This Matter Of Marriage (7 page)

Hallie was a little uncomfortable with these confidences. “Everything will work out the way it's supposed to,” she said, wanting to reassure the girl and afraid she was doing a poor job of it. It was clear that Meagan loved both her parents, and like every child, wanted them together.

“I like that,” she said, biting her lower lip. “Everything will work out the way it's supposed to.” A smile brightened her pretty face. “I'll remember that, Hallie. Thanks.”

I
t was déjà vu all over again, as a baseball great—often quoted by her father—used to say.

Hallie sat across the linen-covered table from a man she normally would've crossed the street to avoid. “Sleazy” was the word that came to mind. Chad Ellis had hair combed from a low side part to disguise his baldness; it contained enough grease to avert an oil shortage that winter. He wore a suit coat with a bright floral-print shirt unbuttoned practically to his navel and no fewer than fifteen gold chains in various lengths. He looked up from the menu and flashed her a smile that said she was lucky to be with him. Hallie had trouble believing that her own assistant, someone who
knew
her and presumably liked her, could possibly believe she'd be compatible with this clown.

Hallie reviewed the menu selections, keeping an eye on price. If she was going to end up paying for her half of dinner, she wanted to be sure she ordered a meal she could afford.

Chad made his selection and set aside the menu. “How about a little something to loosen our inhibitions?” he suggested. The thought of loosening anything with this character terrified her. “Such as a double martini.”

Hallie had ordered a martini once, and the only thing worth remembering was the olive. “Uh, I'd like mineral water.”

He jiggled his eyebrows a couple of times. “Liquor is quicker.”

A blind person could read the writing on the wall with this one. She chanced a look in Chad's direction and her stomach tightened. This creep was Bonnie's uncle? Did her assistant honestly think she was that desperate?

The waiter arrived and Chad ordered a double martini, while Hallie chose a Perrier. They both ordered their meals—seafood pasta for her, steak for him. “You aren't nervous, are you, cupcake?”

She gritted her teeth. “The name's Hallie.”

“Women like pet names.”

“Not this woman.” Hallie was determined not to get into an argument with him until he'd paid the bill, but she wasn't sure she'd last that long.

“Chad said you're—”

“Chad said?” Then understanding dawned. “If you aren't Chad Ellis, who the hell are you?” She was almost shouting.

“All right, all right. Damn, I should've known I couldn't pull this off. Chad had to leave town unexpectedly and he asked me to fill in for him. My name's Tom Chedders.”

“I was supposed to have dinner with Chad Ellis!” Her blood heated to the boiling point. That Chad had lacked the decency to tell her he couldn't meet her and sent a stranger in his stead was all she needed to know about him.

“Don't worry, you'll have a good time with me,” Tom told her, glancing around to make sure they weren't attracting attention. “Chad will vouch for me. We've been good buddies for a lot of years. We work for the same company.”

“Why didn't you tell me right away who you were?”

“I was afraid you wouldn't have dinner with me if I did,” he said. “Like I told you before, I'm an all-right kind of guy. No need to get bent out of shape, now, is there?” He flashed her a toothy grin.

Hallie wasn't sure. “I would've preferred it if you'd been honest with me from the beginning.”

He did at least look mildly guilty. “You're right, I should've, only…I didn't want to give you an excuse to cancel. All I'm asking is that you give me a chance.”

Hallie sighed deeply. “Let's be honest with each other from now on, okay?”

“Scout's honor.”

“You were a scout?”

He shook his head. “Nah, they were a bunch of sissies, far as I was concerned.”

“I see,” she muttered, and gazed yearningly toward the front door. The evening could prove to be a very long one indeed.

“So you're divorced,” Tom said, then thanked the cocktail waitress with a wink and a quarter tip. It took him a moment to turn his attention back to Hallie.

“No, Chad must have misunderstood. I've never been married.”

She'd say one thing for Tom. He had the most expressive eyebrows she'd ever seen. Right now, they rose all the way to his hairline. “Never married. What's the matter with you?”

“The matter?”

“There's gotta be a reason a pretty gal like you never married. Well, never mind, I'm going to take good care of you, sweetie pie. You and me are gonna have fun.”

Hallie sincerely doubted that. “The name is Hallie,” she reminded him, feeling the beginnings of a headache. “Not cupcake or sweetie pie or anything else.”

He gulped down his double martini and raised his glass in the direction of the bar to signal for another. “Whatever you say, darlin'.”

Hallie ground her teeth in an effort to maintain her composure. “How long have you been selling medical equipment?” she asked, striving to sound interested.

“I don't. Now before you get all upset again, I didn't lie. I work for the same company as Chad, only on the pharmaceutical side. I sell condoms.”

A lump of ice went down her throat whole. “Condoms?” she choked.

“Yep. We've got 'em in all kinds of flavors. Our flavor for February is cotton candy. We've got 'em in all colors, too.” He stared at her intently, and Hallie shuddered. “White's the top seller, though. Can you believe it? Why would anyone choose white over candy-apple red?”

“I couldn't tell you.” Hallie slid a guarded look in both directions, praying no one could hear their conversation. “Do you mind if we discuss something else?”

“Sure,” he responded amiably. “I do a brisk business in laxatives, as well. Won the top salesman award two years running.” He laughed as if what he'd said was uproariously funny. “Laxatives…running. Get it?”

Ha. Ha. Ha. “No,” she said flatly. Hallie's head was starting to pound in earnest now, and she knew she couldn't go through with this. Even if she ended up paying for a meal she didn't eat, she couldn't stand another minute in this man's company. “Tom, listen, I'm really sorry, but this isn't going to work.” She set her napkin on the table and reached for her purse.

He assumed a hurt little-boy look. “Not going to work? What do you mean?”

“I was expecting to meet Chad Ellis, not you.”

“Gee, I thought we were getting along just great. What's wrong? Tell me what's wrong and I'll fix it.”

“In this instance I think it might be best to leave well enough alone.”

“But I thought, you know, that you and I would get together later.” He did that jiggling thing with his eyebrows again.

“Get together?”

“You know. In bed.”

“Bed?” She said it loudly enough to attract the attention of the maître d'. “Let me assure you right now,” she hissed, “that I'm not interested in going to bed with you.”

“That's not what Chad said.”

“What
did
Chad say?” Bonnie was going to hear about this.

“That you were hot for a real man—and, baby, I'm the one for you. I can teach you things you ain't never gonna see in a textbook. I haven't been in the condom business all these years without learning a few tricks of the trade, if you catch my drift.”

His drift came straight off a garbage heap, in Hallie's view. “I don't know what to say, Tom. You've been misinformed. I'm not even mildly lukewarm as far as you're concerned, and I'm not interested in any of your…lessons.”

“You mean you were willing to let me wine and dine you—but you weren't gonna give
me
anything? I thought this was a bread-and-bed date.”

“What I'll give you is money for my meal.” She pulled out her wallet and threw a fifty-dollar bill on the table. Her fingers tightened around her purse strap. “Good night, Tom. I wish you well.” She couldn't in good faith tell him it had been a pleasure to meet him. It had been an experience she didn't want to repeat. An experience she wasn't likely to forget. No more blind dates, she swore to herself. It wasn't only discouraging, it was getting too expensive.

“Good riddance. I'll find a real woman, one who knows how to satisfy a man.” She noticed that he snatched up the money and shoved it in his pocket.

As Hallie walked out of the restaurant, she felt every eye in the place on her.

“Would you like me to call you a taxi?” the receptionist asked.

Hallie nodded, then with a sinking sensation, she checked to be sure she had enough cash to cover the fare. No, that fifty was all she'd had—and her pride wouldn't allow her to run back to Tom Chedders and demand change. It looked like she was going to need another loan from Steve.

“Your cab will be here in a few minutes,” the receptionist told her with a sympathetic smile.

“Thanks.” She glanced toward the door, groaning at the thought that Steve might not be home. She'd better phone him first.

Not knowing his phone number, she called directory assistance. The way her luck was going, she was afraid he'd have an unlisted number. But the operator found it and Hallie released a sigh of relief.

Steve answered on the first ring in a lazy I've-been-sitting-here-waiting-for-your-call voice.

“Hi,” she said, deciding to ease into the subject of another loan, rather than blurting out the sorry details and throwing herself on his mercy.

“Hi,” he responded.

Hallie suspected he didn't recognize her voice. “It's Hallie, from next door.”

“Yeah, I know.” He chuckled. “Wouldn't it be easier to stick your head out the kitchen window and yell?”

“I'm not at home. I went out on another blind date.”

“Not with that same jerk?”

“No—I found an entirely new jerk. I just walked out on him and I don't have enough cash for the cab fare home. Could I take out another loan?” It humiliated her to ask, but she had no option. “This'll be the last time it ever happens, I promise you.”

“Where are you?”

“Some restaurant—I don't know where.” Dumb. Next time she'd pay attention. Next time she'd bring her own car.

“I'll come and get you.”

“No.” That was the last thing she wanted. “I appreciate the offer, but I refuse to let you go to that trouble.”

“You're sure?”

“Positive.”

The taxi arrived and Hallie rattled off her address, climbed into the back seat and closed her eyes. The urge to give in to tears was almost overwhelming.

Naive and stupid. That was the way men viewed her. Well, no wonder. You'd think she'd have learned something the first time around—but no, all her credit cards and her bank card were still at home. Though who would've guessed this would happen
twice?

Steve's front door opened the minute the taxi pulled up in front of her place. He loped across the lawn and took out his wallet.

“How much do you need?”

“Eighteen bucks. I'll have it for you tomorrow after noon.”

He paid the driver, who promptly left. “You all right?”

Steve asked.

“No,” she admitted, “but I will be soon enough. Thanks for the loan. Again.”

“Hey, what are neighbors for?” He smiled, patting her gently on the back.

Hallie unlocked her front door and walked into her darkened home. She tossed her purse on the sofa, switched on the lights and headed straight for the phone in her kitchen.

Donnalee answered immediately. “You're right,” Hal lie said without preamble.

“I love hearing it,” Donnalee said, “but I'd like to know what I'm right about.”

“Dateline. I'm calling them first thing in the morning.”

Her announcement was followed by a short pause.

“What happened?”

“You don't want to know and I don't want to tell you.

Suffice it to say I'd pay Dateline double their normal fee if they could find me a halfway decent man.”

“Oh, Hallie, you poor thing. I'm sure there's someone out there for you.”

“I'm sure there is, too, and at this point I'm willing to pay for the privilege of meeting him.”