Janet (19 page)

“I used to call you a lot of things.
Unsuitable, for one.” She brushed one hand his chest, reveling in
the feel of his hard muscles beneath the soft gray sweater. “It was
my way of protecting myself.” Her hand played over his chin. “We
have a lot to talk about, a lot of kinks to work out.”

“We will. But not tonight. Tonight there will
be nothing between us except love, no talk about the future, no
talk about the past, no hurts, no problems. It’s just you and me,
Janet.”

In one swift motion he rolled over so that
they were lying side by side. He propped himself on his elbow so he
could look into her face.

“What are you thinking?” she said.

“I’m thinking that you’re going to invite me
to spend the night, and I’m going to say yes. And then I’m going to
climb into your bed and sleep like a rock on my side, without
touching you at all except accidentally.”

“Is that a promise?”

“Coach’s honor.”

They stayed beside the firelight a while
longer, sharing the last glass of wine. At last Janet couldn’t
stifle a yawn.

“Bedtime, Doc.”

He lifted her into his arms and made his way
to her bedroom.

“Dan, do you plan to carry me around this way
the rest of our lives?”

“Yes. It builds muscles and it’s a lot more
fun than lifting weights.”

When he lowered her to the bed, she wondered
it was time to come to her senses.

“I’m not sure this is a good idea, Dan.”

“Shh. Tonight I’m going to be a man of honor
and iron control. I’m going to hold you in my arms all night
long... merely hold you.”

God help her, she believed him. But if he
came near Virginia, she was going to kill him.

His belt buckled thudded to the floor. The
bed sank under his weight as he sat down, untied his jogging shoes
and kicked them aside. Janet was fascinated, and it had nothing to
do with scientific research. She had no idea that men were so…well,
male.

When he stripped off his gray sweater and
white shirt, she saw a gorgeous expanse of chest that almost made
her swoon. She wondered if she’d had too much wine. Or maybe she
hadn’t had enough.

When he turned back the covers and climbed
into bed with her, she was glad her terry cloth robe was between
her and the near-naked man in her bed. Not just any man, but Dan
Albany, the man who made Virginia feel as if somebody had started a
brush fire.

Without ceremony, he fitted her,
spoon-fashion, against his body.

“Comfortable, love?”

“Umm hmm.” It was no lie. The big problem was
how she would ever stay true to the Dixie Virgin’s rule number
four. “You’re better than a down quilt.”

“You’re not too hot with that robe on?”

“You might as well know my awful secret: I
get so cold in winter I sometimes sleep in wool socks.”

“I’m partial to women in wool socks.”

She pressed closer to him, reveling in the
solid feel of his body, taking immense comfort from his reassuring
presence and finding great joy in his unselfish love.

“ ‘Night, Coach.”

“Goodnight, Doc.”

o0o

When Janet awakened the next morning, she
thought Dan had gone. There was an indentation in the pillow where
his head had been, and his clothes were no longer lying on the
floor.

She yawned and stretched. She felt good,
refreshed, revitalized. She sat up and was just swinging her feet
over the side of the bed when Dan entered the bedroom, carrying a
tray full of food.

“Good morning, Doc. Sleep well?”

“Dan! I thought you had gone.”

“What? Leave before my good-morning kiss.
Never.”

He sat on the edge of the bed, tray propped
on his knees, and leaned over to kiss her. He tasted of strawberry
jam.

Laughing, she leaned back against the
pillows. “Been in the jam pot, have you?”

“I see it will be impossible to keep any
secrets from you.”

“Don’t even try.” She put her hands behind
his neck and drew him forward for another kiss. “Mmm, I like
strawberries in the morning.”

“I come in other flavors, too. Grape,
raspberry, orange, cherry, kumquat.”

“Kumquat?”

“Just checking to see if you were paying
attention.”

She suddenly sat upright. “You’ll be late for
school.”

“I’ve called for a substitute. I plan to
devote the entire day to you.”

She was thoughtful a moment. The man sitting
on her bed had given unselfishly of himself; he had sacrificed time
and passion to help her make it through a bad night.

“Thank you, Dan.”

“Doc, we’re going to have a wonderful life
together.”

“Coach, is that a proposal?”

“No, but this is.” Setting the tray on the
bedside table, he knelt beside the bed and took her hand. “Janet,
will you marry me?”

“Is this a multiple-choice test?”

“No. One choice.”

She teased him by appearing to be deep in
thought over her answer. He wiped imaginary sweat from his brow.
Finally, she smiled.

“Yes, Dan. Oh, yes.”

They reached for each other at the same time.
Somewhere halfway between the bed and the floor, they met. Janet
threw her arms around his neck, he tugged, and they both ended up
on the floor, arms and legs tangled, kissing as if they would never
stop.

“Hmm, you’re better than strawberry,” she
murmured.

“And you’re better than cotton candy.” He
pulled her hard against his chest and buried his face in her hair.
“Janet, I love you. Did I tell you that?”

She pressed her face into the warm hollow of
his neck and softly kissed the pulse spot there. “And I love
you.”

“I neither expect nor want you to give up
your career.”

“I’m glad you said that.” She brushed his
tousled hair back from his forehead. “A long time ago, my friends
and I decided we could have it all, career and marriage and a
family. It will a lot of adjustment, but I want to make this work,
Dan.”

“So do I, Janet.” He glanced around her
bedroom. “I’ll live here if you want. Or we can get another place,
slightly bigger, but one suitable to your tastes.”

“I’ve grown rather fond of that big, old
house on Church Street.”

His smile was bright enough to light all of
Tupelo. “You mean that beautiful Victorian mansion so lovingly
restored by the famous soccer coach?”

“That’s it. The one that has room for Harvey
and six kids in the backyard.”

“Harvey and
Gwendolyn
and six kids
and five puppies.”

Laughing, they sat up and he retrieved their
breakfast tray. .

Janet eyed the bacon and eggs. “I know this
wasn’t in my refrigerator.”

“While you slept, I went to my house to get
them.”

“My love, this kind of food is okay on
occasion, but I have to warn you that I’m a really tough doctor
when it comes to proper diet. I’m planning to throw out your bacon,
hot dogs and cream-filled cupcakes, and substitute wheat bran,
yogurt and fresh fruit.”

“I’ll try to eat just what my doctor orders,
but I’m not making any rash promises.”

“I didn’t think you would.”

As they finished their breakfast, they went
to Dan’s house on Church Street.

Harvey and Gwendolyn, who had entered the
house through the doggie door, greeted them in the hallway with
wagging tails.

“So this is your lady love.” Janet bent over
and patted Gwendolyn’s head. “I know just how you feel, my
dear.”

Dan chuckled. “Not quite. I’m afraid Harvey
hasn’t been as restrained with his passion as I have.”

Janet looked at him in mock outrage. “Careful
how you tarnish a lady’s reputation. See how insulted Gwendolyn
looks.”

“Not nearly as insulted as her owner, I’ll
bet. I think it’s time to pay that dear lady a call.”

Gwendolyn’s owner was Miss Fannie Mae Small,
and she was, indeed, outraged about Gwendolyn’s fall from
virtue.

Her pouty red mouth trembled and her fat
yellow curls twitched as she shook her head angrily.

“My Gwendolyn is a dog of impeccable lineage.
You mean to tell me she has spent the last two days in the company
of that horrible unpedigreed
creature
you keep in your
backyard?”

“I’m afraid so.” Dan winked at Janet. “It
appears to me the damage has already been done.”

“You mean...” Fannie Mae covered her mouth
with her hands and stifled a scream of horror. “Oh, my poor baby,
my poor innocent b-a-a-be-e-e-e.” She uncovered her mouth and
glared at Dan. “Where is she? Where is my poor lamb?”

“She’s at my house, with Harvey.”

“She’s still with him! Oh, dear. She’ll never
be the same.”

“They seem quite taken with each other,” Dan
said.

“My Gwendolyn has better taste!”

“Apparently not.”

Fannie Mae wrung her hands. “Oh, dear. What
will I do? I did so want her to remain pure until I could have her
fixed.” She glared at Dan with malevolent little eyes. “She was
going to be a great show dog, you know.”

“Perhaps after the puppies are born...”

“Puppies!”

“It looks that way to me.” He put his arm
around Janet and stepped closer to Fannie Mae. “What my fiancee and
I would like to do is buy Gwendolyn.”

“You want me to sell my precious lamb?”

“Look at it as giving her hand in marriage.
She would be right next door so you could see her any time you
liked. And we would take very good care of her and the puppies. In
the meantime, you could get another poodle and raise it to be a
show dog.”

“Well...” Her curls bobbed as she tossed her
head this way and that, apparently in an agony of thought. Finally
she said, “You may have her on one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“That your dog marry her. I’m not talking
about some little puny backyard affair with a bogus preacher
mumbling a few words: I’m talking about a real wedding.”

Dan and Janet stared at each other, and then
they began to grin.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking,
Doc?”

“A double wedding?”

“Why not?”

“Why not, indeed.”

They both burst into laughter.

o0o

From: Janet

To: Molly, Bea, Joanna, Clementine,
Catherine, Belinda

Re: My Wedding!

You’re not going to believe this, but I’m
married
! I know we said we’d all be bridesmaids at each
other’s weddings, but if I wait until I have enough time to plan a
wedding, I’m going to be getting my first gray hair.

We only had family there. My parents and my
brother drove up from Jackson, and Dan’s sister and her family were
there. We were quite a motley lot down at City Hall, let me tell
you. Dan’s nephew Butch found a black crayon in the back seat of
their car and painted himself a grand mustache; Merry had poison
ivy blisters and scratched the whole time, and then, of course,
there was Harvey.

You remember my big stray mutt? Well, he got
the standard poodle next door in the family way, and her owner
would have nothing but a wedding. Harvey wore a bow tie, and
Gwendolyn – that’s the poodle – wore a veil. It was quite obviously
a shotgun wedding. For the poodle – not for me! Naturally, I stayed
true
to Rule Four.

You’ll have to excuse me now. My husband is
calling my name, and I think it has something to do with the fourth
rule!

XOXO

Janet Hall Albany

She shut off her laptop and went padded
barefoot through the wonderful old house on Church Street. Her
house now. She could hardly believe it!

Dan was sitting on a big mahogany king sized
bed removing his shoes and socks. He looked up when she came into
the room, and his shoes clunked to the floor.

“Mrs. Albany, what is that fetching black
lace thing you’re wearing?”

“It’s called a teddy, Coach.”

“I hope you packed lots of those in your
suitcase.”

“One in every color.”

He came toward her, leaving the rest of his
clothes in a trail behind him. Then he reached out and slowly began
to lower the straps on her teddy.

“Hmm. Fetching as you are, I think I’d like
you better without it.

“Coach, are we going to talk all night, or
what?”

He swung her into his arm and carried her to
the bed.

“Or what, Doc.”

Then he lowered her to the bed and took a
very long time exploring Virginia.

o0o

From: Janet

To: Molly, Bea, Joanna, Belinda, Clementine,
Catherine

Re: Addition to the family

Harvey and Gwendolyn had six puppies! They
are the cutest little things. One of them has Harvey’s floppy ears.
Dan’s enchanted, but I told him not to get any ideas until after I
finish my internship.

Molly, your dad has already spoken for two. I
asked if he was going to keep them in his apartment, but he said he
was looking for a bigger place.

I’ve got to go now. Dan’s team has a soccer
game tonight, and I try to go to all of them. He’s the
most
adorable, most supportive man!
The least I can do is support
his team. But I draw the line at hot dogs. Still, he loves them,
and I’m hoping to get him used to the idea of eating the ones made
with turkey.

XOXO

Janet

From: Clementine

To: Bea, Molly, Joanna, Belinda, Catherine,
Janet

Re: Thanksgiving

Speaking of turkey, why don’t you and Dan
come to Peppertown for Thanksgiving? Belinda, you come, too, and
bring Reeve and the children. Since we’re all here close, it would
be such fun to have a holiday meal together. I’ll have my brothers
add an extra leaf to the table. Oh, do come!

Clemmie

From: Catherine

To: Janet, Clemmie, Joanna, Belinda, Molly,
Bea

Re: Holidays

I can’t believe the holidays are almost here.
I dread going home. Mother is sure to start nagging me about Billie
Joe. He has more money than God, and she thinks he’s the Catch of
the South! Ugh! I can’t stand him. He
paws!
OMG, now I’m
so upset I’m going to have to go out and buy new shoes.