1. That's What Friends Are For (3 page)

"You don't need to help, Brad. I can manage."

"I know. I just came in here to apologize."

"It's too late."

"Too late for what? Do you think he's going to beg off or something just because he's found out you have a temper, for God's sake?"

''I mean it's too late for you to think I'm going to always say, 'Oh, that's all right. Brad, it doesn't matter.' You think you can say anything you want, behave in the most outrageous manner, and all you have to do is smile that devastating, knee-weakening smile and I'll forgive you."

"Knee-weakening?''

Trust Brad to pick up on her unfortunate choice of words.

"A figure of speech, Brad, nothing more."

''Does my smile really affect you that way?"

"Would you get out of here?" She picked up two plates filled with cake and shoved them into his hands. "Make yourself useful."

Penny watched as Brad laughingly returned to the other room, looking for all the world as if the two of them had been out in the kitchen laughing over old times.

Something told her that the next week might have a certain lack of peace and serenity. She would count the days until the wedding.

Surely after she and Gregory were married, Brad Crawford would no longer have the ability to disrupt her life.

Penny refused to ask herself why this would be so.

"
G
ood morning, Mr. Akin," Penny said the next morning. She placed the large package her mother wanted mailed in the window of the Payton post office and waited to have it weighed.

"Well, hello there, Penny," he replied. "Guess you're pretty busy these days, what with getting ready for your wedding and all."

She smiled at the elderly man who had worked at the post office as long as she could remember. "Yes, I have been."

"Did you know young Brad Crawford is back in town?" he asked, his intent gaze letting her know it was no idle question.

"Yes, I did. He had dinner with us last night, as a matter of fact."

"Did he now? That's right interesting, considering you're marrying somebody else,"

"What difference does that make?''

"Well, folks around here kinda figured that sooner or later you and the Crawford boy would end up married to each other."

"I have no idea why they would think that, Mr. Akin, just because we were next-door neighbors for years."

"It's probably because the two of you were thicker than fleas on a hound's back, missy," he said in a no-nonsense voice. ''Never saw one of you that the other one wasn't right there as well."

' 'That was a long time ago, Mr. Akin. We were just kids then."

"You weren't just kids when you went off to college together. Why, everybody knew that Brad spent his first year out of high school here in Pay ton, just waiting for you to graduate so you could go to school together."

"Mr. Akin, Brad worked at the textile mill for his dad the year after he graduated from high school. He was tired of school and wasn't sure what he wanted to do."

"Hmph. Figured that out quick enough when you decided to go up north to that big university to study acting, though, didn't he?"

Why was she debating the issue with a postal employee? People were going to think whatever they wanted to think, no matter how much she tried to explain. Penny managed a noncommittal response that seemed to appease him and watched as he weighed the package.

After paying him, Penny waved goodbye and went to the grocery store to pick up a few items her mother wanted. When she was ready to check out, she noticed Sonia Henderson had the shortest line of people waiting. She and Sonia had gone through school together, but instead of going to college, Sonia had married her high school sweetheart.

As soon as Penny began to unload her basket onto the moving belt, Sonia saw her.

'Tenny! Did you hear that Brad Crawford is in town?''

Why did everyone want to tell her about Brad's visit, for Pete's sake? "As a matter of fact, I did, Sonia." Trying to forestall another interrogation, she asked, "So how are Timmy and Sarah?"

"Oh, they're fine. Timmy's glad to be out of school for the summer. Sarah's teething and she's been a little cranky, but Mom says that's only natural." Almost in the same breath she asked, "Have you seen him yet?"

"Seen who?"

"Brad! Have you seen him since he came back?"

"Uh, yes. I saw him yesterday."

"Does he look as good as he does on television?"

Better, Penny thought, but decided there was enough conjecture flitting around town without her adding to it. "About the same, I guess."

"Did he talk to you about what it's like, living in New York and being famous and everything?"

"Actually, no, he didn't."

"I think it's so exciting he's here. I hope I get to see him. Do you suppose his life is anything like Drew Derek's?"

"I have no idea."

Sonia giggled. "He probably wouldn't tell you if it was."

" Probably not,'' she agreed.

"Can't you just imagine what it's like, being famous and all, knowing all the women are dreaming about wanting to make love to you?"

Penny was saved from having to think up a reply when Sonia rang up the total for the groceries. Penny conscientiously concentrated on writing out her check. By the time she managed to get out of the grocery store, she was thankful her mother hadn't thought of any other errands for her to run. If one more person brought up Brad Crawford's name today...

"Good morning, Penny. I always thought that shade of yellow looked great on you."

Thank God she had a good grip on the two sacks of groceries. "Brad! Where did you come from?"

"Why, Penny, you never cease to amaze me. We had a discussion about the birds and the bees years ago. My, how quickly we forget."

"You're not funny. Brad. How long have you been lurking outside the grocery store?"

"I wasn't lurking. I happened to see your car parked out here when I drove by earlier and decided to see if you'd like to go get something cold and refreshing to drink with me."

"I need to get these groceries home," she explained with a certain amount of relief. Brad was looking every inch the virile male in his prime this morning, in faded jeans that fit him like a second skin and gave no doubt to his gender. The tan sport shirt he wore accented his well-developed shoulders and chest. His blond hair, worn much longer than most of the local men's, gleamed brightly in the morning sunlight.

"That's all right. I'll follow you home and we can go in my car."

She closed the trunk and came around to where he was casually leaning against her car. "Not today. I have too much to do."

"Such as?"

Penny quickly racked her brain, trying to think of something. What did she usually do on Saturdays? In the summertime? Not much. How about the Saturday before her wedding? Surely she had something urgent, something really vital, that could not be postponed another hour.

She couldn't think of a thing.

"Don't you want to have a drink with me?" he asked quietly.

Penny hadn't heard that note in his voice in a long time. It caught her totally off guard. She had heard pain, despite his attempt at lightness.

"It's not that. Brad," she began uncertainly.

"We haven't had a chance to talk since I got home. Penny," he reminded her, reaching out and touching a russet curl at her ear.

"Of course we have," she said, trying to defend herself. "We talked yesterday afternoon, then again last night."

"No, we didn't. You didn't say a half-dozen words around me yesterday, except for telling me off in the kitchen." He studied her in silence for a moment. "Are you still angry at me because of last night?"

Trying to ignore how close he was, she opened the car door and slid behind the steering wheel. After pulling the door shut, she looked up at him. That particular look in his eyes had always been able to sway her, even against her better judgment. And she was aware that she had overreacted to his teasing the night before. "All right," she said, giving up the struggle. "I'll see you at home, then."

His smile lit up his face, and for a moment she could only stare at him. He seemed to glow with it. No wonder he had been an instant hit on television. With that much charisma, he was lethal to a person's peace of mind. Or at least, to her's.

Brad followed her home and pulled into her parents' driveway directly behind her. He helped her carry the groceries into the house. "I'll be right back," he said as soon as he set one of the sacks down. "I'll meet you out front in a few minutes."

Penny hurriedly put the groceries away, found her mother working in the flower garden and told her that she was going out to have a drink with Brad.

"If Gregory should call, tell him I'll be home within the hour."

Helen glanced up at her absently. "I will, dear. Have a good time."

Have a good time. How often had her mother said that to her over the years? Probably every time she had taken off with Brad. Her mother had never seemed to worry about her as long as she and Brad were together.

Penny thought about her instructions to her mother for a moment. She didn't really expect Gregory to call. He'd been out of town all week and had told her last night he would probably have to work at the office all weekend. But they were going to have dinner together that night.

Penny smiled to herself as she walked through the house and out the front door, thinking about next week. They were going to take a week off for their honeymoon, although she had no idea where they were going. Gregory told her it was going to be a surprise. She really didn't care as long as she didn't have to compete for his attention with his law practice. For a few days, anyway, she would have him all to herself.

'There's that wicked smile again, Runt," Brad said, and she realized he'd already returned to his car and was waiting for her. "If I didn't know you better, I'd think the innocent Ms. Blackwell was thinking impure thoughts about something—or somebody."

She could feel the color mounting in her cheeks and cursed her fair complexion that let her reaction to his remark show. She knew from his grin that he hadn't missed her blush. "What makes you so sure I'm all that innocent. Brad?" she drawled. "After all, I'm twenty-five years old."

"Age has nothing to do with your innocence," he said with emphasis, holding the passenger door open for her.

He backed out of the driveway, and because she was so caught up in the conversation. Penny didn't notice that he had turned the opposite way from town when he got to the road.

"You don't know everything about me." she said emphatically. "After all, you haven't seen me in three years."

"So what? That doesn't mean I haven't kept up with what's been happening to you."

Penny turned so that she unconsciously fell into the familiar pose she'd always used whenever they went anywhere in the car together—she leaned against the door and pulled one knee up on the seat so that she was facing him.

He darted a lightning glance at her and immediately returned his gaze to the country road, a slight smile on his face.

"Your mother doesn't know everything I do," she said, irritated that she felt the need to defend herself.

"No, but yours does."

"Hah! Not likely." She was quiet for a moment, then asked, "Are you telling me that Mother has been writing to you?"

"Sometimes. Sometimes she just tells my mom, who passes along any relevant information."

"Which I'm sure you found very boring."

"You might be surprised."

They were quiet for a few minutes. Penny watched the passing countryside without registering that they were leaving Pay ton farther and farther behind. She was too busy trying to analyze what Brad was telling her.

"Then you knew all along when I started dating Gregory?"

"I knew," he agreed with a smile.

"If that's the case, then why did you ask last night?"

"Just being polite."

"That's a laugh," Penny said, although she didn't sound particularly amused. "You don't know the meaning of the word."

"Aah, Penny. I'm crushed. After I tried so hard."

"I know how hard you tried—to be irritating and aggravating."

''Did it work?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, straightening her back. "Do you think you bothered Gregory with your childish remarks? He's much too mature for that," she added, her tone sounding remarkably pleased.

"I'll say. He's almost old enough to be your father."

"He is not! He's only fourteen years older than I am," Penny responded heatedly, unaware that she and Brad had fallen once again into their age-old conversational pattern of baiting and fencing.

"Does he have any children?" Brad asked with polite interest.

"Since he's never been married, I rather doubt it," she replied with more than a little sarcasm.

"Or if he does, he probably doesn't talk about it," Brad added agreeably.

"Brad!"

"Sorry," he said with a grin, neither looking nor sounding particularly sorry. "So why is he getting married now?"

Penny could feel her temper getting the best of her, which only added to her irritation. How was it that Brad could set her off so quickly with his idiotic remarks? "You are really being insulting, you know that, don't you?" she said, her eyes frosty with disdain.

"Well, of course he loves you. Penny," Brad hastily assured her. "Who wouldn't? I just wonder what other reasons such a logical and analytical person might find to choose you for his mate, particularly since he's waited this long to marry."

Who wouldn't? Penny's mind repeated in surprise, losing much of what he had said after that. Was it possible that Brad had actually intended to pay her a compliment? If so, it was the first she could ever recall receiving from him.

"What other reasons could he have?" she asked, curious about his line of thinking.

"Oh, there are all kinds of reasons to get married. Maybe he's tired of living alone. Maybe he wants a family, a hostess. Maybe he's marrying you for your money "

"That's a pretty vivid imagination you've got there. Brad. Do you write those stories on television as well as act in them?"

"There's nothing imaginative in any of that. It happens all the time."

"Not with me, it doesn't. I doubt that my teacher's salary attracts him. After all, he's a very successful lawyer.''

"Then why did he move to Payton?"

Penny relaxed a little more against the door, watching Brad's profile. "Why not? It's a nice place to live, even though you found it dull."