Pretense (59 page)

"Especially since you're not really with us these days. You're incoherent every time I call."

Mackenzie only laughed as he kissed her goodbye, but she didn't deny it. Delancey's plane left at 2:00, but the budding author didn't even wait until the next morning to start writing again. As soon as she got back to her apartment, she turned the computer on and worked until midnight.

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Thirty-Three

Delancey loved to sit next to the window on a plane. Mackenzie liked the aisle, but Delancey loved watching the sky and clouds by day and the lights on the ground by night. At the moment, however, her eyes were closed as she thought back and savored the time with her sister. How wonderful it had been. They hadn't caught up with each other like that in way too long. Some of the days in California at the end of May had been special, but the tension between Mackenzie and Jack had put a damper on everything. Marrell's face leapt into Delancey's mind without warning, and she felt tears coming on, so she kept her eyes closed, even when someone took the seat next to her and the plane taxied and lifted into the air.

It wasn't a long flight, less than two hours, but they would still offer a snack and something to drink. Delancey hoped she could talk the flight attendant into two bags of peanuts and tell him to keep the ginger ale coming. As much as she hated airline food, she didn't know why she never remembered to bring anything to eat.

The captain's announcement that they would be turning off the seat-belt sign finally brought her eyes open. She didn't remove her seat-belt, but she did put the tray table down and reach for her briefcase. A few moments later she had a page she had doodled earlier for the search-and-find book in front of her. The sketch was light, and with a pencil she darkened a few of the details and added a few more hidden drawings. The scene had a lush forest for the background with a clearing in the forefront. The places to hide keys, a watch, a pencil, coins, stamps, and any number of other tiny figures, were numerous. Delancey

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was working along steadily, dreaming of the story Mackenzie would write to go with the art, when she felt eyes on her. She turned and looked at the person in the seat next to her.

"I'm sorry," the uniformed man said softly and sincerely. "I didn't mean to stare, but you do beautiful work."

"Thank you," Delancey said graciously when she saw his kind smile.

"Is it a hobby, or do you get paid to have that much fun?"

Delancey laughed. "I never thought of it that way, but I am published."

"Would I be familiar with your books?"

"Only if you read Micah Bear books to your children."

He shrugged his shoulders. "No children. Not yet anyhow. Are you published under your own name?"

"Yes. Actually, I'm the illustrator and my sister does the writing."

"I'm so impressed. I've never met an illustrator before. I'm Chet Dobson, by the way."

"Delancey Bishop."

"And that's the name on the front of your books?"

"They say 'Written by Mackenzie Bishop and illustrated by Delancey Bishop'."

"Those are beautiful names. Your mother and father must have known you were going to do something big someday."

Delancey smiled, but that particular subject was so painful that she didn't reply. It still hurt unbearably that her mother never saw the finished books.

Chet saw that he'd blundered. He would have loved to see her smile again but didn't know how to accomplish that. He was very pleased when she spoke to him.

"Is it me, or are you dressed to be flying this plane?"

"Yes, I am."

"Should I be a little worried then that you're in row 18?"

Chet laughed, and Delancey admired the even rows of white teeth that flashed out at her.

"No, I'm just going home."

"Chicago?"

"Yes. My shift ended in Washington, so I'm commuting."

"No first class?"

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"No," he smiled. "I'm usually on the flight deck, but if there are seats open, we can come out here."

"And sit in the middle?"

"Yes. Everyone likes the aisle and window."

"But you must like your job."

"I love it. It takes patience and a lot of flight time to get established, but once you arrive, it's nice."

"Where's the most interesting place you've flown?"

"I was in the Air Force, so I've been all over the world, but I love Greece. Greece is wonderful."

"I've never been out of the United States."

"Um, you should get yourself a passport in case the opportunity arrives."

"You make it sound tempting."

"Once you've tried it, you'll be hooked."

"Can you tell me some of the places you've been?" Delancey asked. While he answered, the young artist felt surprised at herself. She was normally rather shy around men she didn't know, and here she was asking questions of a stranger, and answering his, as though they had known each other far longer. It occurred to her that he could be a serial killer, but his uniform looked authentic, and she had watched one of the flight attendants smile at him with familiarity when the refreshments were served. She was still wondering how at ease she felt when she reminded herself that he was married, and knew that this was the reason for her calm.

Since the episode with Tab, who, she learned, had cared far more for her than he'd let on, Delancey had been just plain gun- shy, or rather, guy-shy. She would have enjoyed getting to know someone, but she wasn't sure about anything permanent. Was it possible to spend time with someone and not get too serious? After her relationship with Kyle, she was afraid to find out.

"Well, good luck on your books," Chet said as they landed and taxied toward the gate.

"Thank you," Delancey said, and she meant it. Having someone to talk to had made the time fly.

They didn't speak again as they disembarked. Delancey was already thinking about getting to her car and the drive to the apartment. She also wondered suddenly if she had homework

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that she had overlooked in all her excitement. It had been like a weekend in paradise, but now it was time to go back to work.

Alexandria

"I'm certainly glad you're going to your sister's for Christmas," Tom told Mackenzie, no smile on his face.

"Why?" Mackenzie asked, her face looking no happier than his.

"Maybe you'll come back in a better mood."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Mackenzie busied herself with the dish in her hand and wouldn't look at him.

"You've been a bear lately, and you know it. I don't know why I put up with it."

Mackenzie's eyes flashed when she turned to him.

"No one's asking you to stay, Mr. Magy."

"Then I won't," he said tightly and put the dish towel down. He said not another word as he picked up his coat and walked from Mackenzie's apartment. She was so angry she could have spit. That he had been right didn't matter; he didn't need to be rude about it or leave in a huff. She finished the dishes in record time and wondered if she had anything for heartburn.

Mackenzie told herself she didn't care if he never came back, but she kept the phone free all evening. The next morning she told herself to forget about him and to write her book, but it didn't work. Not even going for a run helped, so she showered and headed out to shop for Delancey for Christmas. Her flight left in two weeks, and she hadn't bought a thing. She found a dressy watch, not able to remember if Delancey had been wearing one in September. There were some wonderful men's watches too, but she was mad at Tom right now.

She would give him a week to call, and then she would write him off. It occurred to her that she was being childish and should call him, but trying to figure out what to say was miserable to her, so she did nothing.

The misery only increased, easing just a little when Paxton came by to give her a Christmas gift, a pen with her name engraved on it, and to tell her to have a wonderful time with her sister. He was laughingly terrible at playacting as he tried to pretend he wasn't thinking about
Seahorse.

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"Been writing much?" he asked, his hand on the doorknob on his way out, his manner nonchalant.

Mackenzie laughed. "Constantly."

Paxton smiled. "Good. We're going to be right on time with
Access Denied.
I was just talking to Hank Darwell this week. He took the galleys home to his wife, and she went ballistic."

"Did she really?"

"Yep. She wants to meet you and made Hank promise he would invite you to their big Christmas party. He agreed until he could think of a good excuse why you couldn't come."

Mackenzie nodded, her heart suddenly feeling very good. She had done the right thing in keeping her identity quiet, but someone liked her book! Indeed, Mackenzie felt so good that as soon as Paxton left, she went right back to her computer. She wrote like a fiend almost up to the moment it was time to leave for Delancey's. She got a lot done, but the way she treated Tom hounded her almost constantly.

Her heart was so heavy that she nearly called him the day she left, but time was running short. She felt a bad mood coming on that wasn't helped when someone knocked at the door. Mackenzie was speechless when she opened it and Tom stood there, his eyes intent on her face. He must have been relieved at what he saw because he said, "I thought you might need a ride to the airport."

"Oh, Tom-" Mackenzie was immediately contrite. "I'm sorry about the way I acted."

He took her in his arms and kissed her for a long time. They really couldn't spare the minutes, but Mackenzie didn't care. It was too wonderful to have him back in her world.

"I think we need to talk when you get home," he told her once they started off in the car.

"All right."

"Do you know what I'm referring to?"

"Our relationship?"

"Yes."

Mackenzie nodded but didn't say anything else. She was suddenly glad for more than one reason that she was going away for ten days. Tom was just as glad. He couldn't think when he was with Mackenzie Bishop. She was too distracting, both physically and mentally. She had a way of looking at him that

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stripped away all pretense, and since he thought his feelings might be stronger than hers, it was a constant battle not to give himself away.

"Have a good trip," he told her sincerely as he pulled into the kiss-and-fly area.

"I will," Mackenzie said as she leaned toward him to obey the sign.

"When you come back, we'll have our own Christmas."

"All right. Shall I call you for a ride?"

"You'd better not call anyone else," he said lightly, but Mackenzie had the impression that he feared she would do just that. She checked in and went to her gate with the thought that something was very wrong, and that by not calling him, she had let something very precious slip away from her. And the strangest part about it was that she couldn't shake the feeling that he thought she was seeing someone else.

Only Monty Forrester on the pages of
Seahorse, Mackenzie could have told him, but she knew it would have to wait at least ten days. She thought about him all the way to Chicago, but once there, her sister and that world consumed her thoughts and time. It was only just before she fell asleep for the first few nights that Mackenzie asked herself what would be the outcome of their conversation when she returned.

"D.J., I have to have eggnog."

"You're kidding." Delancey stared at her.

"No, I have to have some. Let's go to the store."

"Mackenzie, it's the twenty-third. Do you have any idea what the streets are like right now?"

"Isn't there a small market or something in the neighborhood?"

"Not in this neighborhood."

Mackenzie cocked her head to one side. "Why did you rent in this part of town, D.J.?"

"It was cheap."

"Are you really that strapped?"

"As a matter of fact, I'm not, but I didn't realize that until after I moved in and really saw what I would have in monthly income. I should have done more figuring ahead."

"So why don't you move?"

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"It's a lot of work, Mic, and I'm busy with my studies most of the time. Not to mention, I haven't gotten close to anyone this year. I can afford more rent per month, but I doubt if I can afford a moving company to move me."

"What have you got that won't fit into your car?" Mackenzie argued next.

Delancey shook her head. "Mic, if you think it's that easy, you find me a place and move all my stuff."

Mackenzie's eyes narrowed. "I'll just do that, Delancey Joy- just see if I don't."

Delancey shook her head in exasperation and grabbed her car keys. "Come on, let's get your eggnog. But don't forget that I warned you. It's going to be a zoo."