Her Lifelong Dream (15 page)

Leedy was beginning to regret that she had told Brittany
about the kiss she and Terry had shared. "Brit, he got another phone call," Leedy reminded her. "And I'm sure it
was a woman."

"So what?" she said. "That call could have been about
anything."

"It could have been," Leedy said. "But it wasn't. I could
tell by the way he was speaking into the phone. I think it
might have been Krissy Montgomery ..."

"Is that the bimbo you told me about? The one who
keeps giving you dirty looks? From class?" Brittany asked,
dismissing the notion with a sweep of her hand. "Jo Anne
already told you he wasn't interested in her. Besides, if
you're so concerned that he might be seeing someone, why
don't you ask him?"

The question left Leedy speechless. Ask him? Well, of
course, that did seem like the logical, not to mention obvious, thing to do. And leave it to Brittany to point out the
most adult course of action. But ...

"I don't know," Leedy said at last. "It doesn't feel like
a question I can ask him yet. Right now, it feels like
smooching with the loan officer in the parking lot is ...
wrong."

Brittany's mouth dropped open. "Leedy!" she exclaimed.
"Your loan was declined, remember? And I was not suggesting you smooch with the loan officer in an effort to
push through the paperwork. I was only suggesting that you
act on feelings that you and I both know you have. Feelings
that are healthy and natural and good!"

"I know," Leedy said. "You're right, Brit. But ... But
... It's just that I don't know where I stand with him and
I need to concentrate on my career ... Can we talk about
this later? Or better still, not at all? We should get back to
work."

Brittany shrugged. "Fine," she said and headed for the
kitchen.

Leedy pretended to check the coffee stations. By the time
she had restocked the already full cabinet with supplies,
she felt ashamed of herself. She remembered the delighted
expression on Brittany's face when she told her about
Terry's kiss in the restaurant. Brittany was happy Leedy
had found a romance.

"I'm sorry," Leedy said, when she found Brittany headed
for the dish room with a tray full of dirty coffee cups. "It's
just that ... It's like this ..."

Brittany waited, her chin sticking out stubbornly. "It's
like what?"

"I don't know," Leedy said, searching for the words.
"This was the second time Terry got a phone call. And you
should see the way she looks at him in class. It's as if she
wants to peel her clothes off and climb on top of him! The
whole thing reminds me of the way it was before Brian and
I broke up. The hushed voices over the phone and the darting eyes. I know Terry isn't my boyfriend and he's free to
see anyone he ..."

"Brian?" Brittany said, cocking her head to the side. "Is
that why you're so worked up over this? Oh, Leedy ...
Brian is ancient history. Besides, it was a different situation
altogether. You had been together with Brian for a few
years and he didn't even have the decency to tell you the truth about Angela! I know it was a painful experience, but
not all men are like him."

"I know," Leedy said. "But it's hard to believe Terry has
no one in his life. You've seen him, Brit. He's a handsome
man and ..."

"And from everything I've heard about him, he's a nice
man," Brittany said. "And he's also a man who obviously
likes you too. Don't you see that?"

She shrugged. "No," she said. "I don't see it."

"Well, you should," Brittany said. "Everyone else does.
Oh, by the way, and I'm speaking for women everywhere
when I say this, you can have a career and a romance at
the same time."

"Really?"

"Yes," Brittany sighed. "People do it every day. Mark
and I are both full-time students, remember? We juggle
classes, jobs, family, and a so-called social life and we have
a romance. As a matter of fact, we wouldn't have it any
other way."

"I know it can be done," Leedy said. "But ..."

"But what?"

"But ... Terry hasn't asked me for a date. Not a real date
anyway. Just impromptu after-class get-togethers. Usually
with Jo Anne."

Brittany considered this carefully and then shrugged.
"Weren't you the one who made it clear that you didn't
want to see him while you're still a student in his class?"

Leedy shrugged. "Well ... yes. But ..."

"He's only respecting your wishes. But the sparks are
flying, aren't they?"

"Yes."

"Then why don't you tell him you've changed your
mind? Why don't you ask him out on a date?"

"I could never do that," Leedy protested.

"Yes you can," Brittany said. "As a matter of fact, as I
recall, your RSVP to my wedding said you were bringing
along a guest ..."

Leedy blinked. When she had responded to Brittany's
invitation a month ago, she had assumed she could find
someone to escort her to the wedding. She had even considered calling up her cousin Frank. But now ...

"Why don't you invite Terry to my wedding?" Brittany
asked. "The date falls the week after your class ends. It will
be fun."

"Yes, but ..."

"You have a class tonight, don't you?"

"Yes. I do, but ..." Leedy's face suddenly went pale and
she looked at her watch. "Oh, dear," she said. "I better
hurry or I'm going to be late for that class!"

Leedy gave Brittany a sudden, hard hug and then headed
to the employees' locker room. She quickly changed into
her faded blue jeans and an old argyle sweater. She thought
of Krissy Montgomery and wondered what she was going
to wear to class tonight. Probably a sequined ball gown.
Leedy suddenly wished she had brought something nicer to
wear to class, but it was too late. She grabbed her bookbag
and rushed back to the dining room.

"Wish me luck!" she called to Brittany as she hurried
past.

"Good luck!" Brittany said, slapping her a high-five.

Leedy gave her a thumbs-up and bounded out the door.
She was late and traffic made her even later. Class had
already begun by the time she pulled into the parking lot.

"Sorry I'm late," Leedy whispered to Terry when she
finally made her way into class a few minutes later. Krissy
Montgomery rolled her eyes and smiled at Terry. He ignored her and went back to his lecture. Leedy found her
seat and took out her notebook and pen. She then pulled
out the tape recorder and hit the RECORD button.

Jo Anne grinned at her. "Hey girl," she whispered.

Leedy watched Terry and tried to concentrate on what
he was saying. He looked handsome in his khaki slacks and
a dark blue, long-sleeved polo shirt. Leedy was thankful
she had finally bought the tape recorder. Now she had an
excuse to watch her instructor for the entire class. And
watching Terry was all she wanted to do. Now and then,
she noticed him look her way. When this happened, her
heart would race and she'd look at him shyly. He would
smile at her with an expression of curious reserve on his
face. Then he'd go on with his lecture.

"Would you and Terry like to go out for coffee after
class?" she asked Jo Anne. She was thinking about what
Brittany had said, but she knew she'd never have the nerve
to ask him to the wedding, especially with Jo Anne there.
But it was the only excuse she could think of to see him.

"Sorry, Leedy," Jo Anne said. "Riley was sick today and
I want to relieve Ted on nurse detail. You and Terry go on
without me."

Leedy wished for that very thing, but it was not to be.
She had rehearsed the invitation over and over in her heard.
"Coffee?" she would ask, as if it didn't matter one way or
the other if he went with her or not. Or maybe she should
try the more direct approach and say, "Can we get together
after class? I'd like to talk to you about a personal matter."

Terry was speaking, but she barely heard what he said. "That's it for tonight, folks. We'll meet again on Tuesday."
Leedy started packing up her bags quickly, hurrying to beat
Krissy to the punch, but she was too late. Krissy was already standing next to him, tossing her long, silky hair and
hanging onto every word he said.

"I'll walk with you to your car," a dejected Leedy told
Jo Anne.

"Sure," she said. "Let's wait for Terry."

Jo Anne and Leedy made their way slowly to the front
of the room, both hoping the harem would exit soon.

"Hi," he said when they walked up. He was watching
Leedy, his expression hesitant, but hopeful. Krissy Montgomery turned, gave them a cool stare and then turned back
to Terry.

"Are you ready?" she chirped, once more tossing her
glorious blonde hair.

Terry's eyes darted to Leedy. "I'm just taking Krissy
to . . ." he began, but Krissy was pulling on his arm.

"Let's not be late," she cooed, tugging on the waist of
his shirt.

"I'll walk you ladies to your car," he said, ignoring her.

Leedy felt uncomfortable, following behind Terry and
Krissy as they walked to the parking lot. Jo Anne walked
next to her, but Leedy still felt as if she was intruding on
Terry and Krissy's private party.

"Here you go, Mrs. Cleaver," Krissy snipped to Jo Anne
under her breath.

"Why, thank you, dearie," Jo Anne said biting out the
words. She looked over at Terry, but realized he hadn't
heard her snide remark. He was too busy studying Leedy's
stiff, frozen expression.

"I'll ... um ... see you soon," he said slowly when Leedy turned toward her Jeep. Was it her imagination, or
did he have something more to say?

"Ta ta," Krissy said, taking Terry by the arm and pulling
him toward the Corvette. "Don't wait up for us."

Leedy tried to think of something clever to say, but all
she managed was; "See you in class next week." She could
almost hear Brittany groan, but it was no use. Clearly,
Terry's attention was directed elsewhere and this was not
the time or the place to talk. His attention was directed at
Krissy. Leedy started her engine and tried not to watch as
the two walked to his Corvette. Terry was speaking to her,
his face serious, but she couldn't hear what he was saying.

Leedy looked the other way and didn't look at them
again until she drove past on her way out of the parking
lot. Krissy was sitting in the passenger seat of Terry's car,
leaning toward him seductively. He was behind the steering
wheel. He glanced up at Leedy and waved as she drove
past him at full tilt. She looked away quickly, but not before she saw that Krissy was leaning toward him, practically sitting on his lap, with her full, firm breasts pressing
against him. Leedy fixed her eyes on the exit of the parking
lot. She forced herself not to look in the rearview mirror
because she knew he had still not started his car.

"I'm going to open up my own restaurant someday,"
Leedy said out loud as she drove onto the main road. "And
it's going to be the best restaurant in town." But somehow
the sentence, one she had said to herself thousands and
thousands of times, didn't feel quite the same this time.
She still wanted her own restaurant, but she wanted Terry
Foster even more.

it was only early November, but the shops in the mall
were already trimmed for Christmas. Green and red decorations adorned every window from the card shop to the
pet store to the food court. Wreaths made of plastic lined
the walls, and motion-sensitive Santas began to sing or
chuckle merrily whenever anyone got too close.

"Can't we get through with Halloween before the Christmas season begins?" Deanna grumbled. "At least let us
celebrate Thanksgiving. That's still three weeks away! I
wish we could enjoy one holiday at a time, don't you,
Leedy?"

"I agree with you one hundred percent," Leedy said. It
had been less than a week since she had spent that time
with Terry, but it felt more like years. The scheduled
shopping trip with Deanna had made her restless since Sunday. Maybe Deanna could provide more information about
her uncle's mysterious phone calls. Not that Leedy could bring herself to grill Deanna about Terry's comings and
goings. That was, after all, his own personal business.

Deanna was wearing her long blond hair in two braids,
like a teenage Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, and sipping
on a caramel frappuccino. They had already taken the burdensome bookbag to Leedy's car for safekeeping and had
returned to the coffee shop so they could sit down and
formulate a plan of attack for their shopping activities.

"I want to go to that shoe store again," Deanna said. "I
have to take back the running shoes. I got them home and
they like, I don't know, felt funny. Thank goodness I never
took them out for a run."

Leedy nodded. It was all she could do to keep her mind
on the conversation at hand when all she wanted to do was
ask for news about Terry. "Have you been running much?"
she fished.

"Nah. I've got too much homework to do to be able to
run."

"Oh. How about your uncle? Has he been able to get out
and run?" As soon as the words came out of her mouth,
she regretted saying them. Surely Deanna could see through
her thinly disguised efforts to pump her for information.