“Well, I wouldn’t be if I agreed to such a living arrangement.” Kelly shook her head.
“Okay, what do you suggest?”
“We should at least see if Mrs. Rhyne can come up with something.”
Peter’s smiled widened. “You know, you don’t have to look so outraged at my idea. People rent rooms from one another all the time; people often have roommates, and I wasn’t actually suggesting we share the same room.”
Kelly’s face flushed, and she opened her mouth to speak, when the phone rang. Without thinking she picked it up hoping it was Mrs. Rhyne with a solution.
“Hello?” Kelly asked hopefully.
“Kelly, honey, thank goodness you’ve answered.” Stephen’s voice startled her.
“Stephen?” she said weakly.
“Of course it’s me. Darling, I love you; I need you, please let me just talk to you,” he pleaded and Kelly paused, undecided. “Sweetheart, you know how you always blow things out of proportion and you’re doing it again.” His voice was condescending.
Kelly felt the blood boil up in her cheeks. She slammed down the phone and turned quickly to Peter who was looking at her quizzically.
“I’ll do it.” She held out her hand toward Peter, who grasped it in his warm one.
“You’re sure? You don’t want to run a background check?” Peter gently teased.
She laughed and gestured wryly towards the phone, “Oh no, I’m a great judge of character.”
Chapter Two
The next morning, Kelly awoke to a beautiful sunny day, with a grumpy dark disposition. She groaned as she remembered the previous day’s events. She climbed slowly out of bed, her coppery hair tumbling around her shoulders, and made her way into the kitchen to make coffee.
She sat down at the table next to the big picture window. Outside the trees moved lazily in the gentle sea breeze, and the reflection of the ocean danced merrily on the kitchen ceiling. Obviously, Mother Nature was oblivious to her gloomy situation. What had she been thinking? How could she have been foolish enough to agree to become roommates with a complete stranger? The last thing in the world she needed right now was some unknown man in her home. He was sure to destroy her privacy, and her quiet little mornings would soon be interrupted with Peter Barris in her home. But maybe Mrs. Rhyne would still come through for her she thought, with no hope at all.
The phone rang shrilly causing her to start. She let it ring a while, dreading it was Stephen. Finally she picked it up hoping against hope it wouldn’t be him. She felt ill at the thought of talking to him right now.
“Kelly?” A familiar female voice greeted her.
“Gayle.” Kelly spoke with relief at the sound of Gayle’s hello.
“Kelly, what’s going on? Why aren’t you answering your phone? I tried several times last night.”
“I think I’ve broken it off with Stephen,” Kelly said breathlessly.
“You did what? Well, why? What in the world happened?”
“He canceled lunch with me saying he was sick, and when I went into town, I caught him having an intimate lunch with some strange, beautiful woman.”
“Oh my gosh. In broad daylight? What a louse.” Gayle’s voice was angry. “Has he called you?”
“He’s called alright, but he can’t even seem to come up with a decent lie.”
“You must have really caught him off guard. I’d have bet money he was quicker on his feet with a lie than that.” Gayle’s voice was disapproving.
“There is more to the story. You’re going to think I’ve lost my mind.”
“You didn’t kill anyone, did you?” Gayle’s voice was edged with humor.
“No, nothing that tame.”
“Oh my, well tell me, what have you done?”
“I’ve agreed to live with a perfect stranger,” Kelly said sheepishly.
“You’ve what?” Gayle’s voice went up an octave. “Why would breaking up with Stephen have led you to that?”
“Let us not forget my grand gesture to show Stephen I was truly committed to this relationship. Remember he wanted us to live in his house, and to prove my devotion I had to agree to not keep my cottage as a backup. He said if I hung onto my place that would just prove I didn’t intend on staying in the relationship.”
Gayle gasped, “No, I had forgotten.”
“Well, unfortunately, Mrs. Rhyne’s didn’t forget, and she rented out the cottage. The person who rented it appeared on my doorstep with suitcase in hand yesterday.”
“Oh no, you like your privacy too much to live with someone you don’t know. How about ditching her and come stay with me until her lease is up?” Gayle said earnestly.
“Um… actually this is the part where you will think I’ve lost my mind… it’s a him, not a her.”
“Alright, that’s it. You are definitely coming to live with me now.” Gayle’s voice was firm.
Kelly laughed. “Gayle, you have a one room apartment, one full size sofa bed, which you already sleep on, and absolutely no space. Where would you put me, in the refrigerator?”
“Well, we can work something out. You can’t just let some strange guy into your home; and if you must, you can’t stay there.”
“I know, but I really don’t think I have much choice.”
“This is insane. Well, shouldn’t you at least have him checked out or something?”
“Mrs. Rhyne has checked him out already when he set up the lease, and she assures me he is not an axe murderer. You know how nosey she is, Mrs. Rhyne’s probably knows his shoe size by now.”
“I suppose…” Gayle’s voice trailed off unconvinced.
“Actually, I’m still holding out hope that Mrs. Rhyne will be able to come up with a temporary rental for me until this man’s lease is up. We’re really only talking about three months of cohabitation together, he’s only here a short time. I’m going to see her tomorrow though to see if sharing a house with this man can be avoided completely. You never know, she might just come up with something for me,” she said, as casually as she could manage.
“It’s not likely this time of year, I hate to say.”
“And Stephen might still come up with an actual explanation, right?” Kelly said weakly.
“I doubt it or he would have by now. You’ve had your suspicions before, you just finally have proof.” Gayle’s voice was chiding.
“I know, I know… but after two years, it’s hard to say goodbye.”
“You’re too nice, Kelly. He’s obviously a conniving fink,” Gayle said in an impatient voice.
“Well, stop holding back your feelings, Gayle, and let me know what you really think.” Kelly laughed dryly.
“I’m sorry, but I have told you before, you shouldn’t trust him. He is just not right for you.”
“Well, it looks like you may be getting your wish after all. I had better get moving. I need to get this place in order. Whether I stay here or not, I can’t let some poor stranger see my house in this messy condition.” Kelly smiled.
After they hung up, she spent the afternoon sorting and cleaning the remaining items she hadn’t packed, getting an early start on preparing for her unwelcome roommate. She didn’t unpack her boxes though, still holding out hope that Mrs. Rhyne would find her somewhere to live temporarily. Keeping busy helped push the painful thoughts of Stephen from her mind, and by evening, she’d cleared out the second bedroom and was forced to stop and eat some dinner. She could barely choke down salad and tuna; her eyes catching sight of the phone she’d kept off the hook all day. She felt dread at the thought of calling her family, but she knew it had to be done.
She’d barely hung up the receiver to make that depressing call, when it rang beneath her fingers. “Hello?” She said cautiously. Please, not Stephen she pleaded silently.
“Kelly, what are you thinking?” Her mother’s worried voice came over the line. “Stephen called me this morning so upset and saying you’ve called things off.”
“Stephen called you?” It to
ok discipline not giving way to the outrage she felt at hearing this.
“Well yes, darling, we’re the only family Stevie has. I’m glad someone called us.” She added a little chidingly.
“You’re the only family I have too.”
“You know what I mean. Stephen is like the son I never had, remember? And Kelly, not to even talk to him, isn’t that just simply cruel?”
Kelly rolled her eyes “Mother, I did let him try to explain it to me, and he just stumbled over himself making noises.”
Her mother’s voice sounded calm. Too calm. “He said you’d had a misunderstanding”
“A misunderstanding?” Kelly screeched, “Mother, I caught him having breakfast with a woman, a beautiful woman. This was after he’d cancelled breakfast with me because of the flu. She even kissed his hand.”
Her mother’s reaction was maddeningly reasonable, “Stevie told me you had overreacted over a cancelled lunch date.”
“Wait a second,” Kelly said incredulously.
“Stephen explained she was just an old friend who had come to town, and she didn’t know anyone else.”
“Oh, I see; and Stephen being the saint that he is, dragged himself from his sick bed, to play town welcoming committee,” Kelly spat out, “I wonder how welcoming he’d have been if she had acne and a weight problem.”
“Stephen swears he hasn’t spoken to her in years, and I for one believe him.”
“If they barely know each other, why was she kissing his hand?”
“Darling you just can’t—”
Kelly interrupted her mother. “You know what mother, I’ll call you later.” She hung up abruptly, so much for family loyalty, she thought grimly.
Kelly walked into her bedroom and looked towards the picture of Stephen she had placed face down on her dresser. Hiding his picture didn’t help her though when old feelings came welling up for him. Kelly plopped down on the bed remembering some of the good things about Stephen. Not only was he attractive, Stephen was also intelligent, fun, and he really loved a good time. Maybe that’s what she found most enticing about Stephen, his love of life. Her mother always nagged her about working too much, cloistered away in her cottage painting for days on end. Stephen had seen to it that she got out among humans occasionally because he loved to go to expensive restaurants and clubs and stay out into the wee hours. Kelly really was more of a homebody. She liked going out, but not every night, while sometimes she felt Stephen couldn’t seem to find anything enjoyable about staying in.
Kelly heard a gentle knock on the back door, and her heart started pounding, she had an awful feeling she knew exactly who it was. She walked over and looked through the peephole. It was Stephen himself, standing hesitantly outside the door.
“Well, speak of the devil,” Kelly said, giving him a cool stare as she opened the door.
“Kelly, we need to talk, you can’t just keep hanging up on me.” His blue eyes were pleading, “Honey, may I come in?”
Kelly paused, she knew Stephen was right up to a point. Maybe he would finally come up with an actual explanation.
“Alright, come in… if you dare.” She added sarcastically. “But let me warn you, I’m tired and in no mood for games.”
Stephen flashed his white teeth in a charming smile she knew only too well. “Thank you, honey.”
“Stop calling me that,” Kelly snapped.
“Kelly, I’ve spoken with your family, and they agree you’re over reacting,” Stephen said calmly.
“Really, am I being a temperamental artist?” Kelly gave him a stony stare. “Let me hear your story, and I hope it’s better than the one you gave my mother.”
Stephen reddened. “Kelly, I swear to you every word I said is true.” He moved forward to take her hand, which she snatched away.
“Darling, she’s and an old friend from when I lived in London; she was alone in town, Bill gave her my number when she mentioned she would be in the area, it really is that simple.”
Kelly gave a dry laugh, “You canceled lunch with me, but an old friend calls, and you bound from your sick bed?”
Stephen’s color changed. “Kelly, after we cancelled our lunch I started feeling better, so when Constance called I agreed to meet her, and then I tried to call you so you could join us. You didn’t answer.”
Kelly opened her mouth and then hesitated. She’d left the cottage right after speaking to Stephen, driving into town to do a little grocery shopping. She’d been surprised to see his car parked outside the restaurant when she’d driven by and had turned around to see what was up. Maybe she did have an overly suspicious mind to begin with. What if she truly was blowing this all out of proportion? She glanced up at him with a hint of uncertainty.
Stephen seemed to read her hesitation, seizing the opportunity he moved towards her, “You see Kelly, you really were just over-reacting.”
“Wait a minute, what about her kissing your hand?” Her eyes narrowed suspiciously at him.
“This is why I had trouble explaining it on the phone.” He raked a hand through his blonde hair. “She was flirting with me, I’ll admit that. But, I was trying to explain to her that I had a girlfriend, when you came in, and everything got so out of hand.”
“You didn’t look like you were explaining anything you looked like you were just eating up the attention.”
He flushed. “Well I was flattered, I have an ego like any guy. But I was just trying to let her down easy, you know, her being a friend and all.”
Kelly stood motionless, her thoughts in turmoil. Could she have been wrong, had she made a horrible mistake? She looked up into Stephen’s smoky blue eyes and felt herself being drawn in. Was it that simple, all the pain could be over so easily? Everything was really all right after all?
Part of her wanted that more than anything; she was in love with Stephen, right? Shouldn’t she be able to trust him? It wasn’t inconceivable that his story could be true. But another part of her was uneasy at the prospect of this too-easy reconciliation. Kelly was used to trusting her instincts, and they were telling her there was more to this than Stephen’s simple explanation would have her believe.
She couldn’t quite forget that look between Stephen and the strange brunette, or the kiss on his palm. That day in the restaurant there had been an intimacy between them that Platonic friends just would not share. If she hadn’t known better, she’d have said they were lovers, and not just in the past.
Resting her head on Stephen’s strong shoulder Kelly smelled his familiar cologne. It would be so easy to give in, to accept his story and then everything would be ok again. She wouldn’t have to wake up depressed every morning, feeling like she would always be alone. It would go back to the way they had been before; neat and tidy just how she liked it. But something just didn’t feel right, she couldn’t explain it.
Kelly gave a deep sigh. “I can’t do it,” she said at last, quietly. “It would be so simple, but I just can’t.”
“What?”
“I don’t trust you.” Teary-eyed, she looked up at Stephen.
Stephen stiffened in disbelief. “You can’t be serious.” His eyes searched hers.
She dropped her gaze. “I… I’m sorry, I am serious… I love you, at least I think I love you; but, Stephen, I don’t believe you. I want to believe you, but I just can’t and I’d be lying if I said I did.”
Stephen let go of her abruptly. “This is ridiculous.” He put his hands around her slim waist. “I won’t let you do this; you can’t just end it like this, I need you.”
“Stephen, don’t push me right now.”
His eyes searched Kelly’s white face, but what he read there warned him to back off.
“Alright, well we don’t have to move in together, but you have to let me show you I’m the man you think I am, or at least the man you used to think I was.” He pouted.
Kelly felt his warm hands on her skin, and wanted it all to just be okay, but something inside just wouldn’t let her give in completely.
“I will probably regret this, but I suppose we can take it very slowly. But I am having trouble getting the picture of you sitting there with her kissing your hand out of my head.” A frown touched her brow.
Stephen slumped in obvious relief. “Thank you, darling.” He nuzzled her neck. “You won’t regret this, I promise. You’ll soon see this is all just pre-living together jitters.”
Kelly didn’t think that seemed likely, but her mind was a haze. Stephen reached down and kissed her lips softly, questioningly, and Kelly stiffened and said quietly, “You’d better go.”
He hesitated then thought better of it. “Okay, whatever you say.” He straightened and moved to the door. “I’ll call you tomorrow. I love you.”
Kelly stared down at her clasped hands and responded mechanically, “I love you too.”
He left and drove away down the dirt drive, his red taillights flickering in the night. Kelly walked into her bedroom and plopped face down on her bed, wondering if she’d solved anything or made things more complicated. She was exhausted with thinking about all of this, and her eyes ached with tiredness. Telling herself that everything would look better in the morning she drifted off the sleep.
****
Kelly woke up the next day with a stiff neck, her clothes crumpled from sleep. She jumped in the shower and tried to rinse off her feeling of gloom.
She decided to put off canceling the movers, keeping her fingers crossed that Mrs. Rhyne’s would still come through for her.
After a light breakfast, she stopped in at Mrs. Rhyne's Realty office in town, and as she entered the quiet office Mrs. Rhyne stood up and pulled off her black horn-rimmed glasses, scrutinizing Kelly’s face.
“Hello dear, how are you?” She asked in a sympathetic tone.
“I’m fine, Mrs. Rhyne, really.” Kelly smiled and sat down in the offered chair. “Some things came up, and Stephen and I thought it best to put off moving in together for now.”
Mrs. Rhyne nodded knowingly. “Of course, dear, a girl can only put up with so much.”
The Art of Hiding Page 2