Do Not Disturb (21 page)

Allison curled her feet under her legs and stuck
her hands under the afghan, stuffing it up under her neck. She couldn’t stop
shivering. Even her teeth were chattering.

“Allison, you sure you’re not sick.” Her mother
lay a hand on her forehead. “I know it’s an unusually chilly Christmas, but
you’re shaking and pale.”

Allison smiled weakly as she looked at her mother.
Ruth Hill wore her Santa apron and a pin of bells jingled each time she walked.
The apron was new every few years, when it became too stained from holiday
dinners, but the pin had been passed on from her Grandmother to her mother and
she was sure she’d be receiving it soon.

Christmas at her parents had been the same since
she was a child. Only she’d gotten older and discovered the world wasn’t always
the nice, secure place she had known growing up.

Unfortunately she hadn’t been able to protect
Kelly from the nasty sides of life. But at least her parents had always been
the perfect grandparents for Kelly, loving her, spoiling her at every
opportunity. She used to think they tried to make up for what was lacking in
James’ parents, but they were the same with her brothers’ children.

The lines in her mother’s face deepened with
worry. Kelly was lucky to have them. She was lucky to have them.

“I’m fine, Mom. Really. I just want to rest for a
while.” She edged the rocker back with her shoulders until it moved. “Too much
food probably.”

“I don’t think that’s it, Allison.” Ruth shook her
head. “I know you don’t like me to interfere in your life --”

“Mom,” Allison pleaded.

“I’ll just say this one time and then promise
never to mention it again.” She lowered her voice. “Sometimes it’s good to be
involved with someone who isn’t exactly like you. Just look at your Dad. We’re
not at all alike, but we’re good for each other.”

Her mother clapped her hand over her heart in her
usual dramatic fashion. “Why everyone thought I was crazy when we started
dating in high school. Couldn’t believe we’d ever make it.” She sighed and
looked over Allison’s head, lost in her own world. “But even though it took
compromises on both our parts, I can’t imagine my life without him.”

Allison closed her eyes. She didn’t know if she
could bear this.

“And it’s also all right to admit you’re wrong and
change your mind on how you want to live your life.”

“Mom...” She stopped. What did she want to say?
She couldn’t say she was happy. She wasn’t. She’d thought getting pregnant in
college was the most painful thing she would ever live through. But this was
worse.

She had so much, but felt so empty. 

“That’s all, Allison.” She patted her daughter’s
shoulder. “I’ll leave you alone now, but I want you to think about what’s
really important to you. And decide what makes you happy. You’re a smart girl,
but right now I’m not sure you’re thinking straight.”

Allison nodded her head, making the rocker move
faster. She kept her eyes closed. If she opened them, the tears would escape.
And she couldn’t cry. It was Christmas. A time of joy. Happiness.

And she was so miserable.

“Thanks, Mom” Her voice quavered. “Thanks for
always being there for me.”  She huddled down tighter into a ball.

“You know we love you, Allison. And I don’t mean
to pry, but I saw how happy you were and now...”

“I know, Mom. I know.” She clenched her teeth to
keep her lips from shaking.

Allison snuck through the side door of the school
cafeteria. The January PTO meeting had already started. She slipped quietly
onto a chair in the back row.

Sitting back she relaxed, ready to listen to the
president. The time she’d spent eating a leisurely dinner with Kelly was worth
being a few minutes late. Amazing how much easier it was to concentrate when
she wasn’t hungry or rushed.

It only took one glance around the room to spot
the top of Brett’s head. She leaned slightly to her left to get a better view
between the couple in front of her.

Brett rolled his shoulders, then his head. Must
have been sitting a lot during the day, she thought. His muscles were tight.

She shifted her eyes to the other side of the room
as the image of his bare chest crept into her mind. Had it only been a little
over six weeks since she’d touched that chest? It seemed like years. 

How many times had she picked up the phone to call
him and stopped? She didn’t know what to say. Where to begin. Had he even
thought about calling her?

“Allison, I’m glad to see you’re here.”

She shot her attention to the front of the room.
Sara was talking to her. 

“If you could possibly spare a few minutes after
this meeting, I’d love for you and Brett to meet with the Spring Carnival
committee and explain how you two created such a successful Halloween carnival
last fall.” The president nodded toward to her left. “Brett’s already agreed.”

Her eyes darted in his direction. He’d turned to
look at her. He smiled briefly and nodded.

She wanted to smile back, but her lips felt
frozen. He looked away and her heart sank.

“Sure,” she answered, barely eking out the word.
She cleared her throat. “Of course, Sara,” she said louder. She twisted the
strap on her purse that lay in her lap and took deep breaths. Calm down, it’s
only a meeting about the carnival. 

Thirty excruciating minutes later the meeting
ended and she hadn’t heard a word. She wiped her damp palms on her slacks and
dragged herself to the front of the room where the committee gathered, each
step sending her blood pressure up another notch.

Three women and two men arranged chairs in a
semi-circle with two other chairs placed in front.

Brett talked to one of the men, his back to
Allison, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his khaki slacks, the fabric tight
across his butt. Suddenly he leaned his head back and laughed.

How many times had she seen him stand like that? Laugh
like that? She wanted to wrap her arms around his waist and rest her head on
his broad warm back. He would then grab her hands and turn around...

“Allison, you sit here and Brett next to you.”

Janet, the new carnival chairperson pointed to the
two chairs shoved side-by-side. Inches apart.

Brett turned to Allison.

“Hi,” he said softly. His eyes focused first on
her face, then her hair. He raised a hand toward her then dropped it.

Was he going to touch her hair?

“It’s down.”

She nodded, automatically reaching up to shove the
wild curls behind one ear.

“Don’t.” His voice was low, intimate. “It looks
great.”

His eyes then dropped down her body and back up.
“No suit tonight?”

She shook her head slowly. “I didn’t work today.”
Her dry throat made swallowing impossible.

He raised an eyebrow, but didn’t comment.

“We’d better sit. They’re waiting.”

She settled in one of the folding chairs. Brett
sank down next to her, not moving the chair away, his left knee grazing her leg
as he relaxed.

Janet patted her notebook. “We’re ready to hear
how you two managed such a great Halloween carnival. What is the secret?”

“A task plan.” Brett spoke first. “A detailed task
plan.”

Allison’s head swerved to her right and her mouth
dropped open. Task plan? The man hated them.

“Allison’s an expert at outlining everything that
needs to be done.” He smiled and nodded in her direction.

“I think the key is having fun,” Allison said
slowly. “Relaxing and not taking it too seriously.”

She felt his eyes on her as she addressed the
group. “If you don’t have someone like Brett who can motivate the group and
keep everyone comfortable, the creative ideas will just” she raised her hands
in the air, “evaporate.”

She smiled. “That’s what’s critical. Not taking it
too seriously.”

Brett twisted in his chair and faced her. “But
Allison, without goals and objectives and details, no one knows what to do and
nothing will get done.”

She rotated her upper body toward him. “Yes, but
flexibility in meeting the goals, that’s important, too. Things don’t always
work out the way you plan. Things change. You know, Brett, everything in life
can’t be planned and controlled.”

He placed a hand on his hip. “Well, that’s true,
but it’s very important the committee members accept each other’s ideas and
talk. Too often people forget that questions and ideas others may have aren’t
meant as controlling, they may just approach things differently and are trying
to be helpful. Open communication is important.”

“Wow,” Janet said, clapping her hands. “You two
are perfect together. No wonder the carnival was great. It was a perfect
balance of complimenting talents.”

Allison looked back at Janet, her face turning
red. She and Brett had been talking only to each other, ignoring the others.
What had they been doing?

“Thanks, Janet,” Allison said, nodding to the
chairperson and the group. “I’m sure your committee will be as helpful as ours.
We couldn’t have done it without everyone working together.”

“I think we have what we need, folks.” Janet
stood. The group drifted off in a huddle, the noise echoing in the emptying
room.

Brett and Allison sat, staring straight ahead for
several agonizing minutes before Brett spoke in a low tone.

“I was happy to hear the paternity suit got dropped
and everything worked out for you.”

“Thanks.” She turned her eyes his way. His head
was bowed, his elbows on his knees. His tan had begun to fade, his hair growing
in browner, losing some of the bleaching of the sun. He still looked wonderful.
“I wanted to thank you again for getting Michael to handle it.”

“You’re welcome. He really believed in your case.”

She raised her brows as he glanced up. “You talked
to Michael?”

“Oh no.” He paused. “My father told me.”

“So you’ve been talking to your parents?”

“Yeah.” He sat up and rested against the back of
the chair, the metal groaning under the pressure. “They were down here over
Christmas.”

She pointed a finger his way. “You invited them
here?”

He smiled. “About time, don’t you think?”

“Well...” She dropped her hand back in her lap.

“Told them about the business. My plans. Even let
my father draw up some company papers.”

“Oh?”  

“He had some great ideas on how to protect myself
against lawsuits.”

She cocked her head to one side. “Could that be a
problem?”

“Almost was.”

Oh no. Had he been in trouble and she didn’t know?

“You were sued?” She reached out to touch his arm,
moving it back when he glanced down.

“No.” He raised his head, a strange look on his
face. “But I found a mistake in one of my plans I prepared for a client. Stupid
mistake.” He laughed, that loud deep sound that echoed through her. She’d
missed his laugh. And she was relieved to see a grin replace the pained
expression. “A detail I missed in my hurry to get all the paperwork out of the
way. Could have ruined me.”

“Thank goodness you found it.”

“I hired a part-time assistant.”

“You what?” What in the world was going on? Was
this really Brett?

“I realized I hated the details and wasn’t going
to be able to do my business right if I didn’t have someone to keep me
organized and review all the paperwork.” He shook his head. “Mrs. Jones is a
retired executive secretary. Drives me crazy, but keeps me from shooting myself
in my foot. You were right about details and documentation, Allison.”

She sighed, rubbing her fingers with the thumb
from her other hand. “That was probably the only thing I was right about.”

“No.” He touched her arm briefly, then removed his
warmth. “You were right about my parents, too. They were only worrying about
me, not really trying to control me. Once I opened up and explained what I was
doing, they were very supportive. Thanks for the advice.”

“I’m quitting my job,” she blurted out.

Brett’s eyes popped open.

“Anybody here?”

They swiveled at the booming voice. The school’s
janitor appeared through the hallway, dragging his cleaning cart behind him.

“We’re leaving.” Brett stood.

He shoved open the metal doors to the outside,
waiting for Allison to walk ahead of him. At the thump of the door closing he
twirled her around.

“You’re quitting your job?”

“They gave the promotion to someone else.”

“Why?” His hand gently squeezed her elbow.

“I’d like to think he was more qualified, but
actually, he was the son of the new president’s best friend.”

Brett groaned. “Not connections.”

“Afraid so.”  She nodded.

“But why are you quitting?” He dropped his hand
and started walking with her toward the parking lot. “You love the bank and
there’ll be other opportunities there.”

“I know. But, I think it’s time to find something
else.” This was better, she thought as they moved away from the lights by the
cafeteria door. In the darkness she couldn’t see his face. The concern in his
gray eyes combined with the weeks of missing him made her want to throw herself
into his arms. Just talking was becoming difficult.

“I want to spend more time with Kelly. Have more
normal hours. I know I’m good at what I do and I have more options now.”

“Oh?” They stopped by her car door.

“With the money James left, her college is paid
for and the money I’d been saving for her tuition will give me a bit of a
cushion if I want to take something that pays less but is more satisfying.”

Brett leaned his back against the car window, his
face now illuminated by the streetlight. What would he do if she just reached
out and touched his jaw? She clenched her hands into tight fists at her sides.

“Any ideas?” he asked.

“Maybe a small community bank. One where I have
more influence. Or a small company. I haven’t decided yet. That’s why I took
off this week. To think about it.”

“You took off a whole week?”

She smiled at the shock on his face. “Amazing
isn’t it?”

“Yes, but great. If you’re happy that is.”

“I’m happy with this decision...” she took a deep
breath and plunged on, “but I can’t say I’ve been that happy recently.”

“I know it’s been rough for you,” he said softly.
“The lawsuit, the promotion, working on your degree, but things should start
falling in place this year. You’ve got a lot going for you.”

He didn’t understand. It wasn’t about that at all.

Her fingernails dug into her palms. “You were
right, Brett.”

“About what?”

“I was too obsessed with my job, planning my
life.”

“Oh.” He crossed one ankle over the other and
looked down for only a second, then brought his eyes back to gaze seriously
into hers. “I guess we’ve both learned something the last few months.”

“And both changed.”

They stood, each waiting for the other one to make
the next move. Neither one budged.

What should she do now? Maybe he was happy without
her.

“Look,” he stood up straight, his voice gruff. “I
have to get home to Caroline and I know you probably need to go too, but...will
you let me take you to dinner tomorrow night? I’ll arrange a sitter for the
girls and we can have some time to talk and be alone for a little while.” He
paused. “Please.”

She smiled at his determination. She’d missed him
so much.

“Well?”

And it sure sounded like he’d missed her. “Why
don’t you cook me breakfast?”

“Instead of dinner you want me to cook you
breakfast Saturday?” He looked confused.

She placed a hand on his arm. “Not Saturday.
Tomorrow morning. I’m on vacation remember?”

“Ohhh.” He frantically searched through his
slacks’ pockets. “Where is that thing?”

“What are you looking for?”

“My assistant prints out my calendar of
appointments for the week on this piece of paper.” He flipped open his wallet
and located a folded, tattered piece of paper. “Finally.” He held out a hand.
“Give me your keys.”

She dropped them in his hands.

Opening the car door, he held the paper under the
light. “Let’s see. I don’t have anything until eleven.” He drew his head out of
the car. “If you come by as soon as you drop Kelly off we’ll have a few hours.
I won’t need to leave the house until 10:30.” His face looked so hopeful. “I
promise a gourmet breakfast.”

“I’ll be there at 8:30.”

He stuffed the paper into his shirt, then braced
her face with his palms.

She lay her hands on his waist and closed her eyes
as he kissed her softly. This was what she’d remembered all those lonely
nights.

As she opened her mouth, he increased the
intensity of his kiss, drawing her closer to his body, his hand moving down her
back. His breath ragged, he pressed her head to his chest.

“Damn, but I’ve missed you, Allison.”

This is what she needed. She slipped her arms
around him, relaxing into the comfort of his embrace. And Brett is who she
needed.

“I wish I didn’t have to go home,” she whispered.

“Me too, darling. Me too.” He gave her a squeeze,
then eased back to look into her eyes. “But the faster this night is over, the
sooner we’ll be together again. Alone. No interruptions.”