Hurricane Watch - DK2 (60 page)

They broke apart. ”I’d love that,” Dar stated sincerely. ”I mean, you’re right. I don’t know much about it, and I’ve never been into stuff like that, but I know it’s important to you, and that makes it important to me.”

Kerry smiled gently at her. ”Wow.” It felt wonderful. ”Great. Now you can figure out a place to do it, because I don’t know if I want to have it inside a church down here, even the one on South Beach.”

Dar grinned. ”I know a place.” She cradled Kerry’s face in her hands, stroking her cheeks with gentle thumbs. ”It’s a little short on amenities, but it’s got a killer sunrise.” Kerry’s request had delighted her in ways she’d hardly expected, but she couldn’t pretend she hadn’t been considering the same sort of thing lately. In fact, a dawn run out to that little spot had been on her list of Valentine’s Day things anyway.

”Thank you for asking me.”

Kerry found herself smiling, just because Dar was. ”Sorry you had such a lousy day.”

Dark brows knit. ”Huh?” Dar asked, honestly puzzled. ”What day?

Oh…” She laughed softly at herself. ”Yeah. Right...that...ah...” She 324

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studied Kerry’s face. ”Maria was right.”

Kerry leaned into the touch, simply feeling the love. ”Mm?”

”I have been blessed,” Dar stated softly. ”I’ve found my soul mate.”

Breathe.
Kerry heard a voice, remotely resembling her own reminding her.
Breathe, Kerry.
Her chest moved, and sucked in air, making a soft, almost sob. She was crying, and she had no idea why, except that just that word made her feel so...

Complete.

Kerry smiled. ”Yes, you have.” She reached up and curled her fingers around Dar’s hand, then turned it a little and kissed the palm.

After all this time. The thought echoed gently.

The doorbell rang.

”I’ll get that,” Dar said, softly.

”I’ll get the pictures,” Kerry answered.

”We’ve got a lot of catching up to enjoy,” Dar said, with a smile.

Her soul mate smiled back. ”Yes, we do.”

DAR SLOWLY LET her eyes open, aware of the early morning hour even in the strange place she found herself.

Well, not really strange, it was, after all, her couch, but strange enough to jog her lightly out of her sleep, as Kerry shifted and burrowed closer to her. It was still dark out, and as such, she couldn’t see anything but vague shadows in the living room, where books of pictures and scattered memories surrounded them.

She hadn’t been able to prevent Kerry from kidnapping the one of her dressed as Tigger, and she just knew that was going to come back and bite her in the butt someday. Oh well, could have been worse. She could have been Pooh.

And that was okay, because she’d snatched not one, but two pictures of Kerry—one of her as a wide eyed, beruffled cherub, and another of her taken off guard, as a teenager with her back against a tree trunk, and a book open on her knees.

In the second, there was

something so gentle, and so wistful in her expression, with her hand spread across the page, and her head resting against the bark, it tugged at Dar’s heartstrings irresistibly

Her soul mate. Dar smiled, and stroked the soft pale hair. The word had delighted Kerry, and it really did fit how she felt towards Kerry, as though they really were part of each other Maybe they were. Dar pulled Kerry a little closer. They certainly fit together, like a well made wooden puzzle, despite their different heights. Kerry was nestled up against her left side, with one arm wrapped around Dar’s stomach and her knees between the taller woman’s. Dar could feel Kerry’s warm breath against her collarbone, and Dar smiled. They were breathing in the same rhythm.

It was a nice feeling.

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Loving Kerry was a nice feeling. Dar smiled contentedly, and relaxed, thinking about the weekend. More specifically, early Saturday morning, when they’d go out and greet the sun, and tell each other...

Pale blue eyes popped open in mild alarm.
Tell each other what?

Could they use the standard vows?

Uh...no.

Dar's mind started working.
What in the hell could they…okay,
okay...how about something simple like…I'll love you forever.

She winced.
Not that it wasn't true, but…

Hmm…

You are the light of my life? Augh, Dar, you sound like a bad
seventies hit parade. You make my life worth living?

Well, that was true too. You came into my world, and turned it
upside down? Not so flattering, but…

”Dar?” Kerry’s sleepy voice interrupted her studied musing. She glanced down, where Kerry was still nestled against her.

”Hmm?”

”What are you muttering?”

Dar sighed. ”Sorry. I didn’t realize I was.”

”Mm...so...what was it?” Kerry persisted, curiously.

”Umm...nothing, really.” Dar cleared her throat gently, and snuggled back down. ”G’back to sleep.” She firmly closed her eyes.

”Okay,” Kerry murmured obediently.

Peaceful silence fell.

”Am I really the light of your life?”

Dar made a noise halfway between a groan and a whine.

”I’m not?”

”Of course you are,” Dar spluttered hastily. ”You weren’t supposed to hear that.”

”Oh.” Kerry’s voice seemed disappointed. ”Okay, sorry.”

Dar gazed down at her, unhappily. ”Kerry, you’re all those things, and so much more I can’t even begin to tell you. I was just trying to figure out what I was going to say to you on Saturday morning.”

”Oh.” The inflection was totally different. ”You don’t have to say anything,” Kerry told her softly. ”Just your being there’s enough for me.””Oh,” Dar’s turn to murmur.

”I thought...maybe...I could just...sort of, um...I mean, I have this poem that I wrote. I thought maybe I could have Pastor Robert use that.”Dar exhaled in relief. ”That’d be perfect.” She kissed Kerry’s head gently. ”Thank you.”

Silence fell.

”I turned everything upside down, huh?”

Dar rolled over onto her back, pulling Kerry up on top of her.

”Yep.”

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”Awk, Dar, c’mon. You’re gonna be squished.” Kerry laughed.

Dar rubbed her back, working the strong muscles with her fingers.

”Nope, I like this feeling.”

”You like not being able to breathe. Dar, you’re demented.” But Kerry’s body slowly relaxed completely against her, melding with her own in boneless completeness.

”Mm...” Dar savored the feeling.

”Goofball.” Kerry nuzzled her neck, nibbling the underside of her jaw. ”I love you.” She felt the muscles of Dar’s face move as she smiled.

”It’s almost time to get up.”

”Uh huh,” Dar agreed lazily. ”How are you feeling?”

Kerry considered the question. ”Like I don’t want to get my lazy butt up and go running, but I don’t have a good excuse not to,” she admitted. ”So, c’mon, tiger, let’s hit the Frosted Flakes and get moving.”

Dar laughed softly, and pinched her on the specified body part.

”I’ll put the coffee up, you let the puppy out?”

It was just the start of another day.

DAR OPENED THE door to her outer office, then she paused, as she spotted the workmen blocking the way further. “What’s going on here?”

Maria was off to one side, supervising. She turned and spotted Dar and circled back around her desk. “Oh, jefa. Look. They are bringing your new name.”

For a second, Dar wondered if they meant she was taking on Kerry’s. She blinked and edged over to where the workmen were busy replacing the plaque on her door, relieved when all it showed was her new title. “Ah.”

It would have been funny if it’d been the other. Dar managed to squeeze past the men and into her office, deciding if it had been, she’d have left it. “Confuse the hell out of everyone. That’s my motto.”

She took her seat and booted up her PC, resting her hands on the desk as the machine chimed softly and started up.

Her intercom buzzed. “Yes?”

“Jefa, Mr. José is here to see you.”

Despite the absolute politeness of Maria’s tone, what she thought of Dar’s visitor was evident. “Thanks, Maria. Send him in.” She glanced at the folder, still in her in box, and sighed. “Can you grab me some coffee? I think I’m gonna need it.”

“Surely.”

Maria closed the connection and she was left in a moment’s peace before the door opened and José entered.

Her erstwhile nemesis in Sales crossed the room and took one of her visitor’s chairs, seating himself in it and hiking one ankle up on the opposite knee.

Dar didn’t truly dislike José. She knew he was if not the best, one of the best salespeople she’d ever met, and his aggressive style had won them more accounts than she had time to count over the years.

They fought like they did mostly because they were both up front, take them as you see them kind of people, and at her core, Dar really did have a level of respect for the man. “Yes?” she drawled, after he got himself comfortable. “If you’re here to bitch at me, take a hike. It’s too early for that.”

José studied her. He opened his mouth to answer, but they both turned as knock sounded on the inside corridor door.

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“C’mon in,” Dar said.

Kerry entered, carrying a Styrofoam cup. “Brought extra back.

Want some?” she said, after a pause when she saw who was sitting there.“Sure.”

Kerry brought the cup over and handed it to her, glancing over at José. “Good morning.”

José cocked his head and regarded her. “Buenas dias,” He replied.

“Is that café cubano?”

“Yes,” Kerry said. “I’m convinced we run on this, not electricity in this building.” She gave Dar a wink, then retreated to the door. “Sorry to interrupt.” She slipped through the door and left them alone again.

Dar sipped the thick, sugary rocket fuel. “So where were we?”

José blew his breath out. “I have come to say this,” he said. “Either we learn not to eat each other, or we go nowhere.” He laced his fingers together. “No matter what you think, I did not look for you to leave this company.”

Dar grunted.

“You do not sell things,” José went on. “I do not fix things,” he said. “The company needs the both of us to do well and make money.”

“That’s true.”

He leaned forward. “I do not like people who threaten me.” He stared evenly at Dar. “I do not care who they think they are.”

She sensed the raw challenge. But between that and her visceral response there now floated this cushion of introspection brought on by everything she’d been through in the past two weeks. Dar rested her chin on her fist. “Let me ask you something,” she said. “What would you have done if I called your wife a whore?”

José looked at her. “That is not your wife.” He pointed at the door.

“Do not make it the same thing.”

“But to me it is.” Dar got up and circled her desk, not missing the flinch as she closed in on him, only to settle herself on the edge of the flat surface. “Kerry is everything to me your family is to you, José. So I ask you again, if I’d have called your wife a whore, what would you have done?”

The salesman was briefly silent. Then he got up and paced to the wall and back. “I would not have liked it,” he finally admitted. “But you...”

“Had no right to talk to you like that? Sure I did.” Dar shrugged.

“José, I am who I am. I’m not changing.”

He put his hands on his hips. “You threatened me.” He pointed his thumb at his chest. “This is not right.”

“I didn’t threaten you,” Dar objected. “I told you what I was going to do if you said something like that again and I will do just that.” She got up, putting her hands on her desk and leaning back instead. “You want to be fired? I think it would stink for the company if I had to do it,
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but trust me. I will.”

José folded his arms over his chest. “You are impossible.”

“Sometimes,” Dar agreed. “But tell me this, José, who else can you depend on when everything’s absolutely shit?”

He grunted.

“Besides.” Dar circled her desk and sat down again. “Stop blaming me for all this crap. You’re the one who decided to bring in someone to attack me.” She dropped the folder on the desk. “So now you’re gonna go back to your office and fire his ass.”

José came to the front of her desk and leaned on it. “I will not,” he said. “This is— Yes, he is a troublemaker, but all his ideas are good ideas. He is right in the things we need to do.”

“Fire him.” Dar opened the folder. “Or, I will. He falsified his employment documents.” She shoved the folder over. “He wants your job. Now that he failed to get me out, you’re his next target. You really want that, José?”

The VP of Sales was studying the paper. “What is this?” he said.

“This was not true? He told us of his successes at this company.”

“He lied.”

José sat down. “You are telling me this now?”

Dar held her hands up and let them fall. “For Christssake, José. I’m not responsible for vetting your damn personnel records! Mari just gave this to me because Alastair asked me to take care of the problem. That’s what he views this guy as. A problem.” She stared at him meaningfully.

“Your problem. Now are you going to get rid of him, or do you want me to do it?”

José fingered the folder. “You say he’s after my job?” he queried.

“How is it you know so much about this??”

Dar met his gaze. “You really want to know?”

“No,” José said, in a disgusted tone. “You have all the power. I see it.” He got up. “But it hurts us to do this. His ideas, they are correct.”

Dar steepled her fingers and regarded him. “I didn’t say they weren’t,” she said, quietly. “I think we do need changes. I think we do need to alter how we do business.”

José looked surprised. “You say that?”

“Yeah. Now that I have the power to make that happen without all of you getting in my way,” Dar replied, with a grim smile. “You want change? You’ll get it. But it’ll happen how I want it to.”

“What does that mean?” José came back and sat down. “Explain to me, what you intend, Dar.” He eyed her shrewdly. “Or do you want me to just get rid of this man because he does not like you.”