Secret Sundays

by Judith Keim

  He opened his front door and waved at her, giving her no chance to act on her wish to disappear. She waved back and climbed out of the car. If she wanted to have her own business, there was only one way to begin—with her first client.

  “Thought we’d have a cup of coffee before we take off,” Ed said, ushering her inside.

  She nodded gamely.

  Standing in the front hallway, Carol Ann took a moment to study the scene before her. Her artistic senses told her the area needed color—not too much, not glaring. Just subtle touches here and there, as she’d seen in a recent magazine.

  She followed Ed into the kitchen and sat in a chair at the breakfast table.

  “Decaf, black?”

  Carol Ann nodded and smiled, pleased that he’d remembered. Studying him out of the corner of her eye, she took in his solid, strong physique. At one time, she’d made fun of his looks, but she saw so much more of his special qualities now. Her Fat Fridays friends had always thought well of him; why hadn’t she?

  Ed handed her a cup of coffee, fixed himself a cup, and sat down opposite her. His hazel eyes filled with warmth when he looked at her. “My feelings for you haven’t changed, Carol Ann. I don’t believe they ever will. But I think it’s important for you to learn to trust them ... and me. That’s why I’m going to leave it up to you as to if and how our relationship will grow in the future. But I’m warning you I don’t have a whole lot of patience.”

  Carol Ann’s sip of hot coffee burned as it made its way through her throat, thickened with emotion. After all she’d told him, Ed still wanted her? The thought made her want to cry.

  “Are you all right?” Ed asked, starting to rise.

  “I will be.” She waved him away. “Hot coffee,” she said, lying through her teeth. She wasn’t ready to discuss a relationship with any man, not even one as wonderful as this one.

  “Well, let’s get down to business,” Ed said.

  Carol Ann’s nerves settled as they talked about the furniture they’d seen and what they were still looking for. “We’ll look at contemporary furniture as you wanted,” said Carol Ann, all business now. “But, Ed, I don’t think the condo will accept furniture that is too modern. Not with the dark woods, carved moldings, and ceiling beams.”

  He nodded. “Okay. But I don’t want things to look too girly; you know what I mean?”

  She smiled. He wasn’t a girly kind of guy at all. More like a superhero.

  He returned her smile and got to his feet. “Let’s go.”

  She followed him into the garage and climbed into his car. As they drove out of the garage, she looked around at the condos near his. What furnishings she could see on decks supported her idea about furniture choice.

  They drove south to one of Atlanta’s largest furniture stores. As soon as they walked inside, a well-dressed, older gentleman greeted them. “Here to look at some of our fine pieces of furniture?”

  Carol Ann and Ed nodded together.

  The man smiled at them. “Ah, I love shopping with young couples. Is this your first house?”

  “Yes,” Carol Ann and Ed answered at the same time. They looked at one another and laughed.

  The salesman chuckled. “Hard to find young couples so in sync these days. But you two are perfect together. Let’s get started.”

  Following the salesman into his office, Carol Ann and Ed grinned at each other.

  “But ...” Carol Ann started.

  “Just roll with it,” Ed said softly.

  Carol Ann nodded, feeling good that others thought she was someone worthy of marriage.

  They spent several hours looking through the huge selection of furniture, coming up with different combinations to furnish both the living room and the dining room. It was important to Carol Ann that the décor in each room was complementary in an interesting way.

  Fabric choices were more difficult. First, they had to choose a rug. The one Ed was currently using would be perfect in the downstairs family room. The new furniture they’d selected called for something different, more traditional. After looking at several samples, they narrowed it down to a choice of two Oriental rugs.

  “We can’t select fabric for the chairs until you choose the rug, Ed,” coached Carol Ann.

  She smiled when he chose the green one she liked. Their tastes were pretty compatible.

  “You’re welcome to take home the fabric samples you think would work best,” said the salesman, giving them a broad smile.

  Ed made the arrangements for payment and delivery of the rug, and they left.

  “Thanks for helping me with all this,” said Ed, holding the car door open for her.

  “You’re welcome. Great idea of yours to negotiate even lower prices for each piece we bought.” Carol Ann hadn’t thought of quantity discounts. And now she knew she’d have to have business cards printed up if she was going to get a designer discount. Suddenly the idea of setting up her own business didn’t seem so easy.

  Ed got behind the wheel and turned to her. “How does a nice steak dinner sound?”

  Carol Ann smiled. “Wonderful.”

  “Good. I know just the place.”

  ###

  Laney’s was well-known in Atlanta for their prime beef and delicious salads. Carol Ann sat at a white-linen-covered table and drew a satisfied breath. This was her kind of place—understated elegance.

  She smiled across the table at Ed. Affection lit his eyes, giving them an unusual tawny color.

  The waiter came, took their order, and hurried away.

  Ed reached across the table and took hold of Carol Ann’s hand. “You look so, so alive,” he said. “So pretty.”

  Carol Ann felt heat rise to her cheeks. She tried to think of something sophisticated to say back to him but knew she’d end up babbling.

  “Well, look who’s here?”

  At the sound of a familiar voice, Carol Ann straightened and jerked her hand away from Ed’s. “Tiffany? What are you and Kevin doing here?”

  Tiffany’s smile disappeared. “It’s business. Strictly business.” She turned to Kevin. “Right?”

  He nodded. “We had an appointment to see someone about one of our projects. And as long as we were in Atlanta, we wanted to have an early dinner.”

  “And you two?” Tiffany said, glancing from Carol Ann to Ed and back to Carol Ann.

  Carol Ann’s heart raced as she tried to think of something to say.

  “Business,” said Ed, calmly. “Carol Ann is decorating my condo for me. And she’s good, too. This is my way of saying thank you.”

  “You are?” Tiffany said to Carol Ann.

  Carol Ann nodded. “Yes. I wasn’t going to say anything to anybody about it until I’d finished the project for Ed. I’m thinking it might be a good way for me to make money while I’m home with the baby.”

  At the way Tiffany’s jaw dropped, Carol Ann hid a laugh. Tiffany wasn’t the only one who’d be surprised. “I’m not saying anything to the other women because I don’t want it spread around the office. I can’t do anything to undermine my job at MacTel.”

  “Oh, yes, of course,” said Tiffany. She leaned over and gave Carol Ann a quick kiss on the cheek. “Your secret is safe with me.”

  Carol Ann couldn’t hide the smile that began to spread across her face. “And yours with me.” Tiffany and Kevin might be working together, but there was no question in her mind that they were attracted to one another.

  After they were gone, Carol Ann said, “Thanks.”

  “For what?”

  “For speaking up. I don’t think anyone would suspect my growing feelings for you.”

  “Of course not,” Ed said, giving her a dazzling smile.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  SUKIE

  Several weeks later, when Sukie pulled into Anthony’s for the Fat Fridays luncheon, she found the parking lot unusually crowded. Only then did she realize it was a teachers’ conference release day for school kids. By the look of it, a lot of the older kids
were here.

  Inside, the restaurant was jammed. She looked around for signs of the other women and found Grace and Misty in a large booth in the back. She hurried over to them. “Hi! Good to see you both! Glad you could make it, Misty. You look great. Where are the others?”

  “Lynetta and Carol Ann are on their way. Tiffany hasn’t canceled, so she should be here soon,” said Grace.

  Sukie slid across the booth’s red-plastic seat and faced Grace and Misty. “How’s school going, Misty?”

  Misty shrugged. “It’s not fun being the new girl, but I’ve made a couple of friends.”

  “Sounds like you’re doing great. High school isn’t easy for anyone,” Sukie said, giving her an encouraging smile.

  Sukie took a moment to study Grace’s daughter. She really did look great. Misty’s new haircut suited her, and so did her new clothes. Tiffany had told Sukie and the others that Misty was being paid in clothes rather than money for babysitting. Now, Misty looked like most of the teenagers around them, not the little, scared girl she’d been when she’d first arrived.

  “Hi, everyone!” Carol Ann took a seat opposite Sukie.

  “Wonderful news, Sukie!” said Lynetta, sliding in beside her. “Martin got an ‘A’ in English Literature. I believe I have you to thank for helping him.”

  “Great! That’s what I’m there for,” said Sukie. She shot a glance across the table to Misty. “I’m children’s librarian at the public library, but I don’t just work with little ones. I’m there to help anyone who needs it.”

  Misty acknowledged Sukie with a nod and turned with a smile as Tiffany approached carrying Vanna in her car seat. With a sigh, Tiffany placed the car seat on a separate chair and drew it up to the booth’s table. “Whew! This little girl is getting big.”

  “I can help if you want,” said Misty.

  “Yes, I thought I’d ask you to come home with me if it’s all right with your mother,” said Tiffany. She looked to Grace.

  Grace nodded. “That would be great. I have to go back to work.”

  Sukie noticed tears in Misty’s eyes. “What’s the matter, honey?”

  “I sometimes miss my mother ... I mean, Kate,” Misty said.

  The hurt on Grace’s face stabbed Sukie’s heart. “Oh, hon ...” Sukie began.

  Grace cut her off. “It’s okay. We learned in our support group that it’s healthy to talk about things like this.” She wrapped her arm around Misty’s shoulder. “All right now. Go ahead and cry, if you want to.”

  Sukie sat with the others and watched helplessly as Misty nestled into her mother’s embrace and wiped her eyes. Observing them, Sukie thought of the connection between a mother and her child and felt so grateful to have a good relationship with her own children. Chloe, too.

  After the waitress took their orders, the atmosphere at the table lightened.

  “What’s new?” Sukie asked the others.

  “James and I had a date last weekend,” said Lynetta. Her eyes shone with pleasure. “I told my boys how much I liked him, and it was time for me to have some fun. You know what they said? ‘Go for it, Mom!’ I was so surprised I didn’t know what to say. Then I decided they were right. I’m goin’ for it, cause this guy is the best man ever.”

  “I love stories like that,” said Carol Ann, her cheeks flushing prettily.

  In fact, Sukie thought, Carol Ann looked better than ever. Pregnancy suited her.

  Tiffany and Carol Ann glanced at one another.

  “Okay, what’s going on, you two?” said Sukie, giving them a teasing grin.

  “Nothing,” they said together.

  “Nothing spells trouble,” said Grace. “Better spill.”

  “Okaaay,” said Carol Ann. “I wasn’t going to say anything just yet, but I’m starting a little decorating business of my own, so I have a source of extra income after the baby arrives.” She wagged a finger in warning. “But y’all can’t say anything about it at the office or anywhere else. I don’t want anyone to fire me for thinking I’m not doing my job.”

  Sukie frowned. “But you work for Ed. Is he okay with this?”

  Carol Ann grinned. “He’s my first client.”

  “Good,” said Sukie. “Then you don’t have to worry about getting fired.”

  “And after she’s through with Ed’s condo, she’s going to help me dress up my house,” announced Tiffany.

  Carol Ann and Tiffany exchanged smiles, but Sukie still had the feeling something else was going on.

  ###

  That evening, Sukie was in the kitchen preparing dinner when Cam walked in. She looked up from the chicken breast slices she was pounding. “Hi, sweetie! How was your day?”

  “Daddy! Daddy!” shouted Chloe, running to him to be picked up.

  He swung Chloe up into his arms and turned to Sukie. “We have to talk.”

  She set down the wooden mallet and washed her hands. “Now?”

  He gave Chloe a long hug and lowered her to the floor. “Run along and play. Mommy and Daddy need to talk.”

  Chloe gave him a strange look but left to go back to her television program.

  “Better sit down,” said Cam. He lowered himself into a chair at the kitchen table.

  Sukie’s heart pounded with dismay as she sat opposite him. “What’s going on?”

  “I heard from Chloe’s mother. It seems she wants to see the darling baby girl she never meant to leave behind.” The bitterness in Cam’s voice told Sukie a lot.

  “She signed away her parental rights, didn’t she?” Sukie was certain he’d told her that.

  “Yes, she did, but now she’s saying she was coerced into doing so, that she had postpartum depression and was out of her mind.”

  Sukie’s body turned cold. “But I thought she was out of her mind because she went right back to drugs after Chloe was born.”

  “That’s exactly what happened. There’s something more to this story. I’m sure of it. But, Sukie, I’m scared she’s going to do something crazy.” He shook his head. “I never loved her, you know. It happened during one of the few times I ever got stoned. It was only after she told me she was pregnant, and a DNA test confirmed the baby was mine, that I stayed involved with her only until Chloe was born. She told me from the beginning she didn’t want the baby, that she would give her to me if I’d give her enough money to split town.”

  Feeling sick to her stomach, Sukie clutched the edge of the table. “Do you think that this is what it’s all about? More money?”

  His shoulders slumped. Letting out a long breath, he said, “I don’t know, but it can’t be good. I’m surprised she even found me.”

  “How did she find you?”

  “She googled me and found the newspaper article they did on me here as head of the local cancer drive.”

  Sukie rose, and coming up behind Cam, embraced him. “We’ll get through this together, Cam.”

  “But I’m worried. Even if she can’t claim custody of Chloe, she might fight to obtain a right to see her.” He pounded a fist on the table. “I don’t want that woman anywhere near Chloe. She’s nothing but trouble. On the phone, she sounded as if she were on something, and I promise you, there’s not a maternal bone in her body.” Cam held his head in his hands.

  Sukie rubbed his back. “Elizabeth is an intern at one of the most prestigious law firms in New York. After you’ve calmed down, why don’t we call her and find out who might be able to help us.”

  Cam looked up at her. “Paying for this might mean we have to cancel our honeymoon trip to Paris.”

  Sukie gazed at the man she loved with all her heart. “Nothing is important right now except Chloe’s happiness and safety.”

  “Aw, Sukie. I love you so much!” He tugged Sukie down onto his lap and hugged her so tightly her breath caught.

  She gently pulled away and clasped her hands to the sides of his face, willing herself to be strong for him. “Hey, sweetheart. Look at me. It’s going to be all right. You’ll see.”

 
But her comforting words to him didn’t erase the worry she hid inside. Her maternal juices flowed. Chloe was the little girl of her heart, and no one was going to take her away from them. Not even the woman who’d given her life.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  CAROL ANN

  Carol Ann woke and stretched. She loved her Sunday mornings. After a leisurely breakfast, she’d get to spend the day with Ed.

  She lay on her back and caressed her baby bump. She’d taken to thinking of the baby as a girl. A little Fat Fridays member, like Vanna. Her thoughts flew to Ed. Each time they were together, she became more and more comfortable with the idea of making a life with him. He’d proved to be kind and generous and supportive of her. And the chemistry? Out of sight. Even now, thinking of their last kiss, her body tingled. She’d thought he’d ask her to stay the night, but he hadn’t.

  Carol Ann stirred restlessly. Ed was apparently sticking to the idea that she was the one who had to let him know if and when she was ready to move forward with their relationship. Thinking of it, she frowned. He’d warned her he didn’t have much patience. Their kisses indicated both of them wanted more. And they had fun together, so what was holding her back? Nothing, she decided, absolutely nothing.

  She rose with a new determination. She was going to trust him. She’d tell him today that she loved him and wanted to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her. Happiness flooded her being. She loved him. She really did. It had nothing to do with his being her boss or her first client. It had everything to do with the sense of safety in his arms, the way her body reacted to him with a need she’d never known. And all this had happened to her in spite of her condition. What man could be sweeter than that?

  With her decision made, Carol Ann took extra care with her appearance that morning, shaving her legs, shampooing her hair. She put on her one good pair of lacy underpants and matching black bra. She not only was going to declare herself, she was going to wow him. She’d read enough sizzling novels to know what might turn him on.

  On the drive to his house, she felt like flying. When she’d least suspected it, she’d fallen for a man so different from the one with whom she’d always imagined herself. A man who loved her.