.” Demetria smiled. “You’ve met dear Mr. Stone?” Kelsey nodded. “Maybe the daisies are still at work. I wish you could draw your own face, dear. You wear the look of love.” Kelsey willed her expression to go flat. “I’m not in love with Jack.” “Maybe. Can we go into town? I’ll buy you lunch and perhaps we can get those charges against Christos dropped.” Demetria’s hopeful expression was hard to refuse. “And you must tell me more about Jack,” she added. **** Kelsey awoke during the night, alone in her bed. Jack hadn’t been around all evening, so she’d finally gone to sleep, more than a little annoyed.
He’d disappeared and not even bothered to tell her. She could kick herself—it wasn’t as if they were an item. They hardly knew each other. You wear the look of love. Oh, no. She brought her hands to her face. Was she so stupid to like him that much? A sound from the other room made her sit upright. Kelsey jumped out of bed as a dark figure moved into her bedroom. “Hold it right there!” she yelled and flipped on a light. It was Jack. “Sorry, sweetheart,” he said. “I missed you and wanted to see you.” Still reeling from the sudden burst of adrenaline, Kelsey tried to steady her breathing. Jack pulled a bouquet of daisies from behind his back. “These are for you. I tried to call yesterday, but I guess you were out with Demetria.” He moved closer and handed her the flowers. “I’ve been making SWEET ROMANCE 9
plans to go back to the states. My book deadline has been moved up, and as much as I love it here, I can’t get a damn thing done.” Kelsey’s heart broke. He handed her an airline ticket. “I know Atlanta’s a long way from Albuquerque, but I want you to come with me.” Stunned, she took the ticket. “For a visit?” Jack’s gaze locked on hers. “No. I’d like you to consider a move. It’s a big step, I know…” Relief slammed into her and tears filled her eyes. She threw herself into Jack’s arms. “Yes,” she said into his neck. He kissed her as Greek daisies fell around her feet. SWEET ROMANCE 10
PROMISES by Kristy McCaffrey “It must be so exciting to work as a marine biologist—exploring the oceans, living on tropical islands. Have you met many gorgeous men?” Maddie Schultz sipped ginger ale from a plastic cup as she dwelled on Carol Sherman’s innocent question. The blonde woman’s bubbly personality hadn’t changed much since high school, causing Maddie to feel ancient at twenty-seven. Loving Camden O’Neal did that to me. “A few, I suppose,” she answered, fiddling with the Mardi Gras beads around her neck. Wishing she were in a better mood to party, she pasted a smile on her face and decided on what she would give up for the next six weeks of Lent—the memories, and the essence, of Cam. The thought almost made her weep. In the last three months God had made her suffer ten times over for walking away from the man. She’d never forget the day she first met him. Needing a boat for her daily dives on Grand Cayman Island, she approached the largest rigging outfit on the island, determined to get some type of craft for the better part of each day. Studying coral reefs took time, and she didn’t like to be rushed in her work. Cam O’Neal had refused to tie up one of his vessels
for such a long period, not without adequate payment, which unfortunately Maddie didn’t have. Any woman would have been drawn to his good looks—sandcolored hair and a sinfully angled face—but it was the remoteness of his gaze that pulled Maddie into his arms. She should have heeded the warning bells in her head—Cam O’Neal was a juggernaut, a terrible, irresistible force. SWEET ROMANCE 11
By the end of the week, he’d taken her to dinner twice, softened his time constraint on the boat he gave her to use, and she went to his bed, quite willingly, quite happily. Now, she was a not-so-wholesome Catholic girl, who’d run home to her family in western Pennsylvania, unable to share the truth of her circumstances. Very soon, she’d have no choice. “Speaking of gorgeous men…” Carol’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped. “Who is that?” Maddie peered over her shoulder and nearly dropped her ginger ale. Cam. He walked toward her, not in his usual white t-shirt and khaki shorts, which revealed muscular legs she’d always found incredibly sexy, but wearing a flannel shirt, jeans and an old brown leather jacket. He stopped a few feet away. “Do you know there are two Armstrong Rec Centers?” he said, his blue eyes fixed pointedly on her. “The other one is a fire hall,” she heard herself say. “Hi, I’m Carol Sherman.” The bubbly blonde extended her hand. “Are you a friend of Maddie’s?” “Yeah,” he replied, taking the woman’s hand, but his gaze flicked back to Maddie. “At least, I thought we were friends.” Dazed by his presence, all Maddie could do was drink in the sight of him. Missing him had been such a physical pain, the mere scent of his all-too-familiar after shave made her want to fall into his arms. “Can we talk somewhere, in private?” he asked. She nodded. “Excuse us.” Cam acknowledged Ms. Sherman with a nod, noticing the curiosity in the woman’s gaze. Not inclined to hide his intentions, he placed a hand on Maddie’s lower back as he guided her through the maze of people. The elderly woman at the door, who had charged him admission to this shindig, had told him half the people inside were related to Maddie Schultz and the other half were good family friends. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know he was under scrutiny from the surrounding crowd as he led her to a darkened corner of the room. A slight shudder beneath his hand relayed Maddie’s discomfort, surprising him. He’d half-expected her to tell him to get lost, but he was determined to get her back, fully prepared to punch out any local boy sweet on her. The thought only increased his already foul mood—the delayed flight and lost luggage had put his temper on edge. SWEET ROMANCE 12
He increased the spread of his fingers and enjoyed the feel of the one female who undermined every one of his rules about boats and women and the role each played in his life. Little had he known that all those hours spent exploring her lithe, diver’s body, tangling himself in her dark hair, had stripped away his defenses until all that mattered was
her. “How did you find me?” she asked. “Your parent’s neighbor told me you were here.” He stopped and she turned to face him. “How have you been?” “Fine.” “You left so abruptly. I thought you might come back.” “There was a change in my plans.” “I’ve missed you.” Harder words he’d never said, but he knew it would get harder yet. Her eyes flew to his. “And it’s taken you three months to realize it?” “I never lied about our situation. I never made any promises.” He spoke truthfully, he always did. “Neither did I, so I left.” He steeled his own nerves and took the plunge. “I want you to come back.” Maddie shook her head. “It’s not that simple anymore.” The crowd grew and people pressed into them. “Can we go somewhere and talk?” he asked. “It’s no use. What we had wasn’t enough, Cam. And you’re not willing to give more.” “What if I were?” She stared at him, clearly stunned. He knew his brother Doug would’ve given up Super Bowl Sunday to hear that; he’d taken bets on Cam’s inability to commit. Maddie appeared speechless then nodded as if blinded by headlights. “Yes, let’s talk,” she said softly. Her response—or lack of one—worried Cam, but he refused to be deterred simply because she hadn’t jumped into his arms. His goal was set. He refused to live without her another day, not after the last three months, which had been, to put it bluntly, pure hell. Losing her had laid waste to his life, had ruined any illusion of happiness. With growing despair, Maddie led Cam outside to the dirt parking lot and shivered, the black pantsuit she wore doing little to ward off the SWEET ROMANCE 13
winter air. She pointed to her parent’s silver Volvo and he took the keys from her, his touch sending a jolt of warmth through her insides. For a brief moment she absorbed the sensation—only Cam had ever made her body respond as if it were a live wire. If she had to let go of him a second time, she hoped she would have the strength for it. Once they were settled— he in the driver’s seat and she on the passenger side—they waited for the heater to crank out some warmth. Maddie stared out the window so Cam wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes, feeling sick to her stomach over what she had to say. But there was no sense dragging out the inevitable. “I have something to tell you.” She shifted her gaze to her lap. “I’m pregnant.” The change in Cam was immediate, as if someone had stuck a knife in his gut. She laughed, the sound hollow, even to her ears. “I know you’re thinking I tricked you. I’ve never forgotten the time you told me what your dad had done and how you never wanted kids because of it.” “I thought you were using birth control.” She took a deep breath, knowing that any explanation would never
be good enough. “I ran out, and the pharmacy didn’t have more. While I waited for them to order more pills, I thought we would be okay, it was such a short time. But every time you reached for me, I couldn’t say no.” And then, in a whisper, “I wanted you too much.” She swiped at the tears rolling down her cheeks. Damn him. He may have never given her verbal promises, but his body had made them, night after night, whenever he touched her. “I should’ve told you. I planned to contact you once I decided how I was going to handle working and having the baby. But I didn’t want you to think I’d manipulated you.” He gripped the steering wheel. “You should have told me, Maddie.” “I was afraid of your reaction.” She took a deep breath. “I want this baby.” “So you were planning to raise it alone?” “I didn’t see any other alternative. You were so careful to keep me at arm’s length. The only time you didn’t was when we made love. I cherished those times when you touched me as if you loved me.” He looked at her, his eyes filled with agony. “I do love you, and I’ve been miserable since you left.” SWEET ROMANCE 14
Her heart pounded with hope, but she stopped just short of throwing herself into his arms. A fear persisted that her desperation might still drive him away, the same desperation that had been eating away at her since she’d left him. It was a part of her. If he wanted her, he would have to accept how much she wanted him—how much she needed him. “I won’t force your hand, Cam. That was never my intention.” “Force my hand?” He laughed. “I’m here to give you both, and the rest of me, too. If you refuse, then I’ll go back inside and have a talk with your father. Maybe, he’ll convince you to marry me.” Another flash of hope bolted through her. Take him any way you can get him. No, she had to be sure. “Because of the baby?” He cupped her cheek and leaned closer. “No. Because of you, Maddie. I won’t live without you. But I’m not about to make the same mistake my dad did, I won’t hurt you and our child the way he hurt my mom when he deserted us.” He kissed her and she went to him, hungry for all he offered, hungry for the man she loved with all her heart. “Promise to stay with me.” His arms locked tightly around her. She felt the tension drain from her body, replaced by the fire only Cam ignited in her soul. “I promise.” SWEET ROMANCE 15
Marguerite Turnley loves to write stories that make people think, give them hope and make them feel they are not alone. Midnight Showcase is fortunate to have Ms. Turnley as one of their authors. Check the Digests for your works, you won’t want to miss any of them. She would like to receive emails with feedback. Email:
[email protected] SWEET ROMANCE 16
UNFINISHED BUSINESS By
Marguerite Turnley Vanessa was exhausted. She’d been awake half the night, keeping an eye on a baby, whose first tooth was making an early entrance. Now, in the late afternoon, she was dozing on a sun lounge in her back garden when she heard the gate open. A shadow came over her as a man said, “So, you’re the woman who has my son. I believe you are Vanessa Clifford?” “What!” Startled, Vanessa fell off the lounge onto the grass, the hot Australian sun burning the ground beneath her. She scrambled to her feet and backed away. “Who are you?” She tried to control her trembling reaction to the tall man standing in her yard. An executive type, short black hair ruthlessly tamed, he was wearing a dark, three piece suit. He looked dark, dangerous, and capable of subduing recalcitrant board members with a glance. She was glad to be wearing a long cotton skirt and a long sleeved blue top. They gave her some protection from his piercing dark blue gaze. “I’m Steve Archer,” he said, his voice a blend of honey and determination. “Janice McKay is my ex-wife, the mother of my son, Michael. You have him in your charge, do you not?” He looked towards the baby curled up asleep in a carry basket. “I know she left him here with you and went overseas.” Uncomfortable with lies, Vanessa stayed silent. The man looked like he was running out of patience, if he had any to start with. The jury was still out on that one, she decided. He clenched his hands and asked, “How long did Janice say she’d be gone?” “She didn’t say anything about that. She went on holiday.” Vanessa went to the basket, standing over it protectively. “Anyway, this isn’t your baby.” SWEET ROMANCE 17
“Isn’t he? Why don’t we let DNA decide that?” Anger and fear clouded Vanessa’s mind momentarily, but she pushed them aside. “You’d better leave before I call the police.” She lifted the baby into her arms, but he started to squirm as she stepped away from the man, toward the back of the house. She stopped, taking a deep breath to calm herself, patting the baby gently. He snuggled into her arms and went back to sleep. Steve Archer stayed silent and alert, watching them. Vanessa could feel his animosity, but she would do whatever she needed to protect the child. Somehow she found the strength to stand her ground. Tears clouded Vanessa’s vision as she wrapped her arms around this precious child. She felt a rush of love so strong that she would have fought the world to protect him, even at the expense of her own safety, her own life. The same went for any child in her care. “We don’t want you here,” she said, her voice constricted with emotion. “Look, be sensible.” Steve spoke with calm conviction, trying not to be swayed by her tear-drenched green eyes and trembling lips. “We both know that Janice is his mother. You’re his sitter, but your authority is limited. I’m his father, and I have documents to prove it.” He withdrew some papers from his pocket and held them out. Vanessa backed away, and then looked up at her tormentor. “Can’t you see this child isn’t yours?” She held the baby so the man could look at his face.
He looked at the child then turned back to Vanessa, his expression bleak. “I’ve never seen him. His mother kept him a secret from me after she walked out. We divorced, and I only found out about him by accident.” The man looked at the dark head nestled on his protector’s breast, his gaze clearly determined. “Now, I want to make up for lost time.” Hating the situation, Vanessa tried to think clearly. Torn in two directions, she said softly, “I can’t help you. You’ll have to take this up with Janice.” “I would, except, as I said, I don’t know where to find her. She vanished. Even her mother won’t tell me anything. They aren’t close, so I doubt Mrs. McKay knows much, anyway.” Knowing Janice had taken off, but not aware of the details of her marriage break-up, Vanessa waited, not sure what to do, when he once again held out the papers proving his paternity. SWEET ROMANCE 18
It wasn’t that she was afraid of reading the papers. Since her husband had left her, she had been isolated, keeping a space around herself, both mentally and physically. No one, man or woman, was allowed to get too close. It was simply a matter of self-preservation, an avoidance of pain, of survival. Be sensible, Steve Archer had said. Vanessa felt bitterness begin to surface and reluctantly pushed it aside. What would he know about how sensible she was? She’d kept her small family together against all odds, and she wasn’t about to let some stranger comment on her lack of sense or otherwise. “I’m not the person you should be talking to,” she said. “You should go.” “Just look at the papers. Please. You owe me that, at least. There’s the proof he’s mine.” Steve once again held out the papers, glancing at the baby in her arms. His look softened, then became hard again as he looked back at Vanessa. “Please. Just look.” Recognizing his claim as legitimate and knowing she did indeed owe him something, Vanessa glanced briefly at the birth certificate he was holding out, but she was afraid he would simply snatch the child and take him away. Putting the baby down to take a closer look was not an option. That would make him vulnerable and create a dangerous situation, and he might wake up. Upsetting him was the last thing she would do. Steve Archer seemed controlled, but he looked capable of anything. “This child is not your son.” Vanessa stated emphatically, not daring to say more as she waited for a reaction. It was not long in coming. There was no compromise. “You’ve been taking care of him since he was a few weeks old. I understand your reluctance to give him up, but things have changed. I can provide for him myself.” “Can you?” she asked. “You don’t even know this child. More importantly, he doesn’t know you. What if he wakes in the night and won’t stop screaming? If he has a fever, what would you do then?” “I’d do whatever was necessary. I’m his father. I’d love him and care for him. Is that what you wanted to know?” Vanessa looked down, silently wishing she could be as honest as he was. She sensed he was speaking the truth. He would be a good father. He didn’t need experience to start with. With love and patience he could
learn, like all new parents. SWEET ROMANCE 19
She wondered what she could do if he suddenly took the baby and walked away with him. Calling the police was an option, but what could she say? My child has been kidnapped, but I have another one upstairs that isn’t mine. They’d arrest her on the spot, or put her in a hospital for mental patients. Children’s services would come and take both children away from her. Steve Archer put the papers back in his pocket. “You can read this stuff later. For now, it’s time for me to claim my son. I would have done it before now had I known of his existence.” Vanessa could not fault him for his need to take care of his son. He just didn’t realize he was seeing the wrong child. Even though Janice had abandoned her son and left Vanessa to manage both children, she felt she owed Janice some loyalty, at least until they talked again and resolved the situation. He came towards her as if to take the boy, and she quickly backed away, saying, “You’re making a mistake. This isn’t Janice’s baby. This is my son. His name is Tony.” Steve’s nearness intimidated Vanessa. His height and dark eyes were powerful and intense. She could see he was not a man who accepted defeat. He said, “Look, I’ve heard as many lies as I can handle. For some reason you have custody of my child. I was never consulted about this. If you give him to me now, neither welfare authorities nor police need become involved.” At the mention of police her face whitened. Thinking it was fear of discovery he spoke more gently, holding his anger in check. “You’re obviously under a great deal of strain. Do you have some relative or friend I could call? I would like to resolve this peacefully, Ms Clifford. I’m not a monster. I’m just a father, who wants his son. Is that so terrible?” “Go away, or I’ll call the police myself.” Vanessa’s voice was low and fierce. No doubt about it. Bluffing was hard on the nerves but she kept going regardless. To give in was unthinkable. Steve was at a loss. He could see she was financially stressed, living in this poor neighborhood. He’d expected she would be relieved to shed the burden of responsibility for a child not her own. His eyes narrowed as he thought. Maybe she was hoping to make extra profit out of looking after his son on a continuing basis? He wondered briefly if Janice had been sending support money. SWEET ROMANCE 20
Then he realized he was conferring on his ex-wife qualities she did not possess. Janice was more likely using this woman’s babysitting services free of charge. “Does Janice owe you money for taking care of Michael?” Steve’s voice was blunt. “For the last time, this isn’t Michael. This is Tony. My son.” She didn’t answer the question he had asked. Did Janice owe her money for taking care of Michael? The answer would have been yes, but the last thing she would do was accept money from this man, even if he offered. It was a matter of honor.
As he pondered what to do next, Steve watched the woman holding the baby close in her protective arms, and something moved inside him. It felt perilously close to respect, and he wished it were possible to deny its existence. All he wanted was his son. Nothing could get in the way of that. She seemed to rally then, taking her strength from some inner source. He felt somehow drawn to her, some maternal aura giving her the impression of a lioness protecting her cub. But then he realized it wasn’t mothering he wanted from her, it was something more basic, and, under the circumstances, totally unacceptable. Steve shook his head to clear it. What was he thinking? This woman was holding his son, refusing to give him up. He should be condemning her, especially when she kept calling him Tony, not Michael. He’d seen Michael written on the birth certificate, so he knew his son’s name was Michael. There seemed to be some trickery going on, and he was determined to find out what it was. He needed to get himself focused, so he mentally took a step back, looking at her again, trying to separate himself from the attractive woman before him. Unfortunately, the image didn’t change. He still felt the same warmth towards her; the same need to forgive whatever she had done. She was not tall and blonde like Janice, his child’s mother, who had a reputation for arrogance and unpredictability, a trait Steve used to see as exciting. Somehow this woman and the child fit together. Steve could see nothing of Janice in the boy, who was more like him. With dark hair and olive skin, the woman and the child seemed to belong to each other. His frustration and emptiness grew. He wanted to hold his child in his arms, but something prevented him from stepping in and taking the SWEET ROMANCE 21
boy. Perhaps it was compassion. He didn’t know. Hesitation was a weakness he couldn’t afford. As he watched, Vanessa began to soothe the baby, stroking his soft dark hair and kissing his cheek. The child snuggled in, accepting all that she gave as his right. Her softly curved lips softened as she smiled, her large brown eyes unconsciously beckoning to Steve as she looked up, inviting him to share in the moment, but at the same time warning him, rejecting any forward move he might make. A man torn in two directions, Steve yearned to know her, to learn her secrets and share his own, to give her his strength, but he knew it could not be. If he took the baby away from her, she would hate him. If he left the child with her, he would hate himself and her too. It was a nowin situation. Vanessa saw the sadness on Steve Archer’s face and wished she could take away his pain. Any moment he might decide to take matters into his own hands, snatching the baby away from her and disappearing with him. He was strong enough to get away with it, and she had to prevent it happening. He’s not your son,” she said, grimly determined, knowing it was time to clarify the situation. She had run out of options. “He’s mine. I’ll prove it.” She turned away, taking him by surprise, and went into the house, clutching the child to her breast. Sadly, she knew what she had to do.
Her choices were limited. It wouldn’t be easy, but her baby had to come first. She would have to tell the truth and sort the mess out later. Steve’s reaction was instantaneous. He caught the door before it slammed in his face, following her inside. He came after her up the stairs, unaware that his hard pounding steps on bare floorboards redoubled her fear. All he could think of was getting to his son, before this woman took him away where he’d never find him. When Steve came to the door of the bedroom, he quickly took stock of the situation. There seemed to be a lot of furniture and things lying around, more than one child would need, but what did he know? He was new at this. He glared at the woman, who had taken his son. She was standing with her back to the wall, trembling, the baby held protectively in her arms. Guilt smote him. How could a supposedly civilized man behave like a barbarian? He belatedly tried to soothe her, saying, “Look, Ms SWEET ROMANCE 22
Clifford, I’ve no wish to harm you. I just want my son. Is it too much to ask that we discuss this like reasonable people?” Vanessa breathed a broken sigh of relief. At least he wasn’t exploding with anger any more. Maybe if they talked, she could convince him she wasn’t the enemy. “Okay, Mr. Archer. We’ll both be reasonable. Please, Steve, call me Vanessa. Perhaps you would wait for me downstairs. Right now this sleepy child needs to be changed and put in his cot.” Steve looked around, suspicion rising. Maybe she was planning to leave by another way, another staircase perhaps? Then he realized he was becoming paranoid. This was an old, small, two story house and there was only one way out. There was no way for her to disappear, even if she wanted to. Plainly she wished him to vanish altogether, but he wasn’t going to oblige. He had every right to his own child, especially since the baby’s mother had deserted the boy so cruelly. Then Steve heard a slight sound from the corner of the room and turned. It sounded like another baby, or possibly a cat. He thought he must be imagining things and brought his hard gaze back to her. “You don’t have a cat, do you?” “Yes, I have a cat. He’s in the house somewhere. Probably sleeping. Why?” “I thought I heard something. Forget it.” He turned toward the door. “I’ll wait for you downstairs. But no games. If you try to take my son away again, I promise you, I’ll be relentless. There’ll be nowhere you can hide. Do you understand, Ms. Clifford?” “Vanessa,” she corrected, understanding his anxiety. She felt the same. “Yes, I understand. I’ll make sure my cat isn’t in here, then I’ll come down and we can talk.” Steve turned and left the room, taking his highly charged energy with him. Vanessa, feeling as though the edge of a hurricane had just passed her by, breathed a sigh of relief, even though it was only a temporary reprieve. All she wanted was for him to disappear from her life, but clearly he wasn’t about to do that. Like Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, he wanted his pound of flesh. There was nothing she could do, nothing she
could say, short of the absolute truth that would change his mind. And when the truth came out, it could even make things worse, for her. SWEET ROMANCE 23
If only she knew what he was really like? The only thing Janice had said about her ex was that he was a businessman, too serious to be any fun. She hadn’t said he was cruel, but that didn’t mean a thing to Vanessa. He could be capable of anything, and she wouldn’t know until it was too late. Janice hadn’t even told her his name. She certainly hadn’t said she’d been married and divorced. After Steve had gone downstairs, Vanessa changed Tony’s diaper and put him in his cot, wrapping him up warmly as if to ward off her own chill. Thankfully he went back to sleep and didn’t wake up the other small occupant of the room. Steve had thought he’d heard a cat. Vanessa knew her cat, Plato, was somewhere around, but he was probably outside, touring the neighborhood. What Steve had actually heard was Michael snuffling in his sleep. Vanessa smiled as she covered him up as well. She loved the boys so much, would do anything for them. They were all she had. She couldn’t endure the thought of losing either one of them. Unfortunately, reality was waiting in the wings, forcing her to accept that things would now be different. Accepting the changes would not be easy. When she arrived back in the living room, Steve was sitting on the sofa, his large frame tense. He looks as though he could use a good night’s sleep, thought Vanessa, with a strange surge of compassion for him. She, too, knew the pain of betrayal, how it ate away at your selfesteem and destroyed your ability to trust. She said quietly, “I think some things need to be cleared up.” “They certainly do. I have here my son’s birth certificate.” He handed her the document he had tried to show her earlier. “Look at it carefully,” he commanded. “By the way, I found your cat. He was on your sofa. Not upstairs at all. What did I hear up there? Not mice, I hope.” “No mice. My cat runs fast. He’s pretty sneaky. Could have passed you on the stairs.” She glanced at the certificate. “I don’t need to see this to know Tony isn’t your son.” “Michael,” Steve growled. “His name is Michael.” Vanessa took a deep breath as Steve started to get up. “Let me explain,” she said. “Go for it, but this better be good. My patience is running out.” SWEET ROMANCE 24
Vanessa could see he was like a coiled spring and fervently hoped he would understand her reluctance to hand Michael over. The child needed someone to love him and take care of his needs, someone who understood what each cry meant, who knew when he needed food, or just to he held, or his diaper changed. Steve could learn but that would take time and patience. Vanessa wasn’t sure he had either one, especially if he had a business to run. He stayed in his seat, but she knew he was tense and ready to make demands. She wondered if he knew how to change a diaper, or if he even wanted to learn. Maybe he’d hand the baby over to a nanny and go back
to work, satisfied he’d done the right thing with his son in taking him home, wherever that was. His home could be on the other side of the country for all she knew. That would mean she’d never see Michael again. Steve leaned forward when she said, “Michael is upstairs asleep.” She waited for his reaction. It wasn’t long in coming. “I know that,” he snapped. “I saw you take him there.” “That wasn’t Michael. I told you, that was my son, Tony. Janice left Michael with me not long after he was born. I think she thought I was more experienced at looking after babies.” Steve made a sound of disbelief and Vanessa said, “We shared a hospital room. I gave birth to Tony and Janice gave birth to Michael. Tony is a few hours older. I’m a few years older than Janice, as well. She told me I’m like a mother figure to her. I think that means I tell her what to do and clean up after her.” “My God. You mean there are two of them. Two kids. I have to see my son. Now.” Steve stood up. Vanessa shook her head, reaching out to touch his arm. “He’s asleep, Steve. Let me tell you how it happened first. Then I’ll take you up.” “No. I can’t wait any longer.” He turned toward the stairs. Vanessa could see there was no holding him back. “Okay. Hold on a minute. Just make sure you walk quietly.” “Yeah. Those wooden stairs are noisy. I’ll take my shoes off.” Steve began to remove his shoes. “Good idea,” Vanessa agreed. She took off her own shoes, and then she followed him up the stairs. A few moments later, Steve stood over Michael’s cot in the corner of the bedroom. He reached out to touch the baby’s hand, lying on the pillow, tiny fingers curled as if searching for someone to hold on to. SWEET ROMANCE 25
Steve wanted to be the one Michael reached for. He needed to take his son in his arms and hold him, protecting him from harm, but he knew it was too soon. He sighed. “He’s beautiful, Vanessa. So tiny and fragile. A breeze could carry him away.” “Yes. He’s small, but he’s tough. Come downstairs now. I’ll make you a coffee, and we’ll talk.” Steve hesitated, and then said, “Okay. Thanks. I could use some caffeine. I didn’t get much sleep last night. Too many things to think about.” As he followed her downstairs into her kitchen, he asked, “Why didn’t you tell me about Michael straight away? I wasn’t going to hurt him. He’s my own flesh and blood.” “I didn’t know you.” She didn’t say, I still don’t know you. That didn’t seem true any more. She was getting to know him more every minute. As Vanessa made the coffee, she smiled to soften her words. “You could have been anyone. And you were angry. The boys are my first priority.” “Good. I appreciate that, even if I had to find out the hard way.” Steve’s voice was resolute. “Go on. Tell me the rest.” “Janice and I became friends.” Vanessa paused. “At least, I thought we were friends. Now I’m not so sure.” “Janice has no friends,” Steve said with bitter irony. “She abandons
them as soon as they outlive their usefulness. Like she did me. We were married for two years, but I had no idea she intended to leave. The note she left said she needed her freedom, as if I’d put her in prison by loving her. I thought we shared our life and would build a future together. Now, I realize I didn’t really know her at all. I certainly didn’t know she was carrying my child. Maybe at that stage, she didn’t either. She might have even thought it wasn’t mine. That’s possible.” “She didn’t tell me about you, Steve. I’m not even sure if your name is on Michael’s birth certificate.” Vanessa shook her head. “I hate to ask this. Are you sure he is your child?” Steve put the papers in front of her again and pointed to the name. “I’m sure. Even Janice wouldn’t dare put a false name on legal documents. She changed her own name back to McKay when she left, but Michael is registered as Archer.” Vanessa nodded. “At least she didn’t rob you of everything.” “Not everything, just enough to make me wish I’d never met her.” SWEET ROMANCE 26
“Ah, but then you wouldn’t have Michael.” She smiled. “Janice described you well, what you look like at least. She also said you were a man of passion and determination. Too intense for her, not an easy person to live with.” Vanessa smiled with quiet understanding as she poured the coffee. “It’s hard to really know a person, even when you live with them. They always keep something back. Private thoughts, memories, sometimes future plans, things like that.” “Yes, I think they do.” Steve nodded. “Janice loved to keep secrets. She thought it made her mysterious. Alluring. I was too busy working to have time for games. She hated that. She used to say I had no sense of humor. Maybe, I didn’t. I don’t know. I certainly don’t have one over this situation.” Vanessa smiled. “I remember she liked to play guessing games and make up stories. She said the truth was boring and she wanted to invent another life for herself. That was probably her greatest talent. Invention. She should have been a writer. I never knew if she was telling the truth or inventing something to make herself more interesting.” “I didn’t either.” Steve shrugged. “Instead of intriguing me, after a while Janice’s games just irritated me, especially when I found out the truth a few days ago. She had started seeing other men. I felt betrayed. I know now she was just using me until she found someone more interesting.” Vanessa said, “I know just how you feel. I’ve been down that road myself. It’s no fun.” Steve frowned. “I don’t know what to say, except that I’m sorry. I said some things I would rather not have said given the circumstances. I hope you can forgive me and accept my thanks for taking care of my son. I didn’t even know Michael’s name, until I saw the birth certificate. My father’s name is Michael, so she named him well.” His smile was sad. “Dad would like to meet Michael.” “I’m sure he will, soon. Grandparents are important for a child. I’m so sorry. This must be very painful for you.” Without thinking, Vanessa reached out and touched his hand in sympathy. “He’s a lovely baby. I don’t know how Janice could abandon her own child. I know I never could.” Then she realized what she had done, quickly withdrawing her hand with a sharp intake of breath, the heat of his flesh making her realize what was missing in her world.
Steve didn’t seem to notice her withdrawal. Vanessa was grateful. It would be disastrous if he sensed her reaction to him. He might think SWEET ROMANCE 27
she was coming on to him. Another man in her life was the last thing she needed, especially one she sensed would be hard to resist. Steve smiled grimly, unable to blame this woman for retreating from him. He had given her a hard time. He had noticed everything about her but was able to keep his reaction hidden. Camouflage was a great asset in business and he used it now. There was no point in making the situation any more tense than it already was. Sure, he’d come here, an angry man, intending to find answers. He’d found them and should have been satisfied with that. His son was within his reach, at last, and no obstacle stood in his way. He’d frightened the life out of the person caring for his son, and now he was drinking coffee in her kitchen, like a guest. What next, he wondered? Will I ask for her phone number, maybe ask her for a date? Maybe I’ll take it one step further. I wish, was his next thought. She probably wants me out of her house, and out of her life, as soon as possible. And who could blame her. “Do you have any clue at all where Janice is?” he asked. “She and I have unfinished business.” “No.” Vanessa thought for a moment. “But I know who she’s with. After I brought Tony home from hospital, Janice brought Michael to visit. She was having trouble adjusting to motherhood, a mix of depression and other things. I guess it tied her down when she wanted to be free. Midnight feeds will do that sometimes. They can make you feel life has passed you by, especially if you’re a woman with a husband, who has other interests and not much time to spend with his family.” “Do you feel like that?” “Not really. I was never a party girl. I like to stay at home. Janice didn’t. I introduced her to Tony’s father, Max Anderson. She thought a man writing his life story was very romantic. Max was flattered by the attention. I thought it was a temporary ego thing. Guess I was wrong.” “Ah, I think I get the picture.” Steve frowned. “Didn’t take them long, did it?” “No. Not long. About a week later I knew Max and I were finished. We’d been married for three years. He loved me. At least, I thought he did. Now I’m not so sure. He was writing his novel and it kept him busy. I had a job as a secretary. Then I became pregnant, not planned but welcome on my part. I’ve always loved kids. I kept working up until Tony SWEET ROMANCE 28
was born. Six weeks after that Janice and Max took off. I was left holding the babies. I changed my name back to Clifford after he left.” Unable to stay in his seat, Steve strode over to the open window, where he stood in a cool breeze, looking out at the barren countryside. He wondered how a man could be such a fool, and his hands clenched with the desire to grab the absent Max Anderson and pound some sense into his thick skull. “What a lousy situation,” Steve exploded. “He left you without any support at all. I presume he didn’t leave you any financial help either.” “Yes. That’s true. He left me, but I still have Tony. He’s everything
to me.” Vanessa shrugged as if her husband’s betrayal had meant nothing. She had learnt to cover up her emotions, protecting herself from well meaning friends, who urged her to give Michael up to the authorities, or seek government help from Children’s Services. “What did you do?” asked Steve. His soft voice was hard to accept, after his previous condemnation. “What Max did was hard to accept,” replied Vanessa. “For a while, I wanted to make him suffer, but then I realized I was glad he’d gone. I didn’t miss him at all. Then one day, Janice asked me to baby-sit. I took Tony and Michael with me to the shops. It’s not far to walk from here, and they both fitted in my pram, like tiny baby peas in a pod. While I was out, Max packed his laptop and printer, wrote a note, threw some of his clothes into my best suitcase, and drove he away. He went to the bank and emptied our account.” “I see. How did you manage after that?” “I had to go on welfare to survive. Luckily, I held the lease on this place, and I got rental assistance. The agent wants me to move, so he can get tenants without kids, but he can’t legally throw us out for another six months.” Steve was appalled at the callousness of the landlord, and Vanessa’s ex-husband was emerging as a total user, with very few redeeming qualities. Finding the man and teaching him a few manners was high on Steve’s agenda. Janice had similar character traits, and he recognized the narcissistic nature of the beast. She had tried to empty their joint bank account but failed, probably because she’d put in the wrong pin number too many times and the ATM had eaten her card. Since she’d left, Steve had a letter telling him a card for that account had been compromised and to apply for a new one. Paying her off after the divorce hadn’t made much difSWEET ROMANCE 29
ference. If he’d known she was pregnant with his child before she left him, things might have been different, but he hadn’t a clue. She took the money he gave her, and he heard she left town in a new car the next day. “Just as a matter of interest, Vanessa,” he asked, “why did your husband take your suitcase? Didn’t he have one of his own?” “His suitcase was old and full of books he hadn’t unpacked. He left them, no doubt thinking they’d be here when he got back. Along with a lot of other stuff.” She grinned, making him see the woman she was behind her pain. She was a fighter. “I took the whole lot, as well as the clothes he left behind, to a secondhand shop. There were some very expensive outfits, expensive books, as well. They were extremely grateful.” “I’ll bet they were.” Steve found himself grinning. “Yeah. They paid me for them, so I was grateful, too. I received a postcard from Singapore, telling me Max and Janice were sorry, but neither of them were cut out to be parents. I presume they’ll want to come back and take over when they get sick of traveling. They told me I could do a better job of looking after the two boys, because I was the earthmother type. I think that reads ‘slow and stupid but at least she can cook’. So, here I am, and here you are.” “And there they are. Gone. Out of our lives, for the moment. It’s
incredible. I knew Janice was irresponsible at times, but this is ridiculous. To leave her own child like this, I can’t believe it.” Steve pushed his hands through his thick dark hair, his brown eyes shining with compassion for Vanessa’s betrayal. Something more basic was there as well. It could have been need, and Vanessa longed to be the one he needed, the one he turned to, for he had been betrayed also. She could see he was dealing with traumatic emotions and wondered what he was thinking. “Do you have any idea when, or if, they’ll be back?” he asked. “No,” she said. “It’ll probably be when they run out of money. As well as my savings, Max had some cash from his parents. It won’t last forever. His book wasn’t going too well, so it could take a while to get published, if it ever does. Something about a man’s journey through life. How he finds himself. Regression to childhood stuff. He called it reality. Not my taste, but then I’m not a man.” “No, you’re not,” agreed Steve as he watched her expressive face. “You’re definitely female.” SWEET ROMANCE 30
She looked startled for a moment, as if no one had ever made her aware of herself, of her femininity, as if no one had ever wanted her or loved her. She has a child, he reminded himself, so someone must have wanted her. Steve realized he wanted Vanessa for himself. She had quietly slipped into his life and changed his world. It would never be the same. Then the image of Max slid into Steve’s mind like a serpent, and Steve remembered. Max was the father of Vanessa’s child. Steve didn’t know what the man looked like, but he recognised the type of man he was. He was glad Max had gone, Janice too. Not just for Vanessa’s sake, but for his. His heart reached out to the warm loving woman who had been brutally abandoned by the man she loved. He wanted to take away her pain, to show her she could survive very well without Max, just as he had survived without Janice. Vanessa sighed and sipped her drink. “Thanks, Steve. You know, I think Max’s parents might have decided enough is enough. There won’t be any more handouts for him, even though they can well afford it.” “How did you find that out?” “I rang them when he left. His father and I met for lunch one day. I took the boys to see him.” Steve nodded. “Yeah, Janice had money from her parents, too. I used to believe she was a special woman but now I don’t know what to think. Is the real Janice someone I don’t even know? I’m trying to remember if we ever talked, really talked, about anything important. Could this situation have been avoided if I had been more understanding?” “I don’t know. All you can do is remember your mistakes and start again. That’s what I’ll do. I can’t afford to pay for a divorce lawyer, but I’m saving every penny I can.” “Maybe I can help you. You’ve been very understanding to me, Vanessa. Thanks.” “Would you like to go up to see your son? It’s nearly time for the boys to wake up. Both of them are on bottles, so you can help me out. Between the two of them, I haven’t a minute to think. But I love it. I love them.” “I can see that you do. Your face lights up whenever you speak either
of their names. It’s obvious you care a great deal.” Steve stood up. “You know, I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than nurse my son. I didn’t know he existed until a week ago, when a friend congratulated me on his birth. I was stunned.” SWEET ROMANCE 31
“That must have been hard. What did you do?” Steve looked into compassionate eyes and felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. “I tried to find Janice. It’s a good thing I didn’t. I might have done something regrettable. I wasn’t thinking clearly at the time. Betrayal can do that to you. I felt like she’d torn my heart out and tossed it into the garbage.” “I can relate to that. I remember wanting to track Max down and make him pay. I won’t tell you what I thought of, but it had something to do with scissors.” Steve laughed. “Don’t tell me. You wanted to cut up his credit card.” She grinned and he said, “Okay, not the card. I won’t ask. I have a vivid imagination.” “I’m sure you do,” Vanessa agreed. “Don’t worry, I’ve cooled off since then. Janice isn’t exactly one of my close friends any more either. I keep wondering when she’s going to come back and take Michael away. She could do that, and I would be devastated, even though she’s his mother. He’s like my own son.” Vanessa looked pained for a moment, then she gave a faint smile. “At least, I’ve had him for a while. That’s better than nothing.” “He’s a lucky boy to have had someone like you, Vanessa. I see that, now.” Steve smiled at her and she caught her breath, unable to look away. She’d never had a man look at her that way before and a whole new world opened up for her. “After I calmed down,” he said, “I contacted Janice’s parents. Apparently, she told them I lost interest in her when she became pregnant. Her father acted like I was pond scum for a while, but when I explained what really happened, that I didn’t know anything about a baby, he said he understood. I don’t think he did though. He looked shattered. So did his wife. Nothing made any difference. They still didn’t know where Janice had gone.” “I don’t think they’re very close as a family,” Vanessa shrugged. “I met them at the hospital. Janice thought her parents were interfering if they made any suggestions about her life, so she didn’t see them much. I think it made them sad.” Steve nodded. “They had no idea she’d gone overseas and left her child behind. I got my copy of the birth certificate.” He held it up. “Then I had a private inquiry agent investigate. The agent looked for friends of SWEET ROMANCE 32
Janice and found you. Then, he found Michael. He didn’t discover you had a baby of your own.” Vanessa smiled, the tension of the past hour disappearing. “Well, I do. And I think he and his pal Michael have just woken up.” Steve’s face lit up. “Yeah, I can hear the two of them. Great lung capacity.” She knew the light in his eyes was for his son. He couldn’t wait to see Michael. She wished a little of that light would shine for her but that
was wishful thinking. Food was the next item on the agenda. Vanessa said, “Why don’t you go upstairs to the kids, while I get their bottles ready.” “What do I do with them?” He looked confused. “You can change Michael.” She waited to see if he would ask how to do it. “Change him? Oh, you mean diapers. I might stick a pin into him.” “Don’t worry. I’ve got some disposable ones on the change table. You’ll do fine. There’s nothing like hands on experience, and I’m here if you get into trouble.” “Okay. I’ll give it my best shot. See you upstairs. But if you hear a crash, come quickly. I might have dropped something.” Vanessa laughed. “Just don’t drop the baby.” “Now, you’re really scaring me. I’ll be butter fingers for sure,” he said as he left the room. When he’d gone, she sobered. Steve was willing to do his best, unlike Max. She wondered how long it would take before he’d be gone out of her life too, taking Michael with him. Upstairs a few minutes later, Vanessa found Steve holding Michael in his arms. Tony was quiet, looking on with wonder in his eyes. She picked him up so he didn’t feel left out. Steve looked up with gratitude. “I haven’t changed him yet. He won’t stay still long enough for me to find the diapers.” To give truth to the tale, Michael kicked out with both legs. Steve held on tight, understanding the responsibility that came with his child. He had to keep him safe, fed, changed, clean and happy. Then came education. He knew he had to start now, today. But first he had to show Michael how much he was loved. “He’s incredible,” he whispered as he watched Michael put his fingers in his mouth and begin chewing on them. Steve grinned. “Looks like he’s hungry.” SWEET ROMANCE 33
“He’s always ready to fill his stomach. It’s a production line. In one end and out the other. Like clockwork. I’m just grateful to get one baby fixed up before the other wakes. When they both start at once it can be chaos around here. Why don’t you relax and I’ll show you how it’s done.” Vanessa put Tony on the change table and changed his diaper. Then she gave Steve a hand to change Michael. When the babies were once again fresh and clean, she handed Steve a bottle and demonstrated what to do by feeding Tony. Both boys lay quiet in their parent’s arms, sucking greedily, each making little snuffling sounds of pleasure until the bottles were empty. Then, without warning, the babies fell asleep, content. Steve was overwhelmed with the contentment he felt too. This was his child, his own flesh and blood. He never wanted to let go. “You’ve done a wonderful job looking after him,” he whispered. “I’m sorry I was so brutal with you earlier, Vanessa. I can only say I was under a lot of stress. I only hope I can find a nanny who will give him as much loving care as you.” Vanessa’s face went pale. “I wish you didn’t have to take him away, Steve. I love Tony and Michael as if they were both mine. They could be twins. They do share a birthday after all.” Steve looked at her distressed face and said, “I’m sorry, Vanessa. I
don’t want to hurt you, but you must see my point of view. His mother doesn’t want him, and I’m the only parent he has left. If it’s any consolation for you, I’ll get the best care for him. And you can see him whenever you like.” “It’s not the same thing as taking care of him myself,” Vanessa turned away, embarrassed by emotions that had atrophied since Max had left. Her voice was muffled with unshed tears as she said, “I understand. He’s your son, not mine.” Steve felt an overwhelming need to hold her in his arms and comfort her. It was odd that, after feeling so angry, he should feel such tenderness. She was a small woman, the top of her short dark brown curls barely reaching his chin, her beautiful hazel eyes filled with sadness. He wished he could find a way to take the pain from her heart. Michael and Tony woke up then, competing for the top vocalist award and, as Steve stood up with Michael and walked with him, trying to calm him, Vanessa popped a pacifier into Tony’s mouth, calming him instantly. Then she handed one to Steve and all was quiet. SWEET ROMANCE 34
The two babies wore identical red jumpsuits and even looked alike with dark hair and brown eyes. They really could have been nonidentical twins. “I never thought I would ever hold my own child,” Steve spoke in awe as he looked at his son. He drew his finger down Michael’s tear streaked face and caught his breath as Michael looked at him and smiled, the pacifier falling out of his mouth onto the floor. “Do you think he knows I’m his father?” asked Steve, love in his voice for this tiny miracle who was his son. Vanessa thought she had never seen anything so beautiful. She blinked away tears. “I’m sure he knows you’re his dad. You love him. Children sense things like that, even when they’re babies. It’s in your voice when you say his name, and it’s in your touch as you hold him close. He’ll see the love you feel when he looks at your face and you smile.” If Steve had looked up at that moment, he would have seen the same need for love in Vanessa’s eyes. She couldn’t hide it. All she could do was turn away and busy herself with Tony’s needs. “Yes, I love him,” she said. Steve watched as she put Tony in his cot and tidied up the room. “He’s beautiful. They both are. I don’t know how Janice could leave him.” Tony had his share of attention from Steve, as well, and, together, they began to form a bond in caring for their two boys. A few hours later, Steve sat in an armchair downstairs and fed Michael another bottle. He was thoughtful as he watched the baby feed, hardly taking his eyes from him. He wiped the milk from Michael’s chin and sat him up as Vanessa instructed to get the baby to burp. He laughed with delight as the baby sucked his own tiny fingers, and then grabbed a handful of his father’s hair. Steve didn’t even turn green as the Michael burped enthusiastically and deposited his meal on his father’s shoulder. Vanessa cleaned Steve up and showed her pupil how to drape the towel, to catch the overflow. He was enthralled with the whole business, and his uninhibited laughter rang out many times that evening. Vanessa could hardly take her eyes off them. The change in Steve
revealed a soft side to him she wouldn’t have believed existed when they first met. His smile was a revelation. Of course she knew it was for his son but she felt she knew him a little better now. There were so many hidden depths to his character; it would take years to discover them all. SWEET ROMANCE 35
Unfortunately, she didn’t have years. Very soon Steve and Michael would be gone from her life, and all that remained of them would be memories, and tears. She couldn’t help it; she was desperate for more time with Michael. Steve was another story. She wanted him to smile at her again, and even as she acknowledged this need, she knew that Max and her love for him was now a distant memory. She was ready to move on. After being fed, the babies were placed on blankets on the floor for some exercise. They squirmed and kicked and waved their arms, preparing to take over the world, as soon as they could figure out this crawling and rolling business. Steve and Vanessa sat at the kitchen table and watched them, drinking coffee, speculating on how soon each baby would roll over and take off. Then Steve looked at her with serious eyes and she knew the time to let go of Michael was almost upon her. She could hardly hold back the tears, but knew she must. Steve said, “I’ve been thinking.” “So have I,” she cut in, unable to let him finish, wanting it over and done so she could start to recover and forget how much she loved Michael, as if she ever could. “I’ve been thinking hard. Mostly about how much I’m going to miss Michael.” And about you, she thought, with a wild urge to tell him how she felt. “He’ll miss you, too.” Steve paused. “I have a solution if you’re interested.” “What is it?” she asked, hardly daring to breathe. Maybe he would bring Michael back for a visit some time. Hope welled in her heart. “I have a large house with six bedrooms. There’s only me living there. What I’m thinking is, why split up a comfortable family group, when we could share?” Vanessa stiffened. “What exactly is it you have in mind?” Frowning at her, Steve said, “Certainly not what you’re thinking. I believe it would be to our mutual advantage if you and Tony were to come and live at my house. At least for a while, to try it out. There’s plenty of room.” Hope blossomed as she watched him, but trust was hard to find. “What’s the catch?” Steve looked uncomfortable. “Well, you’d have to take care of Michael when I’m at work. I’d pay you of course. I have a cleaning service and a housekeeper, if you’re worried about spending your time cleaning. SWEET ROMANCE 36
The boys would be together. You’d have everything provided. Well, what do you think? Will you do it?” Vanessa imagined he would push a business merger through in much the same way. No hanging about, no confusion. Straight out will you or won’t you. Well, she thought, the idea has merit. “Can I think about it?” “Sure. I’d rather get some idea now though. I need to make arrangements as soon as possible. If you don’t want to look after Michael,
just give me the bad news and I’ll find someone else to help us.” Steve waited impatiently for her answer. He wanted Vanessa under his roof but wasn’t quite sure what he would do when he got her there. Shoving that unsettling thought aside, he waited for her answer. Vanessa realized Steve was as uncertain of her as she was of him and that alone made her say, “Okay, Steve. If that’s what you want, it’s a deal. I can always find another place to rent if it doesn’t work out. When do you want us?” “As soon as possible. Now, I mean, today.” He couldn’t wait another day. For some strange reason he felt they might disappear and that mustn’t be allowed to happen. He’d lost too many people in his life already. “Is that possible?” Vanessa was stunned. How could she move right now? There were dishes to do, clothes to wash and pack, people to contact, a fridge to empty. “Let me make a few calls,” Steve continued. “I’ll have movers pack your things. While you contact the rental agency, I’ll get baby seats for the car. Won’t be long. Then I’ll be back to help with the kids and the rest of the stuff.” “I’ll say one thing for you, grass hasn’t time to grow where you’re standing.” He grinned, and she was lost. She would have followed him anywhere if only he would smile at her and hold out his hand. Instead he said, “Come on, Vanessa, we’re wasting time.” From then on things moved rapidly. As moves go, it was uneventful, if you didn’t take into account the time lost trying to find a cleaning service at short notice. Steve shrugged off his suit jacket and, rolling up his shirtsleeves, started packing the kitchen. When the movers arrived, he was trying to dismantle the cots. Vanessa was fully engaged in keeping the babies occupied while she packed up their toys. They seemed to SWEET ROMANCE 37
sense something momentous was happening in their lives and wanted to be in on the action. Steve reminded her of a tiger on the prowl, all sinew muscles and predatory instincts, so different from Max, who had flitted his way through life, taking responsibility with a grain of salt and never thinking about the consequences of his actions. She could never imagine Max packing up cots or wiping dishes and he’d never once volunteered to change the baby’s diaper. He didn’t like mess. Until Steve Archer walked into her garden, Vanessa had felt she could manage her life without men. Max had been the only man in her life and had left her with a loss of confidence that was hard to overcome. Besides which, Tony and Michael needed all her attention. Then Steve had accused her of kidnapping his child, but it seemed, now, all he had to do was smile at her, and she would pack her bags and follow him home. Cursing herself for a naive fool, she kept on packing. Steve lived in a marvelous old house, loaded with nooks, crannies and several mysterious passageways. Mrs. Jensen, the housekeeper and cook, lived in her own home but came five days a week. She welcomed Vanessa and the babies with surprised delight. “Two babies! How wonderful to have this old house filled with children. I had four myself but they’re grown now. It’ll be like old times.” “Would you like to see the bedrooms?” Steve couldn’t stop smiling.
“You can choose where to put the boys and yourself. Mrs. Jensen could watch them while you look around.” For some reason the sight of Vanessa in his home satisfied him. It seemed right and proper that she should be there. With him. “Thanks, Steve,” Vanessa smiled shyly. “I’d like that.” Then, while she watched anxiously as Mrs. Jensen showed the babies a new playpen full of toys, she realized Steve had phoned ahead of their arrival and made arrangements of his own. As a new father, he was incredible. It was the start of a busy time but by the end of a month she had sorted everything out to her satisfaction and settled in. The children were content, and from what she saw of Steve, he was too. He was busy at work and usually came home tired. Sundays they spent together, relaxing at the park with a picnic lunch. It was then that they managed to talk and learn to be comfortable with each other. Vanessa realized that she felt more than grateful to Steve. For the first time in months, she could look forward to tomorrow. SWEET ROMANCE 38
Vanessa never asked who he spent time with away from the house and fielded a few female phone callers who asked, “Where’s Steve?” and when told he was out demanded, “Who are you?” Thinking to keep Michael’s existence confidential, she would reply, “The housekeeper,” they promptly supplied their name and told her to tell him they called. If he called them back it was when she wasn’t around. Vanessa found a photograph of Max Anderson in one of her boxes packed up by the movers. She placed it on the dressing table in the nursery, thinking it was the right thing for Tony to see his father, to know what he looked like. She was confused when Steve began to distance himself from her when he saw what she had done. She tried to tell him it was for Tony to have something of his father, but Steve had left abruptly and come home very late. The photo was not mentioned, even when she began to hate the sight of it and put it in a drawer. Over meals eaten together in the evenings he seemed distracted. Maybe, she thought, the reality of taking on a ready-made family was proving too much for a self-contained bachelor. And again, maybe he had other interests. It was a painful time but Vanessa was determined to survive. It wasn’t as if they were a couple, who had made promises to each other. They hadn’t even been out on a date. They just shared a house and two beautiful little boys. Then, one afternoon, the doorbell rang. Max Anderson stood there, cheeky as ever, clearly confident he would be forgiven his desertion and received with open arms. “Hello Van. I’m back. Miss me?” Then he tried to kiss her. Belatedly, she stepped back out of his reach. Vanessa was shocked. “What are you doing here, Max? I thought you were overseas somewhere?” “We are still married. I missed you and my son, so I came home. I want to start again, just the three of us. You, me and, um, Tony? That is his name isn’t it? Tony.” “What about Janice?” Vanessa couldn’t think straight. How soon could she get rid of him was the main thing on her mind. “We split up.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.” What else could she say? ‘I told you so’ would have been gloating. She tried grinning instead, but it was a desperate effort. “How did you find me?” SWEET ROMANCE 39
“I asked the neighbors at our old address. They told me where you’d gone. I figured you wouldn’t stay long in that dump we lived in. I hope you brought my stuff with you.” Vanessa reluctantly opened the door wide and stepped back out of his reach. “You’d better come in.” She’d write down directions to the second hand shop where she’d left his things and then wave goodbye. Hopefully he wouldn’t ask too many questions about Tony. If he did, she would be forced to answer. He didn’t deserve to know anything about his son, but Tony didn’t deserve to be forgotten either. “This is a classy place you’re living in,” he said, sounding envious as he walked inside and looked around. “Who does it belong to?” Vanessa thought quickly. “My boss.” Thank goodness Steve was at his office, although he was due home any moment. “This is where I work. I cook meals and clean house.” “No need for that now, Van, I’m here to take over. Dad’s given me some cash to get by until my book’s published. I’ll take care of you from now on. We’ll rent a house, and you can get another job. You can cook and clean for me like before.” “No, she won’t.” An angry male voice came from the front door. “Vanessa lives here with me. She doesn’t need you.” Max looked at him and snarled, “Who the hell are you?” “Steve Archer. I presume you’re Anderson?” His voice was contemptuous. “Yeah, that’s me. So you’re Janice’s ex? The cold fish.” Steve’s face was as cold and hard as Vanessa had ever seen it. Max shrugged, unrepentant. “She told me all about you. So this is your place? I didn’t expect to see Van with you. What a surprise.” Max’s stance was aggressive, but it shriveled when Steve came fully into the room, his size an intimidation in itself. “Van doesn’t need you, Archer.” He muttered. “She’s got me.” Steve grinned, the predator shining through, even as he carefully removed his coat and tie. “I thought Janice had you. Or is that ancient history?” “Sort of.” “Is Janice back in town?” asked Vanessa. “Yeah, she’s back.” “What happened, Anderson?” Steve baited Max. “Did she dump you?” SWEET ROMANCE 40
“It was mutual.” Max stayed a safe distance, his eye on Steve. “Janice ran out of money. You were her cash cow before, so she left me to get back on your gravy train. I wasn’t sorry.” “I thought you two were a match made in heaven.” Steve said, his voice cynical. “I was bored. Nothing to talk about. She’s at your townhouse apartment planning your reunion. She kept her apartment key so she could change her mind if we didn’t work out. We didn’t, so when she finds out where you are, she’ll be here, too. I’ll phone and tell her. She’ll probably want the kid back, too. Can’t imagine why.”
Vanessa made a sound of disgust, and Max turned to look at her and said, “I don’t believe this. I thought a friend of yours had given you a job? Now, I find him here. What’s going on, Babe? You been holding out on me, or what?” Shifting the blame from his own shoulders was his stock in trade, but Vanessa wasn’t buying, not today. She looked at Steve, hoping to find an answer. She hadn’t seen Steve so steamed since the day they met. It was wonderful. At last, that possessive, prowling tiger that had strolled into her life a month ago was back. She couldn’t wait to get him alone and find out where he’d been. “Tell him, Darling.” Steve put his arm around her, his hand cupping her shoulder. “Tell him you’ve found someone else.” He looked into her eyes, and she saw intense emotion flare into life, for her. “Have I, Steve?” She swallowed, unable to take her eyes from his face. “Who?” He grinned as he stroked her shoulder, sending heat spiraling through her. “We can’t keep it a secret, sweetheart. I’ll tell him.” He turned to a glaring Max, who was audibly grinding his teeth. Steve cheerfully lied, his voice loaded with honey, “Vanessa has agreed to marry me. Any further contact with you will be through her lawyer.” Steve held her as his words slammed into her. “Married,” she echoed faintly, trying to pull away. Did he mean it? Were these just words without substance? Steve refused to let her go and eventually she relaxed against him, sure he was just playing Max like a fish, so he would go away and leave them alone. Something caught at her heart, and she wished with everything she had it was real, that he wanted to marry her, to adopt Tony as his son and raise the two boys together. It would be heaven if only it were true. Max clenched his fists. “What about my son? I want him with me.” SWEET ROMANCE 41
“You want Tony? Why?” Vanessa’s voice was strangled. “You weren’t even sure of his name when you got here.” “By all means, apply to the courts.” Steve spoke with confidence. “You might get visitation rights, if you stick around. “Van, haven’t you anything to say? You’re my wife. Don’t you remember how we were together?” “Yes, Max. I remember. I loved you, but it wasn’t perfect all the time. That’s how life is. Then you walked out without a word. You left us with nothing. I moved on, and I like my new life with Steve. There’s nothing for you here. Not now.” She hesitated, then said, “Would you like to see Tony before you go? He’s grown up since you saw him last.” “Yes, I want to see him.” His voice was grim. Vanessa thought he looked like he was planning something. She didn’t know what, but she knew it wasn’t good. She went to get Tony, leaving the two men alone. When she returned, Steve was in the kitchen and Max sat waiting with him, tight lipped and tense. She placed Tony in his father’s arms and stayed nearby in case her son needed her. He didn’t look anything like Max, who was fair haired and pale. In fact, the child was more like Steve, dark haired, olive skinned like her. Max put the final bitter nail in his own coffin by asking, “Are you sure the kid is mine? He doesn’t even look like me.” Tony started crying then, squirming to get free. Vanessa pulled
Tony out of Max’s arms and held him close to calm him. “You’re a fool, Max. You didn’t know what you had, and now it’s not yours any more. I’d feel sorry for you, if you cared at all. Why don’t you pull your usual trick and disappear.” “I’ll go when I’m ready.” Max snapped. “Archer tells me you’re getting married as soon as the divorce is through. It seems he has been making plans.” “Has he?” She turned away and gently patted Tony on the back, hiding her surprise. It wouldn’t do to give Max any more ammunition against them. Max drilled for information. “You didn’t know, did you?” “Yes. I mean, no, I didn’t know he’s made plans. I knew we were getting married, but I wasn’t sure when the divorce would be final. We haven’t been able to contact you, Max.” “What Vanessa means is,” Steve paused in the doorway; “she left the arrangements to me. She has enough to do as it is.” His gaze roved SWEET ROMANCE 42
over her face. “Her happiness means everything to me. I’m sure you understand, Anderson. Don’t bother to send child support. We don’t need it. Just leave your address for our lawyer. Then you can sign the divorce papers when they come and get out of our lives.” He came close to Vanessa and took her hand. All she could think of was how he made her feel. Then he took Tony in his arms and held him with such a look of tenderness, he could have been his own child. He said, “Wave goodbye, Son. The man is leaving.” Tony looked up at Steve with a baby grin. He didn’t even glance at his father. Max stalked to the door, turning to snarl, “You can’t keep my son from me, Archer. I’ve got more right than you to have custody. You’ll be hearing from my lawyer.” He slammed the door as he went out, leaving a tense silence. Vanessa looked at Steve, a mixture of reproach and gratitude on her face. “I know what you’re thinking, Vanessa,” he defended himself. “I didn’t talk to you before I spoke to Anderson. I should have, but what was I to do? Allow him to come back and treat you the same way all over again? Besides, I need you here with me. Michael and I both need you. The man had his chance and he blew it. End of story.” “What about what I need, Steve? Did it occur to you to ask me first before making up that stuff up? Getting married are we? That’s a good one. And what about Tony? Max is his father after all.” “Why didn’t you contradict me then?” he asked softly. “All you had to do was deny we were going to be married. He would have taken you out of here fast as lightning.” “I just feel that you should have talked to me about it first. Of course, I want to stay. I love it here. Tony is happy here, too.” The baby gurgled in Steve’s arms, squealing as he tried to put his fingers in Steve’s mouth. “That’s a relief,” said Steve, lifting the baby over his shoulder. “As a matter of fact, what I was telling Max isn’t such a crazy idea.” For the first time, he looked uncomfortable, unsure of himself. “Which crazy idea was that?” “Well, getting married. You and me. It’s the ideal solution. Michael and Tony are like brothers. If we married, it would be unlikely that Max
Anderson would gain full custody. He’s a single man with debts and no money, plus he’s unemployed.” SWEET ROMANCE 43
“It seems a little cold blooded, Steve. After all, we’re not in love, are we?” She almost faltered as she uttered the lie. “I swore I’d never marry after Max betrayed me. There’s too much pain involved. Not just for me, for Tony too.” “Maybe you’d come to love me. Stranger things have happened. I don’t repulse you do I?” Her hand tingled when he touched it and her heartbeat went into overdrive. Breathlessly she replied, “Of course not. But you can’t force people to love you. It just happens, or not. I thought I loved Max, but the truth was that I wanted to love him. I needed someone. He was there. Now, I’m not sure what is real.” “Give it some thought anyway.” He smiled gently, then he took Tony upstairs to the nursery, where Michael was letting everyone know he felt neglected. For the next few weeks, Vanessa thought of nothing but the future. Were they to live as a family with Steve and Michael, or was she to take Tony away and make a life for them, alone. She was extremely tempted to take Steve up on his offer. The more she saw of him, and he seemed to be home a lot lately, the more she grew to appreciate his good qualities. He was wonderful with the two babies, always giving them equal love and attention. She often found herself looking out the window when he was due home from work, getting drinks ready for him to share with her. Vanessa reveled in preparing Steve’s favorite meals and making the house into a home. Her dreams were filled with images of Steve loving her and needing her, but she couldn’t quite believe it would ever happen. And there was still Max to deal with. He had taken to phoning her during the day when Steve wasn’t home, threatening legal action and telling her he was only waiting until Steve tossed her out and he’d be there to pick up the pieces. Stalking by telephone was not unheard of and she was becoming paranoid, wondering if he would just come and snatch Tony away, and she’d never see her son again. One evening after dinner, Vanessa said, “Steve, this marriage business. Would you expect to have more children?” “Definitely. If you’re agreeable.” His eyes gleamed with pleasure at the thought. He wanted everything she could give him and more. “I’ve been thinking about it and I’ve come to a decision.” Steve put his newspaper aside and braced himself. “Have you?” SWEET ROMANCE 44
“Yes. I’ll marry you.” She waited for his reaction and tried to smile but nerves made it impossible. “If you’re sure.” Steve gave a relieved grin and came around the table. “I’m sure.” He drew her out of the chair and put his arms around her. “I promise you won’t regret it, Vanessa. We’ll make it work, you’ll see.” He kissed her gently, for the first time, and a new life was given to her, a life she didn’t want to give up. He held her hand to his chest and said, “Hey, I’m shaking, like a nervous kid. Feel my heart; it’s beating for you. I love you, my darling.” “Oh, Steve, I love you too. I never realized how much I was missing
out on. Being with you will be all I have ever dreamed of. But I’m scared. What if we argue?” “So, we’ll argue. That’s okay. Then we have all night to make up.” “Sounds good,” she agreed. “I feel an argument coming on right now.” Vanessa and Steve celebrated their engagement by going out to dinner. It was almost midnight when they arrived home and they decided to quietly check on the children. Mrs. Jensen had been deputized as baby-sitter and was staying in the spare room next to the nursery. What they found were two empty cots. “Where are they Steve?” Vanessa’s voice was a shocked whisper in the silent room. “Wake Mrs. Jensen,” he said urgently, trying to control his fear. “She might have them in with her.” Vanessa rushed back with Mrs. Jensen at her heels, frantically worried. “What could have happened, Mr. Archer?” the housekeeper cried. “I checked on them an hour ago.” Vanessa led the distraught woman to a chair. “They were fast asleep, so I took a shower before I went to my bedroom. I was going to read, until you came home. God forgive me, I must have dozed off. What on earth have I done?” She began to cry. Steve was staring at a piece of paper he had picked up from the cot. “Max Anderson has taken them,” he said, his voice hoarse with anger and pain. “He must have come in while you were in the bathroom, Mrs. Jensen. He says he’s taking his son to live with him and we’ll never find him.” “But Michael’s gone too.” Vanessa was unable to stop shaking with fear. SWEET ROMANCE 45
Steve looked at her bleakly, “He didn’t know about Michael. He probably couldn’t tell them apart so he took them both.” He put his arms around her and held on tight, realizing the nightmare they were in. “He must have had help,” said Mrs. Jensen, tears in her eyes. “I’m going to phone the police.” Steve hurriedly left the room, leaving them prey to unimaginable horrors. It was early next morning when a police officer came to tell them Max had been found. “He took the children to a camping park and was just hitching a camper to his car when we arrived. The park manager saw him drive into the park about an hour after midnight.” “Thank God,” said Steve, his arm around Vanessa, who was trembling in reaction. He stroked her hair and kissed her trembling lips. Mrs. Jensen sighed with relief. “He was packing up his caravan this morning. A woman, who appeared to be drunk, was with him,” the policeman went on. “He kept shouting at her abusively and telling her to help him. That set the babies crying. The manager became suspicious when he overheard the woman say, ‘Take the two brats back where they came from. I can’t stand the noise’. I left out the x-rated language, but that’s the essence of it.” Unable to sit still, Vanessa asked, “Where are the children now?” “At the hospital being checked over. Not that they need it, they look just fine. A little upset, but fine. I gather they’re both teething at the moment.” The officer grinned. “My wife and I have been through that in recent months. It would have made for a fun night for our kidnappers.” “I’ll get my coat.” Vanessa hurried out the door. Time enough to think about teething kids later. She had to get them back first.
Steve turned to the policeman. “What about Max Anderson and the woman?” “They’re being held in custody. We were very lucky the children were found before Anderson had a chance to disappear. Thank goodness people were awake and raised the alarm.” At the hospital, Vanessa and Steve found their two boys safe and sound. They brought them home to Mrs. Jensen, who fussed over them endlessly. Later that day, the police officer came to the house. “We have a problem,” he said. “Max Anderson has been set free because he cannot be charged with kidnapping his own son. His name is on the birth certificate. There has been no custody hearing over Tony, and Anderson was acting within his rights as the boy’s father.” SWEET ROMANCE 46
Vanessa exploded. “He’s not Tony’s father. Not in any way that matters.” “What about Michael?” Steve wanted badly to hit someone, preferably Max. “He’s my son. Surely he can be charged with kidnapping him?” “No, Mr. Archer. He didn’t kidnap him. The woman who was with him did.” “Is she being charged then?” “No. She’s free also. The same thing applies. She cannot be charged with kidnapping her own child, since there has been no custody hearing over Michael either.” “What are you talking about?” asked Steve. “Janice doesn’t want Michael. She’s allergic to children. She made that clear when she left him and went overseas.” “No. It was her at the trailer park,” the officer said. “And she’s making quite a fuss. She might not want her son, but that doesn’t mean she won’t use him to get what she wants.” “Janice is here?” Vanessa whispered. “Steve, what are we going to do? They’ll take our babies from us.” She looked at him imploringly. “Please, do something.” “We’ll fight them,” he said. “Thanks, Officer. I’ll see you out.” Steve saw the Policeman to his car and when he returned said, “I don’t think they really want the kids. They probably want money. I’ll go and talk to them and see if we can’t straighten this out. I’ll be back soon, Vanessa. Try to be calm.” “Wait! I don’t want to be calm. And I’m coming with you. Don’t try to stop me.” “What about the kids?” Steve said gently. “It’s too much to leave them with Mrs. Jensen. She’s had enough stress already. It wouldn’t be fair.” “We’ll take them all with us. I’m not letting them out of my sight. Mrs. Jensen can mind them at the park office. I’m sure they’ve got a room we can use. Steve grinned. “Okay. Let’s go. Mrs. Jensen, you coming?” “I wouldn’t miss it. I’ve got a few things to say to those kidnappers.” When they arrived at the camping park, they found Max outside his caravan. He looked at them belligerently, saying, “What are you two losers doing here?” SWEET ROMANCE 47
Steve’s gaze was contemptuous. “Where’s Janice?” Max shrugged and waved toward the van. “In there. I’ll be glad to get out of here. This is a dump. It wasn’t my idea to take the kids anyway. Can’t stand the little rodents.” A fair-haired woman put her head out the door then climbed out. She was dressed in tatty jeans and a blue denim shirt, a cigarette in her hand. “Steve, I might have known you’d show up. You were never around when I needed you, and now I can’t seem to get rid of you.” They could see she was ill, with dark shadows and bags under her eyes, hair tangled into knots. “Bring any cash with you?” she asked. The smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke was strong. “Hello, Janice.” Steve’s expression was grim. “You’ve come down in the world, haven’t you?” He glanced at Max. “Let’s cut to the chase. How much do you want?” He got a cheque-book and pen out of his pocket. “Enough for me to get out of this rat hole. A few thousand, twenty should do it. I might go overseas for a while. There’s nothing to keep me here.” Max grunted. Janice didn’t bother to look. He was no longer on her radar. Vanessa did though. She was unsurprised at his condition. He looked like a man on a slippery slope, with no hope of rescue. For a moment she wondered if she owed him a helping hand, at least some money for a train fare. Then she realized it was a waste of time. Max would make his own choices in life. It would probably be all down hill since it’s easier to slide down than climb up. “What about Michael?” asked Steve, wanting to make sure the conflict was over, that Janice was going out of their lives voluntarily. Janice took a drag of her cigarette. “Keep him with you. I’ve got things to do with my life, other than play happy family.” She looked vulnerable for a moment. “I’ve got to find where I belong. That isn’t here.” She disappeared into the trailer, then climbed back out with her purse and bag. Putting her hand out to Steve as he passed her a cheque, she said, “Right. My ride should be here soon. I called a cab earlier. I’m off now. No hard feelings, Steve. I’ll see you. Vanessa, I’m sorry for everything. I didn’t mean for it to happen this way. You’re a good mother. Michael will be better off with you, and he’ll have Tony to keep him company. Max. It’s better this way. You don’t want to be stuck with me either. Find yourself a girl, who really loves you.” A car horn was heard outside and with a wave she was gone. SWEET ROMANCE 48
Max was bitter. “I can see it’s no use trying to get any help from her.” Steve’s voice was grim. “No. I seriously doubt that she thinks of anyone except Janice. Look, Anderson, the police tell me you’ve got a job lined up somewhere. What are you planning to do now?” “I’m going. Oh, don’t worry. I’m leaving Tony here. Not that I’ve got much choice. I know I can’t take care of him anyway. Maybe, I’ll come back and see him when he’s older. I’ve got to make a bit of money first. A publisher in America is interested in my book, so I want to go over there and see what I can do with it. Maybe, I’ll do a publicity tour.” “So what was all that rubbish about taking the kids?” asked Vanessa. “Oh, I was just yanking your chain. Janice said you’d come for the
kids. She said you’d pay to get them back so we took them. No big deal. I needed money as well. Got to get to America, or I might lose the book deal. Not that I got any cash from you two. Janice got it all. Should have asked for two cheques. I better go after her and get my cut.” He had the cheek to look hard done by. “By the way, I signed the divorce papers. You two can go and do the nasty whenever you like. Just don’t ask me to be best man. I’d rather sleep with a cobra.” Max probably had no idea what hit him. Steve rubbed his bruised knuckles as he and Vanessa went to the Trailer Park Office and collected Mrs. Jensen and the kids. They climbed into the car and drove home. “I enjoyed that,” he said. “So did I.” Vanessa grinned. “You’re a caveman. I like that, too.” She took his hand and gently kissed it better. Steve had to concentrate to stay on the road. Mrs. Jensen sat in the back with the children and sighed. She loved happy endings. Steve and Vanessa looked in at their sons while the boys slept that night, smiling as they closed the door. They went into the living room and sat together on the sofa, happy to be together, holding each other. “To think we nearly lost them,” Vanessa said. “Do you realize, if it wasn’t for Janice we would never have met.” “You know, I never thought I would be thankful for another person’s selfishness,” Steve said. “We owe her a vote of thanks. She’s the one who’s missing out though.” Steve turned Vanessa towards him and kissed her gently. “I’ll always be grateful to her for my family. You, Michael and Tony. Especially you, my darling.” SWEET ROMANCE 49
“I love you, Steve. But I believe you promised me some more children.” “I believe you’re right.” He pulled her into his arms. “But first things first. I want to do this in the right order. We have a wedding to plan, together.” Vanessa sighed. “There’s nothing like a businessman to keep you on track. Okay, Steve. Start planning. But make it quick. I want to get to the happy-ever-after stuff. You know how that goes, don’t you?” Steve had just reached out to dim the lights, when two boys began loudly to demand attention. Steve groaned and said, “Oh, I forgot, they’re teething. Looks like a rain check to me.” “Yeah,” said his bride-to-be. “And a couple of soggy diapers as well.” “Your turn or mine,” Steve asked. “We’ll do it together,” Vanessa replied. And that’s what they did, for the rest of their lives. Together. SWEET ROMANCE 50
NEXT DOOR TO HEAVEN By Marguerite Turnley The letter had been pushed under Lucy’s door while she was at work. It read: I see you every day. You are so beautiful you take my breath away. I await the day we meet so I can hold you in my arms and love you. It was signed: Your Secret Admirer.
Lucy put the letter on her kitchen table. Her confused gaze kept returning to it. A widow for five years after ten years of marriage, she kept to herself, doing her job as a nurse without rejoining the dating game. Unhappy in her marriage, she wasn’t inclined to a repeat performance. Then she moved to a new city, rented a new house and began to make friends. Melbourne was a whole new experience to a girl from Sydney and she loved it. This letter intrigued. She didn’t know what to think, only knew her mind was writhing with questions. At least she didn’t have family to cloud the issue, she thought. Regret was a bitter pill to swallow. Joe hadn’t wanted much from his wife except food, beer, and the occasional fumbling encounter after a footy game. Australian Rules Football was the only thing was interested in. He’d often had too much to drink to realize it was his wife he was in bed with. Lucky for her, he’d left her pretty much alone. In self-defense, she’d worked night shift to be away from home. The week after the note appeared, she found another note on her doorstep, accompanied by flowers. She sighed, the scent of roses teasing her senses. She was holding the unopened letter, when she sensed someone walking up behind her. She turned and discovered it was her nextSWEET ROMANCE 51
door neighbor. He was holding a rake and his shoes were covered with grass clippings. “Hello, Paul.” She smiled. "How are you today?" “I'm fine. I just wanted to say hi. You go ahead. Put the flowers in water, Lucy. They need you.” “Yes, it’s nice to be needed, even by flowers," she replied, her soft voice unconsciously wistful. He was silent for a moment then he said, "Yes, it's very nice to be needed." He turned abruptly and began to walk away down the path. "I won't keep you,” he said, looking back over his shoulder. “I’ve got cleaning up to do. The grass keeps on growing. Flowers too, thank goodness. Where would we be without spring?" “You didn’t see who brought these, did you?” she called to him. Paul turned back and smiled. “Yes. I did. He was tallish. Dark. About my age. Didn’t say much. Probably lost for words.” “If you see him again, could you try to find out his name?” she asked. “I’d like to say thank-you.” “Sure. If I see him, I’ll ask. See you later.” At the gate, Paul turned and waved. Lucy waved back, appreciating his kindness. She didn’t know him well but that could change, after all, she hadn’t lived in her house very long and already she had met several of the neighbors. None of them had known her husband, and for that she was grateful. She didn’t want sympathy. All she wanted was a new beginning. Her job in the local hospital was all a part of that change. Lucy walked back inside her house, holding the envelope she had received, anticipating what it would say. Would it be signed, she wondered? Was this anonymous letter writer someone she already knew? Fumbling nervously, she opened the envelope and read: I wish I could show you what is in my heart. I feel as if I’ve been waiting for you all my life and here you are, the one woman I need to fulfill my
every desire. It was signed: Your Secret Admirer. Her heart beat faster, her skin tightened and warmed, anticipating the touch of a hand, wanting to be drawn into arms that would keep her safe and close, needing to be loved. She had to find out who was doing this. It was killing her not knowing. All her life, Lucy had given in to the needs of others. She had married, not really knowing who she was marrying, looking for someone to love her for a lifetime. He turned out to be a figment of her SWEET ROMANCE 52
imagination, a man who pretended to be strong and true, but was only true to his own limitations. He loved football, beer and gambling, but didn’t love her, had probably never loved her. He had never wanted children and for that she was grateful. He would have been an absentee father, at best. At worst, he would have beaten them as much as he did his wife. A big man, she would have had no way of defending children from him, but would have died trying. When he was drowned while driving his truck through a flood plain, she felt regret for a life wasted, but knew it was time to move on. She had a life to live, dreams to fulfill, and it was her time to accomplish those goals. A week later, her next-door neighbor knocked on her door and handed her a bouquet of white roses. They smelled like heaven. The ones she had found on her doorstep had been pale apricot, also beautiful. Paul smiled at her. “Your friend, the one who left you a note last week, asked me to give these to you. Said he’d see you soon.” Lucy’s hazel eyes shone. “Tell me about him? What was his name?” “I didn’t ask his name. He was in a hurry.” Paul smiled. “He said he lived locally.” “I’ll make some tea, Paul. You can tell me what happened.” He came into her house and sat at the kitchen table, smiling as he waited for his tea and looking around at her warm kitchen. “I love the smell of baking. It's so welcoming. This place feels like coming home." "Thanks. It is home to me." Lucy placed a plate of warm homemade cookies in front of Paul. "Thanks, Lucy. These look great." "So, what about the man with the flowers," she prompted. "There’s nothing much to tell. He left the flowers then took off. He was probably afraid you’d think he was too forward.” “I’d never think that.” Lucy poured tea, her mind on her elusive letter writer. “Don’t worry. He’ll be back.” Paul smiled encouragingly. “How could he not?” “I don’t know why he’d be interested in me. I’m not beautiful. I’m just a nurse, who works too hard.” “No, you’re a beautiful nurse, who works too hard. There’s a difference." SWEET ROMANCE 53
Lucy looked at Paul and wondered about him. She’d heard he was a clever businessman with his own company, and his house next door to hers looked lovely. She didn’t know about his family, but she assumed
he had girlfriends. A man with such dark, good looks was sure to have women. Why wasn’t he hurrying away to see them instead of looking so at home in her kitchen? “Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?” Paul saw a woman who had so much to give she was brimming over. He had every intention of being the man she turned to, the man she would fall in love with. All he had to do was get rid of that other guy. “Dinner...I don’t know. I don’t go out much. I’m too busy working. Shift work doesn’t leave much time for having fun. I wouldn’t know what to do.” Lucy’s breath caught. The rut she was in was deep and safe. What would she do if Paul tried to kiss her? Would she let him, or would she run? It was like stepping out onto an alien landscape, and she didn’t know where to walk to stay safe. Worse still, she didn’t know whether she wanted to stay safe. Taking a chance was hard for her because she’d made so many mistakes and paid for them with ten years of her life. “Let me worry about that," Paul reassured her. "Say ‘yes’. No pressure. I’ll do the rest. We can go to a pizza restaurant close by. It's nice and casual. If we have time we could even take in a movie.” When she hesitated, beginning to pace as if caged, he took her hand gently. “You don’t have to worry, Lucy.” She looked at his irresistible face with its laugh lines and determined chin and suddenly knew she wanted to go with him. It was only a date. People had them every day. She needed to take a look at that alien landscape and see if she liked it. It might be just what she needed. "All right. I’ll come. But I work the morning shift at the hospital so it'll have to be an early night. Give me an hour and I’ll be ready to go.” “That’s my girl.” When she looked startled, he grinned. “A figure of speech. One hour. I’ll be back.” He left before she could change her mind. When the doorbell rang forty-five minutes later, she was almost ready. She rushed to open the door, but there was no one there. A bouquet of red roses lay on the steps with an envelope. Lucy looked around for her secret admirer. In the shadowy evening light, she glimpsed a broad back disappearing through trees down the street a SWEET ROMANCE 54
way and almost called out. She stopped, realizing she was nearly out of time. Paul had said an hour, and she sensed he meant what he said. She slipped back inside to open the envelope. The message read: I love you Lucy. I’ll wait forever if I must to make you mine. It’s only a matter of time. It was signed: Your Secret Admirer. Lucy’s heart began to beat hard. She shoved the flowers into a vase and threw the letter into a drawer. If only he would reveal his intentions, then she’d know what to do. There wasn’t time to think. The doorbell rang. “Good, you’re ready.” Paul smiled as she opened the door. “I see you have more flowers. Same guy?” “Yes. He writes me letters.” “Should I be jealous?” Lucy looked at him with penetrating eyes. “Are you?” “Could be. I hope you aren’t worried about tonight, Lucy. It’s a
big restaurant and I’m relatively harmless.” “You better be. I’ve got a police whistle in my purse and I’m not afraid to use it.” She raised one eyebrow and grinned. He laughed as he helped her into his car. After dinner and a movie, Paul drove Lucy home. She invited him inside. Impulsively, she showed him the letters from her secret admirer, wondering what he would do. He looked momentarily uncertain, even hunted, and then he said, “I have something to tell you, Lucy. It’s me. I'm the one.” “I know.” Lucy looked into his tormented eyes and grinned. “I’m glad you finally told me. I was beginning to think you’d changed your mind.” “When did you know?” “When I saw you walking away tonight, after you left the flowers. There isn't anyone around here who walks as tall and straight as you. No one has hair like yours either. I knew it was you straight away.” “This is so embarrassing. You should have said something.” She laughed. “And miss great pizza. No way." She looked uncertain for a moment. "What made you do it, Paul? Why did you write those letters the way you did?” “When we first met six months ago, I saw the walls around your heart, and I knew I’d have to find a way around them, before you would let me into your life. I wanted more than friendship or the odd evening together. I wanted to really know you and be with you. I SWEET ROMANCE 55
wanted you to dream about me. I needed you to need me in a forever kind of way.” “You didn’t go around those walls, Paul, you went right through. I like that. I like it a lot. This sure feels like forever to me.” Lucy began to feel the heat as he leaned towards her and stroked his finger down her cheek. His kiss was just a heartbeat away. “I love you and need you," he whispered. "I’ll do anything to make you mine.” “Just love me. That's all I want from you, Paul." She smiled up at him as he put his arms around her. "And maybe the occasional anonymous letter. And pizza. Whatever else comes along will just be icing on the cake.” Lucy felt a warm glow begin to burn through her body as he pulled her closer. She smiled a secret smile as she remembered the note she’d written while waiting for him to pick her up that evening. The note read: I see you every morning as you greet the day and smile at the sun. I watch for you every evening as you arrive home from work, tired but content. I need to be a part of your life, to provide you with whatever your heart desires as you travel life’s highway. It’s all I can do to stop myself coming to your house at night, to give you the comfort and pleasure you deserve, so if you hear someone tapping desperately on your bedroom window, my darling, it’ll be me. With love from your secret admirer. She had planned to deliver it quietly to Paul's mailbox that evening after he left. He didn’t need to see it now because he wasn’t leaving. There was no need for secrecy any longer. The way forward was
clear. Come morning he would still be here in her arms. SWEET ROMANCE 56
***From the rocky coast of California, L.C. Martin brings you a sizzling romance!*** Caught in the Rain ISBN: 1-59129-403-7 (trade paperback) Jessica Thomas flees an abusive home and is thrust into the dangerous lifestyle of an L.A. escort. She leaves behind her best friend, Joe, who embarks on a path into politics. And when Joe comes to visit, their friendship takes a sharp turn toward romance, and Jessica keeps what she does for a living a secret. When Jessica avoids Joe, he turns his attention to his career and to Maxie, a sassy redhead, who's helped him along the political road to success. But when Jessica unknowingly becomes involved with a ruthless killer, she turns to Joe and he realizes that she's the only woman that he's ever loved. Can their love survive the tragedy and deceit thrown in front of them? Or will they lose the only real love they've ever known? Midwest Book Review Caught In The Rain by L.C. Martin is a grippingly told story of abuse, love, loss, and hard choices. Jessica Thomas is a woman who flees the horror of her home, takes up the lifestyle of an L.A. escort, and learns how to make the best of her business; meanwhile, her childhood friend Joe embarks on a political career. When they meet again, emotions fly at cross purposes, yet love between any two people has but a slim chance of survival amid deeply buried secrets. Caught In The Rain is recommended as a particularly thoughtful and deftly written novel showcasing the strengths and foibles of human nature. Read the excerpt at: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewwork.asp?AuthorID=883 7 SWEET ROMANCE 57
Feel the heat… take the chance… & discover DESTINY DESTINY ISBN 1-4137-0274-0 Nikki never thought she’d ever love again, but when she meets Jason McKenzie, an arrestingly handsome developer, who’s desperately trying to escape the deadly grip of the underworld, she’s unable to deny the long he’s inspired. Thrust into the violent world of the mob, she’s unable to hold on to the man of her dreams. When Jason discovers she’s missing, he blames himself, risking everything to find her. From the sultry nights in Key West to the intensity of NYC, their passion’s inevitable. Their love undeniable. It was their DESTINY. “The story line picks up speed and never slows down until the climax!” ***Affaire de Couer*** “L. C. Martin’s an author to keep your eye on.” ***Jennifer B. Leese***
Visit L.C. at: www.authorsden.com/lcmartin or www.lcmartin.com SWEET ROMANCE 58
THE LAST PARTY By L. C. Martin Friday It’s funny how your life can completely change in a matter of days. Mine did. And it really wasn’t funny at all. It was the time of year my catering business usually boomed, and I welcomed it. My parents had passed a few years back. A car accident took them from me on a deadly stretch of road between Bridgeport and New Haven. Some called it Devil’s Highway. They were heading to Newport to celebrate twenty-five-years of marriage. Man, do I miss them. So staying busy, especially around the holidays, keeps me sane. But tonight, I was pretty nervous about not having enough help. Ben, my assistant, hopefully, would be arriving soon. Otherwise, the Berkley’s may never have us work another party for them. And they were my biggest customers. I popped the canopies into the oven and began marinating the steaks, all the while thinking about Katie. She was coming home for the holidays, and we were having dinner with her folks on Sunday. I’d never met them, but our relationship had gotten pretty serious, and she thought it was time that I did. “Something smells delish,” Mrs. Berkley said, stepping into the kitchen of their spectacular New England manor. My back was to her, but I could smell her perfume, and when I spun around, my jaw slammed down to the floor. Jesus, all she had on was a sheer robe—and nothing underneath! Her blonde mane was tousled and spilled over her shoulders. I cleared my throat. “Everything’s under control,” I managed to say, and turned back to what I was doing. SWEET ROMANCE 59
She came up behind me, so close I could smell the liquor she’d been drinking. “Is there anything I can get you?” I asked her, drawing in a shaky breath. “You know what I want.” She slid a hand down my back and over my ass. “Please…Mrs. Berkley…I don’t think this is appropriate.” I knew sooner or later this would happen with one of these rich society ladies. But Lana Berkley was a knockout and I had a hard time controlling my libido as her hand moved around to the front of my pants. “Don’t worry, sweetie, my husband’s in the shower.” Was she whacked-out, or what? I lifted her hand, turned to face her, and pleaded with her to let me do my job. Her face lit with amusement and she opened her mouth to say something, but luckily the phone rang and she left the room to answer it. The Berkley manor was in Westport, with huge bay windows overlooking the sound. And tonight, the guest list was packed with Connecticut’s high society. I was hoping the party wouldn’t run too late so I could call Katie. She was flying in tomorrow and I wanted to pick her up at
JFK. God, I love that girl. From the very first moment I met her, she’d captured my heart. She doesn’t know it, but I plan on asking her to marry me. I was busy with the preparations when Ben finally showed up with some excuse about holiday traffic. The party went off without a hitch; everybody seemed to have a good time and enjoyed the impressive array of food we prepared. The Berkley’s were more than pleased with my services, and I shoved what happened earlier into a back pocket of my brain. “Want to stop by Bobby V’s?” Ben asked as we packed up my van. “Naw, I gotta pick Katie up tomorrow and don’t want to be hung over. “Don’t tell me she’s got you p-whipped already?” He laughed and shook his head. “No man, but she’s definitely got a hold on me.” Ben took off and I went back into the house to get my roasting pan. The guests had already gone and Mr. Berkley was on the phone. “Hold on, David,” he said, every bit the distinguished lawyer, and I froze. Did he know what happened earlier? SWEET ROMANCE 60
He finished his conversation and reached into his pocket. “I want to give you a little something extra for doing such a fine job.” “That’s not necessary, sir.” “Yes, it is. Now take it.” He pressed the bill into my palm, which had suddenly turned slick with moisture. “I have to meet a client at the train station. Would you fix my wife a cocktail?” “Sir, I…err—” “I’d do it, but she never likes the way I make them. She wants one of those fancy drinks…a Cosmo. You’ll find her on the patio,” he said, gave my arm a friendly pat, then shrugged into his coat and walked out the door. I sucked in a big breath of air, stepped around the table that had a funeral-sized arrangement of flowers sitting in the center, made my way slowly over to the bar and wondered if I should just bolt out now. But I didn’t. Instead, I fixed her a perfectly blended Cosmo. This wasn’t good. She sat with her back to me, absorbed by the darkness of the night. A light flurry of snow had started, and I could see she was shivering. I put the drink down, took off my jacket, and draped it over her shoulders. “You’re a good boy, David,” she said, rising from her seat. “Why don’t we go inside?” “I like it out here…it’s so peaceful.” I stood next to her for a moment, and then she turned to me. My jacket slid off her shoulders and I bent to pick it up, but she placed her hands on my arms, pulled me up, and leaned her body into mine. Heat simmered in her eyes as she looked up at me. “You can keep me warm.” She moistened her lips and her hand shot immediately to my crotch. Now, I’m as hot-blooded as any young man and when a woman as gorgeous as she is has your manhood in her hand, well, it’s kind of hard to say no. But Katie’s image floated through my brain, and I mustered up all the strength I had and pulled away. “You’re turning me down?” She looked incredulous.
“Yes.” I was rock hard and needed to get the hell out of there. She picked up her drink and followed me inside. “Can you stay for a while?” she asked as the corners of her mouth turned up. “My husband won’t be home any time soon…his so-called client will keep him busy and I absolutely hate being alone in this big house.” SWEET ROMANCE 61
“That’s not a good idea.” The man just gave me an extra fifty bucks and now I’m gonna do his wife? I don’t think so. “At least light a fire for me.” “Are you trying to get me killed?” “Don’t be… silly.” Her words came out slow, and I wondered if she was drunk. “I like you, David.” “Then why are you doing this?” “Don’t you find me attractive?” She peered at me through a fan of long lashes. “Of course I do, but—” Goddammit, I couldn’t believe it. She shimmied out of her dress and stood completely naked in front of me. “Please, Mrs. Berkley…you’ve got to—” The rest of the words died in my throat as she touched my cheek. “Just kiss me, one little kiss, and I’ll let you go.” This was a dangerous game she was playing, and I didn’t know how to stop it. I should’ve bolted while I still had the chance, but I just stood there like an idiot until she was standing just inches away. She pressed her lips to mine and her taut nipples rubbing against my shirt. My hands had a mind of their own and before I knew it they were on her breasts. Jesus, they were the firmest tits I’ve ever felt. She started to moan and placed my hand between her legs. I lost it. We sank to the floor and she wrapped her silky legs around me. My clothes came off, and an hour later, we were still lying on her Persian rug, and I felt like shit. I’m a dead man, I thought as my eyes focused on a tattoo of a tiny red heart just above her right ankle. She shifted her weight and leaned up on one elbow. The glaze in her eyes was gone, but I didn’t like the way she was looking at me. As if I were something she’d just purchased from Saks. I got up, tugged on my pants, and picked up the rest of my clothes as I headed for the door. “You never did light that fire…at least not in the fireplace.” She sat up and drew her knees into her chest. “Would you do it before you go?” “I’m out of here,” I said, trying not to look at her. “I promise I won’t touch you. I’ll even get dressed if that’ll make you feel better.” SWEET ROMANCE 62
“And then I’m leaving.” I stepped over to the massive fireplace while she put on her dress and curled up on the couch. When I got a nice little fire going, I stood up and came face-to-face with a family photograph. It can’t be! A shock of pain went right through my heart.
The room swayed under my feet and I blinked and looked at the photo again. There was Katie sitting in between the Berkley’s. My, God, why was she—could she be their daughter? No— she…she couldn’t be. Her last name was different from theirs. “You sure you want to go?” she purred. I nodded numbly, stumbled to the door, and got the hell out of there. The noise of the engine tore into the night as I drove home, and I swore to God that if I got out of this without Katie finding out, I’d do anything. But how could I trust Lana Berkley? She was a lush, there’s no telling what she might do or say when she’s had a few too many. Saturday I woke with the sun in my eyes and prayed it was all a bad dream. I pulled the covers over my head, but the phone rang and I rolled over and answered it. “Hi, lover,” Lana Berkeley’s breathy voice whispered. “I couldn’t sleep. Just thinking about those strong muscles of yours and the—” “Mrs. Berkley, please…this can’t go on.” “After last night, I think you can call me Lana.” “Listen, last night…it was a mistake, a big mistake.” “What are you saying?” “What I’m saying is that we have to act like last night never happened. You don’t understand…” “Oh, but I do, David.” She hung up and I felt like puking. What have I done? I glanced at the clock and figured I had enough time to shower and get myself together before picking up Katie. When I got to the airport, Katie’s flight had already landed and I waited for her in the baggage claim area. I hadn’t figured out what to do, but I knew if she found out, it would be the end. “Hey, you,” Katie said, startling me as she came up behind me. SWEET ROMANCE 63
She looked smokin’, with a river of red curls trailing down her back, wearing an off-the-shoulder mohair sweater and a pair of brown leather pants. A small beauty mark above her right eye made her look like a 40’s movie star. Guilt blasted through me, and I wanted to shoot myself for letting my libido get the best of me last night. I wouldn’t be able to handle it if I lost her. “Baby, I didn’t see you.” I pulled her close and wished I could rewind my life back to Friday morning. “Don’t I get a kiss?” I kissed her. Long and hard as if I were drowning, and she was the only thing that could save me. Once we picked up her bags, she asked if I wanted to go to her parent’s house first. We had plans to have dinner with them the next night, but she thought I’d feel more comfortable if I met them beforehand. Nothing would make me feel comfortable ever again. I was a nervous wreck. “What’s up with you?” Her baby blue’s filled with concern. “Nothing, I-I just want a little alone time with my gal.” We went to my place, a small apartment in Stamford near the harbor. Katie kicked off her boots and dropped down on my couch.
“You hungry?” I asked, watching her stretch long legs in front of her. “Just for you.” She tossed me a seductive smile, and I struggled to keep from bawling like a baby. My life was about to be ruined and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it. After Katie had fallen asleep, I extracted myself from her warm, slender body, went into the kitchen, and fixed myself a large Jack Daniels with ice. It was going to be a long weekend and I needed to fortify myself to face the consequences. Sunday The streets were glazed with ice and I prayed for a miracle as we drove to Katie’s parents’ house. What was I going to do? I took my time driving, postponing the inevitable, and when the iron gates opened and we drove along the tree-lined driveway, I desperately tried to think of an excuse to turn around and go home. “You coming?” Katie said as I stood with my hands stuck deep into my pockets. SWEET ROMANCE 64
I nodded, revved up my courage, and we trudged up the walkway. But terror sliced through me as the oak door, set into a carved limestone border, opened with a loud creak and Mrs. Berkley—Lana—stood there, dressed much more conservatively than the night of the party, and greeted us. Her demeanor was cool and, to my relief, looked sober. “Katie, David, come on in, it’s good to see you again,” Mr. Berkley said as he came up and stood next to his wife. “Good to see you, too, sir,” I said as we shook hands and he patted me on the back. “You know my dad?” Katie asked me. “Uh-huh, I catered a party for him and your mom.” She raised an eyebrow. “Why didn’t you tell me?” “You know I don’t like to talk about work that much,” I said as we walked inside. “Didn’t realize they were your parents. And why didn’t you tell me you’re rich?” “Didn’t think it was important,” she said with a glimmer of a smile. “Would you have asked me out if you knew?” I probably wouldn’t have, but I didn’t cop to it. “Your last name’s different.” “My real dad left just before I turned six,” she said, as her eyes misted. “I’m not sure why I kept his name. Guess it’s a part of who I am.” At that moment, I realized that we didn’t know each other as well as I thought. “What can I get you to drink?” Mr. Berkley asked, rubbing his hands together as if he were starting a fire. “Beer? Wine? I have a nice collection of California reds. Go on down to the cellar and choose one.” “Beer’s fine,” I responded, looking over at Lana who hadn’t uttered a word and whose eyes tried to find mine. But for the life of me I couldn’t look into them. I was too afraid of what I would see. I took a big gulp of beer, hoping it would give me the strength to get through the evening without running out the door. The last bit of sunlight seeped through the window as we sat around the fireplace and Katie told her parents about school, about California, and how we met. I had gone out there for a few days to scope out
a couple restaurants, when I saw the loveliest creature on earth. She was having dinner with a friend and I think it must’ve been all that California sunshine that gave me the nerve to go over and introduce myself. She looked up at me and I melted. After a nice conversation, I bought her and SWEET ROMANCE 65
her friend a drink. Then left, but not before she gave me her number and, man, I was surprised it wasn’t a bogus number. Motivated by her beauty, I couldn’t wait to get back to my hotel room and give her a call. She looked so happy now, telling her folks how much fun our first date had been. And when she looked over at me, her eyes misted with the love I had prayed for. I couldn’t stand myself another minute, so I got up and went to the john and splashed cold water on my face. I didn’t think Lana would say anything. She’d have to be insane. But when I returned and saw the glass of wine in her hand, I panicked and almost crapped my pants. If she got drunk, there’s no telling what she might say. Dinner was served in the formal dining room, and it looked pretty good, but I could barely eat and hoped Katie wouldn’t notice. Sitting there, pretending to be social and interested in the conversation was brutal. After the table had been cleared, we went outside for a walk. Just me and Katie. It was so cold, I could see her breath. But the air felt good and cleared my head. “I think they like you,” she said, turning to me. “Yeah? How can you tell?” “Well, for one thing, Dad let you drink his beer, and Mom…well, don’t let her scare you, she has her moods,” she said, as flakes of snow dusted her lashes. We walked until the wind started to sting ours eyes. It was too cold to continue so we huddled together and returned to the house. Lana had gone to bed, and Mr. Berkley was sitting in his den, an elegant booklined room, smoking a fat cigar. “The wife hates it when I light up in the house, but it’s too damn cold outside,” he said as a cloud of smoke surrounded him. “You kids must be freezing.” Katie wasn’t cynical when it came to men. Most of the girls I’ve been out with were destined for therapy, and looked for a problem when none existed, but Katie had her shit together. And she trusted me. I felt as if I was falling into a pit of deceit and had to get out of there before she saw something was wrong. I made some excuse about having an early appointment with a potential client in the city. Katie said she was tired and wanted to leave, too. But I think she wanted to go back to my place and get crazy under the covers. Normally, I’d get hard just thinking about making love to her, but tonight, nothing could make the terror go away, and sex was the last thing on my mind. SWEET ROMANCE 66
Mr. Berkley tried to convince us to stay because of the wicked weather. I told him I’d drive carefully, and Katie had to promise she’d call when we got to my place. Sleet pelted the windshield as we snaked along the highway. I could barely see the road so I followed a semi until we reached my exit. It was midnight by the time we got to my place. Katie called her dad, and then hit the shower, while I got in bed and pretended to be asleep. I was still pretending when she slipped in beside me. Her naked body snuggled against mine while her fingers trailed along my chest and
down my torso. “You asleep?” she whispered her words into my ear, while working her way into my boxers. How I managed to get it up, I’ll never know, but I did, and tried not to let Katie see that I was distracted. She fell asleep in my arms and I savored the feeling as I stared at the ceiling until the sun came up. Monday Katie told me, since I had an appointment, she was going shopping with her mom, and I hate to admit it, but I was relieved not to be spending the day with her. She was leaving tomorrow morning, and I wouldn’t be able to breathe until then. This thing with Lana will be hanging over my head for a long, long time. If I could just talk to her—find out where her head was at—maybe I could relax and put the whole thing behind me. I ended up meeting with a client after all, only it wasn’t in the city. So at least I wasn’t completely lying to Katie. When I got home, I expected her to be there, but the place was dark, and I wondered if I should give her a call. The temperature was dropping as fast as night was falling and after a couple of hours I started to worry. I called her cell and left a message. It took me a while to get my nerve up to call the Berkley’s. The maid said she didn’t know where Katie was and Lana had gone to bed hours ago. I hung up with my gut twisted up in knots and told myself Katie’s probably on her way here. There was no need to panic—at least not yet. But in a distant corner of my mind, I saw flashes of Katie walking out on me. SWEET ROMANCE 67
I spent the next hour looking for courage in a six-pack of beer, but it wasn’t working, so I sprinted out the door, not really sure where I was going. I couldn’t sit around and just wait for her to return. I found myself heading toward the beach. A place I usually go when I can’t sleep. Parking the car in a vacant lot and looking out toward the sound, I could barely make out the lights from a passing boat. The darkness embraced me as a shroud of mist covered Long Island and I thought about the summer I had spent in the Hamptons with my parents. That’s where I got my first taste of the catering business. I had helped out a friend of theirs who catered a wedding, and I realized not only did I have a passion for cooking, but I enjoyed watching people having a good time. My parents saved up for years to be able to take me there that summer. They didn’t have much money, but they were rich with the love they had for each other… and for me. Jesus. In just a couple of days, my life had gotten really messed up. I’ve never felt like this before and knew I couldn’t go on. Something had to give. The sounds of the night came alive with the cry of the wind, the cawing of a gull, and the surf thrashing violently against the jetty. I turned up the heat in the car and considered telling Katie the whole story, pleading temporary insanity. She’d leave me for sure, but living like this, worrying whether Lana was gonna talk, was something I couldn’t deal with. Pulling out the ring I’d planned on giving Katie and placing it on the dashboard, I stared at it for a long time. It wasn’t all that big, but it had a hell of a sparkle and I knew she’d love it. It was a pink sapphire surrounded with small diamonds. Last spring while we were walking
through the mall, she stopped and gazed at it through the window, and I knew then, I’d be giving it to her before the year was over. Suddenly, the reality of what I needed to do, hit me in dead the face. I had to talk to Lana. Make her understand she’d be ruining all our lives. Twenty minutes later, I was standing at the Berkley’s front door and rang the doorbell, and when Lana answered, I realized it wasn’t gonna be easy. She’d been drinking. “I wondered when you were going to show up,” she slurred, as she motioned for me to come inside. “Where’s Katie?” “She’s gone…back to California.” My heart sunk to the floor and I couldn’t find my voice. SWEET ROMANCE 68
“She heard us fighting—” “Fighting? Who was fighting?” “My husband and I were having another one of our shouting matches…I didn’t realize Katie was close enough to hear us.” “You told her about us?” “Not exactly,” Lana said with a shrug. “She figured it out.” Her expression suggested she didn’t give a shit if her daughter had been hurt by what we had done. “How? How did she figure it out?” “Oh, come on, David,” she said with a laugh. “She’s a smart girl. She must’ve known something was wrong last night at dinner.” She looked at me and her eyes turned dark. “Does she do it for you, baby? Is she as good in bed as her mama?” “How can you say something like that about your own daughter?” “Contrary to what you think, I love my daughter, but she deserves to know what kind of man she’s involved with.” She was a hundred pounds of pure evil, and I wanted to slap the smile right off her face. “So you told her?” “Didn’t have to. She heard her father accuse me of having an affair and when I denied it…he walked out, but Katie kept at it and finally figured it out.” “Couldn’t you have lied? You seem to be good at that.” “I tried, but she asked me why I looked at you as if I wanted to kill you. And that’s when I started to cry…David, can’t you see, we have something special.” She ran her hands over her arms. “We have the kind of heat that people dream about.” I couldn’t believe my ears. This woman was insane! As I turned to leave, she reached out and grabbed my arm. “Katie can’t give you the passion that I can…there must be some solution. She’ll get over you…but me—” “Get your frick’n hands off me!” I yelled, yanking my arm free as she followed me outside. Driving blindly back to Stamford, I turned the radio full blast until I stopped at a local pub for a drink. It was a smoky bar with a great jukebox, but I couldn’t hear what was playing because of the blood pounding in my head. I sat in a dark corner and ordered a shot of tequila. The heat rushed down to my belly and I ordered another. Think I had a least six or seven by the time it reached my brain. It wasn’t enough, though. Somehow I had to find a way to stop the pain.
SWEET ROMANCE 69
I called Katie and this time she picked up. She told me it was over and the bitterness in her voice tore a hole in my gut the size of the Grand Canyon. I tried to make her understand…but she wouldn’t listen and told me to go to hell. “Watch where the hell you’re going!” A no-neck bruiser pushed into me as I threw my phone on the floor and headed for the door. “Screw you,” I said. I heard a boisterous laugh and then, his fist came crashing into the side of my head, spinning me completely around. As I threw a half-assed punch in his direction, he grabbed the back of my jacket and the next blow hit me in the mouth and I felt the imprint of a ring searing into my flesh. I slid down to the floor, and as blood dripped down my face, I tried to get up. The beating he gave me eased the ache in my heart, and I wanted him to pummel the hell out of me until I couldn’t feel a thing. But instead, he shook his head, spit at me, then called me a loser and walked away. A cocktail waitress tried to help me up, but I pushed her hand away and after a while pulled myself together and left before the cops showed up. I don’t remember driving back to the beach, but there I was, stumbling toward the water. I sat on the wet sand and wept for the life Katie and I could’ve had. I wept for the only girl I ever loved. And I wept for the grief I caused her. Anointed from head to toe in my own blood, I stripped off my clothes, and walked into the surf. The cold air drove the breath from my lips and icy water ripped through my flesh, but I welcomed the pain. I was numb by the time it reached my chest. A foghorn blowing from the lighthouse permeated the air, and I turned to look at the beach. Lights from the waterfront homes winked at me and I thought I saw a shadow on the shoreline beckoning me to come back. Was it Katie? Or was it my mind going mad? Attempting to swim back, my arms felt heavy and hypothermia began to set in. I suddenly realized I didn’t want to die. I can make things right—I know I can! With everything I had, I pushed through the surf and choked on the salty water sloshing down my throat and filling my lungs. My ears started to ring as I surged forward and clung on to the jagged rocks from the jetty. To keep from being dragged away by the strong current, I dug my fingers into a deep crack in one of the rocks and focused my eyes on the beach, toward the dark figure as it came closer. “Who are you?” I called SWEET ROMANCE 70
out, my voice was thin and disappeared into the mist. Suddenly I felt as if a warm blanket had been wrapped around me and I stopped shivering. I let go, released back into the water as the shadowy figure held out its arms. “Who are you?” I repeated in a voice that seemed to come from someone else. A soft melody wafted into my ears and a burst of light illuminated her. She was so…beautiful—dear God—she was my mother. She smiled at me as the world around me grew silent. I was finally home. ****
“You’re lucky to be alive,” a soft voice said as I blinked through a kaleidoscope of colors. “Can you drink this?” She put a cup of steaming liquid to my lips and I sipped slowly. The room came into focus and I had no idea where I was. “Good thing my shift ended early tonight,” she said, pulling a blanket up to my chin. “Otherwise you would’ve been frozen solid.” Her name was Sara and she was an angel from heaven. She told me she saw me crawling in from the surf, barely conscious and frozen to the bone. She dragged me into her house, stripped my clothes off, and wrapped me in a cocoon of blankets. She called 911, but by the time the paramedics came, she had everything under control and they left me in her care. It turned out she was a med student at Yale and saved my life. I stayed for a couple of days until I was strong enough to make it home. My car was buried under a blanket of snow, so I took a cab and came back to pick it up a few days later. I stopped by Sara’s to thank her for everything she’d done for me. “The coffee’s still warm, if you’d like a cup,” she offered. My life had been a walking soap opera, and I knew I should go, but the truth was, I had nothing to go home to, nothing to live for, the days lay before me, empty, with nothing to do. The kindness of this young woman was something I desperately needed. I not only accepted the coffee, but ended up opening up to her and told her the whole story about Katie and her mother. I haven’t a clue to why I spilled my guts. Guess I figured it didn’t matter, she didn’t know me. To my surprise she listened with genuine interest, and when I finished, she looked at me for a long moment and finally said, “You know, David, love doesn’t come along that easily—not real love, anyway. So, you screwed up. Maybe your girlfriend won’t forgive you, but maybe she SWEET ROMANCE 71
will. Go after her. Tell her how much you love her and are willing to fight for her, for what you had.” I shook my head. “I tried that already. Didn’t work.” “Try again. After the pain eases and she’s had time to think, maybe she’ll come around.” I thanked her again, and left feeling a little bit lighter and decided to take Sara’s advice after all. I sold my business and almost everything I owned to Ben, packed up my van, and headed to California with the ring in my pocket and my heart in my throat. Don’t know if Katie will ever forgive me, but it’s worth a try. If she doesn’t, well, I guess I could get a job in a trendy restaurant on the Strip or a catering company—No! Forget that thought. SWEET ROMANCE 72
K. B. Ross is a multi-published author of Westerns and Mystery novels. Look for her marvelous books on the internet. SWEET ROMANCE 73
ONE DROP By K. B. Ross Becky Lancing gazed into the full-length mirror in her bedroom, flipped her shoulder length hair and frowned. “I don’t think I’ll go again
this year,” she told her friend Nancy Barns. “Oh, come on, Becky. You have to go. It’s a Halloween party for all the secretaries. That means us. It’ll be fun. We get to wear costumes and masks and dance all night,” Nancy said as she plopped on the bed. “The firm doesn’t do nice things for us all the time.” “Yes, like giving us a raise,” Becky chuckled and patted her ample hips. “I just can’t get these twenty pounds off.” She studied her reflection, turning to the right then the left. “I’d look ridiculous in any costume.” Giving herself a sideways glance, she chuckled. “I could go as a pumpkin.” Her laugh was meant to hide the disgust she held for herself, but anyone could see it covered nothing. “Anyway I’m not thin like you are. You can wear anything with your dark eyes and black hair.” “It just looks that way from your Scandinavian point of view. I’d give anything to have your peaches and cream complexion.” Nancy told her. “Do you really think I’m pretty?” Becky asked, peering in the mirror at her blue eyes. “Of course. And I’ll bet Brad Carper would, too, if you gave him a chance. He’ll be at the party, you know” Nancy batted her eyes at Becky. “Brad’s the boss’s son. He wouldn’t venture a look at me.” She turned before the mirror. “He is handsome, though. I could go and gaze upon him.” She clasped her hands to her breast and sighed. SWEET ROMANCE 74
“Oh, Becky, you’re so melodramatic. Why didn’t you go into acting instead of becoming a secretary?’ “You know mothers. They want you to find a good steady career.” “Before getting married,” Nancy added. “Anyway,” she cleared her throat, “back to the Halloween party. If you were to go, what costume would you want? Other than a pumpkin, that is. I can pick us up a couple before all the good one are gone.” She studied Becky’s frown. “We’ve only a week to decide, you know.” “I just hate this,” Becky growled, turning her back on the mirror. “I don’t want to decide and I don’t want to go.” “And you’ll be how old on your next birthday?” Nancy laughed. “Twenty-five, I believe.” Becky had to join her laughter. “I know. I’m acting like a child.” She sat on the bed beside Nancy. “Okay. I’ll go. Find me a witch’s costume. Black is slimming, they say.” “You leave the costume choice to me. I’ll fix you up,” Nancy said. “Now, come on. We don’t want to be late for work.” “Land no. How would the firm operate without us?” Becky grabbed her jacket and followed Nancy to the car. “I thought it was my turn to drive,” Becky said. “Oh, no. You drove last week while my car was being repaired. Remember?” Nancy unlocked the doors. “Boy. You need a vacation.” Becky slipped in and slammed the door. “It’s this Halloween party thing. It’s got me all messed up.” “I told you to leave it to me. I’ll get our costumes and we can be wall flowers together.” She laughed and drove the car down the street. “Well, get me a big one, with overlapping layers,” Becky insisted. “I really don’t want to go.” As they neared the firm, Becky began to wonder at Nancy’s silence. “You’re not mad, are you?”
“Mad. Me? No. Just thinking. I believe I know how to make you the bell of the ball.” Becky laughed out loud. “I’ve never been that. Just how do you plan to do that? Pay every man to dance with me?” “With this firm, that just might work,” Nancy said as she parked the car. “Okay, let’s get this day over with.” Becky hung her coat on a hanger provided and walked to her work cubical. She heard the other secretaries discussing the party and the terrific costumes they’d be wearing. As they laughed and talked, Becky SWEET ROMANCE 75
wished she hadn’t agreed to attend. As she turned to her computer, she heard Brad Carper’s deep, sexy voice. Swallowing hard at the lump forming in her throat, she tried to concentrate on her work. He was coming her way. Her heart beat rapidly and she wiped her sweaty palms on her full blue skirt. “Hello there, Nancy,” Becky heard him greet her friend. She was next. Would he even say hello to her? She tried to keep her composure and gazed at the top of her cubical, but the man of her dreams passed by without even a glance. She slumped in her chair. He’s so handsome. Just one look to acknowledge she existed would have made her day. But no. He walked on by greeting the other women as he went. “I think I hate him,” she whispered as she banged out the report she was typing. “If I didn’t love him so much…” she sighed and stared into her computer. “Hello, there, pretty lady,” she heard outside her cubical. Glancing up, she saw the accountant, Steve Dawson, gazing at her, his long arms resting on top of her work place. “Oh, hi, Steve.” She smiled at his twinkling blue eyes that seemed too big for his face. His height enabled him to tower above her. She believed him to be a blond Abraham Lincoln. “Are you going to the ball with anyone?” he asked as he tried to run his fingers through his thick, curly hair. Was he asking her out? She smiled at the thought, then frowned. Steve was no one’s idea of a prince charming. His high-pitched voice sent chills through her and they weren’t from excitement. Nodding slowly, she looked away from the tall lanky man. “Yes,” she finally said. “I’m going with some friends.” “Okay,” he said. “Would you save me a dance?” “Why, of course,” she smiled kindly. “Maybe two.” Smiling broadly, he pointed a finger at her. “I’ll hold you to that.” Becky blew the air from her lungs as Steve walked away and she went back to her typing. Nancy peeked over her work area. “Did he ask you out?” Becky snapped her attention from the computer. “Oh, Nancy. Steve’s such a nerd. He’s not even good looking.” She brushed her hair from her shoulder. “Anyway, I’m going with you. Remember?” “You know what they say about beggars?” Nancy warned. SWEET ROMANCE 76
“I know, they can’t be choosers.” Gazing back to her computer, she smiled. “I’m not a beggar. I just know what I want.” “All right, but there’s nothing wrong with Steve,” Nancy persisted.
“Then you go with him.” Becky spat out the words. “He didn’t ask me. He likes you, Becky.” “I told him I’d dance with him.” Becky gazed above the computer. “Can’t you just see us? We’d look like Abe and Mary Lincoln.” “Is that so bad?” “Yes, it is,” Becky said emphatically. “I want something else.” “There’s more to love than a pretty face,” Nancy said. “But if that’s what you want.” She shrugged and left Becky to her work. “Why does she always have so much common sense?” Becky asked the computer. “I know Brad’s out of my reach, but I have to try, don’t I?” The computer sat silent until she began typing. “I know,” she told it. “All you know is what I put into you.” At noon, Becky’s heart nearly stopped when she reached for her purse. It wasn’t there. “I know I laid it right here,” she told herself. “Are you ready to go to lunch?” Nancy stared into her cubical. “Is anything wrong?” “Wrong?” Becky said anxiously. “Everything’s going wrong today. Now I can’t find my purse.” “Maybe you left it in the car,” Nancy suggested. “I’ll go look while you search here.” “Let’s see,” Becky said, trying to calm herself. “The bathroom. Maybe I left it there.” Rushing from her work place all she could think was calling the credit card company and renewing her driver’s license. “And what else?” she said as she searched the bathroom. “My car keys. My apartment keys. They’re all in my purse.” Running back to her cubical, she frantically pulled out the drawers, moved papers and even searched behind the computer. “It’s not in the car,” Nancy said breathlessly. “Did you have it with your coat?” “It must be there.” Becky dashed past her. “Oh, what is happening to me?” “Perhaps the spooks of Halloween snatched it.” The voice was deep and melodious. Becky stopped short, nearly bumping into Brad Carper. She tried to answer, but could only force a squeak from her throat. SWEET ROMANCE 77
“I suppose you’re searching for this,” he said, holding her purse above his head. “Yes, thank you,” she whispered. Her pounding heart would not permit the thoughts she wished to express. “Be careful where you leave it.” His manner became harsh. “Others are not as gracious as I am.” “Where did you find it?” Nancy said as she stepped beside Becky. “Does it matter?” he asked as he walked away. “The fact that I found it and returned it seems, to me, the important result.” “How do you like that?” Nancy slammed her fists on her hips. “He’s so self involved.” “But he spoke to me,” Becky breathed. “Just to me.” “Oh, boy. What a thrill,” Nancy said disgustedly. “I’ll bet he didn’t find it himself.” “I can’t imagine where I left it.” Becky rubbed her chin as she thought. “I think I did hang it with my coat.” Her eyes brightened. “I’ll
bet Brad brought it to me as an excuse to talk to me.” “Maybe so,” Nancy concluded. “I hope I have him all wrong, but I don’t trust him. He’s got something up his sleeve.” “You’re not jealous are you, Nancy?” Becky beamed. “Don’t be silly,” Nancy chuckled. “I just don’t want you getting hurt. Come on, lets get some lunch while there’s still time. I’ll shop for the costumes if you’ll make us some supper. You’re better at that than I am.” “That’ll be fine,” Becky said. “Then we can try on the costumes after we eat.” Excited, Becky felt she was walking on a cloud. Brad had actually talked to her. Going to the party? Of course she was, now. Perhaps Brad would dance with her and maybe even more. A kiss would perfectly end the festivities. Dreamily she typed on the computer in her small cubical. Nothing could keep her from attending that party. Nothing. At home that evening, Becky put a chief’s salad together and slipped it into the refrigerator. A vegetable on the side and some fruit would finish the meal. She sat at the table and waited for Nancy to arrive with the costumes. Wondering what Nancy rented, she imagined dressing like a princess for Brad. Surely, that would catch his eye. She hoped Nancy would forget about the witch’s costume. That would never arouse anyone’s attention. SWEET ROMANCE 78
Changing her clothes, she put on a robe and twirled in front of her mirror. “Am I not the fairest of them all?” she asked her reflection. Stepping closer, she studied her nose. “Oh, no,” she squealed. “A pimple!” As she watched the horrid bump appear, she sighed. “It’s okay. The thing will be gone by party time.” Grumbling at the red dot, she turned her back on the mirror. “I sure don’t need a zit to draw his attention.” As the doorbell rang, she hurried to meet Nancy, burdened with two heavy packages. “There weren’t many left,” Nancy said. “We may have to settle for these.” She gazed at Becky. “What’s that thing on your nose?” Becky instinctively rushed her hand to her face and covered the protruding skin. “It’s a zit. How can I go like this? Unless you brought a witch’s costume.” She heaved a sigh and sank into a kitchen chair. “Actually I did.” Nancy patted the box containing the dress. “Let’s eat and take a look at them. Then we’ll see what we can do about that nose of yours.” “You’re not trying to hide a laugh, are you?” Becky asked as she passed the salad to Nancy. “Oh, no.” Nancy tried to hide her smile. “It just seems all of a sudden you’re having all kinds of difficulties.” Beck sat back in her chair and finished chewing a bite of salad. “Maybe I’m not supposed to go to this party. I didn’t want to in the first place.” Then she smiled, thinking of Brad. “But Brad talked to me and returned my purse.” She pushed her salad around on her plate. “I should really try and attend.” “Oh, him again.” Nancy pointed her finger at Becky. “He’s probably thinking how he can take advantage of you. I wouldn’t trust him, Becky.” Becky shoved her plate aside. “You may be right, but he makes me feel tingly. I like that feeling.”
“What if he doesn’t even notice you at the party? What will you do? Run after him?” Nancy picked up the plates and put them in the sink. “I don’t know.” Becky felt her nose. “With this thing everyone will turn away.” She put the remaining salad in the refrigerator. “I’ll need magic to get any attention.” “Maybe that is what you need,” Nancy chuckled. “But first let’s find some kind of medicine for that nose.” SWEET ROMANCE 79
“I haven’t had one of these for years,” Becky said as she led Nancy to the bathroom and searched her medicine cabinet. “I doubt if I have anything to cover it.” Well, let’s wait with that until tomorrow. You can get something on the way to work. Right now, we must check out these costumes.” Becky followed Nancy to the living room and stared at the boxes. “You said you had a witch’s dress?” “Yes and the hat, too,” Nancy opened the box and held up the black clothes. “What do you think?” “It’s really black, isn’t it?” Becky studied the costume and rubbed her chin. “Do you think it will fit?” “Try it on,” Nancy suggested. “I’ll shake out the other one while you’re doing that.” In her bedroom, Becky dressed in the scratchy black costume and frowned in the mirror. “Well, it goes with the pimple,” she concluded. The hat was folded like an accordion and Becky gave it a slap. Instantly it resembled the familiar pointed form she had seen a hundred times. Putting it on, she frowned into the mirror then growled showing her teeth. Her reflection caused her to smile and she twirled revealing the “v” shaped opening in the back. “Oh, boy,” she sighed as she tried to pull the material together and zip it closed. “Those extra pounds won’t fit in this one.” “How is it?” Nancy asked, entering the bedroom. “I think it’s too small,” Becky said then gazed wide eyed at her friend. “You look grand in that princess dress.” Nancy held out the waist of the costume. “It’s way too big.” “Well,” Becky suggested. “Let’s trade.” “I’d rather be a witch, anyway,” Nancy laughed. “It goes with my personality.” Becky gazed at herself in the princess costume. “My pimple goes better with your costume. How do I get it off me and onto you?” Nancy pulled the pointed hat onto her head and laughed. “We can cover that with make up.” She studied Becky in the pink dress. “You look lovely in that.” Becky knew the pink costume looked great. It brought out her soft rosy cheeks and emphasized her deep blue eyes. It might just work, she thought. Then she frowned. SWEET ROMANCE 80
“Yes, but it’ll take more than lovely to be noticed.” Becky undressed and put on her robe. “Do you have a magic potion, lady witch?” She forced a halfhearted laugh. “One doesn’t know what Nancy the witch can conger up,” Nancy said in a high-pitched voice then cackled. “I’ll see what I can find.”
Becky laughed at her, but a feeling deep inside made her wonder if Nancy was actually serious about a magic spell. “Where would you get a potion to make me irresistible?” “That old lady that tells fortunes for a living,” Nancy said. “She probably has one.” “Oh, Nancy, you’re being silly. She’s just a street person, isn’t she?” “That’s how she survives, by telling fortunes,” Nancy said. “Are you anxious enough to try something she might have?” She smiled from beneath the brim of the witch’s hat. “Don’t pull me into your make believe world.” Becky pointed at her. “I’m vulnerable, but not that easy.” “Okay, okay,” Nancy laughed. “It was fun trying to suck you into it.” She studied the princess costume crumpled on the bed. “Is that one all right?” “It’ll do,” Becky sighed. “I’ll be running along home,” Nancy said. She pushed the witch’s hat into the box and put on her street clothes. “See you tomorrow.” In the day following, Becky went to work and came home without a glance from her prince charming. She knew it was the pimple, although it was slowly disappearing. On the day of the Halloween party, Becky stepped from the beauty shop where she’d stopped to have her hair piled high on her head like the one she’d seen in pictures of fairy tale princesses. Ringlets crowed around silver combs that held the hairdo in place. The wind played among the curls and Becky hurried faster. As she reached her car, rain mixed with snow pelted her and she jumped behind the steering wheel. “Not wind and rain, not now,” she grumbled at the weather. She checked her hair in the mirror and nodded. “So far, so good. One more gantlet to run. Getting into the apartment. “I hope she sprayed enough hair spray on this to hold it.” She said as she patted the stiffened hair and smiled. “Yes, stiff enough to hold in any weather.” SWEET ROMANCE 81
As she parked the car in the lot provided, the wind picked up and the rain changed to snow. Racing to the apartment door, she held her hair with both hands. “Oh,” she squealed. As she let go of her head and opened the door, she felt the curls blowing out of place. “I’ll never go to a party again,” she said as she dashed into the bathroom and gazed into the mirror. “Well, not too much damage,” she concluded. As she tried to put the ringlets back into place, the doorbell rang. “I hope it’s Nancy,” she said leaving the curls to dangle where they pleased. She opened the door and stepped back, her hands covering her mouth to stop the scream forming in her throat. “You look horribly wonderful in your costume,” she greeted her friend. “How do you like the green face?” Nancy cackled and showed her teeth. “It looks wonderful,” Becky laughed. “Shocking, but…great.” “Your hair looks terrific,” Nancy said as she stepped into the apartment. “The wind tried to do a job on it, but I stuck the curls back the best I could. I’ll put the dress on, but I’m still apprehensive about going.”
“I have something for you,” Nancy said, following her to the bedroom. “You do? What?” Becky asked as she stepped into the costume and wiggled her hips to get the waist in place. “Thank goodness for elastic waistbands.” She gazed at Nancy. “What did you say you had?” “This,” Nancy smiled holding a small bottle above her head. “Whatever in the world is that? It looks like green mouthwash.” Becky brushed at the wrinkles in the pink princess costume. “Oh, ho, my dear girl,” Nancy said, trying to sound like a witch. “This is a magic potion I got from the fortune teller.” Becky placed the tiara among the curls. “Oh, come on, Nancy. You don’t really believe that woman. There’s no such thing.” “Becky, my pet. This will draw to you the man you love.” Becky decided to play along, clasped her hands to her breast, and spoke in a southern drawl. “Oh, my goodness. A love potion. Upon my word, I can’t believe my fortune.” Then she slapped her hands on her hips. “Come on, Nancy. What is it and where’d you get it?” “Like I said,” Nancy said seriously, “from the old fortune teller. You just as well try it. I won’t stop hounding you until you do.” “It isn’t drugs or something to make me goofy, is it?” SWEET ROMANCE 82
“Oh, my no. I wouldn’t do that to my worst enemy.” Nancy put her finger to her chin as she thought. “The old woman gave me simple instructions. Let’s see.” Becky began to laugh. “This is all part of your act, isn’t it? You, in your witch’s costume, passing out magic potions. Is that what you’ll be doing at the party? It’s cute. Very cute.” “It’s no game, Becky. And it’s only for you. It won’t work on anyone else.” Nancy’s serious expression bothered Becky. Her friend actually believed the green liquid was a real potion. She shook her head. “No, no. You’re not serious. You’re toying with me and I don’t think I appreciate it.” “Come on, Becky. Can’t you play along? Okay. It’s water with a little mouthwash for color and flavor. Does that make you feel better?” “Yes, it does,” Becky nodded. “You had me going. I actually thought you believed it was the real thing.” “Here,” Nancy said, unscrewing the lid. “I’ll take some first. Then will you?” “Sure, why not?” Becky laughed. “What were your fortune teller’s instructions?” “Okay,” Nancy gazed at the bottle. “One drop. That’s all you should take.” “Why not the whole thing?” Becky teased. “It’s such a small amount.” “One drop.” Nancy waved her finger at Becky. “One drop or, I don’t know, you’ll turn into a pumpkin or something.” She thought a moment. “Oh, yes. More than one drop and something bad will happen to you.” Becky bent over with laughter. “Something bad has already happened. I couldn’t find my purse, a zit popped out on my nose, and the wind blew my hair do. I probably need two drops to counteract those things.” “Oh, no,” Nancy warned. “You don’t know what bad is so don’t
take more than one drop.” “Okay, okay,” Becky chuckled. “Give me the bottle.” She turned it upside down and noticed only one drop came out at a time. “Humm,” she mused. “You can only get one drop at a time.” “That’s because that’s all you need,” Nancy said, studying Becky closely. SWEET ROMANCE 83
Carefully Becky leaned her head back, opened her mouth and let the green liquid drop onto her tongue. It did taste a bit like the mouthwash in her bathroom, but a flavor unfamiliar surrounded her tongue. She handed the concoction to Nancy. “It tastes like mouthwash, but something else is in it. What did you put in it?” Nancy shrugged. “Nothing else. I’ll try it. See?” She leaned her head back and let the potion drop onto her tongue. “There. See? It just tastes like flavored water because that’s all it is.” “No,” Becky smacked her lips and moved her tongue around in her mouth. “Can’t you taste a little bitterness?” Nancy clucked her tongue against the top of her mouth. “No, all I taste is water and mouthwash.” She wiped her tongue with a tissue. “And not so pleasant to my taste buds. Ugg.” She gazed at Becky, nodding her head from side to side. “I say, you do look beautiful. I believe the potion is working.” Becky studied her reflection. Was there something different or had Nancy put that suggestion in her head? She adjusted the sparkling tiara among the curls and smiled. “I think I am prettier,” she said tossing her head. Perhaps I should carry the potion in my purse in case it wears off during the party.” “The woman said just one drop,” Nancy warned. “Oh, Nancy. It’s only water, mouthwash and a bit of something bitter. Maybe I can give some to Brad.” “It won’t work that way,” Nancy sighed. “It’s just for you.” Becky nodded then grabbed the bottle and stuck it in her purse. “I want it, anyway,” she said prancing from the bedroom. “Suit yourself, but don’t come running to me if you take a second drop and everything goes wrong.” Nancy followed her, shaking her finger. “You have to follow the instructions.” “Okay,” Becky teased. “But because it’s not a potion at all, I can drink all I want or throw the whole thing away.” She slipped her coat over the costume. “Are you coming?” she asked Nancy as she rushed to the car. Without warning, she slipped in the snow. “Now what?” she asked study her shoe. “The heel on my shoe broke.” She gazed disgustedly at the slipper and sighed. “You go on ahead, Nancy. I’ll just forget the whole thing.” “No, no,” Nancy helped her to her feet. “I’ll wait. You go and change shoes.” SWEET ROMANCE 84
Taking off the other shoe, Becky raced barefoot through the snow and into the apartment. “When is this wonderful potion supposed to work?” she asked as she searched the closet for the appropriate pair. Slipping on the black flats, she paused in front of the mirror. “Well, whatever,” she grumbled. “They’ll have to do.”
She grabbed her purse, and then stopped. Quickly she rummaged through it and pulled out the small bottle. “I wonder—” she said. Shaking her head, she laughed at herself. “What am I doing? It’s just flavored water.” She stuck the potion back into her purse. “Anyway, I’ve taken the one drop.” She chuckled. “If one drop won’t work, two will work even less well.” “All right,” Becky said, as she slipped into Nancy’s car. “I think I’m ready now.” “Where is your mask?” Nancy asked as she put the car into gear. “Here, in my purse.” Becky pulled out the small mask that would reveal only her eyes. “It makes me look like a pink Lone Ranger,” she chuckled. “Okay.” Nancy pulled into the traffic. “Now your next task is to have fun.” Have fun? Becky knew nothing had been fun up to now. She settled back in the seat and tried to relax. A deep sigh escaped from her lungs and she closed her eyes. “When is your magic potion supposed to work?” “Oh, are you worried about that?” Nancy asked. “When you see your true love, of course.” “You mean it hasn’t started yet?” “Oh, no. When it works, you’ll know it.” Becky opened her eyes and studied the street. “It’s not real, you know. I don’t know why I’m pretending it will.” “Have patience, my friend. The ball is where you’ll be the belle.” Nancy giggled and Becky wasn’t sure the laugh was to encourage or to taunt her. “Did you hear what costume Brad was going to be wearing? I didn’t hear a thing.” Becky squirmed in the seat. “I think someone at work said he was going as a pirate.” “Not Prince Charming?” Becky asked. “That’s just what someone said. No one is supposed to know who anyone is until everyone takes off their masks at the end of the party.” SWEET ROMANCE 85
“So you have to guess until then.” Becky’s heart began to beat faster. “No one will know this is me until I take off this silly mask?” “That’s right. Doesn’t it sound exciting?” Nancy stopped the car. “Come on, now. Let’s have fun. If nothing else, we can rummage through Brad’s castle and see how the other side lives.” “It’s a big house,” Becky gazed at the large building. “I guess you could call it a castle.” She looked across the front yard. “Hey, look. There’s a pond or lake. See it shine in the moonlight?” Searching the sky, she noticed the clouds had rolled away and a stunning night sky smiled down. “Yes, I have to admit. It is very exciting. And so grand.” She waved her hand to encircle the grounds. “The house really looks like a castle.” “Oh, it does not,” Nancy chuckled. “You’re not seeing clearly, that’s all.” “Yes, the sky is clearing and everything is very beautiful. Now can we go in? There’s supposed to be food galore.” Becky followed her up the stone steps to the front door. “Do we ring the bell?” “Just as well,” Nancy said as she pressed the buzzer.
A ghostly howl greeted them. Becky caught her gasp and laughed. “Very cleaver. They thought of everything. Right down to the doorbell.” She couldn’t stop the gulp when a tall man resembling Frankenstein’s monster stood before them. “This way,” he said in a very deep voice. Through the foyer and down a darkened corridor Becky followed the tall man as she hung onto Nancy. At the top of a staircase, Becky looked down into a basement. In such a house I wouldn’t call this a basement, she thought. “Down there,” the tall man pointed then left them. “Did you ever see stairs like these leading to a cellar?” Nancy asked. “They must be made of marble or something like that.” Becky grasped the smooth wide railing. “I think this is wooden,” she said, stroking the surface. “Come on. Everyone’s looking at us up here.” Nancy motioned toward the crowd of people below them. “I think all the staff at the firm are here.” Becky let Nancy descend the stairs first to have a clear view of the costumed partygoers. A pirate. Where was the pirate? As she slowly spanned the room, her gaze stopped on the lighted pumpkins grinning at SWEET ROMANCE 86
her; the skeletons waving to passersby; and the long table laden with meats and sweets and drinks. As she reached the last step, a large plumed hat caught her attention. “A pirate?” she whispered. “It must be Brad.” Then she noted something odd. Stopping on the last step, she realized the group had been watching her. She felt like Cinderella coming down the stairs. Her heart raced with the attention. She didn’t know if she should feel embarrassed or regal. Deciding on a royal entrance, she squared her shoulders and raised her chin, hoping no one would notice her shaking hands. No one did. As the music began, each man asked her to dance. The emptiness she’d felt earlier was filled. It was easy to laugh and talk with each dancer. The man with the plume melted from her mind as the warmth of popularity flowed through her. Scarecrows, monsters, vampires and men with hatchets protruding from their heads made their way to her and twirled her around the room. She felt elated. They obviously did not see her actual appearance. Could Nancy’s potion be real? It must be. Why else would these masked fellows scurry to dance with her? She noticed the scarecrow pushed his way toward her more often than the other creatures in the room. Surely this was Steve, she thought, as she gazed at his face. It was covered with a silk stocking with red circles painted on the cheeks and mouth. Could it be anyone else? Her head scarcely reached the third button on his red plaid shirt. Although he wore some kind of platform shoes, which heightened his stature, she was sure it was Steve. Straw sticking from his floppy hat dropped to her ample breasts and tickled her. As she brushed her chest clean, she noticed him watching her from behind the silk sock. An intermission allowed Becky to rest from her pleasures. She followed a witch to the bathroom and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She wished the witch would talk so she would know it was Nancy. Wanting to share her joy, Becky decided to whisper. “Nancy, is that
you?” The witch shook her head then screeched. “I don know who you are, but strangers aren’t allowed at this party. No one working with us looks like you. Who are you, anyway?” She paused a moment then stomped from restroom. Becky gazed into the mirror again. They didn’t know who she was. Turning to the left then the right, she studied her reflection. She saw only the plump woman, twenty pounds overweight. Why did everyone else SWEET ROMANCE 87
see something different? Opening her purse, she pulled out her lipstick and dabbed it on her mouth. As she replaced it, her fingers felt the small bottle. No more, her mind told her. Just one drop. Becky studied the bottle. Was this actually why she’d become so popular? Perhaps one more drop for the second half of the evening wouldn’t hurt. Nancy had said bad things would happen, but, after all, it was only water with a bit of mouthwash for flavoring. Smiling at the pale blue concoction, she unscrewed the lid and lifted it upside down over her waiting mouth. The second drop tasted bitter and Becky hurriedly replaced the top and dropped it into her purse. Taking a mouthful of water, she tried to spit it out, but the unpleasant flavor remained. She shook her head and shivered as a chill passed through her. As the feeling passed, she stared into the mirror. Everything looked the same, but somehow she didn’t feel as confident as before. Shaking off the negative sensation, she opened the door and returned to the party. Momentarily, everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. Becky rubbed her head, knocking the tiara to the floor. As she bent to retrieve it, dancers bumped into her. “Look out you big cow,” the man shouted. Slowing pulling herself from the floor, she felt as if she’d entered a different room. It felt similar to some old television show, she had seen on the science fiction channel. Studying the room, she searched for Nancy. Something wasn’t right. Fear began to grip her as she pushed through the dancers. Where were all the witches? Where was Nancy? Everyone seemed like a stranger to her. As if she’d attended the wrong party. When she finally spied a witch, she sighed with relief. “It has to be Nancy,” she whispered. “It just has to be. We’ll go home and everything will be all right.” As she touched the witch’s arm, the woman pulled back. “What do you want, you old hag?” the witch screeched. Becky stepped back and gasped. “Nancy, is that you? I’m beginning to get scared. Let’s go home.” “Find your own way,” the witch croaked. “Your midnight has already arrived. You’ll have to ride your pumpkin home.” SWEET ROMANCE 88
Her laughter sent a chill through Becky. Then as an advancing flood of laughter spread through the room, she realized her evening of dreams had suddenly become a nightmare. Her heart beat wildly as she searched for Nancy among the characters gliding across the floor. As the music changed from a waltz to a
speedy pop tune, Becky found herself being pushed roughly from couple to couple. Then she bumped into a man standing in her way. He wore a hat with a large black plume. Brad wasn’t a pirate at all, but a musketeer. This has to be Brad, she thought. Relief surged through her as she stood in his shadow. Slowly, it seemed to Becky, he grasped the hem of his black cape and held it out for her. “Come on,” he whispered. “Hide beneath my cloak. I’ll take you out of here.” The voice didn’t sound like Brad, but nothing made sense after she left the bathroom. Hesitating a moment, she scanned the dancers for a glimpse of Nancy. She saw only the tall scarecrow staring at her. His expressionless socked face sent her heart thumping in fear. She wiped her damp hands on her pink dress and her lungs sent air to her throat in short gasps. She felt tears forming and grasped at the only straw she saw, the cape held open for her. Brad would take her home and away from this horror movie. The silence of the outdoors comforted her and she slipped from her cloaked hiding place. The grounds were serene in October’s chill and Becky sighed with relief to be away from the noise. She gazed at the man so nobly protecting her. “Thank you,” she said. “I’d really like to go home.” His presence reminded her of warm butter flowing over her, alluring and at the same time smothering. “Let’s walk a bit,” he said. “It’ll calm you down. Then I’ll take you home.” His deep voice was forced, as if it weren’t his own. Puzzled, she backed away from him. “Who are you, anyway?” she asked, her own voice breaking with mistrust. His laughter gave him away. “Steve,” Becky breathed, relieved at hearing a familiar voice. “It’s you.” “How did you know?” he asked, drawing her to his side. SWEET ROMANCE 89
“I just did,” Becky chuckled. “I’m so glad to see you. You don’t know how relieved I am.” He took off his cape and wrapped it around her. “There,” he said. “You look like you’re freezing.” “Yes,” Becky admitted. “It is rather chilly out here.” The cape was strangely very warm, but she shook off the odd tingling in her shoulders. “Do you want to go back inside?” he asked, holding her close. “No,” she said. “Definitely not. I really just want to go home.” “Before the unmasking?” he asked. “Before anything. This night has become a nightmare.” She thought a moment then pulled away from him. “I should find Nancy. She’ll worry about me. I couldn’t find her anywhere.” “Let’s take a little walk to the lake. Then I’ll help you find her.” Becky didn’t really want to walk to the lake. She desired simply to go home, but she couldn’t leave without her friend. She gazed toward the lake. “How far is it? I can’t see well in the dark.” “Not far.” He pulled a flashlight from his pocket and flashed it toward the water. “See? It’s just over there. You can hear the water lapping
from here.” She could, but the noisy party began to sound more inviting. “I think I should go back inside. It’s really getting cold out her.” “I’ll warm you up.” He chuckled as he put his arm around her and forced her to the water’s edge. “There. You see? It’s really pretty with the moonlight on the water. Nothing to fear.” Nothing to fear. Then why was her heart racing beneath the black cape? Yes, she was glad to hear the familiar voice, but Steve just wasn’t this aggressive. Anyway, not toward her. She shivered as she felt the man’s arm around her shoulders. “I’m glad you brought me out here,” he said. “What?” Becky asked gazing at his masked face. “I don’t know what you mean. I didn’t bring you out.” She felt her whole body tremble with the conclusion that she’d made a terrible mistake. “Oh, yes,” he said, his voice deepening and becoming smooth and almost musical. As his arms wrapped around her, Becky tried to push him away. “Please, let me go. I’m going back inside.” “Not until I’ve shown you how highly I think of you. You’ve gone from disbelief to total acceptance.” SWEET ROMANCE 90
Desperate now, Becky pushed at him. “You’re not Steve, are you?” she screamed at him. His bone chilling laughter brought terror to the surface of her brain. “I’m here to claim you,” he said, holding her close. “Not me,” she growled and the fear boiled into anger. She kicked him unmercifully until he loosened his hold. With a sweep of her hand, she grabbed the blond curly hair that she’d thought was Steve’s. The wig came away in her hand. Tossing it to the ground, she could not help but gaze into his unmasked face. His black hair was slicked back and his narrow face was pale in the moonlight. As her gaze fixed on his eyes, she gasped. Were they shining? Were they red? “I don’t know you,” she said, stepping back from him. “You don’t work at the firm. I’ve never seen you before.” Not taking time to study him further, Becky began to run toward the house, but he barred the way. “You released me this hallowed night,” he said. “I shall make you mine.” “I didn’t release you from anything,” Becky panted. “And I don’t want to be yours.” “Think, my dear lady,” he uttered with a deep velvety tone. “Tell me truly what you wanted from the second drop.” Becky felt a shock flash through her body. Shaking her head, she tried to laugh, but only a squeak escaped from her tense vocal cords. “But it isn’t real.” She waved her hands above her head. “It’s only water and a bit of flavoring. No.” She grabbed his cape from her shoulders and threw it to the ground. “You’re toying with me. I’m tired of that. Now leave me alone.” She hoped the elevated loudness of her voice would bring someone from the house, but no one paid her any attention. “Come with me now,” he demanded as he picked up his cape. Something in his stare caused Becky to want to go with him, as if a distant voice were calling. She turned from him and started running. He blocked her access to the house so she raced into the pine forest beside the lake. As she stopped behind a tree, panting with fatigue and fear, her
thoughts raced, trying to make sense of this Halloween evening. “It’s a nightmare,” she gasped. “Oh, why can’t I wake up in my own bed and forget this ever happened?” As she studied the moonlit shadows, she realized she must return to the house. Whoever this man really was, he wouldn’t permit her to go back to the party. Maybe that’s where this horrid dream would end. She had to race back to that house. SWEET ROMANCE 91
From her hiding place, she could see the lights beaming from the building. Now, where was that man? Squinting, she studied the shadows, then hurried through the trees toward the residence. She stopped short. Before her, the lake spread shining in the half light. Where was the house? Turing abruptly, she realized she’d run in the wrong direction. Gasping, she saw the man standing in front of her, the lake her only retreat. “How do I get rid of you?” Becky screamed at him. “You should know that.” His somber voice produced a glint of hope inside her. Her brain felt like it was spinning as she concentrated so seriously on his words. “What do I know?” She held her head, shaking it to remember what she was supposed to know. Then she gasped and a tiny smile pulled at her mouth. “I think I know.” Turning her head from side to side, she searched the rocky beach. Her purse. She must find her purse. As she dashed from him, he caught her by the arm and Becky felt pain shooting to her shoulder. “Come,” he said “What are you looking for? No one can hear you or see you from the house.” He laughed wickedly. “And who cares, but me?” My purse. I must find my purse. She groaned at the pressure he applied to her arm. The expression on his face assured her that her realization was correct. “No,” he said, his eyes blazing a brilliant red. “No. You’ve no need for that now.” Squirming and kicking, she loosened his hold and fled along the edge of the lake where she had dropped her purse. He was upon her before she could search further. “Why are you fighting so? I know excitement is what your life needs.” “I’ve had quite enough for a lifetime,” she yelled kicking his legs, freeing herself once again. The route to the house was opened and Becky raced toward it, but her means of escape was quickly obscured by the caped figure. “You’ll not find it in the house,” he said, pointing at her. “Who are you?” she shouted at him. “Just a figment of my imagination?” SWEET ROMANCE 92
“Simply a Halloween spirit, you might say.” He grabbed her arm and twisted it. “Does that feel like your imagination?” She squealed in pain and as he released her, she hurriedly retraced her steps back to the lake. He was striding slowly toward her as if he knew she could not escape. Then she saw it. Her purse was wedged between the rocks. Her heart beat wildly and her breath came in frightened gasps as she reached for the bag. It felt as if she were moving in slow motion for as she picked it up and held it tightly to her breast, the man stood over her.
“I’ll take that,” he ordered harshly. Quickly she opened the bag, grabbed the bottle and threw the purse at him. “There,” she said triumphantly. “There, you can have it.” Why he wanted the bottle, she didn’t dare stop to ask. Perhaps if she poured out its contents, he would leave her alone. Something told her not to let him near the bottle. Running from him, she unscrewed the lid, but before she could turn the bottle over and shake out the liquid, she tripped on a fallen log sending the glass container onto the rocky beach. As she tried to get to her feet, she realized he was holding onto the hem of her pink dress. Her heart sank. Quickly grabbing the bottle, she gazed into his face. She felt a cold sweat forming on her forehead and slipping down her checks. Pulling on her skirt, she screamed and kicked at him. “You are feisty,” he grinned. “I’ll take that potion now.” “Why?” she asked, trying to pull herself from his grasp. “Why do you want it? It’s only water and flavoring.” “If you believed that, I wouldn’t be here.” His laugh sent chills of terror through her. “I believe it is not a magic potion.” She tried to sound forceful, but her trembling voice dwindled to a whisper. “Without it I can not exist,” he said calmly. Becky knew her only hope was to destroy the liquid. Although her reality told her this event was impossible, she had let herself be drawn into this horror. Frantically she searched the beach around her with her hand. She felt a rock within her grasp and, quickly, with all her strength, she banged the bottle on the rock. It didn’t break. Glancing at her capture, she saw his wide, dark eyes glaring at her. As he reached for her hand, Becky sent the glass, even harder, against the stone. Relieved, she felt the liquid oozing through her fingers and as he grabbed her arm, she watched the blue potion mix with her blood. SWEET ROMANCE 93
“You’ve broken it,” he screeched and moved away from her. Carefully she examined her wound and wrapped it in the hem of her dress. What happened next surprised her even more. “Here you are. We’ve been looking all over for you.” It was Nancy and the scarecrow standing over her. “There’s a man,” Becky choked out the words. “He’s right there.” She pointed where the dark fellow had been standing. “It’s only a bat,” the scarecrow said. “On Halloween you can see most anything, I guess.” He helped Becky to her feet. “Are you all right?” “What’s wrong with your hand?” Nancy asked. “Did you fall and hurt it?” “I cut it breaking the bottle containing the potion,” Becky said as she examined her hand. “It’s okay now. I thought it was cut, but it doesn’t seem to be.” She searched the rock where she had broken the bottle. “Did you loose something?” Nancy asked. She turned the beam of her flashlight on the stone. Nothing was there. Becky took the flashlight and searched around the rock for broken glass. “I broke it on this rock,” she said, studying their puzzled expressions. “It broke and cut me.” She shook her head. “Anyway, I thought I did.”
“Come on back inside,” Nancy said shaking her head. “You’ve been in the cold night air too long.” On the way back to the house, Becky stopped and stared at the scarecrow. “Who are you, anyway? Are you Steve? You’re so tall.” “Platform shoes,” he chuckled as he pulled off the stocking mask. “You’re Brad.” She tried to sound casual, but the high pitch of her voice revealed her excitement. “Who would have known?” Her smile was too broad, she knew, but she could not force her face to suppress the grin. “I thought you might be Steve.” She attempted to wipe away the wide smile with her hand, but it remained. “Who was that guy?” Brad motioned toward the lake. “It looked like you were wrestling with someone.” “Becky, did you have a man with you?” Nancy shook her finger at Becky. “I thought it was…” Becky looked at Brad. “I thought it was someone else.” Shaking her head, she sighed. “I don’t really know who that was. Maybe just a Halloween spook.” She gazed at the water, shimmerSWEET ROMANCE 94
ing in the moonlight. It had been real. Brad saw the dark man. Shivering, she rubbed her arms. “Let’s go inside. I’m freezing.” Brad checked his watch. “They’re all unmasking. Maybe you can see who that guy was.” He opened the door. “Then I’ll take care of him.” Becky’s heart leaped. The chill she’d felt seemed to melt as he escorted her through the crowd of merrymakers. Each had removed the masks they wore and Becky reached for hers, not realizing it was no longer on her face. Although she searched the faces before her, she could not find the dark man who wore the plumed hat and black cloak. “He isn’t here,” she finally told Brad. “He probably crashed the party,” Brad concluded. Becky nodded, but continued studying the familiar faces she’d seen every working day. “At first I thought it was you,” she said, keeping her gaze on the crowd. “Then it seemed to be Steve.” She shook her head and rubbed her arms trying to erase the frightened puzzlement she felt. “I just don’t know who it was or why he chose me to terrorize.” “I don’t see Steve,” Brad said, following her gaze around the room. Then he pointed. “There he is. Looks like he was a ghost. I’ve no idea to the identity of that fellow you encountered at the lake.” “He was at the party,” Becky explained. “He took me to the lake from here.” She shivered, remembering his wicked stare and aggressiveness. Brad’s arm around her sent the chill scurrying, but the memory, she knew, would linger with her forever. “I think we’d better get you home,” Brad said, then smiled. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to escort you.” Becky tensed. The invitation to the lake held a similar tone. She gazed at him wanting to believe he only wanted to take her home, but tonight’s experience loomed in her head. “I came with Nancy,” she said, searching his face for truth. “I’d better go home with her.” “I understand,” he said. “It’s difficult to trust after that kind of experience.” “Yes,” she agreed, hoping that breaking the bottle would bring her world back to the dull sameness as yesterday. She sighed as she felt the familiar tenseness she’d felt each day as Brad walked by her cubical. Well, at least, that wish had come true. Everything was returning to normal.
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“The music’s starting for the last dance.” Brad motioned to the couples beginning to sway. “Would you do me the honor of dancing the last one with an old scarecrow?” Becky nodded. “It’s as though it’s the first one.” “And, if you’ll allow me,” he smiled. “I won’t be the last.” As Becky twirled in his arms, her heart soared and she felt she was going to leave the floor and sail about the room. The evening’s events fled from her thoughts as Brad held her and talked of some thing or other. She nodded continually, but grasped nothing he said. She was thrilled with life and that’s all that mattered right now. She’d think about tomorrow when it came. Now she wanted to take in the attention of this man of her dreams. She felt like Cinderella, but instead of midnight, her carriage wouldn’t come until daybreak. Midnight had passed and she still danced with Brad. That was a good sign. Her heart skipped a beat. Perhaps breaking the little bottle hadn’t stopped the magic spell. Maybe it was still working and that’s why Brad was interested in her. She gazed at his face for some proof that his show of affection was real. He smiled down at her. “Ever been kissed by a scarecrow?” Her legs felt weak and she had trouble catching her breath. “N-no, never,” she finally whispered. The welcome warmth on her mouth shot tingles through her body and she was certain she’d never wash that kiss from her lips. Another followed and Becky hoped it would be as real tomorrow. As the music stopped and the couples began leaving the house, Becky finally let go of Brad’s arm. “I enjoyed it so very much,” she told him. “Anyway the last dance.” “I’m sorry about the first part,” he said. “I saw you leave with that fellow, but I wasn’t certain if I should follow.” “Hopefully it won’t happen again.” She raised her eyebrows. “One Halloween like that is enough for anyone.” “I agree,” he nodded. “Now, how about letting me taking you home?” “Well?” It was Nancy stepping beside Becky. “Are you going with him or not?” Becky grinned, seeing the mischievous wink Nancy sent her. “I’ll go with Brad.” “Okay,” Nancy said. “Are you sure?” SWEET ROMANCE 96
Fear flashed through Becky as she recalled the evening. Would the event be relived if she went with Brad? “I broke the bottle,” she told Nancy. “Doesn’t that make everything all right?” “The bottle?” Nancy asked. “Oh, that. It wasn’t real, you know. You just happened to finally show your best side.” She shrugged. “If that’s what it took to make you show yourself, so be it.” “But the man at the lake,” Becky argued. “He disappeared when I broke the bottle and flew away like a bat.” “Oh, Becky,” Nancy laughed. “Whoever he was probably just ran away when Brad and I arrived.” Becky pondered her words, trying to remember when the dark man
disappeared. Finally, shaking her head, she sighed. “I don’t know what’s real any more. When I wake up tomorrow, I’m sure everything will be back to normal.” She waved her hand at Nancy. “You run along. I’m going with Brad, no matter what.” “All right,” Nancy smiled. “See you tomorrow.” Becky stepped into Brad’s car wondering if the ‘something bad’ from the second drop she’d swallowed, had worn off. She loved Brad’s attention and hoped she could believe that his actions were sincere. As he drove, Becky began to feel more secure. “What’s this about a broken bottle?” he asked. “I don’t recall anyone breaking anything.” “Okay.” Becky drew a deep breath and told him everything. “And you began to believe it was a real magic potion,” he smiled and stopped the car in front of her apartment building. “It was dumb,” she laughed. “But, yes, I did.” “You don’t need a magic potion,” he said seriously. “I’ve been trying to get the courage to ask you out for a long time.” “You ignored me,” she argued. “I couldn’t find the words and I was afraid you’d say no.” “I guess we both needed a magic potion,” she laughed. “You’re the only magic I need,” he smiled drawing her close. “I’d say, it’s been a wonderful Halloween after all,” she said snuggling in his arms. “I just should have never taken the second drop.” She heard him chuckle and felt the deep beating of his heart. “I’m sort of glad you did. Otherwise I’d not gone to the lake and maybe this would never have happened.” SWEET ROMANCE 97
The kiss she felt was warm and loving and she didn’t mind having taken the second drop if this was the happy ending. SWEET ROMANCE 98
HELLO AGAIN By K. B. ROSS Katie James pushed the cardboard box across the living room floor to her daughter, Beverly. “Here, Bev. Go through these. If I do, I’ll not throw anything away.” Beverly opened the box and pulled out a photo album. “You might want these pictures. They’re old,” she said as she thumbed through the book. “Why don’t you take those you want of your father,” Katie said as she took the figurine of the cat from the mantle above the fireplace. Turning her head she lovingly gazed at the ceramic piece, shook her head and shoved the figurine into a garbage bag. “I can’t take too much to that retirement village.” “Where were you and Dad teaching when these were taken?” Beverly gently took the photograph from the triangular attachments securing the corners and offered it to her mother. Katie held the picture at arms length then tipped her head back to look through the bifocals at the bottom of her lens. “Oh, some mountain town where we taught a hundred years ago.” She smiled at the warmth of pleasant memories and felt a hot flush in her cheeks as she handed the
picture back to Beverly. “Did you really ride a motorcycle way back then?” Beverly shook her head. “That’s hard to believe.” Katie laughed. “I wasn’t always pushing seventy years old, you know. Before your father died, I did many exciting things.” She gazed at the spacious living room now filled with boxes containing her belongSWEET ROMANCE 99
ings and she sighed. They had bought the house for their retirement. With the expenses occurred following Dave’s death, she was forced to sell the place. Most of the furniture was gone. Only a love seat and an overstuffed chair remained. She blinked back tears as Beverly brought her back to the task at hand. “I know, but I don’t remember you riding. Only Dad.” “Yes,” Katie sighed. “He never quite got over the excitement and thrill of riding.” She thought a minute and brushed her warm cheeks. “And when you were born, I had all the excitement I needed.” She chuckled and went back to the next cat figurine lining the mantle. Giving it a wink, she tossed it into the garbage bag. “Who is this man with you and Dad?” Beverly asked, tapping her finger on the photograph. As Katie examined the picture closely she felt a flash of excitement and a lump in her throat. “Just a ghost from the past, Honey,” she chuckled, but was unable hide the broad smile pulling at her lips. “He was your father’s riding buddy and a very dear friend.” “How dear?” Beverly grinned at her mother’s discomfort. “Not that dear,” Katie growled as she grabbed another statue. “Goodness, why did I keep all these cat figurines?” Beverly gave the photograph a shake. “How long ago did you teach there?” Katie hesitated as she counted back the years. “Forty,” she finally said. “Yes, forty years ago.” An image of a twenty-year-old girl popped into her mind. A young woman on a motorcycle flanked by Dave on one side and this dear friend on the other. Pine trees sped by as they rode through the high country back roads. She could still feel the crisp wind on her face and smell the dense scent of the forest. They had such a wonderful time. “You haven’t seen him since?” Bev’s words pulled her from the daydream. “No. We all had our separate lives. He was a local rancher, you see.” She gazed at the next figurine and tossed it into the sack with the others. “He married while we were there.” She shook her head. “And probably lived happily ever after. Your father and I moved on to another school.” “Oh,” Beverly frowned. “Okay. I’ll take some of these pictures of Dad.” She gathered those she wanted and laid them to the side. “And are SWEET ROMANCE 100
you going to write that book you always wanted to, now that you’re retired?” Katie raised her eyebrows and tipped her head from side to side. “Who knows? Maybe I will.” “I still think you should move in with me,” Beverly said. “We’d drive each other crazy and you know it.” Katie shoved the remaining figurines into the garbage.
“My kids are grown and Dan’s found someone younger. It would just be us.” Katie thought a minute. “Maybe later when we really need to, literally, lean on each other.” She chuckled. “But now, I’ll take a little time to just be me.” Beverly nodded. “I understand, Mom. Well, we’d better get this stuff organized before your buyers have to move in with us still sifting through all this.” She stopped a moment. “Why don’t you eat at the Senior Center until you get settled?” “Beings you’re the director there, you’ll give me a reduced price?” Katie laughed. “Oh, come on, Mom. It’ll be good for you.” “I’ll think about it,” Katie nodded. **** After the movers left her belongings at her new apartment, Katie stopped at the Senior Center and paid Beverly for her lunch. “Come into the dining room,” Beverly said. “I’ll show you around. Now these fellows,” she said pointing to two men, in their latter sixties, carrying coolers to the back door, “always carry the coolers to the senior van. The driver delivers them to people who can’t come to the center to eat.” Katie nodded nervously. “I don’t know anybody.” “That’s because you’ve never wanted to eat with these old people. Remember?” Katie laughed. “I guess, actually, I’m one of them.” “Thanks for finally admitting it.” She reached for Katie’s arm to guide her to an empty chair. “What is it, Mom? Come on.” Katie stood, frozen to the spot. The fellow carrying the cooler of meals was staring at her. Long and carefully, she looked back at the man. She squinted, studying the balding head and the protruding stomach. The physical aspects were unfamiliar, but something about his eyes caused her to thumb through the files of her memory. SWEET ROMANCE 101
“What is it, Mom?” Beverly asked. “Nothing,” Katie said hurriedly, dragging her gaze from the man. “I thought I’d seen him before.” “He comes in now and again,” Beverly said. “He always helps out.” “Okay,” Beverly said. “Let’s find you a seat. They’re quite protective of their seating arrangement. You mustn’t sit where someone else is used to sitting.” She ushered Katie to a chair then hurried to a microphone to give the day’s news and call the tables to line up to get their meals. Katie gazed around the room. There must be forty people or more eating here. She felt a bit embarrassed when Beverly introduced her and asked her to stand. The feeling disappeared when the group applauded and welcomed her. When Beverly called numbers, Katie realized each table had a number and the occupants lined up in order to pickup their trays with dishes of meat, potatoes, vegetables and desert. As Katie ate her hamburger delight, the women on either side included her in their conversation about family and the high cost of living. “And what do you do?” the woman beside her asked, then offered, “I’m a retired teacher.”
Katie nodded. “I am, too.” The familiarity of the conversation about teaching relaxed her and she found herself enjoying the woman’s presence. As she drove home, her memory continued searching for clues about the man she saw at the center. At home, she pulled a box from those piled before her. Carefully she gazed at the photograph of her husband, herself, and the friend all on motorcycles. “Could it be him?” she asked, holding the picture closer to her eyes. “Could that volunteer carrying those coolers to the van be Tom Bramlet, their friend from forty years ago?” Squinting, she held the photograph at arms length then shook her head. “No,” she finally concluded. “That couldn’t be him. Not in a million years.” The next day nothing could keep Katie from attending lunch at the Senior Center. As she walked in, a different man carried the coolers out the door to the van. She sighed, recalling Beverly saying he comes in now and again. Today wasn’t now or again, she decided. It probably wasn’t Tom anyway. He lived on the other side of the state—forty years ago. SWEET ROMANCE 102
When Beverly called the table numbers, Katie lined up with the others who chatted and laughed as they waited to get their trays. “We’re glad you came back,” the retired teacher told her. “You’re the only one who appreciates my stories about classrooms.” Katie nodded. “I enjoy it,” she said as she picked up her tray and settled in the chair that became hers. She realized how much better the food tasted as she chatted with the teacher. She stopped the fork before it reached her mouth when she saw the man enter the center. Excitement filled her and she patted her chest to quiet her racing heart. It is him, she thought. “It almost has to be,” she whispered. “What did you say?” the retired teacher asked. “Oh, nothing,” Katie uttered as she watched him set his tray on the table and gaze at her. The next event came so quickly, she had no time to realize what was happening. The man left his meal and hurried to her. “Katie James? Is that you? Are you Katie James?” he asked. Something swelled in Katie’s chest and clogged her throat. All she could do was nod. As he clasped her hands, she finally cleared her throat and found her voice. “Yes, I am.” Studying him carefully, she smiled and tried not to giggle. “You’re Tom,” she said. “Tom Bramlet.” She felt her hands tremble and pulled them from his grasp. “It’s been so long. I wasn’t sure.” “Me, too,” he grinned. “You haven’t changed very much.” He laughed and patted his stomach. “I, on the other hand, probably have.” “Bring your tray over so we can talk,” she suggested. He gazed at the crowd and to the woman beside her. “How about finding a quieter place?” Raising his eyebrows at her hesitation, he chuckled. “Come on. Just leave the tray. Someone will take care of it.” Katie felt a nervous chuckle rising to her lips and covered her mouth with her hand. He may look different, she thought. But he’s the same inside.” Leaving her tray, she stepped in line behind him. She felt his hand grasp hers and the warmth that followed pulled a smile that she could not
hide. As they passed the office, Beverly stepped out. “Mom, what’s going on? Do you two know each other?” She grabbed Katie’s arm. “He’s the man in the picture,” Katie said breathlessly. “With you and Dad on the motorcycles,” Beverly finished her mother’s sentence. SWEET ROMANCE 103
“Oh,” Katie said to Tom. “This is my daughter, Beverly Hawks. She works here.” Katie knew she sounded giddy, but something inside told her she was regressing in age. “And Beverly, this is Tom Bramlet, the man in the picture,” she repeated excitedly, wiping her free hand on her skirt. “Why, Mom, you’re simply beaming,” Beverly smiled as she shook Tom’s hand and winked at him. Katie felt heat rising to her cheeks and shook her head to brush it away. “We’re going somewhere quiet,” Tom said. “To talk. Catch up with our lives.” He pulled Katie’s hand and she trotted after him. As he helped her into his pickup, she realized how ancient she’d become. She could not step into the cab that had no running boards. “I guess I’ve lost a few muscles,” she apologized as he pushed her up into the seat. “Me, too,” he laughed then pulled himself behind the steering wheel. “Where to?” he asked. “There’s a nice place down by the river.” She pointed to the west. “Right down this street.” “Tell me everything,” Katie said as she sat across the table from Tom at the restaurant. “Where shall I start? Forty years ago. Has it been that long?” He rubbed his chin. “Let’s see. I have a couple grown kids with kids. Mary Jane, my wife, passed away six years ago. My son is on the ranch and I’m seeing some country. I stopped here for a few weeks to see the historical sites.” He drew a breath. “The center seemed a good place to eat and visit.” Gently placing his hand on hers, he added. “I’m sure glad I did. Now, how about you? You and Dave still together?” Katie shook her head. “He died three years ago. I retired from teaching and moved into the retirement village.” She thought a moment. “And Dave and I had Beverly. She and teaching kept me pretty busy.” She felt tension growing and licked her lips. “Do you still ride?” “Oh, yes.” He paused. “And you?” “No, I stopped long ago. Dave kept riding, but not me.” She cleared her throat and chuckled nervously. “I wouldn’t have been surprised to see your bike in front of the center.” He nodded. “Left it home for Billy.” “Your son?” SWEET ROMANCE 104
“Yes. He rides, too. Of course he’s a grown man, but he’s always ridden.” From events they both remembered to recent occurrences, Katie realized longer silences occurred and she began to feel uncomfortable. She felt she was visiting with a stranger. Did she ever really know him? Suddenly she realized that he must feel the same and she pushed her cup of
coffee aside as her heart pounded with anxiety. As sad as it was, she wanted to run from him. The mix of emotions surging through her made her dizzy. “I—I’m unpacking at my apartment. I’d better get back to it.” “Yes, of course,” he said. “I have to be getting back to the ranch. We’re haying.” Nodding, she followed him from the restaurant. This was it, she thought. There is nothing more. Over the next few days, Katie unpacked and piled the empty boxes by the back door. Today she studied the living room. “Junk, junk, and more junk,” she said. “More has to go.” The doorbell chime startled her, snapping her attention from the apartment. Racing to the door, she dared not think who it might be. “Oh, hi, Bev,” she said as she opened the door. “Gee, what a warm welcome, Mom. So, how’d it go with that handsome man?” Beverly asked. “You haven’t been back to the center.” Katie shook her head. “Too many years have passed. Tom and I had nothing in common. He went home to cut hay.” “I’m sorry,” Beverly frowned. “You seemed so happy.” “I was, but it just didn’t go so well.” She sighed and led Beverly to the kitchen table. “I didn’t know him at all.” “How about a cup of coffee?” Beverly suggested. Katie nodded. “Okay. I’m drug out from unpacking.” “Well, you’re apartment looks good.” Beverly took two cups from the cupboard. “You’ve found places for everything. As usual, everything is as neat as a pin.” She filled the cups with water and placed them in the microwave oven. “But then you’ve always been a stickler for neatness.” Katie sat the jar of instant coffee on the table. “I’m afraid you know that better than anyone.” “You’ve mellowed. Look you’re using instant coffee.” “I’m getting better with age,” Katie said as she dumped a spoonful of the granules into the hot water. SWEET ROMANCE 105
As she sipped the hot liquid, the telephone rang. “Who could that be?” Katie asked. “No one knows me here.” Picking up the receiver, she smiled then felt her breath catching in her throat. Her hands shook as she listening intently, gazing at the anticipation on Beverly’s face. “Well, hello again,” she finally said, grasping her chest to force the words from her mouth. When she replaced the phone, a smile still spread across her face. “Well?” Beverly asked. “What did he want?” “He wants me to go with him to the ranch. Tomorrow. He said to pack light.” She shook her head. “I wonder what he meant. Anyway it’s only a visit to get reacquainted in the old place.” “I heard you say yes.” Beverly’s eyes grew wide. “I’m going. I’m going back to the green valley,” she squealed as she grabbed Beverly and hugged her. “Oh, Mom. I want you to be happy.” “I believe I will,” Katie sighed. “I really think I will.” “But a ranch, Mom. What do you know about a ranch?” “Well, there are cows and—and hay,” Katie stammered. “And lots of things you know nothing about.” Beverly reminded her.
“I’m not too old to learn,” Katie grumbled. “I hope you know what you’re doing. You said you didn’t even know him.” “The young man I knew is there somewhere. I’m sure I’ll find him.” Katie said as she hurried to her bedroom. “Then what?” Beverly followed her. “Who knows?” Katie beamed, and then frowned. “It’s just a visit, Bev. Why are you making such a fuss? I’ll be back in a few days probably.” “I worry about you. Remember how you worried about me when I was a kid?” “I still do,” Katie said. “This is something I have to do.” She grabbed an overnight bag, put her fingers to her lips and studied the closet. “He said to pack light.” “Do you suppose this will end with a wedding?” Beverly asked, studying Katie’s beaming face. “Wedding?” Katie shouted. “It’s a visit.” Then she laughed. “A wedding would be exciting. Yes, of course you’ll know if there’s a wedding. Oh, Bev. It’s just a visit with an old friend.” SWEET ROMANCE 106
Her memories shifted backwards forty years. What had her feeling been for this dear friend? Her heart skipped a beat as she remembered him picking her up after her motorcycle spun out in loose gravel on the mountain road. The touch was warm, but she swallowed hard as she recalled excitement like lightning flashing through her body. Yes, she decided, he was more than just a dear friend. “A man friend,” Beverly brought her back from her musing. “Yes,” Katie agreed. “Wish me luck.” “Well, have a good time and I’ll pick up your key tomorrow to look after things while you’re away.” Beverly walked the front door. “No, I mean it, Mom. Have a wonderful time.” “That I will,” Katie said. “Back to the valley. It’ll be good to see it again.” She packed a few things, checked her thyroid and high blood pressure pills and put them into her purse. Knowing sleep would be far from her mind, she laid her head on the pillow and let her memory travel backward forty years. The pictures in her mind pleased her. She was going back mentally and physically and that felt good. The next morning, Katie sat the small spatial by the door and saw Beverly coming up the walk. “Isn’t he here yet?” Then she studied Katie. “Why are you dressed in jeans?” She shook her head. “Mother, you never stop surprising me. What’s going on?” “He’s coming,” Katie grinned. She grabbed her chest to prevent her heart from leaping out of her rib cage. “Do you hear him coming?” Beverly listened. From down the block came the thump, thump of a powerful motor. “It’s a four cylinder,” Katie said. “He never would have a two.” Beverly tried to close her mouth, but the sight of a motorcycle stopping in front of her mother’s apartment was a bit difficult to accept. Katie put on the heavy helmet and Tom pulled her on behind him. “It’s like something out of the Twilight Zone,” Beverly whispered as Tom revved the motor, put the bike in gear and pulled away from the curb.
“Take care of things,” Katie yelled as she waved both arms above her head. “I will,” Beverly said as she watched the motorcycle take Katie back forty years. SWEET ROMANCE 107
TAKE A SNEAK PEEK AT OUR SWEET REVENGE DIGEST Harmonie Loberg teaches Language Arts at the high school level. In her spare time, she writes and continues to improve upon www.HamletHaven.com , her website devoted to Shakespeare¹s play. SWEET ROMANCE 108
REVENGE By Harmonie Loberg Marriage, that idealized institution based upon trust, love, support, sanctity, and security, quite often (and quite paradoxically) becomes a social prison that its inmates suffer through with little to no opportunity for liberation. Frequently its population laments, screams, cries, etc., while each inmate is slowly deteriorating into less of a person, less of a self, less of a voice. Such rotting rarely leaves enough gumption to plan, execute, and survive an escape. But some... some convert their suffering into spite, anger, and even loathing in order to survive another day. Some are less concerned with escape and more with revenge, punishment of the mate who disregards the sacred vows. Mary is one such vindictive soul, and she has a plan. Her plan is what has her squeezed into an air duct, with her left foot cramping and her right hand holding her silver weapon of choice. Like a sniper, she peers though the vent, waiting patiently for the right shot, for her prey to appear: the bastard she married. But what is a little more time when the results will be so absolutely wonderful. So positively perfect. In fact, she thinks actualizing her plan might be the most joy she’s ever experienced with this man. The most satisfaction she’s ever known in her marriage. The thoughts of such happiness, such control over and punishment of her “help mate” bring a subtle grin to Mary’s face. She almost forgets the cut on her knee and scrapes upon her palms. She almost forgets her pain. But she can’t. So, she patiently waits for her revenge, for the moment when she will aim and shoot. Five minutes later, George falls into the directory office with a long-haired vixen glued to his body. She is the cliché octopus, with every limb focused on arousing him: left knee grinding against his crotch, SWEET ROMANCE 109
while the right leg leaned into him for support; left hand reaching under the breast of his coat to pinch his nipple like it was sugar, while her right hand spasmodically squeezed his ass like it was dough. Meanwhile, her lips are racing around his neck and ear, leaving sloppy wet trails and possibly bruises. Her clumsy techniques and over enthusiasm speak to her young age, which excites George more than her poor skills. He suspects that she must be younger than the twenty years she claimed. George figures she might even be an illegal minor. But he is also completely confident in himself and his position as accountant for the church
that he believes he’ll never suffer any consequences. This forbidden fruit struggling with his belt reinforces his egotism. Unlike Adam and Eve, George will not be cast out, because God doesn’t care. And no one else will ever know. The only person who suspects anything is Mary. But she is easily controlled. All he ever has to do is play on her insecurities and reverse the blame to her. For example, when Mary asked about a lipstick stain on the crotch of his khaki pants, he simply accused her of being a pathetic wife who couldn’t even do the laundry right. When she questioned his comings and goings, suspecting his lies, he accused her of doubting and not trusting him. Per usual, after both instances, Mary was the one crying and apologizing. George feels things are good. Besides, he feels that if Mary was a better wife, he wouldn’t have to find pleasure elsewhere. If she wasn’t so busy trying to be the perfect mother, wife, churchgoer, if her perfections weren’t so annoying to make him feel, just for a moment, insecure, then he would not be screwing beautiful girls. Like he was getting ready to do now. George sits in the large, brown, leather director’s chair, spreading his legs for the young Venus to climb onto his lap. Lifting her skirt, pushing cotton panties to the side, George thrusts into her tender flesh and waits for the girl to satisfy him. He uses no condom because he is that confident. There will be no consequences, he thinks. Neither of the mewling, panting lovers know that someone is watching. Nor does either hear a click coming from the air duct, followed by a soft hum. George is wrong. This time, there will be consequences. When asked, Mary explains away the scrapes on her hands as the results of tripping in the flowerbed behind their home. The cut on her knee was easily hidden behind dress slacks, not her typical attire but still SWEET ROMANCE 110
stylish and appropriate. In truth, no one notices anything different about Mary, except her smile. Her smile seemed a bit more, well, real, as it was finally reaching her eyes. But that was the only subtle change in Mary the next morning at church. George, too self-absorbed as always, is oblivious to his wife. If anything, she seems more strange than usual. She asked him during the drive to church if there was anything that he wanted to tell her or thought she should know. If they’d been Catholic, one might have thought she was asking him for a confession. But they weren’t, and he used the opportunity to ramble on about how open and honest he was in their relationship, how he told her everything. He then asked her the same question back: “Is there anything that you want to tell me or think that I should know?” Typically, such a reversal would fluster Mary, get her to say things that he could later use against her. But not this morning. Instead, Mary smirks George wouldn’t have believed it if he wasn’t seeing it, but she actually smirks. And then she simply says, “No, nothing at all.” It is the odd note in her voice that causes him a moment of . . . concern. But he quickly reminds himself of whom Mary is: a poor, pathetic, weak, illogical creature, who is fortunate enough to have him as a husband, else she would be unable to survive. Such thoughts comfort George and free his mind to contemplate his next conquest: a brunette.
Yes, a brunette. Mary has given George one last chance. One last opportunity to avoid the fate that she has constructed for him. All that he had to do was confess, to acknowledge the truth. But he’d refused of his own free will. Poor George. So, Mary stands next to her husband at church, for the millionth time going through the motions of being happily married, of being partners. She shakes hands and kisses cheeks, all in proportion to the social awareness and denial of gender roles. She pats children on the head and tickles the cheeks of infants. She has put her body on autopilot, while her mind reviews her plan and outcome on a continuous loop. She analyzes and then dismisses each doubt. She critically studies her idea and logically deems it perfect. With more confidence than she has ever known since meeting George (and his first criticism of her hair), Mary works her way through the congregation to find her seat at the front of the church. Being married to the church’s accountant meant abstract prestige. This preferential seating and a key to the director’s private office were the SWEET ROMANCE 111
only palpable proofs of honor. Although Mary would have given the tokens up in a heartbeat in exchange for being married to a decent person and sitting in the last row of the church, she is pleased to be sitting in this location today. All the better for George, and her plan. When Mary excuses herself to use the bathroom, George merely nods. He has made eye contact with a visitor across the aisle and, as luck would have it, his newest target is a brunette. Mary’s absence is simply a convenience, not a necessity. As the lights subtly dim, George pauses in his flirtation to look with the congregation at the large projection screen dangling over the alter— the tenets of the church might have been ancient, but technology had found its niche in religious practices. Now everyone awaited the image of hymns to appear. Instead, a view of the director’s office appeared, as if the perspective of the proverbial fly on the wall. Then the door burst open and George sees himself enter—with the long-haired vixen. As if disassociated from the events, he watches two strangers clumsily grope each other in an awkwardly embarrassing dance of partners glaringly mismatched in age. Gestures that had, at the time, excited George, now left him flaccid and shrunken. Time that had seemed an eternity that day in the office, now seems embarrassingly short, as does the disappointment on the girl’s face. George hadn’t even thought of her feelings, let alone satisfaction. He’d simply ushered her out with a derogatory swat on the behind, and then leaned back in the director’s chair, with his feet propped on the desk, basking in his own egotism. Before George could even begin to wrap his brain around the short scene, the film seems to loop, back to the still office and then the initiation of the awkward dance begins again. Diverting his eyes in refusal of the truth enlarged and broadcast before him, George turns. But all he sees is anger, accusations, and judgment. His pathetic denials of “it isn’t what it looks like” die on his tongue. He can no longer convince others of his lies. They see him as he is, and they don’t like him. He, too, doesn’t like what he sees as the images returned to a gloating man all alone in an office. He doesn’t want to be alone, so he looks for Mary. His eyes seek
her for comfort and love. But he can’t find her. She isn’t near the front of the church. George scans to the back of the room, hoping that she is returning to him. But the doors are closed and the aisles empty. In desperation, George raises his eyes up, as if to plead with the heavens. Then he SWEET ROMANCE 112
sees her. Mary is in the projection booth, calmly looking down upon him like an angel. Their eyes meet, and George starts to gesture about his innocence. But when he sees her smirk again, when he realizes that she is controlling the projector, he stills in resignation and realization. She knows. He hasn’t fooled anyone, least of all Mary. And there are always consequences when you hurt others. George would have to live with himself—alone. He would have to retreat down the aisle with judgments being cast at him.
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