by Lee McKenzie
She pushed open the door of the deli and gave old Mr. Donaldson a quick wave before she spotted Allison sitting at the corner table. As always, her friend looked more like a cover model than the mother of two children.
Allison quickly stood up and hugged her. “I’m so glad we could sit down for a real gabfest.”
Leslie hugged her back, and they took their seats together. “Me, too. Did you just get your hair cut? I like it short. It suits you.”
“Isn’t it great? Maggie suggested it.” Then her friend lowered her voice to a whisper. “How are you holding up? I still can’t believe what Gerald did. And with Candice, of all people.”
Mr. Donaldson approached their table and peered over the top of his bifocals. “Afternoon, ladies. What can I bring you?”
“I’ll have a cappuccino,” Allison said.
Leslie smiled at him. “I think I’ll have an iced coffee. And a biscotti.”
“Oooh, iced coffee sounds wonderful. I’ll have one of those instead.”
“Would you like something to go with that?” he asked.
Allison shook her head. “No, thanks.” Which meant she was counting calories, as usual.
As soon as he was out of hearing, Leslie leaned toward her friend. “So, how did you find out about them?”
“How does anyone find out anything in this town? Turns out that their little indiscretion wasn’t all that discreet.”
“I’ll say. Even I saw them together.”
Allison put an arm around her shoulders and gave an affectionate squeeze. “Sweetie, I’m so sorry this happened but I have to say, you look fantastic. The second you walked through the door, I was wondering, what’s her secret?”
Sex? Even Allison, with her flare for the dramatic, would be shocked to hear her say that. “Honestly, I feel more relieved than anything. I mean, what was I thinking? Gerald and I didn’t love each other.” Admitting she’d been that shallow wasn’t easy, but she was coming to terms with it. “And imagine what a disaster this could have been if I hadn’t found out until after the wedding.”
“So what are your plans? Will you go back to work right away?”
She hesitated until she decided how much she needed to tell her friend. “That’s one of the things I want to talk about. I’d arranged for a month off and I’ve decided to take it. Do you remember Hannah Greene? My mother’s housekeeper?”
“I do. She used to make all those fabulous pastries. Does she still work for her?”
“Oh, no. Not for quite a few years, but she recently had to move out of her apartment and hasn’t been able to find another one. I’ve invited her to stay with me.”
“And that’s okay with you?”
“It’s more than okay. She insists it’s temporary, until she finds another place to live, but I’m enjoying her company. I hope she’ll stay for a while.” Even though it was going to affect how much time she and Brent could spend together.
“Is that who you’ve been staying with since Saturday?”
“No. It was just this weekend that I discovered she was living at the homeless shelter.”
Allison was more shocked than Leslie would have expected her to be. “Oh my God. Please tell me you didn’t spend the weekend at the shelter.”
Stunned, Leslie sat back in her chair and stared at Allison. How could she even think that? “Of course not. I would have gone back to my place and risked having a run-in with Gerald and my mother before I’d do something like that.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”
For heaven’s sake, Leslie thought. She loved her friend dearly but to be honest, she could be a little on the dense side.
Mr. Donaldson arrived with their drinks and set the tall, frosty glasses on the table. After he put down the plate with Leslie’s biscotti, he hovered a moment. “You wanted chocolate, didn’t you?”
“That’s right.”
He had been running the deli since before Leslie and Allison were born. If anyone had a finger on the pulse of this town, he did, right down to remembering his customers’ favorite flavor of biscotti and their preference of sandwiches. “So,” he said. “I hear Hannah Greene’s staying with you.”
“Yes, isn’t that wonderful?”
“It surely is,” he said. “Funny, isn’t it, how things always have a way of working themselves out for the best?”
“Yes, it is.” She knew he wasn’t just talking about Hannah, and she appreciated his roundabout way of offering support.
“You ladies enjoy your coffee. And good luck with that project of yours.”
“You have a project?” Allison asked as he returned to his station behind the counter.
“That’s really what I wanted to talk to you about.”
While they sipped their iced coffee, Leslie outlined her ideas for the fund-raiser. Allison listened with moderate interest until she realized it would be a gala event at the Durrance estate.
“I dropped into Jocelyn Cartwright’s boutique yesterday and saw the perfect dress.”
Leslie sighed. Allison’s motivation was less than ideal but if it took a new dress to get her on board, so be it. She needed her help.
“That’s great,” she said. “There’s just one more thing.” She explained the need for keeping the location a secret until the publicity had been taken care of.
“Deceiving your mother? My, aren’t we living dangerously these days,” Allison said.
Yes, I am, Leslie thought. And you don’t know the half of it.
“So you haven’t told me how you ended up being involved in this. Or where you were for two days. We looked all over town for you. I was worried sick.”
“You shouldn’t have been. I was staying with a friend.”
“Ah, in case you’ve forgotten, your friends are my friends, too. You weren’t with any of them. Trust me, we checked.” Sooner or later Allison was going to find out, and she wouldn’t stop asking questions until she did.
Leslie took a deep breath before taking the plunge. “I was at Brent’s place.”
Allison’s finely penciled eyebrows arched in disbelief. “Brent Borden?” But even as she asked the question, her mouth was slowly forming a sly smile. “Does Gerald know?”
“It’s none of his business. Nick is the only one who knows. He and Maggie, that is. And Brent’s mother. Oh, and Hannah.”
Allison rolled her eyes. “Oh well, then it’s a state secret.”
“None of those people are going to gossip, and I’d appreciate it if you could keep it to yourself. It’s nobody else’s business, and I don’t want to drag Brent into this.”
Allison’s smile hinted at conspiracy. “I could be persuaded to keep your secret, but I need details! How did you end up with him?”
“It was pouring rain when I left the church. I had to get out of there, but I had no idea where I was going. He happened to be driving by, and he gave me a lift. I didn’t have my keys or anything with me and I didn’t want to go home anyway, so he took me to his place.”
“He ‘happened to be driving by’ the morning of your wedding. Now there’s a coincidence.”
In spite of Allison’s sarcasm, Leslie smiled. “He told me why he was there. It was no coincidence.”
“It’s so obvious that he’s still totally in love with you, and you spent…what?…two or three days with him? That must have been awkward.”
“Not really. He was very sweet. He went out and got clothes for me. He even bought me a toothbrush.”
Allison was looking at her intently. “If I didn’t know you better, I might think you were falling for him.”
Leslie felt a flush spread across her face and hoped that her makeup would keep it hidden. Apparently not.
“You are!” Allison said.
“We’re friends.”
“Did you sleep with him?”
The warm flush turned into a heat wave.
“Oh. My. God. Leslie! I would so love to rub Gerald’s nose in that juicy bit of information.”
&nbs
p; “No! Allison, you have to promise you won’t do that. I don’t want people gossiping about Brent.”
Allison leaned forward and gave her a wink. “So, how was he?”
“I’m not going to answer that!”
“I think you just did.” Allison leaned on her elbows and smiled suggestively. “So that’s your secret for looking like a million dollars.”
Leslie wished she could think of some way to change the subject, but she knew Allison well enough to know that wasn’t going to happen.
“After all these years he has to be pretty happy about this, but how are you going to get rid of him?”
Leslie lowered her gaze. How could Allison ask a question like that? Did she really think she’d sleep with someone she didn’t want to be with?
“Leslie? You can’t be serious.” Allison pushed her glass toward the middle of the table.
“I…I don’t know. He’s actually very smart and funny and—”
“Hot.”
Leslie smiled. “Yes, he is.”
“Does Nick know?”
“Only if Brent tells him, but I don’t think he will.”
“You know it’s only a matter of time before Gerald finds out.”
“Since you’re the only person who knows, I’m sure he won’t.”
Allison did a finger twist over her closed lips and pretended to throw away a key.
As much as Leslie wanted to believe her secret was safe, she knew the odds were against her. “I want you to know nothing happened between us while I was staying with him. After I went home, I packed up Gerald’s things and gave everything back.”
“Even that beautiful ring?”
“Especially the ring. Why would I want to keep it?”
“I’d have been tempted.”
Leslie had been tempted to let it make its way to the sewer, but Allison didn’t need to know about that. She glanced around to make sure no one was listening. “And I never would have…you know, with Brent…until I’d ended things with Gerald.”
Allison shrugged. “You were worried about his feelings?”
Not even remotely. “No, just Brent’s.”
“I see. Can I ask one more thing?”
Why not?
“If you were staying with Brent, how did you find out about Hannah and get involved in this fund-raising project?”
She gave as brief an explanation as possible about the work Brent’s mother was doing at the shelter.
Allison heaved a dramatic sigh. “I’m not even going ask how his mother factors into this. I just hope you know what you’re doing.”
Leslie glanced at her watch. “Thanks for saying you’ll help with the thing for the shelter. I have to run, but I’ll be in touch.” Brent was coming over and she had just enough time to pick up groceries and start on dinner before he arrived.
Chapter Thirteen
Brent walked through the Durrance estate with Leslie while she checked the party preparations one last time and crossed items off her checklist. The past few weeks had raced by in a flurry of preparations for the Christmas in July party and as many stolen hours with Leslie as the two of them could manage. He could hardly believe she’d pulled this together in such a short time. Even his mother was impressed, and that was no small feat. At least not where Leslie was concerned, and now it was more important than ever that the two of them get along.
A technician was on the stage doing a sound check and his voice boomed from hidden spots in the shrubs and flower beds. Caterers were setting up steam trays on long, white-draped tables. A woman in a navy business suit waved to them from across the lawn. “Leslie? Can you come over here and confirm the location of the cashier’s booth?”
Leslie waved back. “Do you mind doing this now?” she asked Brent. “It should only take a couple of minutes and once that’s done, we can finish going through the list.”
“You’re the boss,” he said. Any delay was fine with him. It meant they could spend more time together, and it gave him an opportunity to figure out how to ask her…
“I am not your boss.”
“And yet I’ve spent the last two weeks doing everything you asked me to.”
“I didn’t mention that I would make it worth your while?”
“First I’ve heard of it. What do you have in mind?”
Her smile was answer enough. At least for now.
To say the past couple of weeks had been incredible would be the understatement of a lifetime. He hadn’t wanted to scare her off with the L-word, especially since she’d been hinting that her interest in him had gone way beyond the physical, but he’d done everything he could think of to show her how much he loved her.
They were still keeping their relationship under wraps, although Hannah knew what was going on and seemed to approve. If his mother suspected anything, she would have said something by now. Nick hadn’t clued in, but then he was totally preoccupied with the woman in his life. Right now the only thing Brent wanted was for Leslie to take the final step and go public with him, and tonight seemed like the perfect time to do it. He wanted to go to this party with her, as a couple, and he had a feeling she was ready to do that.
They finished with the bookkeeper and carried on with Leslie’s checklist.
“Do you think we have enough tables and chairs?” she asked.
“Everything,” he answered, “including you, looks perfect.”
She was wearing a sleeveless yellow dress with a V-neck that provided the occasional glimpse of soft curves and something lacy. And if he leaned closer, under the pretext of looking at the list on her clipboard…oh, yeah. Very nice.
“The lights on the tree have been checked, right?” She glanced up at him, waiting for his answer, and then narrowed her eyes.
“What?”
“Were you looking down the front of my dress?”
“Me? No. Nooo.”
“We’re almost finished. I need you to pay attention to what we’re doing.”
“I’m paying attention.”
“You were? Then why don’t you answer my question?”
“There was a question?”
She rolled her eyes at him. “I asked if you’ve checked the lights. The tree-lighting ceremony will be one of the highlights of the evening. It has to be perfect.”
“Yes, I checked the lights. I checked the lights on the tree, the lights on all the shrubs, the lights around the fountain, the lights on the podium. When this place is lit up, even the people on the space station will be impressed.”
“Very funny.”
He draped an arm around her shoulders and looked down at her list again.
She shot him a look. “Would you behave?”
“I am.”
“Oh, please,” she said, but she was laughing and he loved the sound of it. “You couldn’t behave if your life depended on it.”
He made the Scout’s honor sign. “I was looking at your list.” Which was the truth this time, and he was relieved to see the only thing left on it was the snow-making machine. He took the pencil from between her fingers and checked it off. “There. We’re done. And tonight I’ll be on my best behavior. That’s a promise. But right now…” They had reached the back of the grounds, far away from the commotion of the set-up crews.
He steered her into a vine-covered gazebo and put his arms around her. “Right now I need to ask you something.” But first he wanted to kiss her. Had to was more like it.
And she kissed him back. Everything she did—the playful swirl of her tongue against his, the flirty little way she moved her body—left him breathless and wanting more. And when she drew one knee up the inside of his thigh, even he knew it was time to slow down.
“Ms. Durrance. Trying to seduce me out here in your mother’s gazebo? I’m shocked.”
“My mother is gone for the day. Her nose is still out of joint because I swindled her into hosting the party, although she has grudgingly acknowledged that the fund-raiser will be a success. She’ll be here tonight but s
he refuses to help, and that’s fine with me. I’d rather she didn’t interfere.”
“Me, too. Besides, I’m scared to death of your mother.” He kissed her again, and she kissed him back. “But I assume it’s okay if this army of volunteers catches us making out.”
Leslie pulled away, laughing. “No, it’s most definitely not. And while we’re on the subject of scary mothers…”
“Ah, yes. The formidable Colleen Borden.”
“She is that, but I think she’s coming around. When I showed her the profit projections, she seemed impressed. And grateful.”
“She should be.”
Even through the thin fabric of her dress and her latest bit of lace temptation, he felt Leslie’s nipple respond, and then he felt her little moan against his mouth and he didn’t know how either of them could put a stop to this.
But he did have a question to ask her, and something to give to her. He’d been trying to build up his courage all week, and he didn’t know when a better opportunity would present itself.
He unwound her arms from his neck and took her hands in his. Her eyes had taken on that passion-induced dreamy quality that he had come to know over the past few weeks, and wanted to keep seeing. Forever.
“Let’s sit down for a little bit,” he said.
She settled onto a bench beside him, but not without protest. “I still need to check with the caterers—”
“This will just take a minute.”
She gazed up at him, suddenly wary. “Is something wrong?”
“No, everything’s fine.” Or would be, if he could breathe.
“Brent?”
“I know this might seem kind of soon, but—” He paused and dug into the pocket of his jeans. “I wanted to give you this.” He held up the ring with the rose quartz stone. “And ask you—”
Surprise registered on her face. Or was it alarm? Damn. He was going about this all wrong. She deserved a romantic proposal, one that was written across the sky. Should he get down on one knee? No, that wasn’t his style. Somehow he didn’t think it was hers, either.