“It was a glass thingy,” Tyler said, withdrawing his head.
“What glass thingy?” Megan demanded.
“Well, I’d better let you go, dear,” her mother said. “You sound as if you are busy. Call me if you need anything.”
“I will, Mom. Thanks.”
“Come over for dinner. Bring that nice police officer with you.”
No way, Megan thought, as she got up to hang up the phone. Tyler had disappeared again. Judging from the sounds coming from the kitchen, he was cleaning up whatever it was he’d dropped. She just hoped it wasn’t her new glass mixing bowl.
She sat down again and once more did her best to relax. It wasn’t easy. Something told her things were about to get worse. “Are you all right in there?” she called out. “Do you need any help?”
“No! Stay where you are!”
Megan frowned. She’d detected a hint of panic in those words. It took all her willpower to remain on the love seat for the next ten minutes.
She picked up the newspaper she’d left on the coffee table and scanned the front page without any idea what the words said. Since she couldn’t open it up with one arm, she let it fall and leaned back with a sigh of frustration.
She longed to get up and find out what Tyler was doing. It drove her crazy having to just sit there and not be able to do anything. She could smell something coming from the kitchen, but couldn’t tell what it was. Right then she was hungry enough to eat just about anything, as long as it was edible.
Finally, Tyler poked his head around the corner again. “I’m not sure I did this right.”
She frowned at him. “Did what right?”
“Well, it’s supposed to be Hamburger Surprise, but it doesn’t look like the picture in the cookbook.”
“They never do.” Megan got off the love seat. “Where is it?”
“On the stove.” He looked a little worried. “Don’t get upset at the mess. I’ll clean up afterward.”
She braced herself, walked around the corner into the kitchen and uttered a shocked yelp. It looked as if he’d sprayed the entire kitchen in tomato juice. Jagged pieces of her new mixing bowl stood on the counter, and it looked as if he’d used every dish in her cupboard.
Grimly keeping her seething thoughts to herself, she picked her way through the mess and peered at the steaming skillet on the stove. Burned hamburger caked the sides of the pan, while a bright orange mess bubbled merrily around lumps of pinkish ground beef. “What did you put in it?” she asked faintly.
“Everything the book said.” Tyler glared at the mess in the pan. “I don’t know what happened.”
Megan peered at the smeared page of her cookbook. “What did you do after you browned the hamburger?”
He shrugged. “I wasn’t sure what that meant, so I just threw it all in together.”
Don’t scream at him, Megan urged herself. She took a long breath. “Tyler, if the recipe had called for everything to be thrown in together, it would have said to throw it all in together. See these instructions down here? That’s what you should have followed. Step by step.”
Tyler scowled. “Seems like a waste of time to me.”
Doing her best to ignore that, she picked up the wooden spoon in her left hand, dipped it into the stuff in the pan, then gingerly touched it to her tongue. Her entire body shuddered at the taste. Very carefully, she laid down the spoon again.
“Just how many meals have you cooked yourself?” she asked sweetly.
Tyler avoided her gaze. “Some. A few.”
She waited in grim silence.
“All right! None!” He waved his hand in the air. “How tough can it be? You just follow recipes in a book. Someone told me that.”
“Someone should have told you that there’s a little more to it than that.”
“Well, how was I to know? That’s the first time I’ve ever seen a cookbook.”
“I thought so. What do you usually eat?”
He looked down at his feet. “Fast food, mostly.”
“Right. Come here.” Megan marched out of the kitchen and walked over to the phone. She waited until he reached her. “Dial this number.” She gave him the number then waited while he dialed.
“Who am I dialing?” he asked, lifting the phone to his ear.
“The Pizza Shop. Make it a large one, half pepperoni, half ham and pineapple.”
His eyes narrowed dangerously, but he did as she asked. “Thirty minutes,” he said briefly, as he hung up the phone. “I’ll clean up while we’re waiting.”
This time she didn’t argue with him. She sat on the love seat, forcing herself to calm down. This was not going to work. She’d have to tell him, as kindly as possible, that her nerves couldn’t take one more day of this, much less ten.
The doorbell rang a minute or two later, and she started to get up, but Tyler rushed out of the kitchen and waved at her to sit down. “I’ll get it. That was fast.”
He opened the door, spoke rapidly to whomever stood there, then looked back at her over his shoulder. “Your car’s here. I’m just going to run Mike back to his car. Don’t move until I get back.”
She nodded, wondering what she would do if the pizza arrived before he got back.
She needn’t have worried. He must have broken all speed records, as he arrived back before the pizza. She wondered if he’d used his lights and siren, but thought better about asking him.
In any case the pizza arrived just seconds after he returned. He paid for it at the door, and carried it into the kitchen.
It smelled heavenly to Megan, who by now was starving. Tyler insisted that they eat in the living room in front of the television. Remembering the messy kitchen Megan was only too happy to go along with that idea.
Tyler asked her about her job as they were sharing the pizza. She enjoyed telling him about the different places she’d visited, and didn’t realize until the meal was over that she’d done all the talking, while Tyler had done all the listening. Although he’d seemed interested enough, she wondered if he’d engineered things that way on purpose. He certainly didn’t seem to want to talk about himself.
“I owe you for half of the pizza,” Megan said, looking around for her purse as Tyler got up to take the empty box into the kitchen.
“No, that’s on me. You can buy the next one.”
If he thought they were going to live on a steady diet of pizza, Megan thought grimly, he was in for a big disappointment.
He came back a few minutes later and sat down heavily in the armchair. “It’s all cleaned up. I’ll replace the bowl tomorrow.”
He looked tired, and she felt compelled to say, “That isn’t necessary.”
“Yes, it is. I’ll need it tomorrow.”
Megan felt a pang of conscience. “Well, as a matter of fact, I was thinking about that. I think it might be better—”
“I’ll make out a shopping list and go to the store first thing. Tell me what you like to eat and I’ll cook it for you.”
A vision of her messy kitchen hovered in Megan’s mind. “Tyler, I think I’ll be able to manage by myself.”
His scowl deepened. “There’s no way you can manage by yourself. We’ve been through all that.”
“I don’t want to be an imposition—”
He lifted his hand to silence her. “I’ve arranged to take the next two weeks off. I’ve cleared it with my captain and it’s all settled. So stop worrying about it.”
He looked so determined, and so sure he was doing the right thing, she couldn’t find the words to tell him she’d rather be on her own. It looked like she was stuck with him. That didn’t mean she had to put up with his terrible cooking.
“I have a proposition for you,” she said, hoping desperately he’d agree.
He gave her a look full of suspicion. “What kind of proposition?”
“I’ll show you how to cook in exchange for the self-defense lessons.”
“You still want me to teach you self-defense?”
&n
bsp; “Of course. Once my arm heals, that is.”
He seemed to consider that. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to learn a bit more about cooking,” he said at last.
It would help considerably, Megan thought, if it meant they could eat the food. Wisely she kept that comment to herself. “Great. I’ll make out a shopping list and we’ll plan the meals for the week. That way we won’t have to keep going back to the store.”
“You don’t have to come to the store with me. I can find my way around a grocery store. I’ve been shopping for myself for six years now.”
“What did you do before that?” The question popped out before she realized it.
His face darkened. “I was married. To the wrong woman. I’m not about to make that mistake again.”
His tone and the expression on his face warned her he didn’t want to discuss it. Nevertheless, she couldn’t help saying, “You should have waited until you heard bells.”
He looked at her as if she’d said something crazy. “Bells?”
“Bells.” She smiled at him. “That’s what I’m waiting for. I’m not going to marry any man unless he can make me hear bells when he kisses me.”
Tyler shook his head. “Then you might just as well resign yourself to a long, lonely life. The only bells you’re gonna hear is in the movies.”
He leaned back in his chair and pressed a thumb and forefinger into his eyes in a gesture of weariness. She watched him, wondering again what it was that had made him so cynical.
His bad marriage, no doubt. She was dying to ask him about that, but knew she’d be crossing the line if she did. He was so prickly, he’d probably jump right down her throat.
She couldn’t just sit there in silence, however, and he seemed to have run out of conversation. Casting around for a topic, she said tentatively, “I don’t suppose you’ve heard anything about my stolen purse?”
He lowered his hand and gave her a tired look. “Not a thing. I really didn’t expect to get it back. I’m sorry.”
“So am I. I had some photos in there that are irreplaceable.”
“Boyfriend?”
Something about the way he said it made her cringe. He was still treating her like a child. He couldn’t be that much older than her, she thought crossly. “I don’t keep photos of the men I date,” she said, a sharp note in her voice.
His eyes were guarded when he looked at her. “Probably a wise move.”
“They were pictures of my brothers and sisters when we were kids.”
“You come from a big family?”
“There are five of us. I’m the eldest.”
His pensive gaze rested on her face and she knew what he was thinking.
“My youngest brother lives at home with my mother. He’s still in high school,” she explained. “My two sisters are both working full-time, and my older brother is in the navy. None of them could have taken care of this.” She tapped her injured arm.
“I can see that. I’m just glad I could take the time off to do it.”
“I’m quite sure there are better things you could do with your vacation time.”
“Vacations aren’t much fun when you’re on your own.”
“You don’t have friends to go with? Like camping, or hunting with the guys?”
“Cops don’t have too many friends.”
She felt a pang of sympathy. “You have a tough job. You must want to get away from it sometimes.”
His smile was bitter. “You never get away from it No matter where you are.”
Deciding she was on a safe topic, she pursued the subject. “What made you decide to join the police force?”
“A lot of things. A need to see justice done, for the most part, I guess. Too many people get away with murder these days. Literally. Though sometimes I wonder if it’s really worth the hassle.”
She softened her tone. “You wouldn’t be a cop if you really thought that.”
“I guess not.” He looked at her with a thoughtful expression on his face. “Most of us just want to know we’re doing a good job, that’s all.”
“It must be hard, knowing you’re putting your life in danger when you go out on a call.”
He shrugged. “I don’t think about it, most of the time. My mind is usually too busy figuring out how to handle the situation.”
“I saw your citations on the wall at the police station.”
“Oh, those.” He dismissed them with a brief shake of his head. “They give those things out to everyone.”
“I don’t think so.” She thought about the young, proud, smiling cop in the picture and felt sad. His experiences had hardened and embittered him. She wished there was something she could do about that.
Maybe if she could get him to talk about it, she thought, it might help to release some of that pent-up resentment. She was glad now that she hadn’t sent him away. He needed someone to confide in, and it didn’t seem as if he had anyone else.
She felt warm inside at the thought of him confiding in her. It had been a long time since anyone had needed her. It was a nice feeling. Now if he could just drop that annoying habit of ordering her around, and quit messing up her kitchen, this situation could turn out to be a lot more pleasant than she’d anticipated.
“Well, I don’t know about you,” Tyler said, giving an exaggerated yawn, “but I’ve had a long day. I think it’s time I went home.”
Megan glanced at her wall clock, surprised by the late hour. “I didn’t realize it was so late. Now that I think about it, I guess I am pretty tired.”
“Yes, you’d better get to bed. I’ll get you settled, then I’ll leave.”
She froze, praying he didn’t mean what she thought he meant. “Settled?” she asked faintly.
He avoided her gaze by staring at the blank screen of the television set. “You’re going to need help getting undressed and in bed.”
“No,” Megan said firmly, “I am not. I can manage really well on my own. I promise you.”
“I can’t leave until I know you are safely in bed.”
He had that stubborn look on his face again. Megan pulled in a slow breath. “I appreciate the offer, Tyler, but I would rather do this myself.”
“You could aggravate your injury if you try it on your own. I can’t let you do that. Remember what the doctor said. You could do some permanent damage to it.”
“Tyler—”
“Look!” He glared at her for an instant and looked away again. “I’m a cop. I’ve seen just about everything in my job. I’ve helped deliver babies. I’ve arrested naked women. I’ve seen things that would turn your hair white. It’s no different from being a doctor.”
It was a lot different, Megan thought, beginning to panic. In the first place, she’d never had a doctor who looked like Tyler Jackson. In the second place, she wasn’t having a baby or breaking the law. In the third place, for some weird reason she couldn’t explain, she found him attractive, which put the whole situation on a different level.
She’d planned on having a shower before she went to bed. Now that didn’t seem like such a good idea. “What if I undress myself and get into bed, while you wait out here? Then I’ll yell out that I’m okay and you can leave.” She could always shower after he’d gone, she thought hopefully.
He got up from the chair slowly, as if he really didn’t want to leave it. “You’re not listening. You have to get out of those clothes using one arm, and I’m going to see that you do it. So let’s go.”
“You don’t trust me, is that it?”
His mouth tightened. “It’s got nothing to do with trust. I want to be right there in case you get stuck, or overbalance or something and need another hand. I’ll keep my eyes shut the whole damn time if it will make you feel better, but I’m staying until you are in that bed and settled for the night.”
“Why don’t you just shower with me while you’re about it,” she said sweetly.
His eyes narrowed to pale blue slits. “I’ll do that, too, if I have to.”
“In your dreams. On second thought, maybe this whole idea was a big mistake. Just leave. I’ll go stay with my mother.”
“Fine. I’ll take you. Let’s go.”
She glared at him, seething with frustration. He knew perfectly well she wasn’t about to go clear across town at this time of night to stay with her mother. “You know, you can be really infuriating at times,” she muttered.
“So I’ve been told.” He held out his hand in the direction of the hallway. “Lead the way.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then we stand here all night arguing about it.”
There was nothing else she could say or do to change his mind. In any case, she was much too tired to call his bluff. She turned and headed for the bathroom, praying she could get through this without embarrassing herself too much in the process.
Chapter Four
Her only consolation, Megan thought in exasperation, was that Tyler seemed just as uncomfortable with the situation as she was. He turned on the shower for her, helped her unwrap her arm, then waited outside the bathroom door with his back to her while she undressed.
It was awkward, but she managed. She scrambled into the shower as fast as she could, and stuck her head under the cascading water with a sigh of relief. So far, so good.
Washing her hair with one hand was such a pain she almost asked him for help, but at last she had it clean and rinsed. She turned off the water, then reached a hand around the edge of the shower curtain, groping for the towel.
He must have been waiting for her. The towel was thrust into her hand, and he said gruffly, “I’ll be at the door if you need me.”
Unnerved by this encounter, she dried herself as best she could then wrapped the towel around her body before stepping out of the shower. He stood outside the door again, and with a surge of relief she pulled on her nightgown and robe. She couldn’t manage the belt and had to leave it unfastened.
Water dripped from her hair, and she rubbed the towel over it with one hand. The cap on the toothpaste refused to come off, no matter how hard she wrestled with it in her teeth. Finally accepting defeat she said grudgingly, “I can’t get this off.”
He took care not to look at her when he took the toothpaste from her hand and unscrewed the cap. He held out his hand for the toothbrush and she handed it to him, furious with herself for being so helpless. If her arm didn’t ache so much, she thought rebelliously, she’d dam well use it and take her chances with it.
The Marriage Beat Page 5