At eleven o’clock Mandi found herself wishing she wasn’t going home to a dark and empty place. When had that happened? It hadn’t bothered her before. Was it because of Brittney? Or Lane? Probably both. Mentally, she berated herself. She’d have to snap out of it. This was her life.
And it wasn’t changing any time soon. Even when she left for California, she’d probably still be living on her own. Certainly not in a dorm. Those days were long past. She supposed she could look for a roommate. She’d have to give that some thought.
Inside the trailer, she wandered to the bedroom and changed clothes. Then, feeling vaguely lost, she opened her computer rather than going straight to bed. She looked at some news sites for a few minutes, then opened her email. And gasped.
Already there was a response from one of the agencies. She opened the message and scanned the lines. Her chest fluttered. Oh, my God. They were interested. They wanted to talk to her. Please let them know the most convenient time to reach her. Mandi heaved a sigh. There wasn’t a good time. It’d have to be between her shifts, or on the weekend. When Lane wouldn’t be around. Would they work on Sunday afternoons? Doubtful.
Her hands shook as she hit the reply button. She listed the times and answered a few other questions, then, swallowing past the lump in her throat, she hit send.
**
Mandi stared at the stack of jobs in her office Thursday morning, and realized her to-do list was out of control. She’d never had so much going on. Heck, she’d never had a to-do list. Could she take on the trailer park? Did she want to? She couldn’t imagine when she’d even have time to talk to Maria, let alone anyone else. And by Saturday? Chances were slim. She slumped into her chair. Maybe Lane was right. She should concentrate on the things she could control. With that in mind, she listened to her voice messages and turned her attention to the self-defense class, deliberately avoiding the papers stacked beside her computer. Those could wait. After all, Joe had said the project had top priority.
By noon, she’d spoken to representatives of two self-defense programs, and picked the one she liked best. The guy sounded intelligent, and he knew about Brittney. Bonus points for that. She coordinated a date with the police department, then sent a quick message to Joe with the details.
Joe showed up at her office later that afternoon.
“Wow,” he said. “You sure know how to get things done. Can’t believe you’ve nailed this down already.”
Mandi shrugged, but appreciated the compliment. It was nice to have a bit more interaction with her boss. “It came together pretty easily.”
“Friday afternoon works. You can leave early next Thursday and pick up the pepper spray. And order some sub sandwiches or something for lunch. Get an exact amount, and I’ll cut a check, okay?”
Unexpectedly, tears pricked Mandi’s eyes. He was certainly being generous. Too bad it had taken such a terrible circumstance to bring them all closer.
“Sure,” she whispered.
“Guess they still haven’t found the guy,” Joe said, lingering in the doorway.
Mandi shook her head. She was well aware. She figured the guy wasn’t stupid enough to still be hanging around the area. Surely he’d hit the road. She was convinced he had, but wouldn’t rest easy until the bastard was locked up.
At least the class was set, and she could check that off her list soon. Next up – Lane’s town meeting.
Mandi left DataPlus at five sharp. With any luck, Maria would be home and Mandi could talk to her before she headed to Jimmy’s. She knocked on Maria’s door and heard rustling inside. When the door opened, Danielle peeked out.
“Hi there, sweetie. Is your mama home?”
Maria came up behind her daughter. “Hey, Mandi. How’s it going?”
“Okay. Do you have a minute?”
“Sure.” Maria backed up and held the door open. “Come on in. Want a Coke or something?”
“No. I’m good, thanks.” She sank into a chair at the table.
“So what’s up?”
“You’ve heard about this redevelopment project, right?”
Maria pushed the hair back from her face. “Yeah. Some. But I don’t know much about it.”
“Well, listen to this, Boyd is looking to sell The Meadows.”
Maria’s eyes went wide. “Are you serious?”
Mandi nodded. “Yeah.”
Maria sagged against the kitchen counter. “Great. That’s all we need. Pete’s pay is probably going to be cut, even if he gets to keep his job, and they’re raising the rates on health insurance again.” She shook her head, and Mandi saw the bright tears well in her eyes. “We just cannot get ahead. It’s one thing after another.”
Mandi got up and patted Maria’s back. “I know. Listen, one of the guys putting together a proposal is having a town meeting to get input from people on Saturday. Can you come with me? We need to let them know we want this to stay affordable housing.”
Maria gave a weak smile. “Oh, Mandi. Sure, I can come, but it isn’t going to matter. If there’s money to be made, they’ll do whatever they damn well please. And who has the time or energy to fight them?”
Maria’s question played over and over in Mandi’s head all night while she worked. Did she have the time or the energy? And did she want to get involved? She preferred to fade into the background and not draw attention to herself. But Lane had told her she should be a spokesperson for the community, and Joe said the girls at work thought of her as a leader. Could she organize some kind of protest or citizen’s group to campaign for The Meadows? What would Lane say? Mandi wasn’t sure whether she’d be working with him or against him. And like he said, she was getting the hell out of there next year. Was it worth the effort?
Scrubbing hard on the counter with a towel, she thought of the quick tears she’d seen in Maria’s eyes. They had to at least try.
**
Mandi practically shoved Lane out of bed Saturday morning.
“Whoa. Is the bed on fire?” he asked, holding onto her arm.
“Not anymore,” she told him with a light slap on his thigh. “We gotta get a move-on. Don’t you need to get ready for your meeting?”
Lane sat up. “Mandi, it’s at one o’clock. And I’m ready.”
“Well, I’m not. I need to get a few more people to come. People from The Meadows. I wish you’d given me one of those fliers. I could’ve put one up in the laundry room.”
He pulled her back toward him. “It’s not that big of a deal. The meeting is just for me. It’s nothing official.”
“I know. But people need to hear about it.”
With a sigh, Lane forced himself off the bed, but didn’t let go of her. “I’m deeply offended that you’d choose canvassing the trailer park over . . .” he leaned in and planted a firm kiss on her lips. “Me.”
“Hey, it was your idea.”
“What?” Confused, he watched her slide into her jeans. That was not his idea, for sure.
“Remember? You said I should be a spokesperson.”
“Oh, yeah. Stupid idea.”
She grinned at him, and his heart skipped a beat, but she showed no signs of changing her mind. He started toward the bathroom. “Want me to go with you?” he asked as he slipped past her.
“No. I don’t want anyone to think I’m working with you.”
He stopped short and turned around. “Why not?”
“Lane, Jimmy already thinks you’re trying to weasel information out of me. No need to fan the flames.”
“Right. Well, let’s at least grab something to eat first.”
“Deal.”
An hour later, Mandi began knocking on doors within The Meadows, starting with people she knew. There weren’t that many. She’d kept a low profile since Aaron had left. The fewer people who knew she lived there alone, the better. As she suspected, most people knew nothing of the meeting, and had heard only bits and pieces about the possibility of redevelopment in the area. People were just too busy to pay attention. And people like Boyd would let them think everything was fine until it was too late. At twelve forty-five Mandi, Maria and an older woman named Rhoda piled into Mandi’s car. She pulled into the parking lot at the Methodist church, surprised to find a good twenty cars there. Lane would be pleased.
Would he? It occurred to her that Lane might not want a bunch of people from The Meadows showing up. She chewed her lip a moment, thinking. He hadn’t really wanted her to leave this morning. But then, he’d offered to go with her. He wouldn’t have done that if he didn’t want people to know. Well, whatever. They were there, and they had just as much right to express their opinions as anyone else.
The crowd inside presented a bigger surprise. Lane stood at the front of the chapel, almost surrounded by people, hands on his hips, and concentration in his face, obviously listening to what the people were saying. Jimmy sat in the first pew, and Robert Boyd sat on the other side. Boyd hauled himself out of the pew when he saw Mandi.
Conscious of many sets of eyes on them, Mandi stopped. She hadn’t expected to see him. Would he hint that he wanted to sell The Meadows? Make it public?
Boyd extended his hand. “Hello, Mrs. Richardson. How are you doing?”
Mandi absorbed the jolt from hearing that name. Ugh. Even when she was married, she’d hated being called Mrs. Richardson. Like salt in a wound, it stung, always reminding her that she’d married too young, tied herself to a man she didn’t love. She’d reverted to her maiden name as soon as Aaron walked out the door. Still, she didn’t bother to correct Boyd. That’s how he knew her. His presence was a lucky break. He’d see that the residents were willing to stand up for their homes.
She didn’t figure he’d care about the individual people who could be displaced, but she knew he’d be concerned about her involvement. Like she’d told Lane, Bobby Boyd had gotten off easy. He owed her, and he knew it.
She offered a polite smile and shook Boyd’s puffy hand. “Fine, thank you.” She turned to her companions. “Do you know Maria and Rhoda?”
Boyd started to shake his head when Rhoda spoke up, her voice hard. “We’ve spoken on the phone. Rhoda McMillen.”
He gave a nervous smile then, and nodded. “Sure, sure. Nice to meet you.”
“Well, we’d better find a seat,” Mandi said. As they slid into the pew, Mandi gave a wave to Jimmy, whose red face looked anything but pleased. She hoped he wouldn’t cause a scene.
No such luck. Lane gave the crowd his usual easy smile, and introduced himself then gave some background on the city’s request for proposals. Then, as soon as he offered to take questions, Jimmy shot out of his seat.
“Why isn’t anyone from the city here?” he demanded.
Lane shook his head. “I’m just here as one of the people submitting a proposal. Trying to get some input before I propose anything. The city won’t hold public hearings until later in the process.”
“So it doesn’t matter what we say here?”
“Only to me at this point, Mr. Harris. I have no idea whether other firms will have similar meetings or not. Is there a concern or suggestion you’d like to discuss?”
“Damn right. I want it known and on the table that my place is not for sale, and I don’t want to see the city hand tax incentives to rich developers who are gonna come in here and jack up property values then leave a bunch of vacant buildings to rot.”
Several people in the crowd murmured their agreement.
Lane nodded. “I totally understand your concern. And when I submit my plan, you can be sure your place will be in it. I’m sorry I can’t speak to the tax issue. That’s something the city council will have to address.”
Mandi slowly let out her breath, proud of Lane for answering in a calm, matter-of-fact manner and not letting Jimmy rile him. With a flutter in her chest, she checked herself. She was proud of Lane Whitmore? God, she was in serious danger of getting sappy. Or worse.
She wiped her clammy hands on her jeans, then leaned over and whispered to her companions. “You ready?” They both nodded, and at the next lull in the questions, when Mandi stood up, Maria and Rhoda stood with her.
Mandi raised her hand, and Lane gestured toward her. “Miss Evans.”
She cleared her throat, hoping her voice wouldn’t crack. “I’d just like to say, on behalf of the residents of The Meadows mobile home park, that we support improvements in the community, but not at the expense of affordable housing.” She glanced at Boyd before continuing. “And we hope that any redevelopment plan would keep The Meadows intact. Those are our homes. Thank you.”
Maria and Rhoda nodded their agreement. When they sat down, Mandi kept her eyes on Boyd as he spoke to the man next to him. A potential buyer or partner? Mandi wondered.
Another man jumped up. “That’s right,” he said, his voice loud and gruff. “You tell the city that Northtown’s not for sale.”
Hearty applause broke out, and others began to holler over each other without any order. And Mandi had an uneasy inkling that things could get out of control – and that Lane could possibly be in danger if crowd mentality kicked in. These people didn’t have the breeding and refinement that Lane had. Not knowing what else to do, she fished her cell phone out of her purse. She wanted it handy, just in case. Twisting her hands in her lap, she watched the scene play out.
Lane let the men vent for a few minutes, then stood, his stance relaxed, yet confident. He gestured for everyone to sit down. “Folks, it sounds to me like we’re all on the same page here. Let me reiterate, I can’t speak for the city, but what I’m hearing is housing and services first, and new commerce on down the list.”
“Damn right,” someone shouted, and applause broke out again.
Mandi breathed a sigh of relief. Lane had managed to turn things around, and this time, they were clapping for him. She couldn’t help it – pride swelled inside her again.
After about an hour, the meeting wound down. Lane thanked everyone for coming, but offered to hang around and answer any more questions. Mandi lingered near the door, unsure whether to wait or go. She didn’t particularly want Jimmy to see her with Lane, but she hated leaving him there without a friendly face. Though he’d obviously won people over. On impulse she decided to speak to Boyd.
She stepped toward him as he made his way down the aisle. “Mr. Boyd, we were wondering . . . Do you see any potential changes to The Meadows? Do you have any plans to redevelop?”
Boyd gave a quick smile and curled his hand around Mandi’s.
“Not at all. It’s business as usual unless the city decides to mess with us. Now, you ladies don’t need to worry.”
With that, he turned and hurried toward the door. Mandi’s blood boiled. What a fat liar. At least now she knew for sure. Robert Boyd was not to be trusted. With a glance back at Lane, Mandi let Maria propel her out the door. Less than ten minutes later, her cell phone chimed with a text message from Lane.
“Heading your way.”
**
She was waiting at the door when he arrived.
He stepped inside and pulled her into his arms.
“Oh, my gosh, you were awesome,” Mandi said into his neck.
“Mmmm,” Lane chuckled. “Say that again.”
Mandi pulled back, but her smile was quickly covered with his lips.
“You were awesome,” she whispered.
His arms tightened as the kiss deepened. “Do you have to go to work?” he asked.
“Unfortunately,” she said, her fingers working the buttons of his shirt as she walked backwards down the narrow hallway to her bedroom.
“Damn. I never did get to take you out on a proper date,” he said, pulling her down with him onto the bed.
Mandi stopped cold as his words sunk in. Never did. Past tense. Couldn’t he still? Her brain processed the information, but her heart rebelled against it. She understood. The meeting today was the end – the culmination of his research. It was time for him to go.
“Mandi?” Lane sat up and stared at her.
She blinked to keep the tears at bay. Stupid, stupid. She should’ve been prepared for this. When she’d calculated his time, she hadn’t included time for him to go back and actually draw up his proposal.
“What’s wrong?”
“So you’re leaving tomorrow?”
He let out a heavy sigh and hauled her onto his chest, making it difficult for her to avoid his eyes.
Lane pushed the hair back from her face and shot her a half-cocked smile. “Unless you want to go on a date.”
Her heart slammed against her chest, and she couldn’t help but give a breathless laugh. She didn’t care if it made her a zombie Monday morning. She wanted another night, and that meant going out on Sunday. She twined her arms around his neck. “Yes. I do.”
**
On Sunday afternoon, Mandi chewed her fingernails, hardly listening to Lane. She had to get him out of there fast. Before the people from the agency called.
“Okay, that sounds good,” she said. “I’ll see you then.” She moved toward the door. “I better get started on my assignment now.”
He leaned in and planted a kiss on her lips. And sensed that she wasn’t responding.
“You all right?” he asked.
She nodded, forcing a smile. “Sure. Just want to get that out of the way before tonight.”
“Okay. I’ll pick you up around six-thirty.”
With a little wave, she closed and locked the door, then dashed to her purse for her phone. Five minutes later, she jumped when it chimed in her hand. Sitting up straight, she took a deep breath and answered the call.
“Hello, is this Mandi?” a woman’s voice inquired.
Mandi tried to speak calmly in spite of the flutters in her stomach. “Yes. Is this Susan?”
“Yes. I’ve looked at your application, and you seem like a potential candidate. I don’t think we’d have any trouble matching you with one of our couples if you complete the screening process. I’d love to set up an appointment for you to come in and visit with our group.”
“Group?” Mandi echoed.
“Yes. At first, you’ll meet with me and a client coordinator. Later on, you’ll speak with an attorney and doctors for screening, of course. You’re located in the Dallas area, correct?”
Mandi’s heart raced. How did people keep this a secret if they had to have phone calls and meetings plus take time off from work for the procedures? That could be a challenge for her. She’d have to make up some excuses for taking off early or coming in late. Maybe it was a good thing Lane was going home tomorrow. Good timing, anyway.
“Miss Evans?”
“Oh, yes. I was looking at my calendar,” Mandi said. The calendar in her head that said work, work and more work.
“Could you come in this week? Say, nine o’clock on Wednesday?”
So soon? Wow. These people didn’t mess around. “Yes, I think that would be all right. How long would you expect it to go?”
“Plan on at least three hours. And remember, we reimburse for time off from work, if necessary.”
“Yes. That’s great.” But three hours didn’t include travel time. She’d better plan on taking off the whole morning.
“Would that give you time to stop by your doctor’s office and sign a release form to give us access to your medical records? They can fax the form to us.”
“Oh, sure. I can do that.” Mandi grabbed a pen. Apparently she’d have to start keeping a calendar.
“Feel free to bring someone with you,” the woman continued, “a friend or family member, anyone who’s supporting you in this.”
A sudden chill swept through Mandi. Is that the way it usually worked? Did most women take someone with them? She squeezed her eyes shut. Would she be rejected because she didn’t have a support network or close friend to encourage her? That’s just the way it was for her. No one needed to hold her hand or encourage her. She’d already made up her mind. She’d be going alone.