He stood near the table and leaned against the wall with his thick arms folded across his chest. I couldn’t read anything from his expression. “That sounds great,” he said.
I looked down at the table, embarrassed. This seemed like a good idea before, but now it was awkward. “Well, I brought some other stuff too. Cough drops and cold medicine.” I set the items on the table and then pulled out a heavy purple glass bottle. “My grandpa always said that blackberry brandy was the best remedy for a sore throat. So I brought a bottle, just in case.”
He smiled, his stare planted on my face.
I dropped my eyes and fidgeted with the lid on the soup, but I was far from comfortable. His stare was intense. “What?” I demanded when I couldn’t take it anymore.
He moved from against the wall, came to the table, and picked up the package of cough medicine. “You are amazing. You were just in the hospital; I should be the one bringing you soup.”
“You sent flowers,” I said. “Which were beautiful, by the way. Thank you.”
“Well, thank you for thinking of me, but you didn’t have to do this. I’m not really that sick. It’s just a cold.”
“A cold may not be life threatening, but it could compromise your ability to sing, which would be disastrous in a competition like this.”
He turned his head, but not before I saw a smile. “So you’re okay?” he asked. “I was really worried about you. We all were.”
“I’m fine. I’ve been released to go back to work tomorrow.”
“That’s good. Have you eaten yet?”
I shook my head.
He went to the cabinet and pulled down two bowls. “Then stay and have soup with me.”
With the look he was giving me I couldn’t have said no even if I wanted to.
I dished out the soup, and we sat across from each other at the small table. “You made this?” he asked, scooping up a carrot and a noodle.
“Yeah, it was my mom’s recipe. She always made it for us when we were sick.”
He took a bite, chewed, and swallowed hard. “Wow,” he said, reaching for his glass.
That wasn’t quite the reaction I was expecting. I took a quick bite and immediately spit it back out into the bowl. “Oh my gosh, it’s horrible! Don’t eat it!” I said when he lifted his spoon for another taste.
“It’s not that bad,” he chuckled. “It sure doesn’t need salt, though, does it?”
“I halved the recipe, but I must have used the wrong measuring spoon.” I snatched his bowl and staggered for the sink. I couldn’t move too quickly, walking boot and all. “I’m so sorry, this is awful!”
“Hey, I was going to eat that!” he protested as I dumped the contents of the bowl.
“Well, now you’re not!”
His eyes settled on the container I’d brought. It was sitting on the counter next to me and still half filled with soup. He jumped up for it, but somehow I got it first.
“Don’t waste it!” he said, reaching around me.
I picked up the sink sprayer and aimed it at his chest. “Back off, buddy.”
He backed away, his hands raised in surrender. “You wouldn’t dare. You don’t have it in you.” A challenging grin played on his lips.
“Don’t underestimate what I’m capable of,” I said, reaching with one hand to turn on the water.
He lunged for me. I shrieked and drenched him.
He looked at me for a second, as if he couldn’t believe that I had the audacity to commit such a crime. He then looked down at his shirt, and back up at me again. “You’re really gonna get it now!”
I dropped the sprayer, threw a towel at him, and shuffled for the other side of the table, but I wasn’t nearly quick enough. “No fair, I’m a cripple,” I complained when he pulled me into a bear hug and pressed his chest into me, soaking the back of my shirt.
“And I’m sick,” he retorted, pinning my arms behind my back and wrestling me to the ground.
His body was heavy on top of mine, his breath ragged in my ear. The stubble on his chin felt prickly against my cheek as he held me captive on the floor. Heat radiated off him in waves.
“You’re really hot,” I whispered, wondering if he was feverish. It felt like I was trapped inside a sauna. Not that I minded.
“Thank you.” He flipped me over onto my back, straddled me with his legs, and pinned my arms down above my head. His nose was inches from mine. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
If his body heat wasn’t enough, the heat that rose in my face made me break out into a full-blown sweat.
I faked an injury. “Ow, my leg, get off!”
He immediately let go and jumped to his feet, offering me a hand. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean…”
I laughed and stood up, going to the sink to dump the rest of the soup.
His incredulous expression made me laugh. “You fight dirty,” he said.
“A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.” I flipped on the garbage disposal. Its loud roar vibrated through the room. “Besides, you’re bigger than me. I had to do something. I couldn’t just let you win.”
“Let me?”
I laughed and sat back down at the table. “Well, now what?”
“I’ll call for room service. They usually have a good selection.”
Chicken Noodle just happened to be the soup of the day, and it was only minutes before it was delivered to the room. “This is so much better,” I said after the first bite.
“It needs salt,” he said, biting back a grin.
“My mom was a really good cook. She used to make everything from scratch.”
“You must have been a good student,” he teased.
“Hey! I can cook.”
He raised a doubtful eyebrow. “Really?”
I glared at him from across the table. “Oh, it’s on. You’ll see. I’m great in the kitchen.”
He gave me a long look before getting up and going to the cabinet. “Okay, it’s a date then. Just let me know when and where, and I’ll be there.” He grabbed two small glasses, twisted the cap off the bottle of brandy I’d brought, and poured a splash into each cup. “To good health!” He raised his glass.
“Cheers to that!” I clanked my glass against his. I then swallowed a mouthful and made a face as it burned my insides. He laughed and was about to pour more into my cup, but I held my hand up to stop him. “Not too much, I have to work tomorrow. I’m also still on pain pills, you know.”
He glanced down at my foot. “How is it feeling?”
“It’s alright.” It actually hurt like hell, but I wasn’t about to tell him that.
“I stopped by Saturday afternoon, but Emily said you were sleeping. Good drugs?”
“I guess. I slept like a baby all weekend.”
“You must have needed it.”
His brown eyes burned into my blue, and I had to force myself to look away. “I’m so bummed, though. I lost one of the earrings I was wearing at the party. They were my Grams’s, and I’m just sick about losing it. The crazy thing is I never wear them! They just looked so nice with the dress. Emily said I only had one when I got to the hospital. The other must have fallen off somewhere at the Plaza.”
“That’s too bad.” He swirled his brandy around in the glass before taking a sip.
After we finished eating, I washed out our bowls. He grabbed a dishtowel, dried them, and put them in the cupboard. The routine felt very natural. Just as he put the last spoon away, someone knocked on the door.
“Chris! You poor thing, are you feeling okay? Do you need anything?” Cynthia’s shrill voice filled the room as he pulled open the door.
“Hi,” he said. His tone was amusing; he sounded annoyed. “I have company, so I’ll have to talk to you later.” He started to push the door closed, but she stepped in past him. Her eyes grew wide when she saw me. Definitely not what she was expecting.
“Allison, right?” She looked me up and down.
“Hi, Cynthia. How are you?” I dr
opped down into a kitchen chair.
Chris watched her take the seat next to me before closing the door. He didn’t look too thrilled.
“I’m fabulous,” she said. “But what in the world are you doing here?” She made no effort to hide her surprise. I decided that I didn’t want to stick around for the abuse.
“I was just leaving, actually.” I started to stand, but Chris was instantly behind me, pressing his heavy hands on my shoulders. I had no choice but to sit back down.
“Actually, Allie and I just finished dinner and were getting ready to play a video game.”
We both looked at him in surprise.
“Oh?” Cynthia glared at me. “Sounds like a blast. What are we playing?” She looked up at Chris and flashed him a dazzling smile.
“Sorry, Cyn.” He didn’t sound the least bit apologetic. “I only have two controllers.”
She didn’t budge from her seat. “I’m sure Allison wouldn’t mind sitting out one or two games, would you?”
I’d had enough of the tension. They had a history, and I didn’t want to get in the middle or cause problems. Not to mention my own sense of dignity. “Really, Chris. It’s okay.” I picked up my scarf and wound it around my neck. “Just feel better.”
Cynthia was smug with satisfaction, but Chris frowned. “No. I want you to stay.” He opened the door and gestured towards the hallway. “I’ll see you later, Cynthia.”
She hesitated for a few seconds, glared at me, and then got up. Before he could shut the door, she whispered, loudly enough for me to hear, “I’ll stop by later tonight, okay honey?”
Chris slammed the door hard enough that the walls vibrated.
He sat down on his couch and picked up the controller to a video game. “You ever play?”
I shook my head. “Nope, never. We weren’t allowed to play them growing up. I never picked up the habit.”
He patted the spot next to him. “Well, then you are missing out. Come on. It’s kinda fun.”
“Chris,” I wavered, “maybe I should go. I don’t want to cause any problems.”
“Problems with what?”
“You and Cynthia.” I glanced at the door. “She really wanted to be here. She probably hates me now.” Actually, I was sure there was no ‘probably’ about it. She had me marked ever since Maury’s.
He laughed. “Join the club. She hates everyone.”
“She certainly doesn’t hate you.”
He shook his head. “Don’t worry about her. Come on, I’ll show you how to play.”
I couldn’t resist any longer. He showed me how to properly hold the controller, explained what the colored buttons did, and broke down the objectives.
He laughed when I ran my little man right off the first cliff. “Here,” I sighed, surrendering the controller. “I guess you’re the pro.”
“We can both play, I have two.” He plugged in a second handset and reset the game.
“So what’s the story with you and the missus?” I asked.
“Who?”
I laughed. “You know, you and Cynthia.”
He raised his eyebrows. “She is not ‘the missus’. Why would you think that?”
“Come on, you two are always together. She’s very talented, not to mention drop-dead gorgeous. You’d make a great couple.”
Chris was laughing. He sat back against the couch cushions and rubbed a hand over his head. Little crinkles folded at the corners of his eyes. “You’re funny! We’re only together because of the show. Once you get past the make-up she’s actually really scary.”
That didn’t surprise me. “I heard you used to go out.”
“I try to have as little to do with her as possible,” he said. “We went out once, during the first week of the show, and it was a disaster. She just can’t seem to get it through her thick head that I’m not interested.” He pulled his stare away from the TV and studied my face. “Why, are you interested?”
“She’s not really my type.”
He looked at me a second longer and then laughed even harder.
Staring at the TV for so long had made my eyes burn. I blinked hard and looked at my watch. “I better go.”
“Already?”
“I have to work in the morning. You should get some rest too, you know.”
He frowned and turned the TV off.
I went to the kitchenette to get my things, but he beat me to the door.
“This was fun,” he said in a throaty voice. “You should come over again sometime.” He stood with his back against the door, blocking my way out.
The mood in the room suddenly darkened. The air was thick with tension. I wasn’t scared of him in the least, but my thinning resolve to stay detached was terrifying. Chris seemed to be battling his own internal struggle.
Gathering my composure, I stepped forward so that I was just inches from him. With my head down, I whispered, “Goodnight, Chris.”
He snapped out of his daze and opened the door. “Goodnight, Allison.”
Chapter 12
I was more than ready to go back to work. Aside from the obvious limp my walking boot created and the occasional sharp pain in my side if I moved the wrong way, my accident was all but forgotten.
Sam and Melody were there to greet me first thing. “Miss Banks! You’re back!” Melody said, reaching out for a hug.
“I am! How are you?” I awkwardly returned her embrace, doing my best not to drop my books. “Did you finish your essay?”
Sam’s eyes were bright. His lips twisted into a crooked smile. “Aww, Miss Banks! We were too worried about you to do our homework.”
“Vacation’s over,” I laughed, pulling some papers from my tote. “Time to get serious again. I can’t let you go back to your regular schools knowing how far behind we’ve gotten.”
“Not likely,” he said. “You work us harder than any teacher I’ve ever had. Besides, it’s only been a couple days. It’s not like we’re that behind. And what makes you think we’re going back anytime soon? There’s still loads of time before the finale.”
I looked at him seriously. The thought of him or Melody leaving made me want to cry. “You know I’d love it if the two of you made it all the way. But we have to stay prepared. I’d say it’s safe to bet that neither of you are caught up on your math.”
I took his sigh and roll of the eyes as a confirmation that I was right.
After dismissing the kids, I sat at my desk and read through their essays. I was half-way through Melody’s when my cell rang. It was Emily.
“Hi Em, what’s up?”
“Allie, you love me, right?”
I knew from her tone this wasn’t going to be good. I put down my red pen and sat back in my chair. “What do you want?”
“Will you go out with me tomorrow night?”
I replayed her question in my mind, trying to make sense out of it. “Will I do what?”
“Will you go on a double date with me?” She paused. “Remember John, from the club?” Who could forget Mr. Grab Ass? “He wants to take me out, but his brother Matthew is in town, so we need someone else. Will you go?”
My first and only impression of John hadn’t been all that good, and I couldn’t imagine that his brother would be much better. “Aw, Emily, I don’t think so. I just got back to work. I’m really behind, and my leg still hurts.” I decided that playing the sympathy card was my best option.
“Allie, please!” she begged. “I don’t ask much of you, and this would mean so much to me.”
She knew how to work me over, but I held strong and again declined. She kept pressing. “Fine!” I snapped when I ran out of excuses. “But if you think…”
She cut me off. “Thanks, Allie! We’ll meet them at Chubby’s, seven tomorrow, okay? Bye!” She hung up before I could voice another protest.
What was Emily thinking, going out with this guy? He seemed like a complete sleaze ball at the club. I mulled it over for awhile. Maybe it was a good thing I was going. Emily didn’t alw
ays make the best choices when it came to guys, which is exactly how Molly came to exist. I wouldn’t trade my niece for anything, but I certainly didn’t want another one at this point in time.
I was stewing at my desk when Jake poked his head around the doorjamb. “Hey, there’s my gal! How’s the leg?”
“It’s great.”
He slid a chair next to my desk. “I’m glad you’re okay. You scared me.”
“Sorry. It wasn’t any picnic for me, either. Thank you, by the way. I appreciate the flowers and everything else you’ve done.”
He shuffled around in his chair. “You don’t look too happy. What’s bugging you?”
Jake excelled at reading my moods, and as I watched him look at me, so full of concern, an idea came to mind. “I have no right to ask, but can you do something else for me?”
“Absolutely.”
His swift response caught me off guard. “What? You don’t even know...”
Again, he didn’t let me finish. “Don’t you know by now that I can’t tell you no? So whatever it was that you were going to ask, my answer is yes.” He leaned back in his chair and kicked his feet up on the corner of my desk. “So, where are we going?”
It took me a second to catch up. “Jake! No! It’s not like that. Emily’s making me go on a double date.” I explained the details. “I’m afraid this guy might be trouble, so if you aren’t too busy, I was wondering if you’d be willing to be there, just in case.”
A playful grin spread across his face. “You want me to be your chaperone?”
“Oh, forget it. It sounds silly when you put it that way.”
“Oh no, you can’t change your mind now. I wouldn’t miss this. Where’re we going? Hopefully a steakhouse, I’ve been hungry for a big, juicy T-bone.”
“Do you know a place called Chubbys?”
Now it was his turn to be caught off guard. “You mean that crappy karaoke bar down on second?”
I smirked. “Yeah, that’s the one. You ever been in there?” The name itself was a proper indication of the type of place it was.
“Once, awhile back, with a few guys from work, but man!” He shook his head. “I wouldn’t dream of taking a woman in there. Seriously? That’s where these guys are meeting you?”
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