One Night With You (7 page)

“What a trial lawyer does has many elements of acting,” she told him. “I practiced law for five years.”

“Interesting,” he said. “Lawyers are usually a lot richer than judges.”

“But face fewer hazards,” she said and changed the subject. “When do you hope to present the play?”

“Late May at the earliest. Not all of my actors are as quick a study as you are. Meanwhile, some of us will be practicing for our summer play in the park. Folks come from all around to see that. This year, it will be
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Can you see yourself playing Big Daddy's wife? I can.”

“Let's see how well I do in this one,” she said.

The girl signed to play the leading role seemed flat and lackluster to Kendra, but she supposed Mike Reinar knew what he was doing. She made up her mind to immerse herself in her role, and to enjoy every minute that she was on stage.

“It's not working,” Mike told her after a week of rehearsals. “That kid can't act. The writer is going to rewrite it so that it's a family drama, and she's a minor player.”

She adjourned the court for the spring recess as the county clerk directed, and decided to visit her sister in New Bern.
I can't leave town without telling Reid. It's bad enough that I can't see him and be with him, but I'm not prepared to pretend he doesn't exist.
She stopped packing and dialed his number.
It's only eight-thirty,
she thought,
so a call shouldn't disturb him.
The phone rang several times, and she was about to hang up when she heard his voice.

“Maguire speaking. How may I help you?”

Instead of saying hello, she said, “Don't you have caller ID?”

“Yeah, but it's turned off.
Kendra!
My Lord! I was so deep in this thing that I almost didn't answer the telephone. What is it? What's up? Are you all right?”

“I'm fine, Reid. How are you?”

“I'm able to work, eat and sleep, and for that I am grateful.”

“I, uh…called because I'm going to New Bern for a week to see my sister, Claudine, and I couldn't make myself leave town for that long without letting you know where I am.”

His long silence unnerved her. Finally, he said, “Could we maybe meet somewhere for a coffee or something? Please. I want to see you, if only for a minute.”

“But—”

“I know I agreed, but, baby, this is like a death sentence. I just want to see you.”

It hadn't been easy on her, but if she told him what she'd been going through, he'd be over there in five minutes. If she had any sense, she'd say no. She didn't. “I…uh…I'll make you a cup of coffee.”

“I'll be there as soon as I put on my shoes.”

She raced to the bathroom, brushed her teeth and combed her hair. The doorbell rang before she could consider doing more, so, dressed in T-shirt, cropped stretch pants and sneakers, she raced down the stairs and flung open the door. He smiled, opened his arms, and she sped into them.

“Oh, sweetheart,” he whispered. “I miss you as much as if we'd been together for years and years and I hadn't seen you for months.”

She kissed his cheek and moved out of his arms, for she had already begun to feel as if she never wanted to leave him. “Okay, come on into the kitchen while I make the coffee, but…no clinches, please.”

His laughter curled around her like a soft breeze on a summer night. “When are you coming back?”

“Saturday week.” She made the coffee, put some milk in a mug, added the brew, gave it to him and poured a cup for herself. “Tell me how your work is going,” she said.

“Great. I'm back to my old level, I guess you could call it. I'm enjoying my work, and Jack seems pleased. I've begun designing that factory for Marcus, and next weekend I'm taking what I've done to Caution Point to see if I need to alter anything. But I think I'm right on target.”

“Have you hired a lawyer yet?”

“I'm negotiating with Dean Barker. You know him?”

“I've met him a few times, and I know his reputation. You couldn't find a more competent, more honest attorney.”

“Then, I'll hire him. I wanted to ask you, but—”

“Reid, didn't I tell you to call me if you needed me?”

“Yeah, you did, but if I took you seriously, I'd call all the time. What's your sister's telephone number?” She gave it to him. He stood. “Thanks for the coffee. Walk me to the door.”

She wondered if he'd forgotten saying that he would one day take her to bed.

When she put her hand on the doorknob, he said, “Let me feel you in my arms before I leave here. Kiss me. I need it.”

She reached up, cradled his face with her hands, parted her lips for the sweet torture of his tongue, and he went into her, giving her the sweetness she longed for. He made the kiss brief and put some space between them, although he still held her. His eyes sparkled and a half smile played around his lips.

“Think of a man who hasn't tasted food or drink for weeks, and with his hands and feet tied, someone holds a plate of sizzling steak and hash-brown potatoes in front of him. That's the way it is with me right now. You see, Kendra, you're the woman I need, the one I have always needed. Get back here to me safely.” He opened the door and left.

“I'll never get use to that,” she said aloud in reference to his leaving without saying goodbye. “And I doubt I'll ever get used to him, even if I live with him until I'm ninety.”

She had started back up the stairs and at the landing, she nearly fell backward as shock reverberated through her. She had just admitted to herself that she wanted to be with him for the rest of her life. Now, she was a rational, intelligent person. What was she thinking? She walked slowly into her bedroom, removed a folded T-shirt from a drawer and put it in her suitcase.

It's good I'm going to New Bern,
she told herself.
I need to get my feet back on the ground.

Back in his apartment, Reid looked out of his kitchen window at the building's moonlight-shrouded garden, eerily cold and empty. Like his existence. If his life wasn't on hold, he'd be with her that minute, most likely buried deep inside her, losing himself in her. He'd never needed anyone or anything as he needed Kendra, but his common sense told him that she was right in insisting that they stay apart until his case was settled.

He worked until after two o'clock in the morning, for he knew that, still heavy with desire and starved for her, he would find it useless to try sleeping. At nine that morning, he walked into Dean Barker's Queenstown office—Barker's law firm was located in Elizabeth City—handed the man a folder containing copies of all the information he had relative to his case against Brown and Worley, and took a seat.

“I want you to take the case.”

“Since we spoke, I've done some research on this,” Dean said, “and I think you have a better than good chance to win. Since they're registered here, we can get a trial in Queenstown. I would advise you to make yourself known here, to the extent that you can, build a good reputation. The jury will be chosen from people around here. I'm going to try and bring this to trial before the end of summer.”

“I'm thinking of joining the local theater group. In Baltimore before all this happened, I had an a cappella boys' choir of about twenty voices, but I don't have any place here for them to practice.”

“If you join the theater group, I'm sure they'll give you space for that. I'll phone Mike Reinar if you'd like. He's a friend of many years.”

“Thanks, and I'll phone him later this afternoon.” Dean handed him a contract, which he read twice and signed.

“I'll call you Monday week,” Dean said, “and let you know where we stand. Thanks for your confidence.”

After shaking hands with Dean Barker, Reid got into the company car and headed for Caution Point. He liked the office at the airport, for he could sit at his desk and look at the space where his building would stand. He worked until three o'clock, packed his briefcase and phoned Mike Reinar.

“I'm Reid Maguire, Mr. Reinar, and I'm interested in joining your theater group.”

“I was expecting to hear from you. I've got something I'd like you to try. Would you mind reading for me? Dean told me you want to start a boys' chorus. We have plenty of space, a piano and an organ. You're welcome to use our facilities. What time can you be here today?”

“I'm in Caution Point. Say, about five o'clock? That'll give me time to change out of this business suit.”

“Right. We're a jeans and Reeboks club. I'll look forward to meeting you.”

“Tell me something about the story line,” Reid said to Mike Reinar when they met.

Mike dropped himself on the floor and positioned himself lotus-fashion. “It's about a sixteen-year-old girl and her parents' problems in raising her. She's daddy's little girl, but mama wants to discipline her and ward off the problems she sees down the road. You're the permissive father.”

Reid leaned against the wall and crossed his ankles. “I can do that.” He read for the part and got it.

“Our next rehearsal will take place Monday week. Come with me. You can practice your boys' chorus in here. We have an armed guard downstairs, if you ever have a problem. Here's a master key. It opens the building and any room except a private office. What day will you want to practice?”

“I've found Saturday morning at ten to be best. I'll start rounding up boys. Thanks for your help.” He went home, looked through the phone book until he found the local radio station, got a disc jockey on the phone and told him what he wanted. The following Saturday morning, sixteen boys auditioned, and all but three suited his purpose. Before the hour ended, he had taught the thirteen boys to sing the refrain of “Mariah” in four-part harmony and got a beautiful sound from them. He called the disc jockey, thanked him and asked him to repeat the ad.

A few minutes before noon, he arrived in Caution Point. He hoped to buy a car within a couple of months; in the meantime, he would rent one when he needed it. He drove to Marcus Hickson's house at the end of Ocean Avenue, parked and got out. He'd bought a box of chocolates for Marcus's nine-year-old daughter and an assortment of rubber animals for his four-year-old and two-year-old sons.

“Reid, this is my wife,” Marcus said with so much pride that Reid had a moment of jealousy. “Amanda, Reid Maguire is a schoolmate and good friend.”

“I'm so happy to meet you, Reid, and I'm glad you'll be working with Marcus.” Her left arm went around the girl who walked up to them. “Mr. Maguire, this is our daughter, Amy,” she said, and he noticed that Amy's arm tightened around her stepmother.

“I'm glad to meet you, Mr. Maguire,” she said with a slight curtsey.

“And I'm glad to meet you, Amy,” he said.

“I have two little brothers,” she said. “Do you want to see them?”

“Yes, I do.”

By the end of the day, he decided that life would be complete if he had children like these, and especially if he had a beautiful and intelligent daughter like Amy. He said as much to Amanda.

“Happiness is something that you have to seek, and when you find it your work has just begun. Concentrate on keeping everyone around you happy, and their joy will bring happiness to you.”

“I'm divorced, Amanda.”

“That's because you were not careful. I know Marcus and I are blessed, because we began in a marriage of convenience, but I did everything I could to make him happy and to give Amy a mother's love. She's so dear to me. Don't look at the outside alone, Reid. The inside is so much more important. Do you have a significant other?”

He got a handful of beans and began helping her string them. “Yes, and I'm…I think I'm falling in love…no.” She stopped stringing beans and looked at him. “I'm beginning to love her, or I do already, but I'm not sure.”

“So the two of you are not intimate.”

“Not yet, but we will be.” He explained why they had agreed to see less of each other for a while.

“That's tough,” Amanda said, “but she's a wise woman. If you lose because of her, you will always resent her, and that's no basis for a marriage or any other kind of relationship.”

“I know she's right, but it's driving me up the wall.”

“Does she love you?”

“Yes. She does.”

“You sound as if you're awed.”

“I am. I no longer see myself as the powerhouse I used to be, and I'm no longer so arrogant that I think a woman like Kendra Rutherford, intelligent, accomplished, well-mannered and beautiful to boot, is no more than what I deserve. I had years to learn how to be humble.”

Marc, the four-year-old boy, ran into the kitchen. “Mummy, where is Daddy? I think he and Todd are hiding from me.”