Coulson's Lessons

by McIntyre, Anna J

  The day after Thanksgiving, Alexandra and Kate went clothes shopping. During the afternoon, Alex mentioned Garret no less than twenty times, which made Kate begin to wonder about her sister’s friendship with the handsome bachelor. Kate chose to reserve her comments.

  Meanwhile, Garret’s younger brother, Russell, noticed Garret’s frequent references to Alexandra Keller. Although Garret was discreet during his affairs with married women, Russell was fully aware of his habits. Russell was extremely uncomfortable about the entire situation. Although he had been the one responsible for cooling the friendship with Ryan Keller, in his heart, Ryan was still a good friend. If his brother were cuckolding Ryan Keller, Russell would find a way to stop it.

  Unlike Kate, he simply asked.

  “Are you having an affair with Alexandra Keller?” Russell sat on the Tavern barstool next to his brother. Garret was just bringing a glass of whisky to his lips. The glass stopped, pausing mid-air, as Garret turned to Russell and frowned.

  “Hell no. Why would you ask that?”

  “Natural question.” Russell shrugged and then looked askance at Garret. “You know, her husband used to be a good friend. He’s a nice guy, Garret. He doesn’t deserve…”

  “Shit, Russy, I just said we weren’t having an affair! Alex is a good friend. That’s all.”

  “Good friend? Never knew you to have a woman for a friend.” Russell set his empty glass on the bar top and turned to face his brother.

  “Well, she is. She’s a damn good friend.” Garret slammed his glass on the bar; his eyes were fixed on Russell. “Don’t worry, I haven’t touched her!”

  During the next few days, Garret considered his closing words to his brother. It was true; he hadn’t touched her. He could only recall five times they had any kind of body contact. Twice, they had shaken hands. Twice, Alex playfully slapped him, and the fifth time was when they collided on Halloween night. Garret was normally a physical person. He patted shoulders during conversations; he touched hands and made other gestures. When he thought about it, he remembered Alexandra doing the same thing. She freely hugged acquaintances and often touched when she talked. Yet, she never touched him. He never touched her

  Chapter 17

  Alexandra was a different woman than the one who had sorted toys in Adam’s bedroom that autumn morning. She paid closer attention to her makeup, chose attractive clothes, and began exercising on a regular basis. Much to her aggravation, Ryan did not seem to notice the transformation. It didn’t seem to matter to Ryan if she wore a skintight body suit or a stained sweat suit. His kisses were perfunctory and the lovemaking predictable.

  Alex was becoming restless, a restlessness not uncommon to women in their early thirties. A phenomenon rarely discussed, yet widely experienced—not so different from the sensation felt by penned mustangs who get a whiff of freedom in the breeze and lift up their head in defiance, wanting to break down their barriers to escape into the wilds. Alexandra was a mustang. She just didn’t know it yet.

  Modern women will tell you that the manner of their dress and makeup is for their personal satisfaction. A modern woman has no one to impress but herself. An honest, heterosexual woman will tell you she dresses to impress men. Alexandra was a modern woman, and she told herself that self-pride was the driving force behind her self-improvement. Yet, when Ryan failed to notice her efforts, she found herself unconsciously dressing for Garret’s approval. He gave it freely, never failing to comment on a new outfit or haircut.

  In his own way, Garret was vying for Alexandra’s approval. Since they had become friends, he had ceased seeing married women. He knew Alexandra wouldn’t approve, and he wanted her to think the best of him. Wanting a woman to respect him was a new experience for Garret.

  Members of the Coulson Chamber of Commerce were aware of the special bond that had formed between Garret Coulson and Alexandra Keller. Yet, there was no gossip of an affair. Garret was seen around town with attractive, single females. Although he had given up married women, he certainly had not given up women. If anything else, Alexandra’s friendship sent him searching for a relationship. Alexandra stirred a hunger within Garret, an appetite that he was unable to sate.

  Garret, wishing to prove to himself his honorable intentions toward Alexandra, decided it was time to formally meet the husband. He liked Alexandra. He found himself liking her more each day. Yet, he knew that if she was his wife, there was no way in hell he would allow her to have a friendship with a man like himself.

  Ryan was working the bar when he spotted Garret Coulson walking through the doorway with a tall, very attractive redhead, who held possessively onto Garret’s arm. He looked a little like Russell, though taller, more rugged. Russell was still a sore spot with Ryan. They had been close during their entire childhood, like brothers in high school. Yet, when Russell returned from his first semester at Harvard, his future bride at his side, the longtime friend made it painfully clear that there was no place in his life for either Tommy or Ryan.

  The Lucky Lady Restaurant and Saloon was one of the best dinner houses in Coulson. Ryan vowed that he would make it the best. Russell had his future handed to him gratis, while Ryan worked for every dime.

  In high school, Ryan began working in restaurants. He was a good worker, dependable, yet never stayed at one job for very long. Ryan earned the reputation of being a good employee, yet somewhat fickle, because he obviously became bored and quit within six months. Within the local restaurant industry, Ryan had a reputation for being honest, hardworking, and knowledgeable in the business. In spite of his record of short-term employment, restaurants were always willing to hire him.

  What they didn’t realize was Ryan’s strategy. He planned to learn as much as possible so he could eventually open his own restaurant. He carefully analyzed what worked and what did not work. He did this silently and thoughtfully. When he was a senior, he made a down payment on a piece of commercial property that would one day be the site of the Lucky Lady. His father co-signed, but Ryan Keller made every payment, working extra jobs to pay off the loan before building could commence. Had Ryan attempted to purchase the property a decade later, it would have been financially impossible, as real estate prices increased drastically during the ten years following the purchase.

  “Hello. You’re Alex’s husband?” Garret smiled and held out his hand. Ryan accepted Garret’s hand across the bar and shook it briefly.

  “Nice to finally meet you.” Ryan smiled. Nice fellow, he thought silently.

  “This is my date, Cindy. Cindy this is Ryan Keller. His wife and I work on the toy drive together.”

  Cindy smiled sweetly and offered her greeting. The meeting was brief, and afterward, Garret led Cindy to a private booth and ordered two cocktails.

  He couldn’t help silently critiquing Ryan Keller. He’s so short. He’s almost bald. He’s eight years younger than I am, yet I’m in better shape! What in the world does she see in him? His observations were not kind. Nor were they unbiased.

  Christmas was around the corner, and Alexandra had spent relatively little time with her sister. She divided her daily responsibilities between the home front and the toy drive. Alexandra’s birthday had come and gone, virtually unnoticed by friends and family members preoccupied with the holiday season. Her sister, Kate, was the only one to insist on some form of celebration and managed to tear Alex away for an afternoon of shopping and lunch.

  Alexandra and Kate sat across from each other in the cafe counter. Kate sipped on hot cocoa, the whip cream leaving behind a white mustache, while Alexandra added nonfat milk to her coffee, stirring it with a knife. Alex gently tapped the knife against the rim of the coffee cup in an effort to remove the excess liquid before setting it back on the table. Before she set the knife down, she used it to point to Kate’s mustache. Taking the hint, the younger sister quickly wiped away the sweet residue and gave a shrug.

  While waiting for their lunch, Alex opened her belated birthday gift. Afterward, they used the time to ca
tch up on each other’s lives. Kate told Alexandra about her latest man friend, a sculptor who wanted Kate to pose nude. Alex asked if she was going to do it. Kate shrugged, noncommittal; she was obviously not offended or shocked by the request.

  Alexandra told her sister about Ryan’s long hours. She saw him rarely these days, and he was so preoccupied with business that sometimes Alex felt single. Kate raised her brows at this statement, yet did not comment. Alex went on to tell her about the toy drive, how she and Garret had been shopping twice, purchasing a variety of toys for underprivileged children. She explained about the upcoming gift-wrapping party—maybe Kate would be interested.

  “What does Ryan think about you spending all this time with Garret Coulson?” Kate asked, watching her sister’s reaction closely.

  “What do you mean?” Alex was sincerely puzzled over the question.

  “What do you think I mean?” Kate said out impatiently.

  “Ryan doesn’t care. Why should he?” Alex shrugged.

  “Does he know all the time you’ve spent with this guy?”

  “This guy happens to be a good friend of mine. And yes, Ryan knows. Hell, I’m not keeping any secrets from him. Can’t a woman have a man friend?”

  “I’ve seen Garret Coulson. He’s gorgeous. I can’t believe Ryan is entirely comfortable with your friendship. Especially since you two seem to spend so much time together.”

  “Ryan trusts me.”

  “Ryan’s a fool.”

  “I can’t believe you, Kate! You of all people should understand how a man and woman can be just friends.”

  Kate simply shook her head in disagreement. What was a kid sister to do?

  The following Thursday evening, volunteers met at the community building to gift-wrap the Christmas presents, which were destined for underprivileged children. Curiosity over Garret Coulson led Kate to accept Alex’s invitation to help with the charity.

  Attempting to escape the cold night air, Kate ran up the stairs to the community building and hurriedly pushed through the double doors. Several banquet tables were set up. Rolls of wrapping paper, scissors, tape, tags, and pens were on each table. Kate estimated there were about a dozen volunteers. The first she identified was her sister. The second one was Garret Coulson.

  They didn’t notice her arrival. Garret and Alex were obviously involved in some conversation that only included each other. As she approached her sister, Kate closely observed Garret. He adores her! The thought burst in Kate’s mind, flashing as clear and bright as if someone had set off a flare.

  Kate felt a little sick inside. There wasn’t much she counted on in this life. But one thing she felt confident about was her sister’s marriage. Kate herself wasn’t into the institution of marriage, although her sister’s always seemed different from most. It was equal. There was love, trust, and security. Kate was shaken. Before her very eyes, she saw trouble.

  When Alex noticed Kate, she immediately introduced her to Garret. He was gracious and friendly. But did he have to look at her sister like that? Kate stayed for an hour. By the time she was ready to leave, she felt worse than when she arrived. She promised herself: tomorrow I will have a talk with Alexandra.

  Chapter 18

  It was almost 11:00 p.m. Alexandra was one of the last volunteers to leave. She was anxious to get home, as her mother was babysitting Adam, and she hated for Beth to stay out so late.

  Alexandra was alone in the Subaru, driving away from the community building. It was the commercial section of town, and all the businesses were closed. Dark and eerie, Alexandra felt a flood of dread as she drove down the deserted street. She hated driving alone at night. As if some malicious demon heard her fear, the Subaru began to sputter, and to Alexandra’s horror, it stalled. Coulson wasn’t a bad town, yet it was definitely not Mayberry. A woman walking alone in this section of town was courting trouble. However, she couldn’t stay in her car. It would be hours before anyone would think to look for her.

  Alexandra opened her purse and searched for change. She would have to find a phone and call Ryan. Pushing her purse under her seat, she tucked the change in her pocket and left the sanctuary of her car after locking its doors securely.

  Walk briskly, she told herself. Don’t look like a victim. Stand straight. She attempted to follow her own advice, yet with no phone in sight and her car a good block behind her, Alexandra’s anxiety heightened. She began to question the wisdom of traipsing through this unsavory section of town alone. Perhaps she should have stayed in her car.

  Suddenly two figures emerged from the shadows. Alex let out a brief shriek. The figures laughed.

  “Hey, baby. You got money?” He was shorter than Alex was, his features hidden by the shadows, but she could see he wore a knitted cap.

  “No purse, baby. Maybe you got something in your pants we can use?” the second figure called out. He was taller, thinner. They circled Alexandra, as wolves circle their prey. Toying with it and nipping at its heels before going in for the kill.

  Garret noticed her car immediately. He pulled his Jeep behind the Subaru and turned off the headlights. Exiting his car, Garret quickly ran to the driver’s side door of the Subaru and tried the handle. It was locked. He looked inside, no Alexandra. He didn’t like this. No, he didn’t like this one damn bit.

  If she started walking, she would have gone up the street. He had just come from the other direction, and he hadn’t seen her. Garret began to run down the street. Where the hell was she?

  They had pushed her into an alcove leading to a furniture store. Alexandra screamed, kicked, and pushed. Yet, they only laughed, continuing to taunt her. As she swung to hit the smaller man, the taller one grabbed her arm and twisted her into his grip. He held her from the back, clenching both of her arms firmly. Making a crude gesture, he raised his hips upwards, grinding his arousal against her bottom. He continued to laugh, while pumping up and down, letting her know just what they intended to do with her. She screamed frantically, her legs flaying helplessly.

  The smaller man stood in front of her, watching his friend continue to lift her up and down against his hardness, while restraining her arms.

  “Go, baby!” the smaller man yelled excitedly. He hurriedly unzipped his pants. Tears streamed down her face.

  It was a savage cry that came from the street. A deranged sound made by a predator that is making its kill. Alex heard it when she was hurled unexpectedly from her tormentor’s grasp and discarded by the curbside. She looked up to see a giant viciously attacking the men who had just moments before been attacking her. It happened so fast, she was unable to comprehend the reality of the situation.

  Garret’s hands fastened on the taller man and hurled him against the building, which sent Alexandra falling to the pavement. The shorter man began to run, the sounds of his footsteps disappearing in the night. Garret’s fist smashed unmercifully into the tall man’s face. He was no match for Garret. He tumbled into the side of the building and regained his footing awkwardly.

  Garret found himself pulled between going to Alex’s side and killing her attacker. He hesitated for a moment and looked toward Alexandra. She was a helpless, crumpled form, reminding Garret of a discarded rag doll. In his moment’s hesitation, the tall man regained his footing and began running into the darkness.

  Garret bent down to Alexandra and gently began to pull her into his arms. She was shaking and still did not know that it was Garret who leaned by her side.

  “Alex, honey,” Garret whispered softly, “it’s Garret. Everything is going to be okay.”

  She began to shake violently. Then she began to sob. Garret himself was trembling. He pulled Alex to her feet and gathered her into his arms. She held him tightly, her face buried into his chest. He rocked her gently for a moment then urged her to move.

  “Come on, honey. My Jeep’s down the street. I’ll take you home.”

  They sat together, alone in the Jeep. Alexandra curled up on Garret’s lap, still trembling from her experience. Garre
t had pushed back the driver’s seat to make more room, and although it was a tight fit, neither seemed concerned over how they were crammed together in the small space. Garret continued to talk softly to her, gently caressing her forehead with his hand, placing reassuring kisses along her brow.

  He had never been so afraid in his entire life, not for himself but for Alexandra. As he held her in his arms, he wanted nothing more than to protect her. He could spend the rest of his life protecting her.

  After she calmed down, Garret helped her get into the passenger seat, buckled her seat belt as if she were a child, and then drove Alexandra home. He walked her to her door and explained to Beth what had happened. Alex was still too upset to speak. Beth was horrified and grateful that Garret had rescued her daughter.

  The next day, Garret received a phone call at his office. It was from Ryan Keller.

  “Garret, I want to tell you how grateful I am for what you did for Alexandra.”

  Garret didn’t know quite what to say.

  “If anything had happened to Alex… Well, thank God you were there. How can we ever thank you?”

  After Ryan Keller said his goodbyes, Garret gently placed the receiver back into its cradle. He lifted both of his hands to his face, spread his outstretched palms against his features and gently rubbed his forehead with his fingertips. He buried his face in his palms and closed his eyes.

  Don’t thank me, Ryan Keller. I love her. Damn it, I love her!