Certainly Sensible (12 page)

Caroline stifled a giggle as Susan smiled at the memory of the artwork. “Well, I
have
thought about getting a dog, now that we have our own place. Do you think she can handle the responsibility?”

Caroline went to the kitchen, plopped fresh ice cubes into her glass, and jiggled them around to cool down the tea. “I think if you let Megan choose the dog, she’ll be more inclined to want to take care of it. But Mom, adopt one from a homeless pet shelter. It’s less expensive, and it saves a life.”

Susan nodded. “Good advice as always, Caroline. I’ll speak to Megan first thing tomorrow about adopting a puppy.”

****

Susan was waiting for Allie when she returned from Brandon Phillips’s house. She wanted to hear all the details of her daughter’s first time practicing on his piano. Allie had left hours ago with a bag full of sheet music, but she returned without it. “How’d it go at Brandon’s?”

Allie shrugged, tossed her purse on the coffee table, and sat down to massage her still-sore ankle. “Okay. He’s got a grand piano in a room acoustically designed for it, and he let me leave all my music there, so I don’t have to cart it back and forth.”

“That was nice of him,” Susan said.

“I started to say no. I told him I didn’t want to leave clutter all over his house. Mom, seriously, it looked like some fusty old lady lived there instead of a young bachelor.”

Susan lifted an eyebrow. “Would you prefer it was a mess? Maybe he has a housekeeper.”

Allie sprawled herself on the sofa, propping a pillow under her foot. “He says her name is ‘Mom.’ I guess whenever his mother visits she always straightens up.”

“So he’s probably not the neat freak it appears,” Susan said. She hoped Allie wasn’t looking for ways to avoid Brandon. His offer was her only option if she wanted to keep up with her piano practices. “So do you go back tomorrow?”

Allie shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve got a date with Mark tonight, and then tomorrow he’s driving me up to Ball State University to show me around the school.”

Susan crossed her arms and tapped her foot. “You’re still not sold on the idea of going there, are you?” Allie didn’t answer. “I’ll bet if Mark weren’t planning to go to grad school there, you wouldn’t even have considered it.”

“Probably not. But he is and I am.” Allie closed her eyes as if she was about to doze off, so Susan left her alone. As much as Susan wanted Allie to apply for a transfer to a state school her father would pay for, and one she’d have a shot at being admitted to this late, Susan didn’t think Allie’s heart was in it. But if she didn’t go back to school in August, Susan didn’t know what the future held for her daughter. Music was her life, and Daniel—or rather Sharlene—had ripped it away from her.

The next morning, Susan poked her head into Allie’s bedroom. Allie was studying her reflection in the mirror, checking all sides to make sure her khaki walking shorts and white eyelet blouse looked right. She had her hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail at the nape of her neck, and was wearing pearl ear studs.

Allie waved her mother in as she applied more mascara and lip gloss. “What do you think? Sandals or sneakers?”

“Depends on how your ankle feels,” Susan said.

Allie tried on a pair of low-heeled slip-on sandals and then immediately stepped out of them. “Ouch. Sneakers it is. It’s a big campus, and I’m pretty sure I can’t do a lot of walking today in slip-ons, cute as they are.”

The doorbell rang, and Allie followed Susan into the living room. Susan opened the door wide and smiled as Mark stepped in. “I’m so glad you’re giving this a chance, Allie,” Susan told her.

Mark beamed at Allie as he squeezed her hand and held the door for her. “I think she’ll like what she sees,” he told Susan. “I’ll have her home by supper time.”

“No rush. You two have fun.”

Allie colored as she gazed up into Mark’s handsome face, her reddened cheeks highlighting her dark hair and eyes, and allowed him to lead her out the door.

****

“How’d it go at Ball State?” Susan asked Allie that evening.

Just as Mark had promised, he brought her back home around six p.m., walked her to the door, kissed her goodbye, and waved as he got back into his sports car and drove off.

Allie looked both love-sick and confused, if that was possible. Susan patted the spot on the sofa next to her, but Allie didn’t sit down. Instead, she went to the window and craned her neck, watching till Mark was out of sight. “It’s an hour’s drive up there, the town is tiny…”

“But that should work for you,” Susan interrupted. “You never did like Chicago.”

“…and the campus is huge. I don’t know how I’d fit in.” She shook her head and collapsed onto the loveseat across the room from her mother. “He told me about some professor who inspired him during his undergrad years and encouraged him to get his MBA. Mark said she was what convinced him that he could be successful on his own, despite his dad’s financial problems.”

“Well, you’ve got that in common, I guess. And if Mark could overcome his problems, you can, too.”

Allie shrugged but didn’t answer.

“So what do you think?” Susan asked after a few moments of silence. “I know it’s a huge change, but I’m sure you’ll adjust once you get there.”

“It’s okay. I’ll get online and start filling out the application. Mark’s so enthusiastic about the school, and it’d be cool for us to be there together…” Her voice trailed off.

“But it’s scary,” Susan finished for her.

“I have to go to school somewhere, so it might as well be there, as long as Dad’s willing to pay for it.” Allie picked up her bag and opened the front door. “I’m going to Brandon’s. I need to feel the piano keys under my fingers.”

****

Caroline was leaning on Lucy’s reception desk, chatting and laughing, when Misty blew through the front door of Meadows Advertising, ushering in a gust of hot air. They both stared open-mouthed as she waltzed right by the two of them without a word, her arms loaded down with manila folders, and stormed back toward Richard’s office.

“Uh-oh, now what?” Lucy whispered.

“I don’t know, but Richard’s in a meeting with a client, so I’d better try to head off Hurricane Peterson.” Caroline walked briskly down the hall after Misty, overtaking her just before she barged in on Richard’s meeting.

She planted herself in front of Richard’s closed office door, hands spread wide across the doorway. “Misty, Richard isn’t available at the moment.”

Misty scowled and tapped her foot. “It’s late in the day, and time he stopped working anyway.”

“He’s with a client and asked not to be disturbed.”

Misty huffed. “I’m his fiancée, not a disturbance, and if I don’t show him these wedding invitation mockups right now, they’ll never get back from the printer on time.”

But Caroline was just as determined that Misty not disrupt yet another business day. “It’ll have to wait, Misty; he’s with an important potential client.”

“This is important, too!” Misty was shouting now. “And you’re ruining all my plans, so back off!”

“Aren’t you being a little dramatic? Wedding invitations aren’t life or death, Misty.”

“Oh! I hate you, Caroline Benedict!” Misty reached around Caroline and opened Richard’s office door.

“Sorry, Richard,” Caroline said, “I tried…”

Richard stood up and shook hands with the man in his office. “Caroline, if you’d see Mr. Forsythe out.”

Caroline stood there speechless for a moment, then nodded. “Certainly.” She gave Misty a dirty look and turned to walk the client down the hall.

Chapter Nine

Caroline stormed into her bedroom, frowned, and then slumped listlessly onto the bed. “I’m frustrated,” she told her sister.

Allie looked up from her phone and wrinkled her nose. “What happened?”

Caroline sat up and looked over at Allie. “How was the grand tour?”

Allie tossed her phone aside. “Ugh, Caroline, why do you do that? You start to say something important about yourself, and then suddenly you’re concerned about everyone else. What happened to upset
you
? My news can wait.”

Caroline leaned back on the bed pillows, reliving the scene with Misty at the office earlier. Caroline sat back up, angrier than before. “Misty Peterson happened. That woman’s driving me nuts! She’s so
rude
. She interrupted an important meeting, and Richard was totally embarrassed. I can’t take one more minute of her!”

Allie put her hands on her hips. “So are you mad enough yet to do something about it?”

Caroline picked up her bed pillow and tossed it on the floor in anger, thought better of her behavior, reached for the pillow and replaced it carefully on the bed. “Like what?”

“You’ve got to put some distance between you and Richard Meadows, that’s what. Start job hunting. And what about your promise to start meeting single men?”

Caroline fluffed the pillow. “You’re right about the job,” she said, “but the idea of dating makes me nauseous, even though Lucy keeps telling me the same thing.”

Allie let out a loud, exasperated sigh. “There’s medicine for the nausea, Car. And Lucy’s right.”

“So what do I do?” Caroline pleaded, desperate for a practical solution to this mess.

“You need to have the guts to tell Richard how you feel about him
.
”

“OMG!” Caroline moaned as she buried her head in the pillow. “I can’t tell Richard. That would seem so pathetic, me pouring out my heart to a nearly-married man.”

Allie gave her sister’s shoulders a sympathetic squeeze. “Here’s an idea. Let’s go out tonight, just you and me. We can go to that restaurant on 86
th
Street. You know, the one that has live music outside. The music’s free and single men are everywhere.” Allie held up her hand to stop Caroline’s objections. “Come on, it’ll be fun.”

“I’m supposed to pick up a man?” Caroline shook her head, dubious.

“No, silly, just mingle. You know, see and be seen. How hard is it to chat up a few handsome guys?”

“Well, okay, I guess that wouldn’t hurt.”

Allie high-fived Caroline. “It’s a date.”

****

The restaurant was hopping, mostly with the twenty-something crowd. People were mingling both inside the restaurant and outside on the patio, listening to music and flirting with significant others or potential dates. Inside it was stifling because all the patio doors had been flung wide open, letting in the hot, humid air. Caroline and Allie decided to stay outside, hoping to get a better view of the band and also catch what little breeze there was.

They wiggled through the knot of people collected near the makeshift bar and stage, but they finally found an open spot to stand and listen to the music. Allie drank her beer, and Caroline sipped her diet soda while she took in the whole scene: the musicians—a three piece acoustic band with a reggae singer—and the young professionals who had come straight from work in their business attire.

Allie tugged on Caroline’s arm. “Ooo, look at that guy over there. Isn’t he cute? Maybe you should…”

Caroline shook her head. After another tug on her arm, she reluctantly took a quick glance at the man Allie was indicating. “Yeah, he’s okay I guess.”

Allie pulled a face. “No, he’s not Richard, but he
is
hot. Come on, Car, get with the program!”

Caroline obligingly looked around, noticing a number of nice-looking men, but none she was interested in. Then suddenly she blinked, wondering if she was seeing things. “Allie,” she said, “look over there across the patio. No, don’t stare, act casual.”

Allie followed Caroline’s gaze. “Lots of guys there, Car. Describe him.”

“No, not a guy. Do you see her?”

“Her?”

Caroline turned her back to avoid being seen. “It’s Misty Peterson. Look and tell me if Richard’s here, too.”

Allie looked. “Nope, no Richard.”

Caroline took another peek. Sure enough, it was Misty, surrounded by lots of attractive young men and women, all of them laughing and enjoying the summer evening.

Then Allie gasped. “Ohmigod Caroline, there’s Mark! Over there with Misty. Come on, let’s go say hi.”

Caroline started to object, but Allie was already making her way toward the group. The last thing Caroline wanted was to run into Misty in a social setting.

“Mark, hi,” Allie called out.

The color drained from Mark’s face, but he quickly recovered and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. “Allie! What a surprise.”

Caroline didn’t think Allie’s sudden appearance was a pleasant surprise to Mark, but she kept that to herself. She did a quick study of all the people standing and chatting with Misty, including Mark. “Misty, where’s Richard?”

Misty waved that question away like it was a buzzing fly. “Said he had some business thing.”

Caroline didn’t have a clue what Misty was talking about. “He told
me
he had his weekly basketball game tonight.”

Misty turned her back on Caroline and resumed her conversation with Krystal McAlister, the friend who’d helped Misty trick Richard into the marriage proposal last summer. There was an awkward silence among Misty’s friends. Allie looked lovingly at Mark who shifted from one foot to the other, alternately stuffing his hands in his pockets and then shaking them loose.

Misty said in a stage whisper to Krystal, “Why don’t we move over there where the air’s fresher?”

Caroline got the hint and took Allie’s arm. Trying to sound breezy, she told Mark, “We have to go. Work night and all. Have a nice evening.” Despite Allie’s resistance, Caroline dragged her to the parking lot.

When they were out of earshot, Allie pulled her arm loose. “Caroline! Why did you do that? I wanted to talk to Mark.”

Caroline didn’t like the whole scene she’d just witnessed, but for Allie’s sake she tried to be diplomatic. “Mark was with friends and wasn’t expecting you. Besides, you spent all afternoon with him.”

“So?”

“Allie, something just didn’t feel right.”

“To you, maybe, but I was just starting to have fun. You didn’t even give it a chance. We see people we know and pfft—you’re outta there.” Allie let out a huge puff of air as she stormed off to the car. Caroline sighed and followed her.