Elizabeth's Choice

by Lyle, Linda;

  “Where’s Jeff?”

  “He’s in the kitchen pretending he’s a master chef.”

  “Did I just hear my name being maligned?” Jeff stood in the doorway, his broad shoulders leaving little space, his blue eyes dancing. He came over and gave Elizabeth a bear hug.

  “Hey, honey.” Elizabeth returned.

  “Watch who you’re calling honey,” Hope scolded, but her eyes smiled.

  “Well, I feel like he’s our fourth roommate. He did everything but sleep at our apartment. Couldn’t get rid of the guy.” Elizabeth playfully punched Jeff in the arm.

  Jeff put his arm around her shoulders. “That’s right, and I reserve the right to call her pumpkin.” He rumpled Elizabeth’s hair.

  “Watch it or I’ll pumpkin you. When will Stacey and Bart be here?” Elizabeth asked.

  “They said about six thirty, but knowing those two it will probably be seven. Jeff, why don’t you show her our vacation pictures of Hawaii while I check on dinner.”

  “Okay, darling.”

  “That’s much better.” Hope patted him on the head and returned to the kitchen. Elizabeth flipped through pictures of Jeff and Hope snorkeling, swimming, sunbathing, and hiking. They were always together, smiling and happy. A knot formed in her throat, and she tried to swallow down the wave of self-pity that threatened to choke her. She was on the verge of a pity party when the doorbell rang. Thankful for the distraction, she closed the album with a snap.

  “I’ll get it,” Jeff yelled. “Look who’s on time for a change. They’re only ten minutes late instead of thirty.”

  “Very funny, Jeff. It was all his fault?” Stacey wagged her finger at Bart.

  “My fault?” Bart put his hands on his hips. “What do you mean, my fault. You’re the one who changed clothes twice and then had to redo your lipstick.”

  “Yeah, but I would have been ready on time if you hadn’t kept asking me where is this and where is that. I spent more time getting you ready than me.”

  “Likely story,” Jeff rang in.

  “Hush now, before you get a fight started,” Hope said, drying her hand on a towel.

  “Too late,” Jeff responded. They all laughed and hugs were swapped all around. There was a general bustle as coats were taken and people settled into chairs. Elizabeth looked around. It was nice to be back with the old gang. It wasn’t very often that she got to relax and be herself. Everyone she had hung around with in law school was married now and busy with their new lives.

  “Hey, when’s dinner?” Jeff said, patting his stomach.

  “Dinner will be served as soon as you set the table,” Hope replied.

  “A man’s work is never done,” Jeff groaned as he started to get out of his recliner.

  “Never mind, I’ll do it,” Elizabeth said as she headed toward the kitchen.

  “Okay,” Jeff said, relaxing quickly into his recliner.

  Elizabeth found Hope already in the kitchen getting out the plates and silverware. Hope smiled when she saw Elizabeth. “So Jeff suckered you into doing his job?” She knew Jeff all too well. Elizabeth reached for the napkins and started setting the places.

  “So, anything new?” Hope asked.

  “You mean, have I met anyone new?” Hope had the grace to look embarrassed. “It’s okay and the answer is yes and no.”

  “What do you mean yes and no? Give it up, girl. I want details.” Hope’s eyes danced with anticipation.

  “Don’t get so excited. It’s nothing. I’ll probably never see him again.”

  “See who again?” Stacey asked from the doorway.

  Elizabeth groaned. “Nothing. It’s nothing. Really.”

  “Did you or did you not go out on a date with a man?” Stacey was in her courtroom stance questioning the witness.

  “Yes, but we only went out once, well twice actually. But it didn’t mean anything.”

  “The witness is contradicting herself. She must be lying. Now, out with the truth before we hold you in contempt of court.” Stacey’s eyes had taken on the look of a hunter closing in on its prey.

  “All right already. I’ll confess.” Elizabeth threw up her hands in mock defeat. “I’ll tell everything I know.”

  “That’s more like it.” Stacey smiled in satisfaction. “I knew I could make her talk. Bart says it’s one of my many talents.”

  “Come on, girl. Tell all.” Hope grabbed her arms and pulled her over to the breakfast nook and Stacey closed the kitchen door.

  “What about dinner? The boys will be getting hungry,” Elizabeth protested.

  “They’ll live. Besides, I’m hungry for information, and Bart knows better than to get in my way when I’m after the truth,” Stacey responded.

  “Okay.” Elizabeth sighed and then told them about lunch with Alex and the dinner party, but she left out the incident in her apartment. Stacey looked satisfied, but Hope gave her that “I know you’re not telling me everything” look.

  “He sounds great. He’s tall, dark, handsome, and rich. What more could you ask for?” Stacey asked.

  “I don’t know. I just feel out of place when I’m around his friends. I’m not used to all that.”

  “Well, you’ll get used to it. I think it sounds fabulous. You get to meet all those important people and eat in expensive restaurants. I bet he would be the kind to buy expensive jewelry.” Stacey was excited.

  “Is that all you think about?” Hope chided. “I guess so. That’s why you married Bart.” They all burst into laughter.

  “Hey, what’s all this? Where’s our dinner?” Bart demanded from the doorway. “He-man heap big hungry.” He beat his chest and let out a Tarzan yell. The girls’ laughter didn’t stop until dinner was served and they paused for prayer.

  Dinner was Hope’s specialty, lasagna with a Caesar’s salad on the side and hot garlic rolls. They ate and joked between mouth fulls. The subject of Alex was dropped until after Stacey and Bart excused themselves later that night.

  “Well, we hate to eat and run, but we need the exercise,” Stacey said as she patted Bart’s slightly protruding stomach. “Seriously, I have a meeting in New York Thursday night and I still have to pack.”

  “I wish you could stay longer,” Hope replied.

  “Me too. We need to do this again, soon. I miss you guys.” Stacey hugged Elizabeth and Hope.

  “Hey, what about me?” Jeff put on his fake hurt look. Stacey laughed and gave him a hug. “That’s better.” After several more good-byes, Hope shut the door and Jeff took his cue.

  “I’ll be upstairs in my office if you need me. I’ve got some figures to go over. See you again soon, Elizabeth.” With a hug and a wave, he bounded up the stairs. It was time for “a talk.”

  “Why don’t we go in the living room and talk?”

  “What about the dishes?” Elizabeth was stalling and Hope knew it.

  “They can wait. Now what’s all this about Alex?” she asked as she sunk into the sofa. Elizabeth joined her.

  “What do you mean? I told you and Stacey all about it in the kitchen.”

  “No you didn’t. You left something out. I can tell. I know you better than anyone.” This was true. Hope had been her only close friend since she came to Baltimore. Elizabeth let out a long breath.

  “I don’t know. It’s just that I’m not sure he’s the kind of guy that I want to date.” She told Hope about that night. “You see I feel so…I don’t know…ashamed since that night.”

  “Why? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

  “That’s what I keep trying to tell myself, but I can’t get away from the feeling that I shouldn’t have gone out with him in the first place.”

  “Well if that’s the way you feel, then don’t see him anymore.”

  “Easier said than done. He sent me flowers and asked me out again. He apologized for the other night. But when I refused to go out with him again, he said that I was going to end up lonely if I didn’t quit running from men. Do you think I’m running away from men?�
�� Elizabeth asked, her face a study in turmoil.

  “I don’t think so, honey, but you’re going to have to decide that for yourself. Pray about it. Ask God for guidance. That’s the best advice I can give you.” Hope patted her hand and gave her a sympathetic smile. “Now let’s not talk about him anymore.”

  True to her word, Hope didn’t mention Alex again. They spent the next hour catching up on the little things going on in their lives. An hour and a half later, Elizabeth found herself passing Cedar Heights Community Church. She automatically thought of Scott McClintock, and she wondered where his house was located. She glanced at the church in her rearview mirror, and she remembered Hope’s advice.

  “Lord, I don’t know what to do. Help me.” She whispered the prayer and a tear escaped and fell on her cheek. She was reminded of the Psalm, “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” It echoed in her mind the rest of the drive home.

  five

  Icy fingers touched her skin as she left the warmth of the townhouse. Elizabeth pulled the coat tighter around her throat, but the cold seemed to slip through imaginary cracks in the material. Before she made it to her car, rain began to fall. As she slammed the car door against the rain, she looked out in disgust. With the temperatures this cold, it was a wonder it wasn’t snowing. Anything would be better than this dismal rain, which left the streets and sidewalks muddy and her clothes damp. By the time she got to work, Elizabeth’s mood matched the weather.

  As the day went by, the rain fell in sheets, leaving the city in a foggy shroud. Work poured in, leaving Elizabeth in a white cloak of paper. Everyone had a problem, and they all thought she had the answer. Just when she was getting ready to do some serious work, the computer system slowed until she felt like she was caught in a traffic jam. The weather even seemed to affect the computer system.

  By lunch, Elizabeth’s mood had deteriorated to a really bad attitude. If Alex had only known, he would have steered clear of her office. Instead, at ten minutes before twelve, he came in all smiles and charm. His cheery hello was like adding dry ice to water.

  “What do you want?” was her less-than-polite response.

  “I want to take you away from all this.” Alex kept the smile glued to his lips. He was determined to charm her, but Elizabeth was in no mood to play his little game.

  “I have too much to do to play word games, Alex. Go find someone else to play with.” Elizabeth picked up a file and began to read.

  “Don’t ignore me, Elizabeth. I’m trying to give you a break. Come on. Let’s go out to lunch. You’ll feel better after a nice, hot meal.” The smile was still in place, but so was her attitude.

  “Go out? Why would I want to go out in this mess?” She pointed out the window at the rain and fog. “I’d rather stay in and work.”

  “Well, then let me order in and we can eat in my office where it’s nice and quiet. That way you won’t have to look at all this.” He waved his arm over her stacks of files.

  “That won’t make it go away.”

  “Come on. Once you get away from your desk, you’ll feel different.”

  “No. I won’t.” She thumped the file down in frustration. “Can’t you see I’m not in the mood for company, especially your company.” Her lips were set in a firm line and his smile faded.

  “I see. Well, have a good lunch.” Elizabeth wasn’t sure, but she thought she detected a hint of anger in his voice. She had finally broken that cool exterior. Her satisfaction was soon followed by a feeling of regret. It wasn’t like her to goad people that way. It definitely wasn’t very Christian-like. She sighed and picked up the next stack of files, too weary to worry about lunch.

  She worked with almost no breaks, and by the end of the day she felt mentally and physically exhausted. She had managed to take care of the most critical problems, but there remained a thick stack to do for tomorrow. As she was shutting down the computer system to leave, Alex’s private secretary came into her office.

  “Hi, Janice. I was just about to leave.”

  “I’m glad I caught you, Elizabeth. Alex needs the files on the Brennan case. The judge’s office called—they moved up the court date. Alex is at home; he asked that you bring all your notes so that the two of you can go over everything tonight.”

  “Tonight. Can’t we do it tomorrow?” The last thing she needed was more work, and the thought of having to deal with Alex made her feel suddenly ill.

  “No. The court date has been moved up for Friday. He’s going to have to work through tonight and tomorrow just to be ready for opening statements.” Janice gave her a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry, but I’m just the messenger.”

  “I know, Janice. Thanks for coming down to tell me. I know you’re going to be put behind schedule too. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Bye.” Janice left, and Elizabeth pulled the Brennan files. Luckily, she had finished her research before the computers slowed down. She put them in her briefcase and grabbed her coat with a sigh.

  All the way to Alex’s house, Elizabeth complained to God. Why tonight? Why this weather? Haven’t I had enough problems today? No answer seemed forthcoming, but then again she hadn’t stopped long enough to listen for one. She pulled up in front and was startled by the sheer size of the house. She knew Alex lived alone; so why did he need such a big house? The doorbell was answered by a maid, and she was shown into the foyer where the maid took her coat and dripping umbrella.

  She looked around at the curved staircase rising up to the second floor. There was a Persian rug, thick and plush, on the hallway floor. Elizabeth carefully wiped her feet on the mat in the foyer before stepping into its luxurious depths. She glanced to the left through an open doorway into a large sitting room filled with Queen Anne furniture and collectibles. The door to the right was closed. She didn’t have much time to look around before Alex appeared from a door at the end of the hall.

  “Thanks for coming, Elizabeth. I know you’ve had a long day and the weather is terrible. Why don’t you come into my office.” He led the way into a room that could only be described as a library. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lined two walls, broken on one side by a fireplace with a warm glow coming from a roaring fire. Around the hearth were two wingback chairs and a small sofa. Alex pointed toward one.

  “Have a seat by the fire.”

  “Thanks.” She had lost all the fight from earlier today. The warmth of the fire and peaceful surroundings were beginning to work on her attitude. Then she remembered why she had come. “Here is all the information I could find for the Brennan case.” She pulled the stack of files from her briefcase. Alex took them and laid them on the cherry desk behind him. It was so large, someone could take a nap on the thing. She almost spoke the thought, but managed to catch herself in time.

  “You look pale, Elizabeth. Are you feeling all right?” His solicitous attitude took her by surprise. She was beginning to feel the effects of no lunch.

  “I’m okay. I didn’t stop for lunch today, so I’m a little tired.”

  “Well, then, we’ll just have to take care of that.” Alex used the intercom on his desk. “Mathilda, there will be two for dinner. We’ll take it in the dining room in ten minutes.”

  “Yes, Mr. McClintock.” There was a click on the other end. It seemed everyone jumped when he called. No wonder he was angry at lunch. Elizabeth didn’t like the way he assumed she would go along with whatever he asked. Her previous mood of contrition was gone.

  “There’s no need in taking any trouble. Let’s just get to work so I can go home and go to bed.” She stood up, but her legs were weak from cold and hunger and wouldn’t hold her weight. She started to collapse when Alex reached out and caught her, pulling her close. Part of her enjoyed the warmth of his body and the comforting feeling of his arms around her, but the rest of her rebelled and she tried to pull away.

  “Don’t be so stubborn, Elizabeth.” He held her tight and she was too weak and tired to pull away. “Be rea
sonable. Have some dinner and rest a little while. Then we can get some work done.” His arguments were logical, as they always were, otherwise she would have continued to argue. She knew that if she didn’t eat soon, she would never be able to finish the job.

  “All right.”

  “That’s better.” Alex was all charm and smiles again. He held her for a moment longer and then helped her to the couch. He reached down and pulled off her shoes.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Taking your shoes so you can’t run away.” She started to protest until she saw the gleam of humor in his eyes. “I’m just trying to make you comfortable. Your feet are damp.” He pulled an afghan from the back and wrapped it around her feet and legs. She leaned back on the sofa and closed her eyes for a moment. She felt warm and pampered and soon drifted off to sleep.

  ❧

  Alex watched her sleeping from his desk. She was rather lovely. He couldn’t wait to get her into bed, but tonight wasn’t the night. He’d have to move very slowly with her. Make her feel safe and comfortable. Then he would make his move. Her stubborn will made him want her all the more, although her silly ideas about sex and religion left him cold. Yes, once was all he needed. One night with her would be the cure for his obsession. All he wanted was for her to ask him to make love to her to fill his lust, and he would be through with her. She was just like the other women he had known.

  Just then her eyes opened. He put on his most charming and concerned smile. “Did you have a nice nap?” She smiled. “Then let’s have dinner.”

  ❧

  After dinner, Elizabeth felt her strength return. That nap and the food had done wonders. Alex had catered to her every need during dinner and she was basking in the warmth of his attentions. They returned to the study, sitting on the couch in front of the fire. The work went quickly, and she felt a pang of regret. It had been such a nice evening that she hated for it to end.