“Connor, where the hell are you and Nicole?” Paul’s voice barked through the cell phone. “I’m swamped up here. You two took one hell of a time to walk out of the office.”
“I’m sorry, brother, I’ve been having a therapy session with Nicole. She’s a good listener.”
“What do you mean?”
“I was finally able to let some of my repressed feelings about Sue Ann and the children out. Nicole has been wonderful.”
“Do you mean you told Nicole about the accident?”
“Yes. I told her everything. About the drinking. About missing the funeral. About the fight I had with Sue Ann. I told her everything and she still wants to be my friend.”
Conner could almost feel Paul’s whole mood change. “Well, in that case, forget I called. Take the rest of the afternoon off and tell Nicole I love her for this. Anyone able to help you unburden yourself is top notch with me and I know Mom and Dad are going to be thrilled. It’s something you’ve needed to do for a long time.”
“She’s a great person, Paul.” He grinned and added, “I didn’t know what a gem I was getting when I gave her a job at our company.”
“Whoa. I think my brother is finally on the road to recovery.” Paul laughed. “I’ll explain to Elsie why you’re not taking her to dinner.”
“Was I supposed to?”
“She thought so, but like Friday night and all the others, I’m sure you knew nothing about it. Keep doing whatever you’re doing and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Connor flipped the phone closed and turned the breakfast bar stool so he could see Nicole in the kitchen. “Find anything you want to cook?”
She looked around the refrigerator at him. “You don’t have many groceries. So far I’ve found a couple of eggs, three bottles of beer, and a bottle of ketchup.” She closed the door and opened the one to the freezer. “Let’s see if I have better luck here.”
“I told you I’d take you out to eat.”
“No. I said I’d cook and I will. I’m creative. I’ll come up with something.” She moved a few things around in the freezer. “I found some ice cream. At least we have dessert. Aha! Here’s a package of ground meat. I bet I can do something with that.” She set it on the counter. “Where are your canned goods?”
He nodded toward a cabinet and she opened it. “Aha,” she said again. She took out a box of spaghetti and plopped it on the counter before him. “This is what we’ll have.”
“I hate to tell you this, Nicole, but I don’t like spaghetti with plain ground meat on it.” He grinned at her.
“Neither do I, smarty. That’s why you’re going to the store.”
“I am?”
“Yes. I’m going to make you a list.” She looked at him. “There is a store around here somewhere, isn’t there?”
“Of course.”
“Okay. Where’s a scratch pad?”
* * * *
He pointed toward a drawer and Nicole got out a pen and some paper. She made the list and in a few minutes she found herself alone in the kitchen. She searched until she found the pots and decided he needed to buy more cooking utensils. Then she realized he probably did very little cooking. She found an appropriate pan and put the ground meat on to brown. It was three-forty-five.
She picked up the phone and called Lita to explain she wouldn’t be home for dinner. Lita told her that would work out well because she was going with some friends to play bridge at a little bed and breakfast in Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. She even said she might spend the night since her boarder wasn’t coming home to eat. Nicole encouraged her to go and have a good time. She assured Lita she would be fine alone when she got home. She promised she’d lock up tight.
“You be sure and do that, Nicole. After what happened to Dora I don’t want anyone taking chances.”
“I promise you I’ll be very careful.”
Lita then told Nicole about the visit from the police officers.
Nicole shivered as she hung up the phone. Why were they still coming around asking questions about her? Why was anyone asking questions? She remembered what Connor had said about Janice’s call.
Then she thought how useless it was to worry about something she couldn’t change. Grandma always said—Grandma again. For a fleeting instant a picture of a chubby little woman with tightly curled white hair flashed across her mind. It disappeared almost as soon as it appeared. But it was there. Nicole tried her best to conjure it up again, but it was no use. The picture wouldn’t come back.
She didn’t have long to dwell on it because Connor came through the door with two bags of groceries.
She shook the thoughts away and laughed. “I believe you got more than what I put on the list.”
“I did.” He grinned at her and sat the groceries on the counter. “I didn’t realize how much good stuff they have in a supermarket. I usually just run in and grab a few things and come right out.” He started to take items from the bags. “Close your eyes,” he said.
“Why?”
“Please. Just close them. I brought you a surprise.”
Nicole did as he asked. In a few seconds, she felt something fuzzy in her hand. Her eyes popped open and she was looking at a small white bear with a red heart between his paws. Across the heart was the word ‘Friend’ in gold letters. “Oh, Connor. How sweet.” She leaned up and kissed his chin. “Thank you.”
He turned red and moved back to the cabinet. “I got us something else too.”
“What?”
He held out a bunch of mixed fresh flowers. “I thought since it was our first meal here together we needed flowers.”
“They’re beautiful, but where did you have them hidden?”
“Behind one of the grocery bags. That’s why they’re a little mashed.”
She laughed. “Where do you keep your vases?” He looked at her blankly and she added, “Never mind. I’ll find something.”
* * * *
“What do you mean he’s not taking me to dinner?” Elsie’s eyes blazed as she stood in the living room staring at her brother-in-law. “He brushed me off Friday night. Last night I couldn’t catch up with him and now you say he’s not going to take me out tonight. Why is he doing this to me?”
“How much plainer can I be, Elsie? He has other plans.” Paul stared back at her. He laid his briefcase down on an end table and looked at his wife.
“I called him this morning and told him I wanted him to take me to dinner tonight. It’s already Tuesday and the week is going to be gone. How dare he not do what I wanted?”
“Elsie, when are you going to learn you don’t always get everything you want?” Her twin sister asked, backing up her husband.
“That’s not true. I always get what I want, and I intend to keep getting what I want. I won’t have it any other way.”
“I’m afraid this time you’re going to fail if you keep pursuing Connor.” Paul glanced at his wife, and she nodded. “He’s not interested in you, Elsie.”
“That’s ridiculous. Any man I want I can make interested in me and right now I want Connor.”
“Listen to Paul, Elsie. He knows his brother and he says Connor doesn’t want to be with you. That should be enough to make you back off pursuing the man.”
“You two can go to hell!” She grabbed the phone. “I’m calling his cell and I bet in thirty minutes he’ll pull into this driveway and pick me up.” There was a pause then Elsie threw the phone to the sofa. “He’s not answering. It went to voice mail.”
“I don’t like hurting your feelings Elsie, but Paul told me Connor was interested in someone else. I’m afraid you’re too late.”
“No woman on earth would dare compete with me!”
Erline threw up her hands. “I give up, Paul. I can’t reason with her. I’m going to finish dinner.”
“Don’t leave me alone, honey.” Paul took his wife’s hand. After a deep breath, he said, “Elsie, you can keep going after Connor if you want to, but let me assure you, he’s not going to become your fourth husband. He’s told me as much. In fact, he is definitely interested in someone else.”
“Who?”
“He hasn’t said,” Paul said quickly. “And I haven’t asked.”
“Humph. I bet it’s that secretary of yours. Is she the one?”
“I told you he hasn’t said.”
“You didn’t say it wasn’t her.”
“Elsie, I don’t know who it is. I probably haven’t even met the woman. Connor keeps things to himself. Everyone knows that.”
“It’s probably not the secretary. She’s only been there a few weeks. You’ve been after Connor longer than that.” Erline looked at her sister. “Besides, I don’t think he’d be going out with the hired help. If the lady in Connor’s life works, I’m sure she has a classier job than secretary.”
Paul shot his wife a look and dropped her hand. She lowered her head.
“Well, whoever she is, I’m telling you right now, she doesn’t stand a chance. If I want Connor, I’ll have him and that’s that.” She grabbed her purse and stalked out the door.