1. That's What Friends Are For (5 page)

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As soon as they pulled up in the driveway, Gregory stepped out on the front porch of the Blackwell home. Penny took a quick inventory of what she and Brad looked hke and almost groaned aloud. They both had grass stains on their clothes, and his shoe looked much the worse for a dip in the river. Her hair, from the glimpse she had gotten in the side mirror, looked as if she had styled it with an eggbeater.

She felt as though they had been caught skipping school as they walked up the sidewalk toward the well-dressed man who waited for them.

"I'm glad to see you two are all right. We'd begun to worry about you," he said calmly.

Penny smiled in relief. He didn't seem at all angry but showed a perfectly natural concern. Before she could say anything. Brad said, "I really am sorry about today, Gregory. But you see, after all that physical exertion we fell asleep and weren't aware of the hours passing." His tone and smile were friendly and nonchalant.

Penny saw Gregory's body stiffen and his expression freeze. Quickly reviewing what Brad had just said, her eyes widened with horror. Of course he'd told the truth, it was just that...

"How interesting," Gregory said. "Perhaps you'd like to go into a little more detail. Helen said you'd gone for a drink. I never considered that to be physically taxing, myself.''

"Oh, Gregory, he didn't mean that the way—" Penny began, only to have Brad interrupt her.

"Why don't you run upstairs and get cleaned up, Runt? I'll be glad to make our explanations to your fiance. After all, he has every right to want to know how you spend your time with me."

Penny glanced uncertainly at Brad, then at Gregory. Brad still sounded casually friendly, but there was a tautness in his stance as he stood facing Gregory that contradicted his tone.

"Good idea. Penny," Gregory agreed quietly. "We're running quite late as it is."

She glanced over her shoulder at the two men as she opened the screen door. Neither one of them had moved. They seemed to be waiting for her to leave before continuing the conversation.

Penny could have cheerfully wrung Brad's neck. There was absolutely no reason for the innuendos. What was he trying to do, give Gregory the wrong idea about their relationship?

The warm spray from the shower soothed her and Penny tried to relax. Brad had always had the ability to turn her world upside down. Why did she think anything had changed? However, she had complete faith in Gregory's ability to see through Brad's teasing and desire to cause mischief.

It would do no good for her to ask Brad to lay off. He would see that only as a challenge. So the next best thing would be to make sure she kept the two men apart. After all, it would be for only a few days, then Brad would be out of their lives once again.

When she returned downstairs Gregory was waiting alone in the living room.

She looked at him in surprise. "Where is everybody?"

''I convinced your parents to go to their dinner engagement earlier. If something had happened, I told them I'd get in touch."

Once again Penny felt guilty at her unusual and irresponsible behavior. How could she explain what she didn't understand herself?

''I really am sorry for making you wait," she said.

Gregory took her arm and escorted her outside. "Let's forget it, shall we?" he said, helping her into the car. "I managed to get our reservations changed, so there's no harm done."

Gregory was quiet on the way to the restaurant and Penny searched for something to say. Finally she asked, "Did Brad tell you we went to the park?"

He glanced at her with an enigmatic expression. "He did mention that, yes."

"It was so beautiful there. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed being out of doors." She wondered when she had lost touch with nature. Her schedule didn't seem to include outdoor activities. Impulsively she turned to Gregory and said, "I wish you'd been with us."

Penny tried to picture Gregory hiking and wading but it was difficult. She couldn't see him laughing about his shoes getting wet or muddy. Gregory would have been out of place. She and Brad had been reliving their childhood, falling back into a familiar pattern, one in which Gregory did not fit.

"From the description that Crawford gave, I don't think I would have enjoyed the afternoon very much," Gregory said.

Even though Penny had just reached the same conclusion she was surprised to hear Gregory echo her thoughts. "Why not?"

"I generally get my exercise playing racquetball or tennis."

"Oh." Funny, they'd never discussed hobbies that much. Gregory had been so busy with his law practice since she had met him that she assumed he didn't have time for many activities. Every time she felt that she knew him, Gregory revealed another facet of his personality. She wondered if he felt the same way about her.

Was it ever possible to find out everything about a person before you married? It wasn't that anyone deliberately omitted telling the other some things. There was just so much to learn about another person. Gregory had spent thirty-nine years doing things she knew nothing about. She'd spent twenty-five. How could you possibly catch up on everything? And how did you decide what was important to know before the wedding, rather than learning about it in the years after?

They had a quiet dinner at one of the nicer restaurants located near the interstate highway. Penny asked intelligent questions about some of Gregory's cases, drawing him out so that she could feel closer to him somehow.

One of the things that she admired most about him was his dignity in all situations. He always handled himself well. Tonight he could have justifiably shown anger and spoiled their time together. Instead, he seemed to have forgotten the less than auspicious beginning of their evening, relegating it to its rightful place of unimportance in their life.

Their life together would be one of consideration and understanding, of communication. There would be no arguments, such as she had with Brad. She and Gregory would calmly discuss then decide what needed to be faced in their shared existence. There would be no sudden bursts of emotion. Instead, they would share a sense of calmness and serenity.

After dinner Gregory suggested they move into the lounge for after-dinner drinks. A small combo played quiet music and Gregory asked her to dance. Penny willingly agreed. Gregory was an excellent dancer. Penny felt relaxed and totally at ease when they returned to their table after dancing a medley of slow numbers.

Gregory took her hand in his. He seemed to study it for some time before he looked up at her, his gray eyes serious.

"Why have you never mentioned Brad to me, Penny?"

She had been lulled into a relaxed state and his question dumped her out of the soft, fluffy cloud she'd been enjoying for the past hour or so. Penny stared at him with dismay. She had never seen quite that look on his face before. She wondered if that was the look he gave a witness just prior to cross-examination?

Not that it mattered, really. She had nothing to hide. "I don't really know, Gregory," she answered with a slight shrug. "I suppose it's because I never thought him important enough to mention."

His expression gave no indication of what he was thinking. "Not important enough, or too important to discuss?" he asked quietly.

How should she answer that? Penny had only begun to realize earlier that day that her feelings toward Brad were not as clear-cut as she had thought. "We're just friends," she offered tentatively, wondering what had prompted Gregory's line of questioning.

"I realize that. Since I've known you, I've met many of your friends, and you've talked of several others—some you knew here in Payton who later moved away, others you met at college with whom you continue to keep in touch. But you never mentioned Brad's name."

How could she not have been aware of the omission? she wondered. She shook her head. "I really can't explain it, Gregory. Is it important?"

"Not particularly. I find it a puzzle, that's all. And I've got the sort of mind that can't leave a puzzle alone until it's solved."

"I don't see much of a puzzle about it," she offered. "Brad's been gone for three years. He's no longer a part of my life."

"But he was."

"Yes. Do you have a problem with that?"

"Not necessarily. How does he feel about our getting married?"

Penny remembered Brad's earlier comments and knew she couldn't share what Brad had said with Gregory. "He wants me to be happy," she finally responded, realizing the truth of that statement.

"I'm surprised he doesn't think you'd be happier with him."

She grinned. "Brad? You mean you think Brad wants to marry me?" She laughed. "No way. He enjoys his freedom too much."

Gregory didn't respond. Instead, he took a sip of his drink and said, "I received a call today that means I have to go back to St. Louis. I'll be there all of next week.''

Penny gave him a stricken look. "But I thought you had arranged to be here the week before the wedding."

"I had. I've had to rearrange my entire schedule. Unfortunately, it can't be helped. I doubt that I'll make it back much before the wedding rehearsal Friday night.''

Penny felt the weight of her disappointment settle on her. Of course his law practice came first. She had always known that. At least he wasn't suggesting they postpone the wedding. After all the planning and hundreds of details, Penny shuddered to think of what it would take to change their plans now.

"I understand," she said quietly, accepting what she knew she couldn't change-Gregory smiled. "Thank you for being so understanding. I appreciate your willingness to accommodate yourself to my schedule."

He picked up his drink. "I'm glad we decided not to have the rehearsal dinner. I would have been pressed for time to have to arrange one."

"It's okay. My friends understand."

"I feel so fortunate to have found you. Nothing seems to upset you. You handle everything with such calmness."

Penny smiled. "It's taken a while for me to reach this point, let me tell you. I used to have a fiery temper."

"Well, I'm pleased that you are no longer bothered by it. The last thing I want to face at the end of one of my work days is a display of emotional fireworks." He reached over and patted her hand. "Your serenity is one of the first things that drew me to you. That, and your calm ability to handle people. Nothing ever seems to catch you off balance."

Penny thought of Brad's unexpected return and her reaction. Gregory had accurately described the person she thought she was, except when Brad was around. He seemed to trigger emotional depths in her that almost frightened her. She didn't hke the emotional, out-of-control-person Brad seemed to bring forth in her with no apparent effort.

What a lucky escape she'd had, discovering what an adverse effect Brad had on her.

Later Gregory drove her home, walked her to the door and refused to come inside with her.

"It's late, love, and I have a full day's work on my desk tomorrow before I can even leave for St. Louis."

"Will I see you before you go?"

"I really don't think so, although there's nothing I'd like more than to spend tomorrow with you. However, I don't see how I can possibly get away, not when I'm going to be gone for a week on our honeymoon."

He leaned down and kissed her. Stepping back, he smiled and said, "If I don't stop that, I'll never get away from you tonight. Sleep well, my love." Gregory waited until she went inside and locked the door, then walked to his car. He glanced at the house next door.

Penny had brushed his questions aside regarding Brad Crawford. But there was something there and Gregory knew it. He'd sensed Brad's carefully concealed emotions the night before and earlier this evening. His light, casual air had been very well done.

Gregory hadn't been misled. He'd made a career studying human behavior. The man was in love with Penny.

The question was, how did Penny feel about Brad? And how would her feelings for Brad affect her marriage to Gregory?

Gregory drove back to town in deep thought.

P
enny slept restlessly that night. Her dreams were all mixed up. There seemed to be two men wandering through them—one calm and filled with authority, the other laughing and teasing her.

Scraps of conversation danced in her head. She heard Brad asking, "Come to New York with me... come with me... with me... me..."

Gregory appeared. He paced before her as she sat at the witness stand. He kept demanding, over and over, "What is your relationship to this man?'' He would point to a cage in the corner of the room. When Penny looked inside the cage Brad sat there—a ten-year-old Brad with his baseball cap and ragged sneakers on.

No matter what she tried to say, Gregory continued to ask, "What is your relationship to this man?"

"Penny, you're going to be late for church if you don't get up soon, dear," Helen called through her closed door.

Penny groaned and pulled her pillow over her head, trying to drown out her mother's voice and the bright sunlight that streamed through her window.

What had happened to the night's rest she'd come to take for granted over the years? Penny felt as though she'd been up all night in some philosophical debate. Bits of her dreams came back to her, but they didn't make sense. Why would she have dreamed of a young Brad in a cage?

She forced herself up, trying to get her eyelids to stay open. Having Brad home was having a definite effect on her. She wished she could understand it. For the past three years she had built a life for herself, on her own, without Brad's influence.

Within a day of his return, she'd reverted to allowing him to influence her. Take yesterday, for example. They'd played in the park like a couple of kids. You enjoyed it, though, didn't you, the little voice inside of her said.

Of course I enjoyed it.

Then what are you complaining about?

She really wasn't sure. There seemed something rather childish about enjoying herself, but she couldn't quite decide what it was.

Penny wandered into her bathroom and turned on the shower. Her mother had been right. If she didn't hurry, she'd be late for church.

By the time she was dressed and grabbed some toast and coffee. Penny was late for the church service. She waited outside the sanctuary doors until after the opening prayer, then slipped into the pew where her family generally sat.

While she hastily thumbed through the hymnal for the first selection she glanced around her. Gregory had become a member of the church and, unless he was out of town, he usually attended Sunday services, but she didn't see him this morning.