Her phone rang and shook her out of her self-induced pity party. “Accounting, this is Kyle,” she answered in monotone with her head still on the desk.
“Hey, girl!” came Bethany’s chipper reply.
Kyle sat up. “Hi, Bethany. How are you?” It was nice to hear a friendly voice.
“Good.” She heard the grin in her voice. “Great.”
“Why? What’s up?”
“In a minute. First I want to know how you’re doing. Are you doing any better with, you know?” She kindly left out Jed’s name, though the pain was the same.
“It’s fine, really. I’m great now that I’m outta that place,” Kyle lied. “But I want to know what’s going so wonderful for you. Let me live vicariously.” She couldn’t help but smile.
“Well, I got moved to the bigger classroom that I wanted,” she started, “and the bakery is going to be featuring my personal recipe carrot cake on the menu, because it’s fabulous—”
“I’ve no doubt, but get to the good stuff, Bethany.”
“Steve asked me and Cody to move in with him. He said he wants to take care of us.”
Kyle’s heart turned green with envy. Shame on you, heart! “That’s great! What did you say?”
“I said ‘no.’”
“No?”
Bethany took a breath. “No. I had to stick to my guns. It was hard, don’t get me wrong. But I don’t think it’s a good example to set for Cody. So I told him we couldn’t move in together until we’re married.”
Kyle’s jaw dropped. Married? Where in the world had that come from? “Excuse me, but did you propose to the man?”
Bethany giggled. “I didn’t mean to, but I guess I did.”
“What did he say? What happened?”
“Well, we had to use the little bit of sign language that I do know and then I had to speak very slowly and very clearly so that he could be sure I was saying what he thought I was saying,”—she giggled again—“and then we hurried up and put Cody to bed so he could make love to me for the first time. Have you ever made love with a deaf man before, Kyle?”
Kyle was having a hard time absorbing everything that was happening to her today. “Uh, no .”
“Well, let me just tell you, because he can’t hear, of course, he makes some pretty interesting sounds and says some very intriguing things. It is”—she sighed—“sexier than I would’ve ever imagined.”
TMI. “So I guess that was a ‘yes?’”
“We’re going to wait a little while to get married, but it was most definitely a yes.”
“Then I am so happy for you both.”
“Me, too.” She sighed. “Me, too.”
Kyle hung up determined to really be happy for her friend. So what if neither Charles or Jed was her guy? Her ‘Steve’ would come around one of these days.
She pushed her glasses up and tucked some loose hair behind her ear before deciding she’d best get back to work. Idly, her hand brushed her ponytail. She ran her fingers through the long, silky length and thought about what Toni had said. Could she cut it off? She’d worn it like this since high school. But why?
Before she could change her mind, she dug out the card for DaVonna’s Hair Salon and dialed the number. She made an appointment for that afternoon right after work and hung up with butterflies in her stomach. But she knew she could do it. The time for old things had past and she was ushering in the new.
She sat up in her chair like a tin soldier and prepared to get back to work. On her screen an Internet ad came up for a travel site. Her finger hovered over the mouse to delete it like she’d done a hundred times before, but something made her stop. They were running a special to the Caribbean. She glanced around her empty office. Nobody was there to see her. She clicked the link, feeling like a little girl wishing for that elusive toy in the shop window.
“Wow,” she murmured as she surfed the website.
The destinations were endless. The prices were reasonable. She moved on from the Caribbean to the Orient. Australia to Europe. Until she landed on her Mecca.
With her hand shaking, she clicked the tab for Rome. “What’s wrong with me? It’s not like I’m really going.”
Why not? the little voice in the back of her head screamed.
Could she do it? She tallied the remnants of her savings account, calculated her current salary against her expenditures, and then wondered if she was absolutely nuts. When could she even get the time off of work? She’d just started this job. But she couldn’t draw her eyes away from the screen. It was like living water to her soul; Vatican City, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica.
“Oh my,” she cried as she wondered what the Roman Colosseum would look like in person. Or the Pantheon. The Trevi Fountain.
Before she knew it, she was pricing flights and had picked the Visconti Palace hotel for its location near Vatican City. “Perfect,” she said to herself with a grin.
“What’s perfect?” Malachi asked from the doorway, making her jump.
“Oh!” She downsized her screen as she suddenly felt terribly guilty. What had she been thinking?
He entered and sat down across from her. “How’s everything going?”
“Good. Great, actually. I was able to finish up the numbers early for all of Derek’s territory already,” she said, referring to another of the sales reps. “And I’m nearly through with Blaine’s and Cassidy’s.”
He smiled showing his perfectly white partials. “That’s fantastic! You know, Kyle, I am not disappointed in your performance at all. Blaine found us a good one with you.”
She felt herself flush at the compliment. “Thank you, sir. I appreciate that.” It was so rewarding to feel competent and valued in this major undertaking away from the shadow of her father. It was something to tuck away and remember when her mother called to harangue her for not marrying Charles, not remaining at the firm, not, not, not, just not being the daughter she was supposed to be. But the one she was destined to be, all the same.
“I just wanted to tell you that all your hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed.” He stood. “I’ll let you get back to it.”
She glanced back at her computer screen. Jed’s voice whispered in her ear telling her she should get out more often. The temptation was more than she could take. “Sir?”
“I’ve told you several times to call me Malachi. We’re not formal around here.”
She flushed. “Sorry. Malachi?”
He smiled. “Yes?”
“I was wondering . . .” She faltered. Would he be angry about this? She hadn’t worked there very long. Oh well, in for a penny in for a pound. “When the books close for the quarter, would it be too much trouble for me to take some time off for personal reasons? Unpaid, of course,” she hastened to add.
He tilted his head. “Isn’t that about six weeks from now?”
She bit her lip. “Yes, sir.” Time enough to arrange for a passport and hock her engagement ring.
“How long would you need off?”
Italy was so close she could taste the pasta. “I’m not sure. A week or two?”
He smiled again. “Going anywhere special?”
She swallowed and made the commitment. “Rome.”
His eyes widened. “Oh. Wow. How exciting! I don’t see why we can’t spare you for a little while. But you’ll need at least three weeks off for that kind of trip. Just remind me, okay?”
“Sure. Thank you.”
He turned and left her office as a cross between relief and sweet jubilation rushed through her. “Hallelujah!”
Kyle stepped out of DaVonna’s Hair Salon feeling like a new woman. Her previously mousy brown hair sat in sassy layers about her face with golden-blond highlights streaked throughout. She’d nearly cried when DaVonna cut off seve
ral inches until it sat at the base of her neck, but she’d gone in knowing she’d have to bite the bullet if she wanted a change. And that’s exactly what she’d done. And she couldn’t be more pleased with the results. No more ponytails for her!
As she settled into her Prius, her cell phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID and her heart began to pound. The display read Gentry’s.
For one futile moment she debated whether to answer, but she knew she was being immature. She flipped open the phone. “Hello?”
“Miz O’Neill?”
“Michael!” It was so nice to hear his voice. She’d really missed the big guy. “How are you?”
“Good. How about you? How’s the new job?”
She buckled her seatbelt. “It’s going really great. I’m happy.” She thought about her upcoming trip. She was happier than she’d been in weeks.
“That’s good news. We’re all happy for you.” But it didn’t sound like he meant it. “So, listen, Miz Watson, our new accountant here, is having troubles finding some of the files you left. You think you could talk to her?”
Her brows furrowed. What could she be having trouble with? “Sure. Put her on.”
The phone shuffled before a woman’s voice came on. “Hello?”
“Hi. You’re having issues finding some of my old files?”
“Yes. Most of it’s in perfect order, but I can’t seem to locate the older things. Michael says it would’ve been from when you first started? Specifically his accounts payables from approximately six to nine months ago. I’m just double-checking and getting our final tax forms in order.”
Kyle thought a moment. Ah, yes. When Michael was being his most uncooperative and she’d had to resort to drastic measures. “Okay. I can tell you exactly where to find them, but it’s going to sound crazy.”
She could picture the woman’s confused face. “All right.”
Kyle started the car and pulled out to head home. “Are you at my old desk? Yours now, I guess?”
“Yes.”
Kyle smiled. “Open the top drawer and reach way toward the back. You should find a USB flash drive taped to the top.” She waited a few moments. “Did you find it?”
There were some muffled noises. “Uh, yes. I think I’ve got it.”
Kyle changed lanes and smirked. This was probably the closest she was ever going to get the feeling like James Bond. “That’s it. It’s a long story, but I had to protect it. When you open it, the files are named Devil Boy and Satan’s Spawn.”
Silence.
“I was having a particularly bad month,” she defended herself. “But it’s all there. That should be all you need now.”
She said her goodbyes and they hung up. But she couldn’t help how her heart caught wondering if Jed had been there and how he was faring with Miz Watson.
Kyle turned up the radio to full blast when her favorite Pink song came on and sang at the top of her lungs. Jed might not love her and she might not have everything she wanted, especially him, but darn it, she had a cute haircut, a great job, and she was going to Italy. Life wasn’t all that bad!
She turned into her condo’s parking lot and hopped out of her car. She checked her mail and waved at an elderly neighbor. Her stomach growled, making her wonder what she had in the fridge other than yogurt and condiments.
Once inside, she tossed her purse and keys down, flipped through her mail, and made a beeline for the kitchen. She tossed the junk mail away and dug out a TV dinner. No, wait a minute. She threw it back into the freezer. Tonight was a night for celebrating. She pulled out the bottle of wine that had remained untouched since her mother had been here last, poured herself a glass, and took a healthy sip. Then she picked up the phone and ordered herself a pizza with the works.
She moved to the dining room to boot up her laptop and pulled up the information about obtaining a passport. Just to make herself feel even better, she looked up her hotel in Rome again and starting making herself a tentative itinerary.
After a while, she sat back with a happy sigh and, a slight buzz. She glanced over. The bottle of wine was half empty. Whoa, girl!
The doorbell rang.
She jumped up and went to get her pizza. It only caught her off guard for a moment when the delivery guy was bald with a big tattoo of a cross on his neck. Just a moment, mind you. After all, there was no real resemblance. But, she was going to have to get a grip.
She paid the man and went back inside to eat, ashamed that her foolish heart was still hoping for a miracle. She thought about just picking up the phone and calling Jed, but she knew she would never do it. She’d laid it all on the line and told him how she felt. If he didn’t know her well enough to know that nothing was going on between her and Charles any longer or to even give her a chance to talk to him and explain things, well, she certainly wasn’t going to beg him. She might love him, but not enough to make herself a doormat. Not again. Besides, she wanted to be loved in return. More than anything.
She pushed aside those painful thoughts and pulled out a slice of pizza. She let her mind drift across the ocean to the wonders she would soon see and taste and feel.
With her second slice of pizza demolished, she picked up the phone to call her mother. No time like the present to get this show on the road.
“Hello?” came her mother’s perfectly polished voice.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Kyle! Hello, Dear. How are you?”
She twirled the stem of her wine glass, thankful that she’d nearly topped off the bottle. “I’m good. You?”
“Fine.” There were voices in the background. “Your brother is here.”
“Really? With Daphne and Sabrina?”
A pause. “Yes. They came over for supper.” Another pause. “And Daphne and I talked some about the wedding plans.”
Oh, really? “That’s nice.”
“Yes, we did have a nice time.”
Whoa. She really sounded like she meant it. Was she actually warming to Bryan’s lady and her child? “Ah, well, I’m sorry I missed that. I worked a little later than I’d hoped today, then I got my hair cut.”
“You did?”
Kyle smiled and described her new do.
“Sounds lovely, darling. I can’t wait to see it. But we understand you’re working hard. Your father brags about you all the time up at the Club, you know. He’s just tickled pink how you’ve made a name for yourself.”
Kyle wasn’t sure what to say. Never, ever, had her father said any of these things to her. She’d had no idea. But, then again, he’d never been one to say much of anything if it wasn’t related to numbers, golf, or politics. The fact that he was proud of her blindsided her momentarily. She couldn’t find words as emotion crowded her throat.
She settled for, “Thanks, Mom.”
“I wish I’d had your head for numbers,” her mom continued, further blowing her mind, “but I was never very good at those things. I’ve not had an interest either, I’m afraid.” Kyle heard the clinking of dinnerware or glasses in the background and wondered if this was truly her mother speaking or if an alien had taken over her body. “So, I left those things up to your father and you children. But, I tried to teach you what I knew best. The womanly arts, so to speak. How to entertain and keep a home.” She sighed. “Hopefully it will be useful to you someday. But, if not, I’m proud of you either way, Kyle.”
There was no way this was her mother. Kyle was a little freaked out. “Is everything all right, Mom?” Where was the berating about what a disappointment she was? Her mother must be dying.
“Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Uh, well, you’ve never said these kinds of things before.”
There was another pause and she heard Sabrina’s laughter in the background. “Well, I should have. I’m s
orry.”
Kyle pulled the phone away from her ear and examined it. Yup, it appeared to be fully functioning.
“So, sweetie,” her mother continued, “did you just call to say hello, or did you need something?”
She thought a moment. There was a reason she called, but she had to reach for it past the shock of her mother’s unexpected new I’m OK, You’re OK attitude.
“I need my birth certificate. I’m getting a passport.”
“A passport?”
“Yes. I’m going on a trip.”
“Where?”
She just had to close her eyes and she could envision the Sistine Chapel. “Rome,” she said with reverence.
“Rome? Who are you going with?”
Ah, her old mother was back. Kyle stood and took her empty wine glass to the sink to rinse it out. “No one, Mom.”
They argued about the wisdom of her traveling halfway around the world by herself. In the end she finally convinced her mother she meant to go. There was no talking her out of it and she was coming to pick up her birth certificate that week.
Kyle hung up and got ready for bed. Just for fun, she taped a photo of the Roman Colosseum to her bedroom mirror. But there, below it on her dresser, was the sketch of her face. She reached out and traced the line of her jaw with the tip of her finger, wondering if Jed had done the same thing when he’d drawn it. What had he been thinking when he drew her tears?
She hugged it to her as she crawled into bed, knowing it was the only way to be close to him tonight. She glanced at the picture of the Colosseum across the room. It was her dream, true. But she would give it all up in a heartbeat if it meant she could have him. He was the deepest ache she’d ever known. But, she supposed, at least she got to feel what real love was like at least once in her life.
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