Coulson's Lessons

by McIntyre, Anna J

  Later that night, Alexandra and Garret moved into the living room. Lying before the fireplace on a pile of warm blankets, Garret held Alex in the protection of his arms while they watched the flames dance and flicker, illuminating the darkened room.

  “Alex, you told me once you went to college. But I never asked, what was your major?”

  “History,” she replied, wondering why he was asking, and then added, “Actually, I have my master’s.”

  “Really?” Garret looked at Alex in surprise. He wanted to know everything about her.

  “It’s sort of a Chamberlain prerequisite. I think my dad was a bit disappointed I didn’t go into accounting and join his firm.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Math in general has always been easy for me and Tommy, as it was with Dad. Numbers aren’t Kate’s thing. While math was always easy for me, I had no interest in pursuing a career in the family business. I loved history.”

  “So, how did a history major become a successful restaurateur?”

  “I married into it.”

  “But what did you want to do?” Garret pulled away from Alex again, looking into her face for an answer.

  “I sorta had this fantasy about traveling when Ryan retired. I always wanted to visit the British Isles, tromp through old castles. See Rome. Do some writing using my history major. I guess that was my secret fantasy.”

  “What did Ryan think about spending his retirement this way?”

  At this question, Alexandra began to laugh. “I realized years ago Ryan would never, ever retire. He loved his work. I’ve thought a lot about the senselessness of his death, but you know what? He was always happy, always did everything he wanted. I don’t think he’d have any regrets. He accomplished all of his goals. Who could ask for more?”

  “What about now, Alex? When are you going to chase your dreams?” He didn’t ask her how she felt about giving up her dreams for Ryan. Had Ryan lived and never retired, would she have been happy to forget her dreams forever? He wondered about this, yet never asked the question.

  “I don’t know, Garret. Honestly, I haven’t had time to think about the future.”

  On Christmas morning, Alexandra awoke to find Garret had decorated the tree while she slept. The sentimental gesture helped overshadow any sadness she may have experienced by her separation from Adam. Since Adam’s birth, this was her first Christmas away from her son.

  During their time together, Garret spoke very little about his family, very little about his life. Even when Alexandra asked questions, he would redirect any inquiries back to her.

  “Garret, why do you do that?” Alex asked abruptly. They lay together on the floor before the Christmas tree.

  “Do what?”

  “You never really answer my questions. I answer yours.” She sounded hurt.

  It took a while for Garret to understand what she meant. Although he disliked discussing his family and many aspects of his life, he discovered that once he began talking to Alex, he actually began feeling better. Never in his entire life had he truly shared his own feelings. Oh, he talked to Karen and Russell about Alex, yet he held much back. With Alex, he held back nothing.

  After he finally opened up, he told her of his wild and reckless days, living to shock his family and community, marriages born of spite not love, of his distant relationship with his parents. He told her of his older brother, Harrison the senator, who was a fool. He told her of Russell, the only decent member of the Coulson family, and when he said this, he included himself. Russell’s only major blunder had been marrying the wrong woman. Garret wondered if this was a family weakness. He told her of the last ten years in Coulson Enterprises, long hours and increased profits. He was damned good in business. This wasn’t a braggart’s boast but a simple truth. Yet, he was weary of the fast lane, weary of pretense. He wanted peace. He wanted Alex.

  Chapter 45

  When Adam returned from his ski trip, Alex made it clear to Garret that he would be unable to spend the night, nor would she stay at the cabin while Adam was home. Mondays became their Thursdays. Alex came to realize that she was in love with Garret. She had always suspected the truth, yet she wanted more time with him before declaring herself.

  Adam was getting used to Garret Coulson. To say theirs was a friendship would be an exaggeration. Adam tolerated Garret. He was never rude, yet never welcomed his mother’s suitor warmly. He resented the way Garret looked at her, the way he was always finding a way to touch her. Adam was extremely conscious of the fact that his mother never allowed Garret to spend the night nor spent the night with him. Adam had many friends with single parents who saw nothing wrong with allowing their dates to sleep over. Adam was glad his mother didn’t do this.

  The town of Coulson was getting used to seeing Alexandra in the company of Garret Coulson. They were an item. Some of the older members of the Chamber of Commerce buzzed in remembrance of Garret’s and Alexandra’s long-ago friendship.

  Every week, they went dancing. Garret visited Alex at the bar each night and came to enjoy the company of her friends and employees. He’d never been friends with his employees. He even began to like Taylor. The weeks drifted by. January turned to February.

  Emily was not happy. For almost three months, Garret Coulson had been seen everywhere with that hypocrite homemaker, Alexandra Keller. She knew she’d explode if one more person said how wonderful it was that they’d gotten together after all these years. They had always been good friends. Emily knew the truth.

  Making her life even more unbearable was her boss’s new lady friend. Emily could not fathom how a quirky broad like Kate Chamberlain had managed to snare Russell Coulson. At first, Emily had had the satisfaction of knowing how much Harrison Senior disapproved of the match. Unfortunately, when Kate’s current art exhibit not only received rave reviews but was also mentioned in an article in People Magazine, Harrison changed his tune. Russell’s own mother viewed Kate as her most recent social coup. It was disgusting. As far as the entire Coulson clan was concerned, the Chamberlain sisters were the prime catches of the season.

  Emily didn’t know why she went into the Lucky Lady Restaurant and Saloon. Not that she wanted to patronize Alexandra Keller’s establishment, but they did have the best-looking bartender in town. Maybe good-looking Taylor wouldn’t increase Emily’s social standing or promote her career, but she imagined he’d make one hell of a ride.

  After three martinis, Emily sat at the bar sucking an olive and watching the bartender. It was Friday night. The dining room had closed a half-hour earlier. When she had first arrived, Garret was leaving with Alexandra. He barely acknowledged his former employee. The oversight annoyed Emily. Just who does he think he is? Who does she think she is?

  “How do you like working here, Taylor?” Emily asked. Leaning over, she squeezed her arms together in an attempt to accentuate her cleavage. Rosa, who was just sitting down with Steve at the bar, noticed Emily’s offerings. If the girl leaned over any farther, her breasts would be plunking onto the bar top.

  “Good job. Good people.” Taylor flashed Emily his lopsided smile. She melted.

  “I bet it’s hell having to work for your boss’ widow. God, just because some people marry into a business they think they can run it.”

  Taylor frowned at Emily’s comment. If she thought she would find an ally, she was mistaken.

  “Alex is a damn good boss. She knows the business,” Taylor shot back.

  “That’s sweet of you to be so loyal.” Emily smiled back, not daunted by Taylor’s attitude.

  Steve and Rosa listened quietly.

  “Loyalty has nothing to do with it. Alex is a good woman,” Taylor said.

  Now Emily was getting annoyed. Why did everyone have to defend that woman? If they only knew.

  “I guess that depends what you mean by a good woman.” Emily smirked. She quickly downed the remainder of the martini and failed to see the tall, redheaded busboy, who seconds earlier had walked up to the bar w
ith a bucket of ice. “Everyone thinks that Alexandra Keller is such a paragon,” Emily continued.

  The busboy froze. Rosa, Steve, and Taylor were growing uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation.

  “You know how she’s dating Garret Coulson?” Emily said a little too loudly. Taylor tried to interrupt, but Emily continued. “Everyone says, oh, isn’t it nice they found each other. How nice for the poor little widow. Poor widow my ass! Alexandra Keller was screwing Garret Coulson ten years ago! I know. I was his assistant. Hell, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Slipped off to Garret’s cabin in Clement Falls. They just picked up where they left off, now that poor Ryan Keller is conveniently out of the picture.”

  Taylor, Rosa, and Steve were speechless. They wanted Adam out of the bar. Now! Unfortunately, Adam’s feet appeared to be riveted to the floor, and by his stricken expression, he had heard everything Emily said.

  Abruptly, Adam turned and ran from the bar. Steve leapt from his barstool and went after him. Rosa, still seated, turned and without hesitation pulled back her clenched fist and squarely hit Emily on the jaw, sending the slender woman sailing off the barstool.

  Unable to catch Adam, who jumped in his car and sped away, Steve immediately got on the phone and called Alex’s pager. When Garret and Alexandra reached the bar fifteen minutes later, they found Taylor alone. Unbeknownst to them, the three employees decided that it would be less embarrassing for only one person to tell Alex of the commotion caused by Emily. Taylor managed to convince his co-workers that he was the one for the job. Rosa called a cab and pushed the now-dazed Emily into the vehicle, telling the driver to take her anywhere he wanted. Steve went in search of Adam, promising Taylor he would call back periodically.

  “What’s wrong, Taylor? There was a message on my pager to come here,” Alex asked as she went to the bar with Garret at her side.

  “I need to talk to you, Alex.” Taylor’s eyes flashed to Garret. “Both of you, I guess.”

  Alexandra didn’t like the bartender’s expression. Nothing rattled Taylor. But Taylor was definitely rattled.

  “That woman, I think her name’s Emily—” He looked at Garret. “—used to work for you.”

  Garret nodded, wondering where all this was leading.

  “She was in here earlier.”

  “We saw her. What’s the problem?” Alex couldn’t imagine how Emily’s presence in the bar merited an emergency call for her to return.

  “She had too much to drink. Started talking. Adam was standing here. He was just bringing in ice. I tried to stop her…”

  “What, Taylor? Stop her from what?”

  “She said you and Coulson had an affair ten years ago. Actually, she didn’t say affair. Her term was more graphic. She was very convincing.”

  All of the color drained from Alex’s face.

  “Adam heard this?” Alex thought she was going to get sick. Garret steadied Alex; she looked as if she might collapse. In that instant, Taylor knew the truth in Emily’s words. He now understood Garret’s possessiveness of Alex during the beginning of their relationship. It hadn’t been the beginning after all.

  “Rosa and Steve heard, too. Adam ran out of the bar, and Steve’s looking for him now. Rosa decked Emily.” After delivering his final sentence, Taylor smiled.

  But Alex wasn’t thinking of Rosa, Steve, or Emily. She was thinking of her son and how this news would affect him. Beaten and defeated, Alex sat on a stool, resting her folded arms on the bar top; she leaned down and buried her face.

  “Alex, tell Adam it’s not true,” Garret whispered. There was nothing else he could think of doing, other than killing Emily.

  “I can’t,” Alex said wearily. “I don’t lie well. Never did. Adam would know by looking at my face.”

  Garret knew the truth in her words. He closed his eyes and wished this were simply a bad dream. Ten years ago, when they were having their affair, Ryan was so preoccupied with building his business that he failed to notice the changes in his wife. Had he asked her back then if she was having an affair, she would not have been able to lie. Since he had never asked, it had never been an issue.

  It wasn’t a bad dream. It was a nightmare.

  Adam wasn’t difficult to find. He was at home, waiting for his mother in the kitchen. Steve spied Adam’s car in the driveway and immediately called the restaurant. Garret felt incredibly helpless, watching Alex leave to face her son alone. He wanted to support her, stand by Alex’s side. Yet, it was impossible.

  “Adam?” Alex called out to her son as she walked through the front door. There was no answer. She found him sitting silently at the kitchen table. Adam knew his mother was aware of the accusation, confident Steve would waste no time tracking her down. Wearing an expression of hesitancy and concern, Alex entered the kitchen and dropped her purse on the counter. At first, she said nothing, waiting for Adam to make the first move.

  “Is it true?” Adam asked abruptly, his voice cold and carefully controlled.

  Alex was unable to answer. She swallowed nervously and attempted to organize her thoughts. Since leaving the restaurant, Alex had been trying to find the words to use. How could she make him understand?

  “It’s true,” Adam, answered for his mother. The truth was all over her face. He stood and turned his back to his mother, tightly shutting his eyes, shutting out the world.

  “Adam,” Alex whispered, “you don’t understand.” She reached out to place her hand on his shoulder, but he jerked away as if her touch was painful.

  “Don’t touch me!” he refused to face her.

  “Adam, please listen to me. This happened over ten years ago.”

  “Really?” Adam swung around and fixed his furious glare on Alex. “If it happened ten years ago, why are you still seeing him? God, I bet you’re still sleeping with him. Aren’t you?”

  Again, Alex’s expression told the truth.

  “You make me sick.” Adam looked as if he truly hated his mother.

  “Until my birthday, I hadn’t seen Garret in over ten years.”

  “Did Dad know?” Adam asked, his eyes narrowing.

  “No. He never knew,” Alex answered softly. “Adam, I’m human, I make mistakes.”

  “How could you have done this?” Tears began to form in his eyes. “I thought you loved Dad.”

  “I loved your father, Adam.”

  “Is that why you’re sleeping with Garret Coulson? Because you loved my father so much? It hasn’t even been a year! Were you glad that Dad died? Glad he was out of your way!” Adam’s voice began to tremble.

  “You know that’s not true,” Alex replied sharply.

  “Do I?” Adam shrieked.

  “Adam, when you make a mistake, I always listen to you. Always! At least you could try and listen!”

  “But was it a mistake? If it was a mistake, why are you seeing the man now?” Tears began to slip down Adam’s face. Tightening his expression, he attempted to hold them back. Abruptly, he turned his back to Alex again.

  “Adam, ten years ago it was a mistake.” Alex spoke to Adam’s back, desperately wanting to reach out and touch him, but she didn’t. “Sometimes our mistakes teach us lessons. We learn from them. What happened ten years ago taught me valuable lessons. Lessons that helped my marriage. Adam, I took my marriage for granted. I forgot to guard and nurture it. Your father and I had a good marriage. Please, Adam, let’s get through this.”

  “I hate you,” Adam announced. “I’m moving out. I’m going to Uncle Jimmy’s.”

  “Adam!” Alex called to her son as he walked from the kitchen. He paused just a moment and then turned to face his mother.

  “I wish Dad were here. I wish it had been you instead of him.” With his cool declaration, he turned and left the room.

  Alexandra didn’t go to work the next day. She cried, replayed her past mistakes over in her mind, and cried some more. Garret wanted to come over, but she told him she needed to be alone, needed time to think. Alex didn’t
tell him about Adam moving out. Garret learned about it from Taylor. Once again, Garret was the outsider.

  It was almost 9:00 p.m. on Saturday night when the doorbell rang. Wearing a long terry cloth robe, Alexandra went to the door. Assuming it must be Garret, Alex was preparing to send him away. She had told him she needed to be alone. She opened the door and found Jimmy Keller standing on the porch, his expression guarded.

  “We need to talk, Alex,” Jimmy announced, then entered the house uninvited, pushing pass Alex and moving into the living room. Alex sighed wearily and closed the door. Following Jimmy into the room, she found her brother-in-law pacing anxiously, his car keys flipping nervously from hand to hand.

  “Adam’s at my house,” Jimmy began. He continued to pace, continued to flip the keys from hand to hand.

  “Yes, I know.” Alex sat on the couch and watched her brother-in law.

  “He told me. Is it true?” Jimmy paused and looked at Alex. “It’s true,” Jimmy answered for himself; shaking his head in disgust, he resumed his pacing.

  “How’s Adam?” Alex asked softly.

  “How the hell do you think the kid is? Don’t you think he’s been through enough this year?” Jimmy asked angrily.

  “Jimmy, I didn’t plan for him to find out.”

  “How could you, Alex?” Jimmy stopped and stared at her. “My God, Ryan loved you. I thought you loved him.”

  “I did,” she answered quietly. Her eyes steadily fixed on Jimmy.

  “I can’t believe you did this, Alex. I never thought you’d screw around on my brother!”

  “Wait a damn minute, Jimmy Keller.” Alex flew from her seat and stood directly in front of him. “Don’t you dare pull that shit on me. I know about Alice Johnson!”